S3 turbo anti sway bar
Discussion
Does anyone know the original color of the anti sway bar on a 1983 S3 turbo? I'm doing a frame up restoration of the car and in cleaning the sway bar it appeared to be an orange/red color under all the muck I cleaned off with the pressure washer. It may be primer but I was just wondering. Jim you know??
I bought the car a year ago and the more we fixed the more we found wrong. So it was decided to just rebuild the Esprit. It took 3 days to clean the chassis!! We painted the chassis New Years Day. I painted the chassis because the car came with no heat shields so the galvinized finish took a beating on the turbo/exhaust side and rust had set in pretty deep. It looks great now. Suspension is going back on and anything that runs thru the tunnel. It is so much easier to do all these little things with engine and body out of the way. Hopefully, in two weeks we'll have the engine in place and fire her up!!
Thanks a bunch,
louis
'83 Turbo
I bought the car a year ago and the more we fixed the more we found wrong. So it was decided to just rebuild the Esprit. It took 3 days to clean the chassis!! We painted the chassis New Years Day. I painted the chassis because the car came with no heat shields so the galvinized finish took a beating on the turbo/exhaust side and rust had set in pretty deep. It looks great now. Suspension is going back on and anything that runs thru the tunnel. It is so much easier to do all these little things with engine and body out of the way. Hopefully, in two weeks we'll have the engine in place and fire her up!!
Thanks a bunch,
louis
'83 Turbo
Louis,
The original color of the anti-roll bar was black. Not exactly a flat black but definitely not a gloss black either. Satin would be more like it.
I wouldn't worry too much as there are few paonts which will permanantly adhere to the anti-roll bar due to the twisting nature of it.
I'd clean it up, shoot it black and let the natural color/patina emerge once you get it back on the road. Happy Motoring!...Jim'85TE
The original color of the anti-roll bar was black. Not exactly a flat black but definitely not a gloss black either. Satin would be more like it.
I wouldn't worry too much as there are few paonts which will permanantly adhere to the anti-roll bar due to the twisting nature of it.
I'd clean it up, shoot it black and let the natural color/patina emerge once you get it back on the road. Happy Motoring!...Jim'85TE
Hi Jan
No real tricks involved. The body is front heavy so make sure you have the proper equipment. Don't forget the 4 bolts that secure the petal box to the chassis. There are 2 bolts in the back, 4 bolts that bolt thru the plywood firewall behind the seats, 4 bolts on the tunnel, 1 bolt on each foot well, 2 bolts in the boot and 4 petal box bolts. Total of 18bolts.
I had already removed the engine/tranny to fix it before we decided to do a frame up restoration. So all the cables and rusted fuel tanks were removed. There is really not that much to disconnect and pretty straight forward. Disconnect the steering column from the rack. I removed the radiator box which really opens up the front and takes away alot of front end weight. Disconnect the brake lines that run from the master cylinder thru the boot. Remove these 2 lines completely. Clutch hose, heater hoses that run thru the boot. Make sure all grounds are disconnected. There is a metal strip that is riveted to the body under the seats..complete removal is required.
I then used 2 cut 4x4s that run from the front jack point to the back jack point on each side of the body. Jacked boths sides up at the same time with floor jacks. Jack it up slowly and double check you have everything disconnected. Jack the body up enough to place a 4x4 under the chassis mount holes under the boot (underneath master cylinder). Insert large screw-eye bolts on each end of the 4x4. We then ran a toe strap thru the screw-eyes and raised up the front with an engine hoist. The rear of the body was supported by 4 large and strong gentlemen. Since my engine was out I only had to raise the body high enough to clear the tires.
I made a rolling jig to hold the body once the chassis was rolled out from under the body. The jig supports the body at the jack points. Works great
Check the aluminum coolent tubes that run thru the tunnel. Mine had corroded thru. I had 2 new ones made at a muffler shop for $32. Lotus original parts cost $249/pipe!
I hope all this makes sense?? Just remember the front is heavy. I thought there was a hidden bolt somewhere I missed but it was just weight.
It is a really cool site to see a NAKED lotus.
Good luck,
louis
1983 Turbo
No real tricks involved. The body is front heavy so make sure you have the proper equipment. Don't forget the 4 bolts that secure the petal box to the chassis. There are 2 bolts in the back, 4 bolts that bolt thru the plywood firewall behind the seats, 4 bolts on the tunnel, 1 bolt on each foot well, 2 bolts in the boot and 4 petal box bolts. Total of 18bolts.
I had already removed the engine/tranny to fix it before we decided to do a frame up restoration. So all the cables and rusted fuel tanks were removed. There is really not that much to disconnect and pretty straight forward. Disconnect the steering column from the rack. I removed the radiator box which really opens up the front and takes away alot of front end weight. Disconnect the brake lines that run from the master cylinder thru the boot. Remove these 2 lines completely. Clutch hose, heater hoses that run thru the boot. Make sure all grounds are disconnected. There is a metal strip that is riveted to the body under the seats..complete removal is required.
I then used 2 cut 4x4s that run from the front jack point to the back jack point on each side of the body. Jacked boths sides up at the same time with floor jacks. Jack it up slowly and double check you have everything disconnected. Jack the body up enough to place a 4x4 under the chassis mount holes under the boot (underneath master cylinder). Insert large screw-eye bolts on each end of the 4x4. We then ran a toe strap thru the screw-eyes and raised up the front with an engine hoist. The rear of the body was supported by 4 large and strong gentlemen. Since my engine was out I only had to raise the body high enough to clear the tires.
I made a rolling jig to hold the body once the chassis was rolled out from under the body. The jig supports the body at the jack points. Works great
Check the aluminum coolent tubes that run thru the tunnel. Mine had corroded thru. I had 2 new ones made at a muffler shop for $32. Lotus original parts cost $249/pipe!
I hope all this makes sense?? Just remember the front is heavy. I thought there was a hidden bolt somewhere I missed but it was just weight.
It is a really cool site to see a NAKED lotus.
Good luck,
louis
1983 Turbo
Wow, that sounds a great way to do things....did you or are you taking any pics of progress? I would really like to see the machine naked!
We also have a Sylva Pheonix and the body just lifts off the chasis and floor pan with 10 clips! Now that makes any work easy...the only thing to disconnect are the rear lights! Why can't all sports cars be like this?!!! Yes - I know...stressed body etc...but it is VERY cool and makes work very simple.
Hope you post some pics - good luck with the restoration.
We also have a Sylva Pheonix and the body just lifts off the chasis and floor pan with 10 clips! Now that makes any work easy...the only thing to disconnect are the rear lights! Why can't all sports cars be like this?!!! Yes - I know...stressed body etc...but it is VERY cool and makes work very simple.
Hope you post some pics - good luck with the restoration.
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