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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Rye, New Hampshire
Posts: 374
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Anyone have any experience with a Lotus Esprit?
I love the look of these cars and sometimes toy with the idea of getting one to play around with ... Maybe an S3 ( 1980's ).
Anyone have any personal experience, Good or Bad? Thanks -Dan
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1979 Porsche 911 Black on Black widebody 3.2 - SOLD 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport Unlimited - White 1984 Porsche 928s Black on Black - SOLD |
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11-21-2013, 12:14 PM
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,298
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Every time I see one online for $20k I have the same thought. Then I remember that it is British and was built by some men in a shed. How high is your tolerance for automotive pain?
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‘07 Mazda RX8-8 Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc |
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11-21-2013, 12:18 PM
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Hell Belcho
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Oz
Posts: 9,249
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I've worked on a couple. The only one I'd even consider is a V8. They are pretty much what you expect from a British car built in low volume. Colin Chapman was notorious for building as cheaply as possible. Uses a lot of GM fuel injection parts and even some Toyota stuff.
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Saved by the buoyancy of citrus. |
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11-21-2013, 12:35 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Woodlands TX
Posts: 3,937
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Ive owned a lotus for around 5 years.....I dont think I am brave enough for an esprit though.
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84 930 07 Exige S |
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11-21-2013, 12:43 PM
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Location: Woodlands TX
Posts: 3,937
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Quote:
Elise / exige is a more carrera RS than any actual porsche these days
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84 930 07 Exige S |
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11-21-2013, 12:46 PM
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Snark and Soda
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SF east bay
Posts: 24,640
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I'd want the one that goes underwater.
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11-21-2013, 01:17 PM
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I had a brand new Europa Special Twin Cam back in 1975. Best handling car I ever drove. Went around corners amazingly. High maintenance though.
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2001 911 Cabriolet |
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11-21-2013, 01:40 PM
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1966 - 912 - SOLD
Join Date: May 2008
Location: oak grove, OREGON
Posts: 3,193
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they catch on fire alot
have a friend that had one and it did
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i was too tired to be pretty last night! |
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11-21-2013, 02:19 PM
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Alter Ego Racing
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Florida
Posts: 5,553
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My brother owned a Turbo which I got to drive a lot and work on. Nice thing, there is a parts exchange list and a lot of parts can be found at the local NAPA. Bad thing, it is kind of hand made.
The instrument cluster shakes off, and needs bigger screws to hold the wood and fiberglass parts together. You do not want to lift it without the top on (they flex). Tuuuuuuurbo laaaaaag. The positives, you better like to be looked at since it is an attention grabber. It is kind of fast and turns well on the road (NOT on the track). A/C is marginal at best, seats are as comfortable as 914 seats and that leather degrades quickly.
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International GT Champion; Porsche GT3 Cup Trophy Champion; Klub Sport Challenge Champion; Rolex Vintage Endurance Series Champion; PCA Club Racing Champion; National Vintage Racing Champion |
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11-21-2013, 08:27 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: bottom left corner of the world
Posts: 22,713
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When I was a school kid my uncle bought one and I went around to look at it. I noticed one of the back wheels was sticking out too much at the bottom and he explained to me it was just the way it was parked made it look like that. Ha it turned out I was right. The strut on the bottom of the suspension/hub assembly was made too long. It had made it through the factory, through the
 quality control etc etc all the way to New Zealand before a schoolboy noticed it was wrong.Sure it was fast but my uncle would book it in to get fixed on Monday because he was intending to drive it on the weekend. |
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11-21-2013, 11:14 PM
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Air Medal or two
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: cross roads
Posts: 14,078
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The old ones were as reliable as a Fiat X19.......
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D troop 3/5 Air Cav,( Bastard CAV) and 162 Assult Helicopter Co- (Vultures) South of Saigon, U Minh Forest, Delta, and all parts in between |
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11-22-2013, 02:20 AM
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I had to do a quick search to remind myself which model we were talking about.
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11-22-2013, 03:06 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: LEEDS ,UK
Posts: 2,169
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Thas a photo of an earlier model.The later the model, the more reliable they became-especially once Toyota sold them some parts and advised on production engineering.
These cars were not built in a shed-i was the same factory that turned out the Formula 1 cars. Lotus also consulted for many car manufacturers, and still do. That said, even the later galvanized chassis still rus, and engine rebuilds cost $$$.
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1986 924S bought new. Now used for AutoX and street. Chipped, throttle cam, highflow filter in original airbox/snorkel, 14mm rear sway Hyundai Ioniq hybrid daily driver Vindicator Vulcan V8 spyder, street legal sports racing car (300hp,1400 lbs kerb weight) used for sprints on circuits, and hillclimbs |
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11-22-2013, 03:53 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Rye, New Hampshire
Posts: 374
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I love the look, but if the engine needed a rebuild I would think about throwing something else in...
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1979 Porsche 911 Black on Black widebody 3.2 - SOLD 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport Unlimited - White 1984 Porsche 928s Black on Black - SOLD |
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11-22-2013, 04:14 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: LEEDS ,UK
Posts: 2,169
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Well an alternative motor would need to be all aluminium,and no physically larger than the existing 4 cylinder motor.
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1986 924S bought new. Now used for AutoX and street. Chipped, throttle cam, highflow filter in original airbox/snorkel, 14mm rear sway Hyundai Ioniq hybrid daily driver Vindicator Vulcan V8 spyder, street legal sports racing car (300hp,1400 lbs kerb weight) used for sprints on circuits, and hillclimbs |
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11-22-2013, 04:18 AM
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Alter Ego Racing
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Florida
Posts: 5,553
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It would be cool to throw in a Subaru WRX... That would have the power, mean sound and not kill the rear compartment.
But, there I go thinking of throwing good money after bad.
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International GT Champion; Porsche GT3 Cup Trophy Champion; Klub Sport Challenge Champion; Rolex Vintage Endurance Series Champion; PCA Club Racing Champion; National Vintage Racing Champion |
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11-22-2013, 05:09 AM
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Air Medal or two
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: cross roads
Posts: 14,078
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if you "love" the car, you can make it work....It comes with strings attached.....Let no one knock it
Its just hyper sensitive to long duration with out primping.
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D troop 3/5 Air Cav,( Bastard CAV) and 162 Assult Helicopter Co- (Vultures) South of Saigon, U Minh Forest, Delta, and all parts in between |
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11-22-2013, 05:26 AM
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Targa, Panamera Turbo
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 22,366
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Quote:
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Michael D. Holloway https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Holloway https://5thorderindustry.com/ https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michael+d+holloway&crid=3AWD8RUVY3E2F&sprefix= michael+d+holloway%2Caps%2C136&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 |
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11-22-2013, 07:10 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,859
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Just buy an MR2 Turbo...It's close enough and would be 1000x more reliable. Cheaper too.
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11-22-2013, 07:36 AM
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They suck. A knew some folks who had them in the UK and they used to say Lotus stood for Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious.
Wheeler Dealers did one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcqL1vWdHk4 YMMV.
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'85 Defender 90 V8 Station Wagon (mine), ‘16 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4, ‘79 Mini Moke Californian (hers). '83 SC Coupe SOLD '96 Carrera 4 Coupe SOLD '89 Carrera Targa SOLD |
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11-22-2013, 03:38 PM
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I
Porsche 944
SC Coupe
Moke
