Lotus Esprit S1 - Cannonball Run group build

[Pete75]

Hi all. I wasn't going to do a separate thread for this build - I'm hoping it'll be quick, and it won't be earth shattering - but I've done too much research not to post a bit of it and I don't want to clog up the CBR thread with it. This years theme is Movie/TV vehicles - anyone not taking part already should check out the thread and join in the fun. My entry is a replica of the Bond Lotus driven by Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

Second only to the Aston Martin DB5 in Bond automotive iconography, it sticks in the mind owing to it's amphibious capability - and it's looks! It was designed by Giorgetto Guigiaro in the early '70s and pre-production line prototypes were used to shoot the movie in Italy in 1976. (The list of cars Guigiaro was responsible for designing is astonishing!) It was only equipped with a 4 cyclinder, 2 litre engine, widely regarded as "underpowered", but it weighed less than a tonne and apparently stuck to the road like limpet. I'm using the Fujimi 1:24 kit:

This is the first Fujimi kit I've done, and it's certainly more basic than, say, Tamiya kits - quite a bit so - but I like what I see. I suppose the lack of an engine would be a particular issue for some, but my solution is, therefore, to either tint the rear glass - it is a spy car, afterall! - or retrofit it with Die Another Day stealth (invisible) technology!

Anyway, I'm underway & some pictures will follow shortly...

[beeRS]

I love the Esprit. Even owned a 1:1 one myself once. This Fujimi kit may be basic, but it'll build up to a smart model. I'll be watching.

[Ben Brown]

I didn't know Fujimi made an S1! Is it the same kit as the Nichimo kit? I have one of those buried somewhere deep in my stash. I'll definitely be following this one.

Ben

[Dann Tier]

17 hours ago, beeRS said:

I love the Esprit. Even owned a 1:1 one myself once. This Fujimi kit may be basic, but it'll build up to a smart model. I'll be watching.

WHAAAAT!!!!.....Lucky!!!

[Dann Tier]

4 hours ago, Ben Brown said:

I didn't know Fujimi made an S1! Is it the same kit as the Nichimo kit? I have one of those buried somewhere deep in my stash. I'll definitely be following this one.

Ben

I've built a couple of those Nichimos before, and i now have the Fujimi.....they are nothing alike....Fijimis is waaaay more accurate, but i still loved building, and the look of the Nichimo!!

[Dann Tier]

21 hours ago, Pete75 said:

Hi all. I wasn't going to do a separate thread for this build - I'm hoping it'll be quick, and it won't be earth shattering - but I've done too much research not to post a bit of it and I don't want to clog up the CBR thread with it. This years theme is Movie/TV vehicles - anyone not taking part already should check out the thread and join in the fun. My entry is a replica of the Bond Lotus driven by Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

Second only to the Aston Martin DB5 in Bond automotive iconography, it sticks in the mind owing to it's amphibious capability - and it's looks! It was designed by Giorgetto Guigiaro in the early '70s and pre-production line prototypes were used to shoot the movie in Italy in 1976. (The list of cars Guigiaro was responsible for designing is astonishing!) It was only equipped with a 4 cyclinder, 2 litre engine, widely regarded as "underpowered", but it weighed less than a tonne and apparently stuck to the road like limpet. I'm using the Fujimi 1:24 kit:

This is the first Fujimi kit I've done, and it's certainly more basic than, say, Tamiya kits - quite a bit so - but I like what I see. I suppose the lack of an engine would be a particular issue for some, but my solution is, therefore, to either tint the rear glass - it is a spy car, afterall! - or retrofit it with Die Another Day stealth (invisible) technology!

Anyway, I'm underway & some pictures will follow shortly...

I'm excited to watch you build this, bud!!!!

[Nazz]

  This is going to be a great build, definitely watching this one! I did the Nichimo kit . It was fun. It is on the forum under 007 if you want to check it out.  Don't forget to do the Tartan upholstery!

[Ben Brown]

2 hours ago, Dann Tier said:

I've built a couple of those Nichimos before, and i now have the Fujimi.....they are nothing alike....Fijimis is waaaay more accurate, but i still loved building, and the look of the Nichimo!!

Thanks, Dann!

Ben

[89AKurt]

Fun subject, look forward to seeing how this goes together.

[Bainford]

Cool! I'm just finishing up a build of this kit. As mentioned, it is a basic kit, but well done. The body is very well represented. There are interior issues if you are fastidious, but most won't notice.

I'm watching this one.

[Pete75]

On 2/4/2020 at 3:28 AM, beeRS said:

I love the Esprit. Even owned a 1:1 one myself once. This Fujimi kit may be basic, but it'll build up to a smart model. I'll be watching.

No way!! A man of real experience - I'll have to up my game. Cheers Sonny

On 2/4/2020 at 4:40 PM, Ben Brown said:

I didn't know Fujimi made an S1! Is it the same kit as the Nichimo kit? I have one of those buried somewhere deep in my stash. I'll definitely be following this one.

Ben

Thanks Ben! Yep, I think Fujimi brought it out in 2016 (ish) along with the submarine version.

21 hours ago, Dann Tier said:

I'm excited to watch you build this, bud!!!!

Cheers for looking in Dann. I recall you're an Esprit afficionado - this one'll be a bit basic for you, but great to have you along!

19 hours ago, Nazz said:

  This is going to be a great build, definitely watching this one! I did the Nichimo kit . It was fun. It is on the forum under 007 if you want to check it out.  Don't forget to do the Tartan upholstery!

Thanks Jerry! Just checked out your thread -  I am doing the tartan, but it won't compete with yours!!

16 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Fun subject, look forward to seeing how this goes together.

Appreciate the support Kurt - it'll be somewhat less intricate than your epic builds!

[Pete75]

3 minutes ago, Bainford said:

Cool! I'm just finishing up a build of this kit. As mentioned, it is a basic kit, but well done. The body is very well represented. There are interior issues if you are fastidious, but most won't notice.

I'm watching this one.

Thanks for looking in Trevor. Will you be posting your build? Would be interesting!

[Bainford]

19 minutes ago, Pete75 said:

Thanks for looking in Trevor. Will you be posting your build? Would be interesting!

Cheers Pete. I would like to, but I don't have internet at home. I access the forum from a work computer, but can't upload photos to it. When I finish it (in about a couple weeks) I'll see if I can manage to get it posted.

[Dann Tier]

1 hour ago, Pete75 said:

No way!! A man of real experience - I'll have to up my game. Cheers Sonny

Thanks Ben! Yep, I think Fujimi brought it out in 2016 (ish) along with the submarine version.

Cheers for looking in Dann. I recall you're an Esprit afficionado - this one'll be a bit basic for you, but great to have you along!

Thanks Jerry! Just checked out your thread -  I am doing the tartan, but it won't compete with yours!!

Appreciate the support Kurt - it'll be somewhat less intricate than your epic builds!

I love/have my fare share of basic builds, Bud....they keep my sanity on level, lol

 

[Nazz]

  You are too kind! Thank you.

[MeatMan]

Nice choice!

[Dann Tier]

Hows this one coming along, bud?!

[robertw]

Picked up this kit a few months ago (and have the submarine one on order) and it is on my build list for 2020 so I'll be following your build. My first impression of the kit was of a basic and very buildable but still nicely detailed kit.

[Pete75]

Hello all ?. Bit of a break from the bench: "stuff" gets in the way from time to time and I haven't felt like modelling. Just came back to it, though, so time for a quick check-in. Here's a couple of pics I didn't post before my recess:

The body has since had its clear coat & is currently drying before flatting & polishing. I had a number of issues to get to this point though:

• Although I decided not to install the pop-up headlights, getting the flat covers sitting right in the apertures was much trickier than it first: setting them symmetrically and with even panel gaps is not a standard option with this kit, apparently! I opted to glue them as a “best fit” then scribe out the tight lines a bit, and repeat a couple of times during the painting process.
• The rear skirt (which has to be attached separately) flares excessively at the rear wheel arches. It probably would fit if squeezed during the gluing (not ideal) but I was so busy getting it symmetrical that I didn’t notice until it was super-glued. I decided to leave it in position & adjust each side with a file, sandpaper and some filler.
• Using a Sharpie to mark out raised moulding areas has always worked fine, but I won’t be getting it in panel lines again! It’s tricky to fully remove and if, like me, you say “Oh well, that’s good enough, it’s getting painted anyhow”, then you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. When the ink bled through the grey primer, I entered a state of denial & proceeded to the colour coat thinking an extra coat will make sure of things. Wrong. Sharpie vs white paint? Winner: Sharpie. In the end I had to put on about 8 coats of TS-26 (pure white), with scribing and sanding in between. (Also, I won’t be using grey primer under my next white model – I reckon it needs to be as white as possible as soon as possible.)

 

I’ve had fun researching the Esprit interior. There was a fair bit of online discussion to be found about the colour of the tartan fabric on the movie car, but here’s my very short version…

Filming was done using two prototypes loaned to the production company by Lotus, plus a mock-up interior was used for studio filming. Although it looks like a dark grey fabric, all the interiors – like many of the production models of the S1 that would follow – were actually finished in green and red tartan, similar to that seen below. The reason it appears grey above is, apparently, due to alterations made during the “colour timing/grading” process of the celluloid. (The exact reason is uncertain, but I did see suggestions that there was a clash between the fabric and Roger Moore’s skin tone...)

After some deliberation, I decided to tread a middle path between the above pictures and go for a dark-greyish-green. The big question was how-on-earth to do tartan? It came down to a choice between decals or masking and I chose the latter. Because the surface of the seats is corrugated I figured (correctly, as it turned out) there would be little chance of tape holding back seepage/overspill, so I decided it would be easiest to brush paint everything to allow for easy touching up. (Also, it would give me the freedom to mix up my own base colour, rather than be tied to a rattle can).

      

Perhaps better described as a crude check, rather than tartan, but I'm satisfied its about as good as I was going to be able to do; with some chrome trim & carpet I reckon it'll be ok. Good to be back obsessing over little cars!! ??

Edited September 14, 2020 by Pete75

[beeRS]

Great to see this back on the bench. Good work so far. 

[Pete75]

On 9/15/2020 at 5:08 AM, beeRS said:

Great to see this back on the bench. Good work so far. 

Thanks for looking in Sonny - good to be back! ?

Finally, the interior is done! The orange carpet took countless coats to cover the dark green, otherwise it was pretty much just the micro-masking fest I was expecting. I briefly thought about using Molotow marker for the chrome trim, but it’s much too fragile so I stayed safe & brushed on Revell Aqua silver; whilst doing so I painted on a crude ash tray and moved the door levers which were in the wrong place.

Turned out better than the bodywork, which ran into issues & has taken a trip to the brake fluid bath...

I’ll get the rest done whilst that’s soaking. Time’s running out but I hope to still make the Cannonball deadline ? ?

 

[Dann Tier]

Its great to see you back at this one!...its a neat little kit(i've built a couple), and your interior is looking sweet!!!....looking forward to more -welcome back!!!!

[Pete75]

11 hours ago, Dann Tier said:

Its great to see you back at this one!...its a neat little kit(i've built a couple), and your interior is looking sweet!!!....looking forward to more -welcome back!!!!

Thanks Dann - great to see you're still here! Bit of a setback today when I discovered a whole sprue tree is missing!! Guess I should've checked earlier ?

[Pete75]

The missing sprue - which basically contains the running gear - has necessitated the purchase of a new kit: not the easiest, nor cheapest, replacement with the pandemic it seems! I eventually found one place in Hong Kong that had it in stock, so all I can do is keep my fingers crossed it gets here soonish. The extra kit means I'm going to forgo the brake fluid scrubbing & start a new body from scratch; and this time I'll be using white primer!

Meantime, I've got most of the rest done:

I have little idea what the underside of an S1 looks like as I could only dredge up a grainy reference pic of a dirty car that looked almost all black to start with! It seems the illustrators at Fujimi didn't have much more luck as the instructions only call for either black or silver! Oh well, I just did the best I could (not being terribly mechanical).

I was annoyed with the masking template for the windscreen which turned out to be semi permeable: I got a misted tarnishing that almost seemed to be melted into the surface. (I decided to use a different spray for the rear partition glass & it seemed ok, so I dunno.) Although I'd already ordered the new kit, I went nuts for an hour with the polishing compound (in front of the TV) to see what I could do. I got 95% of it out, and I suppose I could redo it from scratch (not my favourite word at present) but I'm feeling windscreened-out & might just leave it at that.

Time to recommence battle with a Nissan Skyline I was given for Christmas, so I've got something to show my sister by way of progress/gratitude! ?

[Dann Tier]

I think its looking REALLY good!!!.....i usually always anticipate issues, so i like to get two kits for each build.