Description
This is a September 1976 series 1 Lotus Esprit restoration project. It left the factory in orange gelcoat with a tartan interior and is the 76th Esprit ever built. There were only about 19 RHD S1 cars built in orange and for me it's the best colour scheme by far. I don't care that James Bond had a white one, orange is far better and everybody has a white one now. There are only 140 RHD S1s known to exist now so it's a rare car and restoration projects don't come up for sale very often. This is the same type of car that featured on a recent episode of Salvage Hunters Classic Cars where they paid £28, 500 for the basic car to restore. Make no mistake about this car though, it will require a serious amount of work and money to fully restore it but when it's done I guarantee it will turn heads wherever you take it. Once restored it will be a £50, 000+ car so there's room to spend a bit on it and still not lose your shirt.
THE BAD POINTS
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It has had front end damage at some point and has had a section from another car grafted onto it as a lot of these cars have (don't forget it's nearly 50 years old). This will need improving but what's there will be usable with some rework. I have started to strip some of the paint on the front so you can get a better idea of what's been done to it. Although the car left the factory as a gelcoat coloured car it has since been painted but that paint will all need removing as it's micro-blistered and is also the wrong shade. It has a factory sunroof which if I were going to keep it would have to go (new roof panels are available). The chassis has had a couple of strengthening bars added at the front for some reason but from what I can see of the chassis it looks reasonably sound although I've not had the car up in the air. The chassis is only mild steel sheet and tubing so nothing special and I've repaired one in the past. One of the rear hub carriers has had a repair but looks as though it could be dressed back and tidied up. One of the rear tyres has a slow puncture but it's probably the valve and all the tyres will need replacing anyway.
The following items are known to be missing:
Spare Wolfrace wheel (they do come up on eBay)
Original style steering wheel (they do come up on eBay)
Fibreglass radiator housing (I have ordered one which will be included when it arrives)
Fibreglass front spoiler (which is available to buy)
Fibreglass rear valance (which is available to buy)
Original wing mirror is missing (available to buy as a repro)
Original gear knob is missing (they do come up on eBay)
Windscreen washer bottle (which is available to buy)
There will no doubt be other items missing but those are the main ones which spring to mind.
THE GOOD POINTS
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It is HPI clear and I have the V5 in my name. It has its original registration number and is 90% complete. All of the glass is there (including the rear quarter windows) and is clear, which it should be for an early car. It the Wolfrace wheels which are correct for the car.
The engine fitted in the car appears to be from an Eclat or Elite but the original matching numbers 907 Esprit engine is still with the car and could be rebuilt using bits from the fitted engine as a donor (depending upon what they're like). The gearbox is almost certainly the original although without a heritage certificate I can't be 100% sure but the number looks right. The carbs are the correct DHLA45E variants.
All of the interior is there and I can provide contact details for a company who can retrim it in the original green/ tartan for a sensible price. The all important Veglia green faced dials are there. All the boot boards are there as well as the engine cover.
I have ordered a number of missing/ damaged fibreglass panels which will be included when they arrive and any other missing bits should be available to buy as needed.
PLEASE NOTE
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Payment must be made in full before collection via bank transfer only and no other form of payment will be accepted. I don't want to take anything at all in part exchange thanks. This is a very rare vehicle and restoration projects don't come up very often
