Anyone know of a Lotus Esprit S1 in the Uk for restoration.

jared_nomak

Hi
Anyone know of a Lotus Esprit S1 for sale in the Uk which is in need of restoration.
Thanks
Ross

Thunderpussy

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/lotus/esprit

Used Lotus Esprit cars for sale from auto trader, although they don't look like they need restoration. )
you could try Gumtree etc. in you local area.

jared_nomak

Tried that, it's an S1 I'm looking for not an S3 or S4
Thanks tho
Ross

Voituer

Good luck , I bought one a few years ago and it turned out a bit of a turkey but I sold it for more than I paid as the market was rising, I have seen fixer uppers now go for around 5000 pounds!

ACACIA_AVENUE

Voituer wrote:

Good luck , I bought one a few years ago and it turned out a bit of a turkey but I sold it for more than I paid as the market was rising, I have seen fixer uppers now go for around 5000 pounds!

Who did you buy it from Bernard Matthews )

The Bond Vivant

Just in case you haven't discovered it, the best for Esprit hunting is

http://www.esprit4sale.co.uk/Sale/UsedCarCentre.html

Lucky bugger!

jared_nomak

I pretty much want one that needs a fair bit of work but either they are 30k plus or already sold. Will continue to keep an eye out.
Ross

Kleynen

Working on one with 'a fair bit of work'. B-)
But it is not for sale...

jared_nomak

I've seen some restorations being carried out on them online and love a bit of a challenge.

Ross

DanDanTheLotusMan

Hi - I have a fantastic S1 for restoration if you are still interested

welshboy78

Here you go Ross

http://m.ebay.com/itm?itemId=151431182675

Thunderpussy

)
And only one "careful" owner !

Charmed & Dangerous

I wonder if anyone had put in a "Best Offer"? I'd have a go but I don't think he'd settle for £500 and a set of steak knives.

The Domino Effect

I'll throw a packet of Fruit Pastels into your offer C&D, if you promise to give me a drive/cruise in it when it's yours.

PoorMansJB

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

I wonder if anyone had put in a "Best Offer"? I'd have a go but I don't think he'd settle for £500 and a set of steak knives.

I contacted them but they weren't particularly serious; the listing was essentially an ad to entice visitors to the collection.

PoorMansJB

Voituer wrote:

Good luck , I bought one a few years ago and it turned out a bit of a turkey but I sold it for more than I paid as the market was rising, I have seen fixer uppers now go for around 5000 pounds!

I'm looking for one in the US. Ten-twenty years ago you could get them for a couple of thousand, good luck with that now.
Lotus is generally tough to find here, S1 rarer, righthand drive rarer still, Monaco white ... forget it.

jared_nomak

Voituer wrote:

Good luck , I bought one a few years ago and it turned out a bit of a turkey but I sold it for more than I paid as the market was rising, I have seen fixer uppers now go for around 5000 pounds!

I'm still looking for one and I'm happy for a fixer upper, even if it's a non runner
Ross

Gebruder Gumbold

Hi Jared,
As a restorer, and consultant to potential classic car buyers, may I share some advice with you...
Many of us have the fantasy of buying a classic car at a low price, and budgeting the money for the restoration. Sounds solid, and looks good on paper. HOWEVER, there is also an axiom in our business, or hobby, and that is: the resto will take twice as long as you think, and cost twice as much than if you bought a good car to begin with. Ok, colour change, not so bad. A clunker, especially a Lotus, Aston, Jaguar...you will be spending three times the amount you think you can save on parts and labour by a professional sublet, ie machine shop, painter, welder, etc.
Next, that tartan interior will be hard to find as well. Dont know if that material is still about, but you will have to consider that if you want to be screen correct.

Now for the good news. Take a deep breath, and take your time! Joint the local Lotus Club, go to events, drive other people's cars, and learn the marque. Many people whom I have spoken or dealt with over the years go crazy wanting a car they have never even sat in, fantasizing what it will be like, then end up disappointed after the restoration.
Spend some time in an S1. Learn their faults, and where to look upon inspection when you buy one. I know that S1 Elans have a serious chassis to glass problem. Saw it for myself, and saved a potential buyer lots of money, as I had read about them in C&SC mag.

Take your time: when you have the money, the car will come to you!! I swear that this is true, it happened to me on 2 cars.

Listen to owners and experts. Go and build a relationship with a Lotus specialist, as you will need him later in the resto. There is going to be some part made of unobtainium that you'll need, so start networking now. Go look at a GBP 35,000 resto job in some showroom. Look closely at the details, examine the quality of the work. See for yourself why these cars cost so much these days, then either set your sights on a professionally done car, or line up a painter, engine specialist, and other vendors, and do most of it yourself.
Either way, your finished product will be what YOU want it to be, a James Bond Car!

PM me if you need anything. Have a look at my DBS resto site, there is a great deal of info there on the order on how to proceed. OHMSSDBS.com
Take your time, slow down, and give yourself 2-3 years.. it will be worth it, and the white S1 RHD w/Tartan is out there, maybe in a barn in Spain, but it will come to you if you take your time.

Best of luck....and don't go pressing any of the buttons! (oops, that was a Turbo line...)
Tom

MML

There's a S1 on Pistonheads at the minute. Looks well sorted though, but you could of course get it resprayed in good ol' Monaco White.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/lotus/esprit/lotus-esprit-s1-lhd-1977/2209745

Gebruder Gumbold

Not bad, N7. A rust free car in the UK is a bonus. Probably enough parts out there to do a RHD conversion, and get rid of those God-awful Federal side markers and emission equipment.
Cheers.

Anybody see this little gem?
http://classiccars.com/listings/view/564018/1977-lotus-esprit-for-sale-in-las-vegas-nevada-89118

No description...and a $1M price tag??