scruff
Part of things
Posts: 621
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It's a 907 engine not the old Lotus Twink. The same basic lump with a turbo nailed on is in my 1994 Esprit (OK mines a 2.2) pumping out 265 bhp and over 300 in other models They are fine until IF they let go then they cost a fortune to fix. Standard bits (HG, gaskets,etc) are reasonable but major bits (mains, rings, pistons, liners, etc) are costly. Lotus Bits are your new bestest friends  Followed by SJ Sportscars and Paul Matty's One thing though oil pressure on the 907 is PATHETIC at idle. Even on a good one hot idle is 0.35 bar. I crapped myself first time I saw the gauge hovering just in the red... It's normal, they all do it, it's because the oil pump is half way up the engine. Should make good pressure when above idle. Tappets are shims and need a load of magnets to do, need to do mine but haven't got around to it yet. Looks like it's going to be an interesting project! Rich |
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1994 Lotus Esprit - Fragile red turbo with pop up lights.
1980 Porsche 924 - Fragile red turbo with pop up lights.
I spy a trend...
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ToolsnTrack
Posted a lot
Homebrew Raconteur
Posts: 4,129
Club RR Member Number: 134
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Keep the lump, but at least clean the crud out the engine bay! I've seen loads of Eclat and Elites, but most significantly none have ever been running. I'd be curious to hear one being handed "the beans"
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555 
Club RR Member Number: 33
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This is superb. You WILL be needing to grow that porn-tastic tache back though, amigo.....and I hope you've got some brown Pittard's leather driving gloves on your Christmas list.
The 907 lump had its troubles, but like others from the same period (Stag V8 etc etc) it now has the benefit of 30-40 years of enthusiast knowledge and club/specialist backup. A bit of research, a careful recomission, and all will be fine I'm sure.
If you need anything from Paul Matty's give us a shout. His place is about 90 seconds' drive from Damaged Towers. ;D
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Don't chuck out the original lump please. We service a 2.2 turbo and after lots of engine work, it was of course necessary to take a test drive. The rumble off them is AWESOME. You won't be dissappointed if you keep it.
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Mazda mx5 mk1 eunos Track car Project
1973 Vauxhall Firenza
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ToolsnTrack
Posted a lot
Homebrew Raconteur
Posts: 4,129
Club RR Member Number: 134
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Dec 17, 2011 10:14:40 GMT
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Moved to readers rides i see, so now bookmarked in readiness for an awesome build...
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Dec 17, 2011 10:53:22 GMT
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Good buy man, she looks a beaut! Id say keep the twink and polish up those cam covers, but I seem to remember your not into bay pornI concur. I think in this case, with an engine like that it would be well worth making the exception. |
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1989 Peugeot 205. You know, the one that was parked in a ditch on the campsite at RRG'17... the glass is always full. but the ratio of air to water may vary. |
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Dec 17, 2011 11:38:33 GMT
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I'd forgotten just how retro tastic these things are.
there was one up for sale in the local classic specialist near me a few years back. So tempted but all the stuff I'd heard about un-reliability put me off.
Wouldn't now though as I know which end of a spanner to use.
I've got loads of Dellorto bits sitting around in the garage if you need owt mate.
Can't wait to see the rst of it and how it develops
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1980 Derby GLS
1992 Rover 216 Gti - Sold
2006 Hilux - Sold (boo hoo) need a 2wd pickup. Anyone?
2009 Avensis Tourer - Gone
1993 Mk1 Golf Cabby
1983 mk1 golf. Project rust bucket
1998 Toyota Corolla. Project crash repair
2007 Volvo V70. Daily for sale!
Looking for a winter project - any suggestions?
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Dec 17, 2011 12:35:45 GMT
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I don't see any reasons to swap it for another engine, especially when you want to keep it reasonable stock.
However it is quite a struggle to get the engine properly running on these twin carbs. New gaskets and a rebuild of the carbs would be the least I would do.
The automatic is a 4 speed. So it isn't really pathetic in use, I would imagine.
Interior would match a brown exterior perfectly.
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 Click picture for more |
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Lopez
East Midlands
Posts: 867
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Dec 17, 2011 12:59:42 GMT
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The Lotus engine is part of what makes it what it is. It's not like it's a Crossflow or a Pinto or anything is it? It's a Lotus engine. It must be retained!
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Dec 17, 2011 13:38:55 GMT
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Didn't you say you had one of these?  |
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Last Edit: Dec 17, 2011 13:41:46 GMT by Soopahfly
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Dec 17, 2011 14:18:49 GMT
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Love it.
That center console is the mutt's nuts & I used to have that Sharp stereo in a Capri I'm almost sure. If it's the same one it was the latest thing circa 83-84 with a ff feature that went to the start of the next song on the tape like CDs do (APSS or something it was called).
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Dec 17, 2011 14:26:35 GMT
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I reckon these things are gonna be worth serious coin before too long. No car is more concentrated 70's than one of these, the interior is just class in a glass. OK they have a bad rep for reliability but thats because theyve been so cheap for so long that they were for a while the classic 'cat pi$$ tarp' vehicle, sat in a council house garden beside an old fridge, while the owner sits inside the house smoking fags and watching daytime TV in his grits. If you look after one i'm sure they're perfectly OK reliability wise.
You just cannot top that interior for sheer 70's ness, that alone is reason to have one, but I reckon the styling is great too. It looks better in 2011 than it ever has done and why on earth would anyone jettison such a good-looking, all-alloy, british-made, high-revving DOHC with two snorting dellortos? Only someone who was completely missing the whole point, as far as I can see. The idea of fitting one of thee with a Rover v8 or (even worse) a Ford V6 is just appalling.
For a manual conversion, I would have thought an Excel would provide its Toyota-sourced 5-speeder without too much of a war rather than the misery of Lotus's Maxi-based effort. Although I tend to agree that the auto box is part of the appeal in this case.
I seem to recall an article in one of the classic mags a few years ago where someone was trumpeting a conversion kit they had developed for these to fit a Peugeot 406 3.0 V6 engine. The cost of the kit was about £4500 (excluding engine, or fitting) or something equally ridiculous, I bet they sold a grand total of 0 kits.
Anyway great work! I am a big admirer of these things.
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Last Edit: Dec 17, 2011 14:27:31 GMT by xbo11ox
1974 Lancia Beta Saloon
1975 Mazda 929 Coupé
1986 Mazda 929 Wagon
1979 Mazda 929 Hardtop
1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica
1977 Toyota Carina TA14
1989 Subaru 1800 Wagon
1982 Hyundai Pony 1200TL 2-dr
1985 Hyundai Pony 1200 GL
1986 Maserati 425 Biturbo
1992 Rover 214 SEi 5-dr
2000 Rover 45 V6 Club
1994 Peugeot 205 'Junior' Diesel
1988 Volvo 760 Turbodiesel Saloon
1992 Talbot Express Autosleeper Rambler
2003 Renault Laguna SPEARS OR REAPERS
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Dec 17, 2011 14:41:44 GMT
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As there are less & less Elites left would it not be an idea to keep it original ? I have a '79 Elite 503, been in storage since 1991, maybe one day they might be worth something. Both of my parents were Lotus fans, elans in the 60's & then Elites, Excels & Esprits in the 80's & early 90's.
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Audi 80TDI Avant, Porsche 944, Lotus Elite 503, Jaguar XJC, Bond Equipe Convertible.
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Dec 17, 2011 14:43:49 GMT
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Ace car bruce... good buying skillz, i am now watching with great interest!! please tell me its getting slammed .......
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300ce lowrider
c220 track car
c280 youngtimer
S320 ...vip no 4
S430 ..
2 x slk 230
500se ,
E36 amg
E 430
E55 amg
Ml 320
C43 amg
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Dec 17, 2011 14:45:40 GMT
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Excellent! I absolutely love the lines on these, what a phenominally brilliant looking shape.
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Dec 17, 2011 15:05:37 GMT
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As said, I would keep the lotus twink.....
....but a rover 2.5 KV6 would *fit* really rather well! And they sound lovely.
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Remember the days when sex was safe and motorsport was dangerous. Vintage bling always attracts pussy. |
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Dec 17, 2011 15:51:06 GMT
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As there are less & less Elites left would it not be an idea to keep it original ? I have a '79 Elite 503, been in storage since 1991, maybe one day they might be worth something. Both of my parents were Lotus fans, elans in the 60's & then Elites, Excels & Esprits in the 80's & early 90's. Go wash your mouth out, then stand in the corner and think about what you've done. ;D |
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sumpcracker
Posted a lot
Yes, I’m still here.
Posts: 1,751
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Dec 17, 2011 16:09:39 GMT
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OK they have a bad rep for reliability but thats because theyve been so cheap for so long that they were for a while the classic 'cat pi$$ tarp' vehicle, sat in a council house garden beside an old fridge, while the owner sits inside the house smoking fags and watching daytime TV in his grits. If you look after one i'm sure they're perfectly OK reliability wise. OMG - you were looking at me throught the f****** letter box? This was mine.  Loved for the reasons pictued , bought for the centre consul, hated for the reasons mentioned Loved its green sueade interior! Bruce- manual conversion, mint it, crazy wheels - it will be a retro icon. |
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Dec 17, 2011 16:23:43 GMT
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To the people who say keep it original - the car was sat in a garden for (probably) years, if it wasnt for bruce it would still be there and eventually crumble away or get scrapped. So its another Elite on the road no matter what Bruce decides to do with it, and thats the main thing. Plus if he makes it into something uber cool (no doubt he will), it might make others see how cool these are, and push the interest and prices up |
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1939 Francis Barnett Powerbike
1971 Honda C90
1992 Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5 GLX
1993 Fiat Panda Selecta
2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van
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craig1010cc
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,998
Club RR Member Number: 35
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Dec 17, 2011 17:05:17 GMT
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I shall join the long list of those that can't wait to see what you do with this one chap (and now makes sense why the fugitive went this week). If the engine is toast (and I hope its not ), why not look at a MX5 lump as I recon that is a good modern day equiv (and you know your way round them/sourcing cheaply). Have to say that yours has the most fantastic interior i've seen in a long while |
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Followed by SJ Sportscars and Paul Matty's
