Some Real Progress Here (pictures):
Discussion
Having the Esprit's second service of the year done and they are adding some goodies for me:
AP Brakes (Don't know how they got me the blue ones, but hey, I don't care
)
front left, sans wheel
back left, sans wheel
back left, wheel on
front right, wheel on
All in one air horn unit (the orange thing):
...and the (best for last), interior with new Daytona Wheel (THANKS JK1 - JIM!)
Can't wait to get her back! (They are doing my customary minor stone chip spray and replacing a cooling fan...)
ENJOY THE PICTURES!
ErnestM
AP Brakes (Don't know how they got me the blue ones, but hey, I don't care
) front left, sans wheel
back left, sans wheel
back left, wheel on
front right, wheel on
All in one air horn unit (the orange thing):
...and the (best for last), interior with new Daytona Wheel (THANKS JK1 - JIM!)
Can't wait to get her back! (They are doing my customary minor stone chip spray and replacing a cooling fan...)
ENJOY THE PICTURES!
ErnestM
mperez225 said:
Hi Ernie,
Looks Excellent! How much was the AP Set(Rotors and Calipers)? Are the blue ones still available?
Regards,
Manny
S4s
Hi Manny...
There is a "kit" that includes the complete AP upgrade from Lotus. Are you sitting down? circa $7k (including installation, etc). The blue ones are VERY hard to find as (I believe) they where only made for the SP350's. Like I said, I don't know how they got them. I told them (Dimmitt) that I would like to have blue but would take the black if that is all they could get...
ErnestM
PS: The 2004 adjustable shocks/springs is next on my hit list and it is going to be around the same $$
Ernest:
Where did you find the air horn? Is it from Griot's Garage and how did they (you) install it? I'd love to offload the Buick horns.
The adjustable suspension (Bilstein shocks) shouldn't be much more then $3,000-$3,500. I know Marc Coplon got his for $2,500 from LCU. That's on my hit list as well.
Mark Pfeffer
Where did you find the air horn? Is it from Griot's Garage and how did they (you) install it? I'd love to offload the Buick horns.
The adjustable suspension (Bilstein shocks) shouldn't be much more then $3,000-$3,500. I know Marc Coplon got his for $2,500 from LCU. That's on my hit list as well.
Mark Pfeffer
Feffman said:
Ernest:
Where did you find the air horn? Is it from Griot's Garage and how did they (you) install it? I'd love to offload the Buick horns.
That's the one. I will post a WAV file when I get it back. I'll take additional photos as well...
Feffman said:Yep, that's pretty close, but then I have labour too as I'm too darned busy (and lack a lift in my garage, mechanical talent, etc) to do it myself...
The adjustable suspension (Bilstein shocks) shouldn't be much more then $3,000-$3,500. I know Marc Coplon got his for $2,500 from LCU. That's on my hit list as well.
Mark Pfeffer
ErnestM
Lotusacbc said:
Question, how much does it run to have the Stone Chips taken care of?
Depends on what kind of prep work they do. They have a new "channeling" technique for stress cracks that costs a bit more but the cracks don't come back. I would say that I have spent about $1000 per year for stonechips/respray/glass repair work. But I'm one of those really anal retentive guys that wants the car as perfect as possible...
ErnestM
lotustt said:
Everything looks great! The steering wheel looks awesome as well. Where did you buy it and was it hard for them to install and make sure the airbag is still connected?
The steering wheel was part of the "group buy" put together by fellow PHer "JK1" (Jim). Jim also had the hub adapters manufactured. The wheel itself is a RAID Daytona (similar, if not identical to, the Vanquish wheel).
I believe that the install instructions are available online. I'll see if I can find them. Fairly easy, though. My mechanic had it done in about an hour (of course he had the benefit of things like steering wheel pullers, etc)
ErnestM
PS: Thanks Cameron!
Ernest, where did you get the floor mats? They look like the 2002/2003 style mats, except that yours exactly match the magnolia upholstery. Very nice!
I ordered the 2002 style (embroidered) floor mats a couple of years ago from LCU, but they had only two color choices: black, or "beech". I ordered beech, which turned out to look much too yellow/gold. I wanted magnolia.
Are your mats from LCU?
==Dave
I ordered the 2002 style (embroidered) floor mats a couple of years ago from LCU, but they had only two color choices: black, or "beech". I ordered beech, which turned out to look much too yellow/gold. I wanted magnolia.
Are your mats from LCU?
==Dave
Awesome pics Ernest!
You've just about got the 'perfect' esprit there now.. (mag wheels would be the only thing i'd add but your awi's are mint too..)
Regarding the suspension, to be honest, the bilsteins ARE great but it really is not that different to the stock suspension. Unless you really need to have the height adjustability then i'd suggest you save your money for petrol (gas, sorry
)
You'll love the AP's - they are truly awesome. And blue too - super rare! Mine are black btw.. ex peter fan's usa sport 350.
Cheers
Rob
You've just about got the 'perfect' esprit there now..
(mag wheels would be the only thing i'd add but your awi's are mint too..) Regarding the suspension, to be honest, the bilsteins ARE great but it really is not that different to the stock suspension. Unless you really need to have the height adjustability then i'd suggest you save your money for petrol (gas, sorry
) You'll love the AP's - they are truly awesome. And blue too - super rare! Mine are black btw.. ex peter fan's usa sport 350.
Cheers
Rob
BTW - i bought my bilstein/eibach stuff from a company in the uk: Mike Gardner Racing. Its the proper lotus stuff but a lot cheaper than sourcing from lotus.
There's an ad on LEW:
www.lotusespritworld.com/Sale/parts.html
cheers
Rob
There's an ad on LEW:
www.lotusespritworld.com/Sale/parts.html
cheers
Rob
Thanks much, Kylie. Will keep posting pictures. I know you like the colour
Thanks for the tip on the shocks Rob. I have the added benefit of working with a dealer that doesn't mind at all if I source my own kit...
Whammy - yes got my mats from LCU. I guess I was lucky that they just seemed to match...
I think I've got just a little longer before she is perfect. I am planning some other stuff as well, but if I told, it would ruin the surprise
ErnestM
Thanks for the tip on the shocks Rob. I have the added benefit of working with a dealer that doesn't mind at all if I source my own kit...
Whammy - yes got my mats from LCU. I guess I was lucky that they just seemed to match...
I think I've got just a little longer before she is perfect. I am planning some other stuff as well, but if I told, it would ruin the surprise
ErnestM
Ernest:
That is one handsome looking automobile. Droooool. You unfortunately remind me of the resolve required to maintain a product in showroom condition and continually improve upon it. Not many are driven to that deep of a committment. More slobber.
Of course now that you've been handed that big box of discards back from the service shop....... Will we be holding a raffle anytime soon? I'm not too humble to upgrade to brembos. The old steering wheel, not so much interest.
Steve
That is one handsome looking automobile. Droooool. You unfortunately remind me of the resolve required to maintain a product in showroom condition and continually improve upon it. Not many are driven to that deep of a committment. More slobber.
Of course now that you've been handed that big box of discards back from the service shop....... Will we be holding a raffle anytime soon? I'm not too humble to upgrade to brembos. The old steering wheel, not so much interest.
Steve
Resurrecting this to say...
WOW!
Just had a chance to drive the car with the mods yesterday (received it back last week but took the kids to Disney so... no Esprit time).
The AP's are magnificent. GREAT BITE! Can't wait to try them out after the pads have had a chance to bed in correctly. The new Daytona wheel is sublime. It's the first wheel that I have ever had on a car that seems to be custom fitted for my hands!
A few pieces of advice:
* If you have Brembos ('95-'99 IIRC) - pay the money to upgrade (that will entail wheel money as well for the S4s folks because my AWIs just BARELY fit over those huge front calipers).
* GET ON JIM's STEERING WHEEL GROUP BUY NOW! You will not regret it!
Oh, and almost forgot - the air horn sounds lovely - WAV (or WMA) file coming soon!
ErnestM
WOW!
Just had a chance to drive the car with the mods yesterday (received it back last week but took the kids to Disney so... no Esprit time).
The AP's are magnificent. GREAT BITE! Can't wait to try them out after the pads have had a chance to bed in correctly. The new Daytona wheel is sublime. It's the first wheel that I have ever had on a car that seems to be custom fitted for my hands!
A few pieces of advice:
* If you have Brembos ('95-'99 IIRC) - pay the money to upgrade (that will entail wheel money as well for the S4s folks because my AWIs just BARELY fit over those huge front calipers).
* GET ON JIM's STEERING WHEEL GROUP BUY NOW! You will not regret it!
Oh, and almost forgot - the air horn sounds lovely - WAV (or WMA) file coming soon!
ErnestM
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