Social Media Progress Updates
Sep 2016:
The website has been quiet for a few years and there have
been some distractions from work on the project - but - things
have been going on, albeit slowly...
The front and rear suspension is all disassembled and, once I've removed the old rubber bushes (ready for Polyurethane ones), they'll be sent off for powder coating. I've also been aquiring some lovley new parts. New top of the range fully adjustable suspension springs and dampers have been sourced
Also, brakes capable of stopping the car with the sort of power and performance expected from the engine....
The OZ Futura wheels have also been completely
refurbished - new rim bolts and new tyres fitted
Not a functional thing but something that needed doing, as
there's a space on the intercooler just waiting for it... a
bit of artwork on a name plate - It will look nice through the
tailgate louvres one day :)
Nov 2013:
AT LAST! Project M71Revival is revived!
The chassis, suspension, wheels and engine are all in a new garage, where I can build the rolling shell and ft the engine, with a view to getting the exhaust manifolds fabricated in situ...
Aug 2011:
There's not been a great deal I can do with everything in
storage - but I have got the V-band exhaust adapters for the
turbo outlets and some 3 inch stainless tubing, which will be
sufficient for dyno testing
Here's a turbo in something like what will be it's new
position, when manifolds have been fabricated...
I could've mentioned this about 18 months ago - but I was keeping quiet on it as some might think it goes against the goals of PM71... As I've now gone public on PistonHeads though (my PH garage is here) I'll spill the beans on the other car - a 480 bhp Noble M12, bought ready tuned & running... a nice change for me and meaning there's no detraction from this project! http://www.noble.ukgo.com/
Nov 2008:
Yes Project M71 still lives! OK only in storage for the moment (as the photos show when the "donor" chassis & car were spirited away to a new home and the new V8 engine & chassis were put into storage this Summer) but the cash-flow situation from work is good - so it will soon be time to get the exhaust manifolds fabricated for the big turbos.... and then it's off to the dyno!
For shots with those doing the
lifting, pushing & driving, click here for the Commitee
button in the
People
Section
May 2006:
No real progress now for nearly 18 months I'm afraid! Nothing to report other than regular trips to the garage to turn the engine over. It's "cash flow" restricting things now really... I have bought a new digital camera - but the only photo here is of the V8 still with the plenum and chargecooler removed for the aborted 5th Gear collaboration... think they'll come & help me put them back on?!
Nov 2005:
Well after nearly a year the final installment of the 5th Gear TV 200 Mph Esprit project has just aired and it looks like they won't be helping Project M71 much after all. .... Guess it's all down to me again! Details in 5th Gear section
Here's an unplanned update - I'm now working with the makers of 5th Gear program on their 200 Mph Esprit feature... I'm hoping we can co-develop our engines, starting with getting specialist turbo manifolds fabricated - Click the icon for the whole story!
Oct 2004:
Oh
Dear, what did we say Lotus stood for (click
here) it's a case of "Hethel,
we have a problem" with the new turbos
- Click the icon for all the gory details!
Aug 2004:
The new turbos
are purchased and look very sexy! After many hours of
deliberation over matching graphs, A/R ratios, spool up times
etc. I decided to use two GT28RS turbos
(called the "Disco Potato" in Fast & Furious circles!),
but with non standard .64 A/R
ratio turbines. These should spool up as quick
as the old T25s but have enough flow for more than 300 Bhp
each. Just one concern -
will they fit!
June 2004:
Good progress on the engine - the chargecooler is now fitted and I'm very pleased with the results - the way it mates up with the GT1 plenum throttle bodies is spot on and the pipework from the turbo compressors is really neat.
Quite an impressive sight now and looking much more like the
full GT1 Esprit engine than a standard V8
More under the Engine button in the Mechanics Section, including a photo of my engine next to one of the GT1 engine bay
The
next job will be to decide on the exact turbo upgrade
specification and replace the existing T25s (which do look
like the weak link in the induction now)
April 2004:
The chargecooler fabrication has all been done and, as the photos show, it's an excellent job - should really mate up with the GT1 plenum beautifully
The engine building is complete - and doesn't she look wonderful!
After some issues with getting the
correct new main and big end bearing shells, the V8 has now
all come together with the new pistons, ported heads and GT1
plenum. The next job is to have the Lotus Carlton double chargecooler and inlet pipework
fabricated - this should end up neat and tidy, with as short a
distance from the turbos to the
plenum/throttle bodies as is possible
Here's me with the V8 during the final stages of the build -
it's hard not to grin!
Once the chargecooler
installation is done, it'll be time to source the ECU and then
it's off to the dyno - where the
real fun of engine mapping starts and measuring the BHP
output, of course :) It may be that the standard T25 turbos will not be quite up to job -
so an upgrade to T28s is planned.
March
2003:
The engine building is just about to
start in earnest and it looks like I'll be using a plenum from
the Le Mans GT1 racer - the throttle bodies are much larger
than the standard and the inlet pipework will be very neat and
tidy now, if we use a Lotus Carlton twin chargecooler,
so I'll swap my 2 SE units for 1 of these!
November 2002:
The rear suspension has finally been sourced and is in my garage! - photos to come. It's a while since I updated "Progress" - quite a bit of planning and real work has been going on with the engine. I decided that although I intend to use more boost than standard, it's well worth having the cylinder heads ported and gas-flowed. Happily I've been able to use a craftsman who's already done the research on re-shaping etc on the flow bench. I've also decided to replace the standard pistons (perhaps the only weak link in the engine) with forged Mahle items. Also, to give extra thermal protection for increased boost (although intercooling will also help), I'm having the pistons treated with a high temperature ceramic coating called Keronite.
The cylinder head porting and polishing
is now done and looks wonderful! I'm a great admirer of these
skills, having spent many hours years ago labouring over a BL
A series head with nothing more than rapidly wearing grind
stones on an old drill and flexible drive! The quality of
finish here looks lovely - and it's so pleasing to see 2 heads
for a V8!
The Mahle pistons have now also had their Keronite coating done. The ceramic layer on the piston crowns seems incredibly tough - the company says it's as hard as steel and it certainly seems to be.... even if to try to scratch it with the point of a compass, you can't!
October 2001:
The new type 918 V8 engine is purchased!
It might need a rebuild (the planning for which is under way)
but it's the heart of the whole project, of course! I've part
exchanged the old 4 cylinder type 910 - so there's no
turning back now!
Other progress on the Esprit is really good, with major parts arriving in my garage...... New V8 Chassis (notice the differing rear tubes curvature to earlier variants, for the exhausts from each bank!). Front suspension/hubs/Brembo brakes - Probably won't be using these disc/calipers eventually (see Design section) but they are more than adequate to get the chassis rolling!
I
suppose it might seem early days to be acquiring finishing
touches like wheels and tyres - but you have to grab things
when they become available! They are certainly a requirement
to fit over the much larger brakes and, anyway, they will add
to the final look of the car and already sit well in the
garage: OZ Futura Wheels/Tyres -
235/40 ZR 17 fronts and 285/35 ZR 18 rears
So
the new fronts are as wider section as the old rears! The new
rears will look pretty much how Giugiaro originally
designed the Esprit (with extremely wide rear tyres). Now
we'll have the power to warrant their use!
Early Progress was not easy! (click here)