Lotus Esprit Book.. Anyone read it?
Lotus Esprit Book.. Anyone read it?
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Lotusacbc

Original Poster:

2,591 posts

307 months

Thursday 19th February 2004
quotequote all
I was thinking of buying it, but I wanted to know if it has useful and interesting information in it. Or is it the same stuff, a basic outline of Lotus that we all probably know by now. In particular since I got into Lotus from about 1993, I am not very knowledgeable about the the Esprits before that (i.e. what the engine types are called, 907 etc, the MINOR and MAJOR differences between models).

So anyone read it? What do you think about it?

paul c

310 posts

272 months

Thursday 19th February 2004
quotequote all
Hi,
Which book?,if you mean the Jeremy Walton book then it might not be for you, as it covers from concept Esprit up to the '89 SE only and is a bit dated if you want later tech/running info as the SE was a brand new car when it went out of print.

It is however a good Esprit book for G-car people,and having read it cover to cover anyway, i gave it to the buyer of my S3 and he was well pleased with it.

PAUL C

mark_88_turbo

1,028 posts

278 months

Thursday 19th February 2004
quotequote all
I'd recommend it. It's not a bad read, but it is dated, 1991. For a new book try "The story so far" by William Taylor. For a more technical read, try
"Lotus since the 70's" Vol 2: Esprit, Etna and V8 engines by Graham Robson.

Mark
88 Turbo

Lotusacbc

Original Poster:

2,591 posts

307 months

Thursday 19th February 2004
quotequote all
Great, ill definately give them a look into. I mean really I wnat any information I can get. By time I purchase my own Esprit, I want to be able to know the ins and the outs of it all!

I thought I knew quite a bit, until I found this message board, People post about things I never even heard of on cars before LOL (not really but you get the idea)

PatHeald

8,058 posts

279 months

Thursday 19th February 2004
quotequote all
Lotusacbc said:
So anyone read it? What do you think about it?
As has already been stated, the book is very good as far as it goes, which is up to 1991.

It is a good reference for the Giugiaro cars, but has little to offer those out there who aren't stuck in the funkadelic nineteen seventies...

Pat.

paul c

310 posts

272 months

Thursday 19th February 2004
quotequote all
"i thought i knew quite a bit... people post about things i never even heard of..."

You are not alone
Sometimes i'm in awe of the knowledge that floats about on here. When guys like Dermot are talking of freescan and plugging laptops into thier ECU's to see the knock counts,02 sensors Etc..
I wonder what i've done selling my carbed Esprit to get an SE!!!

Thing is,it's the fact that there ARE so many people that that know more than me,that gives me the confidence to just go for it

PAUL C

hedgerley

621 posts

291 months

Friday 20th February 2004
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Lotus Esprit - The Story So Far by William Taylor is a new book just out, specially commissioned by Lotus, Inc. There are 200 for the States and 250 for Europe and it costs £75. Mine arrives in a couple of days, I'll let you know what its like, but if their previous high quality stuff is anything to go by, this should be the 'definitive' edition, complete with photos of the last cars going down the production line.

Check out [url]<a href="http://www.coteriepress.com/CP_ProductDetail_01.php?Manufacturer=Lotus&Productid=38">www.coteriepress.com/CP_ProductDetail_01.php?Manufacturer=Lotus&Productid=38</a>[url]

>> Edited by hedgerley on Friday 20th February 00:07

>> Edited by hedgerley on Friday 20th February 00:07

Lotusacbc

Original Poster:

2,591 posts

307 months

Friday 20th February 2004
quotequote all
Paul C - I hear you on that!

Hedgerley - Nice looking book. But I dont know if I am going to spend $125 on it. I dont think any book is worth that! But let us know how it is.

britten_mark

1,602 posts

276 months

Friday 20th February 2004
quotequote all
Had it not been for unfortunate personal circumstances I would got my car into that expensive William Taylor book, bugger.
While speaking with him he confirmed that he would be producing a book with Jeremy Walton on the whole history. I don't know if that means updating the original book or an entirely new version, but he mentioned studio only photography (which is a shame) so I would presume the latter. I just hope that doesn't mean the customary huge price tag.

Lotusacbc

Original Poster:

2,591 posts

307 months

Friday 20th February 2004
quotequote all
It seems like the link above is to a book that provides merely pictorials with minimal descriptions.

I am hungry for knowledge, FEED ME

mark_88_turbo

1,028 posts

278 months

Friday 20th February 2004
quotequote all
Paul said:
I wonder what i've done selling my carbed Esprit to get an SE!!



That's why I've kept my Steven's Turbo, all the looks of the SE and no comptuters.

Mark
88 Turbo

>> Edited by mark_88_turbo on Friday 20th February 20:50

hedgerley

621 posts

291 months

Saturday 21st February 2004
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What do you need to know LotusACBC? With the various websites out there, this forum and its members you probably have the best resource on the planet! The books can only add to the pleasure by having good pictorials to hand.

The original Lotus Book - S2 by William Taylor covers every, and I mean every Lotus model number there has ever been, in chronological order, and obviously includes a lot of info on the various Esprit incarnations, including racing versions. I'd recommend that as a starting point but would endorse the comment about Graham Robsons book, albeit being somewhat out of date.

As I said, the new Esprit book should arive in a couple of days, I'll do a quick review when I've waded through it.

hot-rod3

2 posts

274 months

Saturday 21st February 2004
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I have purchased several books, about the Lotus Esprit.I have a 1991 Esprit Turbo SE and the best book out of 5, I have purchased so far,is "The Lotus Esprit Turbo Hardback Book" by John Simister. This book is large and has great pictures and has the story of Lotus Esprit from conception to about 1993. This book has neat pictures and explainations of how the Esprit is built by hand. Also has great technical information. Also talks about the different engines and performance.I am one of the R & D injection mold builders and designers at Autotronic Ignitions "MSD Racing Ignitions - Elpaso,Texas

hot-rod3

2 posts

274 months

Saturday 21st February 2004
quotequote all
I forgot to tell you I got this book off of Ebay's Half .com in the book section for about $9.00 U.S. I just got the latest book "Lotus Esprit The Story so Far ".This book is O.K., small,but kinda repeats the same information as "The Lotus Esprit Turbo Book Hardback....Supercars...