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Stig Rahbek's 1985
Stig Rahbek from Hornbaek, Denmark, owns a 1985 Turbo Esprit in Calypso Red with a Magnolia Interior.
Model:
Turbo Year: 1985 Colour: Calypso Red Interior: Magnolia Driving Style: Fast Miles per year: 2,000 – 4,000 Owned Since: 2010 Purchase from: Private Serviced at: PNM Engineering Other Cars: Lotus Eclat, Matra Murena Previous Lotus': Lotus Elite (project) Why an Esprit: Like many others I saw "The Spy who loved me" in 1978 and same year I spottet two white Esprits in Switzerland (lot of drewling). I wanted an Esprit ever since Upgrades: Completly original. I might upgrade the stereo to amodern unit or install a Clariion E980 like on the last G-Esprits - if one comes up on eBay Problems: Frozen clutch after standing for 3 weeks. Info: 'I do fancy the S1 design, but lack of reliability made me chose an 1985 model. It had to be a G-Esprit though.
After winning an auction on eBay (I know, this is what many warn about) I picked up the car in may 2010 near Lake District. I was not allowed to drive the car to Harwich Harbour, so the seller (Steven Martin) drove it on a trailer for 280 miles - thank you Steve. We were on a very tight schedule, but arrived only 1 minute late after 4 h driving. I was the last car aboard the ferry. I'm sure this shortened my lifetime by a week.'
....
After winning an auction on eBay (I know, this is what many warn about) I picked up the car in may 2010 near Lake District. I was not allowed to drive the car to Harwich Harbour, so the seller (Steven Martin) drove it on a trailer for 280 miles - thank you Steve. We were on a very tight schedule, but arrived only 1 minute late after 4 h driving. I was the last car aboard the ferry. I'm sure this shortened my lifetime by a week.
I got it regstered on Danish license, which doubled the expenses, and enjoyed it for the next 3 months. Then it started smoking and loosing power. It turned out to be a cracked piston. Togehther with my mechanic we decided to go for a complete rebuild including blueprinting, new forged pistons and liners and an upgraded watercooled turbo. That gave som extra 15% power. The outdated R12 AC went out too allowing for future in situ cam belt change – and a some weight reduction.
Then I enjoyed it for another month, until the new cam belt snapped. This ment engine out again. Fortunetely nothing had broken.
When I got it back the summer was gone. When spring came I drove it for 3 monts, but the engine didn’t perform very well. I made an inspection on the cam positions. It turned out, that the cam had snapped 2 teeths on the crank.
The mechanic – now a new one – got it going again. He also installed a new steering rack.
I had a hard time finding new rear tires. I found some reasonable new Pirellis on eBay, which are now installed. But I belive the Esprit could do with some newer technology rubber compounds. Therefore I have installed 16” x 8” Remotec with 265/45 GoodYear Eagles. The front has 205/55 Dunlops. Works excellent.
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