[flamestone]

MAN - you're back!   

Not really.  Working overseas right now.  But I saw the post notification, and how could I ignore this thread about such an awesome car?   

[PA]

Richard Hammond has bought a Sport 350

It's not often do I   stand back, take a deep breath and think before I act. There are various   scars and dents scattered about my person to support this. However, on   this occasion I have exhibited the kind of patience associated with   chaps who sit atop lonely mountains for decades to learn the sound of a   single hand clapping.


Six months ago I   posted the above picture of a Lotus Esprit 350 Sport that I had, even   then, been thinking about buying for some months. And now, another half   year later, I have hauled myself off the fence and bought it. I don't   expect it to be to everyone's taste; my wife, for instance, hates it. As   does my eldest daughter. And my youngest. 


It's chassis No5 of   only 47 (or 49, depending on which account you read) Lotus Esprit 350   Sports built which was considered by many, though not all, to be the   ultimate version of the long-lived, legendary wedge of Norfolk goodness.   To make it, Lotus stiffened the Esprit's chassis and suspension,   uprated the brakes, gave it magnesium wheels, a carbon-fibre wing (and   this is from back when carbon fibre meant something), blue alcantara   seat inserts and blue cam covers. Yes, it's very, very silly but I love   it. Every return across the garage forecourt stirs a little trouser   tremor and there's still something in my soul that looks up sharply at   that raked windscreen and angular haunches and thinks .... 'ooh,   SUPERCAR'.

There are issues with   it. Of course there are, it's an old Lotus - they had issues when they   were new. Mostly though, it's just that the thing is filthy. So I've   sent it off to a sort of health and beauty spa for cars in London. I'll   have a full report on what goes on there later but for now, suffice it   to say that when the proprietor saw my Lotus lurking outside his luxury   warehouse full of pampered Bugatti, McLarens and Zonda, he clearly found   himself in uncharted waters.

Services offered by   these chaps include a deep, deep clean, detailing, a conplete cosmetic   restoration, repainting, polishing the underside until it is cleaner   than a surgeon's table and generally making the thing perfect. They   carried out an initial inspection which resulted only in a lot of   furrowed brows and a suspicion that once I'd left they might slink back   inside their pristine offices to order hazmat suits. I heard the boss   say, 'we'll be needing the black gloves for this one, not the blue   ones.' We shall see how far they want to go but I have taken the   precaution of asking them to make sure that when it comes to bill time,   this isn't the first ever example of the car being written off by being   washed. I shall bring news and photos when it is finished. And/or I am   ruined.

Drive Tribe link

[Aircon]

That made me look at this, which seems nice.

https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Lotus-Esprit-1988/SSE-AD-4592948/?Cr=1

[Aircon]

Modified and clearly tracked, but looks good.

https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Lotus-Esprit-1989/OAG-AD-13803227/?Cr=2

[Neru]

Modified and clearly tracked, but looks good.

https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Lotus-Esprit-1989/OAG-AD-13803227/?Cr=2

Wheels and steering wheel look tacky

[andecorp]

That made me look at this, which seems nice.

https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Lotus-Esprit-1988/SSE-AD-4592948/?Cr=1

I know that car well. Very clean, honest car, totally original.

You do realise comparing that to a Sport 350 is like comparing a 328 to a 360CS?

[andecorp]

Modified and clearly tracked, but looks good.

https://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Lotus-Esprit-1989/OAG-AD-13803227/?Cr=2

That one is a POS. Modified everywhere, bitsa car with bad history.

[Aircon]

I know that car well. Very clean, honest car, totally original.

You do realise comparing that to a Sport 350 is like comparing a 328 to a 360CS?

yes i do realise...this article just made me look.