Description
For sale is my very original matching numbers 1976 Lotus Esprit S1 restoration project. This car is an original gelcoat orange car which originally had a tartan trimmed interior. This Esprit S1 is a very early example which means it is arguably the most desirable age of Esprit. The car still has it's original single headlamp lift motor for the pop up headlights, the early S1 Esprit's had them from the factory. As it is a 1976 model, the car is the purist and lightest version of Esprit.
The previous owner has had the chassis and mechanicals restored with many new parts fitted, including new protech shock absorbers, bushes, bearings, brake discs, stainless exhaust system, steering rack, steering column and steering lock and key, also various other parts for the car are either new or restored. It also comes with a new windscreen and the original triplex rear hatch glass. The car changes into all the gears freely and easily as the gear linkage has been rebuilt with new parts.
Since I have owned this car I have had the original spec 5 Dellorto carburetors rebuilt by a Dellorto specialist. The car still is in orange gelcoat and there is no paint on the body shell as the colour was put in the mould of the car back in the factory. The previous owner had some of the car re-gelcoated to keep it totally original, but this job needs finishing or just painting with conventional paint; this means that the car will cost less to re-spray as there is no paint to take off. The body shell does require some small fibre glass repairs for example on the bonnet leading edge and the odd extra small hole, but the car looks to have no accident damage and is a good straight body shell. The interior needs trimming and all the panels are present and are ready to go to be trimmed. Other various parts on the car need finishing off as seen in the photo's.
This Esprit comes with it's original green Veglia dashboard, re-trimmed steering wheel, even has it's original stainless steel Trico wiper blade and Wolfrace wheels which in this offset and pcd were only fitted to Esprit S1's. All the exterior vacuum formed plastic trim is present and fibre glass panels. Also there is the original toolkit and owners handbook for the car which is very nice to have. This car was featured in practical performance car magazine and a copy is included. The car in my opinion would make a really desirable and original example when completed.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have for the car.
