Refurbished Carbs pics
Discussion
I havent really posted anything half decent for a while, nothing to report up until now. I promised to post up some pics of the refurbished carburettors, for those of you who like looking at shiny old motors 
I got a Carburettor Specialist here in Auckland to do the work for me, the customer service was excellent. Everything is basically like new now, just have keep them clean from now on.
All new connectors, new hoses, polished stainless steel ties the works. Next project is to match and repaint the Lotus orange on the covers. Have updated my car blog in my profile so am not going into too much detail here
Nothing is ever finished on a Lotus, hence more work to be done over the next 12 months $$$
Purely optional of course 
I got a Carburettor Specialist here in Auckland to do the work for me, the customer service was excellent. Everything is basically like new now, just have keep them clean from now on. All new connectors, new hoses, polished stainless steel ties the works. Next project is to match and repaint the Lotus orange on the covers. Have updated my car blog in my profile so am not going into too much detail here
Nothing is ever finished on a Lotus, hence more work to be done over the next 12 months $$$
Purely optional of course jk1 said:
Nice work Kylie, looks awesome. How's she running? Have you been spanking any of the boys on the track?
Keep up the good work!
Keep up the good work!
Yeah I keep the lads honest thats for sure
Its running really really nice, smoother acceleration, turbo which was also done has been a nice compliment to it as well. Its easier to start it cold and idles really sweet. Got a heap more work I would like to do on the motor, but will wait till next year when I change the belts at the same time. 
Pretty bits, pretty bits.... hard to resist the shinneeeeyyyyy... oooooo...
I love a clean motor! The top of your motor (due to carbs and not K Jet) is so much easier to see. Looks good!
Your valve covers do not look too bad, but I see where you want to respray them. I did mine last year and used a high temp ceramic based paint that matched the orange from Lotus perfectly. The ceramic resist the heat and does not peal like the OEM stuff.
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
I love a clean motor! The top of your motor (due to carbs and not K Jet) is so much easier to see. Looks good!
Your valve covers do not look too bad, but I see where you want to respray them. I did mine last year and used a high temp ceramic based paint that matched the orange from Lotus perfectly. The ceramic resist the heat and does not peal like the OEM stuff.
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
Snap!
Here is my late lamented Esprit's motor.
I had the cam covers and plenum powder coated as I just couldn't get hold of the right paint.
The powder coating lacked that lovely crackle finish, but was easier to keep clean and was never going to flake off.
I think it cost £30 or £35 to have the pieces powder coated.
This is what they looked like before they went on. The air balance pipes, dipstick bracket and all the fasteners were chromed at a cost of £15.
I miss my old Esprit
Here is my late lamented Esprit's motor.
I had the cam covers and plenum powder coated as I just couldn't get hold of the right paint.
The powder coating lacked that lovely crackle finish, but was easier to keep clean and was never going to flake off.
I think it cost £30 or £35 to have the pieces powder coated.
This is what they looked like before they went on. The air balance pipes, dipstick bracket and all the fasteners were chromed at a cost of £15.
I miss my old Esprit
Pat hi, tasty I remember when you posted these up and thought of you when I got my carbs done as I wanted to get some bits chromed, but the other half talked me out of it 
When you pulled everything apart are there many gaskets you had to replace? If so what parts do I need to get?
When you had the car and maintained clean looking carbs what did you use to clean them to keep them mint looking? Was hoping just to use some meths on a cotton bud?
I am hoping to paint mine with the help of friend who has just done his recently but forgot to ask him what spare parts I need up my sleeve in advance.
Hope you are well mate, oh yeah been meaning to ask how does did yr esprit compare to the 328 you have now ?
I remember when you posted these up and thought of you when I got my carbs done as I wanted to get some bits chromed, but the other half talked me out of it When you pulled everything apart are there many gaskets you had to replace? If so what parts do I need to get?
When you had the car and maintained clean looking carbs what did you use to clean them to keep them mint looking? Was hoping just to use some meths on a cotton bud?
I am hoping to paint mine with the help of friend who has just done his recently but forgot to ask him what spare parts I need up my sleeve in advance.
Hope you are well mate, oh yeah been meaning to ask how does did yr esprit compare to the 328 you have now ?
Edited by kylie on Friday 25th August 23:31
Hi, Kylie.
The job is pretty straightforward. The gaskets under the cam covers came off in one piece and I think I re-used them.
There are 4 thin gaskets between the carbs and the inside face of the plenum, a thin gasket between each half of the plenum and a thin gasket between the intake pipe and the plenum.
I think that was about it. The thin gaskets will need replacing as they will just tear as they come off.
I masked off the raised ribs and the gasket surfaces before the pieces were powder coated, but a quicker approach is just to paint the whole thing and then remove the paint/powder coat using wet and dry paper wrapped round a block of wood. I ended up doing this as well as it gave a better finish.
As far as keeping things clean is concerned, I tend to spray on some brake cleaner. It seems to shift everything from undercoat on rusty metal to red wine on magnolia carpets.
Comparing a 1988 Ferrari 328 with a 1987 Esprit is an interesting pastime.
The Ferrari is easier to get into, easier to see out of and easier to drive. The gearbox on the Ferrari is obstructive until the car has thoroughly warmed up, but thereafter it is much nicer to use than the Esprit's. The Lotus shift can be improved a lot by careful attention to the linkages, cables and rods, but even when fettled it is not a patch on the Ferrari change.
The Ferrari is easier to drive at normal speeds because there's no laggy turbo to worry about. The switchgear is nicer on the Ferrari and the whole car feels a bit more modern and sophisticated.
But if you really start to drive it properly, then it doesn't compare so well. It understeers far more than the Esprit and doesn't steer as nicely. The ride and handling compromise was better on the Lotus and the Lotus felt faster.
My Esprit was a 215 bhp HC Turbo. The Ferrari is supposed to produce 270 bhp, but it doesn't feel anything like that.
One of my biggest gripes with the Lotus was that the 4 pot motor sounded a bit uninspiring. Ironically, the Ferrari sounded really crap with the standard exhaust. The first thing I did was have a noisy stainless exhaust made. It still doesn't sound lovely. It is all to do with the flat plane crank. My old 2.8 Capri or BMW sound better than the Ferrari, to my ears at least.
One major pain with the Ferrari is rust. Mine is fine, but it had never been out in the wet. I looked at several, all with sub 20,000 miles, which were really rusty underneath. The bodywork is extremely vulnerable to dings and knocks that a Lotus would just shrug off.
There's not much to choose between them in terms of servicing. The cam belts are a lot easier to change on the 328 and are only £10 each. The oil filter is on top of the engine and is easy, but the plugs in the front bank are a pain to get to. Changing an exhaust manifold looks like a nightmare. Apart from the cam belts, Italian spares are much more costly. The exhaust was 4 times more expensive than a stainless Esprit item from SJ Sportscars.
On balance, the Ferrari is a more sophisticated car, but the Lotus is a more exciting driver's car. There's nothing in it in terms of outright performance. The Ferrari is easier to drive, mainly because of the better power delivery and a nicer gearbox. The Esprit steers and handles better.
If it was a straight choice beween the two cars, I'd take the Ferrari. Once you take into account the fact that the Lotus is half the price, then there is no question that the Esprit is the better prospect, especially if you are an enthusiast who likes driving and fettling.
Which you find more attractive is a very personal thing. The Ferrari is prettier, but the Lotus more striking, especially if it was an early one.
At the end of 2007 I will probably sell the Ferrari and pay a big lum off my mortgage.
If that happens, I think I might look for a mint S2.2 Esprit, preferably a JPS model. I guess that says a lot about how an Esprit stacks up against the contemporary Ferrari.
Cheers,
The job is pretty straightforward. The gaskets under the cam covers came off in one piece and I think I re-used them.
There are 4 thin gaskets between the carbs and the inside face of the plenum, a thin gasket between each half of the plenum and a thin gasket between the intake pipe and the plenum.
I think that was about it. The thin gaskets will need replacing as they will just tear as they come off.
I masked off the raised ribs and the gasket surfaces before the pieces were powder coated, but a quicker approach is just to paint the whole thing and then remove the paint/powder coat using wet and dry paper wrapped round a block of wood. I ended up doing this as well as it gave a better finish.
As far as keeping things clean is concerned, I tend to spray on some brake cleaner. It seems to shift everything from undercoat on rusty metal to red wine on magnolia carpets.
Comparing a 1988 Ferrari 328 with a 1987 Esprit is an interesting pastime.
The Ferrari is easier to get into, easier to see out of and easier to drive. The gearbox on the Ferrari is obstructive until the car has thoroughly warmed up, but thereafter it is much nicer to use than the Esprit's. The Lotus shift can be improved a lot by careful attention to the linkages, cables and rods, but even when fettled it is not a patch on the Ferrari change.
The Ferrari is easier to drive at normal speeds because there's no laggy turbo to worry about. The switchgear is nicer on the Ferrari and the whole car feels a bit more modern and sophisticated.
But if you really start to drive it properly, then it doesn't compare so well. It understeers far more than the Esprit and doesn't steer as nicely. The ride and handling compromise was better on the Lotus and the Lotus felt faster.
My Esprit was a 215 bhp HC Turbo. The Ferrari is supposed to produce 270 bhp, but it doesn't feel anything like that.
One of my biggest gripes with the Lotus was that the 4 pot motor sounded a bit uninspiring. Ironically, the Ferrari sounded really crap with the standard exhaust. The first thing I did was have a noisy stainless exhaust made. It still doesn't sound lovely. It is all to do with the flat plane crank. My old 2.8 Capri or BMW sound better than the Ferrari, to my ears at least.
One major pain with the Ferrari is rust. Mine is fine, but it had never been out in the wet. I looked at several, all with sub 20,000 miles, which were really rusty underneath. The bodywork is extremely vulnerable to dings and knocks that a Lotus would just shrug off.
There's not much to choose between them in terms of servicing. The cam belts are a lot easier to change on the 328 and are only £10 each. The oil filter is on top of the engine and is easy, but the plugs in the front bank are a pain to get to. Changing an exhaust manifold looks like a nightmare. Apart from the cam belts, Italian spares are much more costly. The exhaust was 4 times more expensive than a stainless Esprit item from SJ Sportscars.
On balance, the Ferrari is a more sophisticated car, but the Lotus is a more exciting driver's car. There's nothing in it in terms of outright performance. The Ferrari is easier to drive, mainly because of the better power delivery and a nicer gearbox. The Esprit steers and handles better.
If it was a straight choice beween the two cars, I'd take the Ferrari. Once you take into account the fact that the Lotus is half the price, then there is no question that the Esprit is the better prospect, especially if you are an enthusiast who likes driving and fettling.
Which you find more attractive is a very personal thing. The Ferrari is prettier, but the Lotus more striking, especially if it was an early one.
At the end of 2007 I will probably sell the Ferrari and pay a big lum off my mortgage.
If that happens, I think I might look for a mint S2.2 Esprit, preferably a JPS model. I guess that says a lot about how an Esprit stacks up against the contemporary Ferrari.
Cheers,
Thats awesome Pat and thanks so much for this fantastic review as Simon and myself have come vary close to buying Fezzas in the past, but felt that they dont stack up in many ways. Of course just our opinion Am so glad your going to get back into another Esprit soon. Your right they compare to nothing else. They are a true drivers car and thats what its all about. I have had the Esprit for nearly 5yrs and still makes get sweaty hands and massive grin factor.
I assume SJSportscars will know what Gaskits I will need.
Cheers
Kylie
Am so glad your going to get back into another Esprit soon. Your right they compare to nothing else. They are a true drivers car and thats what its all about. I have had the Esprit for nearly 5yrs and still makes get sweaty hands and massive grin factor. I assume SJSportscars will know what Gaskits I will need.
Cheers
Kylie
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