This past weekend...

[Nunyas]

Every time I see a B on the road it reminds me of the one I just lost, and it sets me off on a chain of reminiscing. However, I got a special delight this past Saturday. I was at the "local" DIY car wash cleaning my Lancer, and what pulled up next to me at the vacuum stations? Nothing less than a 1989 Lotus Esprite Turbo, looking delicious in its pearl white paint.

It wasn't perfect. There was a large scuff on the left side of the front bumper, but over all, it seemed to have weathered the years well.

I spoke with the owner for a bit, and was surprised to hear that Esprite Turbos are relatively affordable. Though, he noted that their values are starting to climb again.

It definitely made my day, and the fact that my usual parking spots on the street at home were all taken up didn't bother me one bit.

I wish I had a camera with me at the time... The late 80's Esprite Turbo was one of my favorite cars from my youth.

 

[AngliaGT]

I used to not care much for them -
- but they've aged well.Once I sold
the Elan,I was a lot more open-minded
to those "modern" Lotus's.

- Doug

 

[Banjo]

007 man... 007. Esprits are cool.

 

[Silverghost]

I ABSOLUTELY refuse to acknowledge that I am old enough to be able to say that the late 80's was from my youth!! :laugh: LOL Just how the HECK did THAT happen!!!?

 

[Nunyas]

I used to not care much for them -
- but they've aged well.Once I sold
the Elan,I was a lot more open-minded
to those "modern" Lotus's.

- Doug

Yeah they have. Unless I'm mistaken, I think they're still making them these days. Though, they're putting V8's with turbos in them now, and not much has changed body wise. Sure, they've updated the bumpers and tail lights, and added "ground effects", but it clearly looks like the same car still.

On the other hand, I was reading recently that they're going to replace it with a new car. Whether or not they call the new car an Esprite is undetermined, as of yet.

 

[Guest]

They stopped making the Esprit in 2005 when they ran out of Renault 25 gearboxes iirc. A replacement keeps being talked about, but that's about it. They are making too many Elises to need to put any effort into one yet...

 

[lotuslover]

Esprits must have dropped in value since the last time I looked at them. My former mechanic warned me against buy any Lotus, but did I listen?

 

[DrEntropy]

And just what did this ~former~ mechanic drive to and fro?!?

...and is that advice why he's the "former" one?

 

[AngliaGT]

I heard that he's hiding out in Florida,
working on Italian cars now.

- Doug

 

[DrEntropy]

:lol:

 

[AngliaGT]

Bye the way Doc,a guy named Vinnie's looking
for you.......I think that he works for an
"insurance" company based in Philly (Mafia Mutual).
But you didn't hear it from me.

- Doug

 

[DrEntropy]

great.


now I gotta move again.

 

[tony barnhill]

Bye the way Doc,a guy named Vinnie's looking
for you.......I think that he works for an
"insurance" company based in Philly (Mafia Mutual).
But you didn't hear it from me.

- Doug

great.


now I gotta move again.

Yep, he stopped by my place Thursday but mumbled something about "not enough facial hair & too much head hair"....then he asked me what was the quickest route to Florida.

 

[DrEntropy]

Keep those cameras operational Tony... 'smits may need evidence. :smirk:

 

[AngliaGT]

Make sure she's not filling out extra
life insurance applications,or being really
nice to you.

- Doug

 

[DrEntropy]

hmmm... :shocked:

 

[AngliaGT]

Wait a minute ..... my Wife's being
REALLY nice to me.Could it be? er,Naw!
Almost 30 years (I haven't made it to the end
of the month yet),& she still talks to me.
Good thing I'm not paranoid.PC - Heightened Awareness!

- Doug

 

[tony barnhill]

Doug - I thought you 2 would be in a moving van on your way to Alabama by now!!

 

[AngliaGT]

Tony,

We need to get things sorted before we
think about moving.Plus we have 7 cars that
would have to be moved,+ the Cortina parts,+...


- Doug