It's a Hobby, it doesn't have to make sense to most of us!!! Wrenchin on cars has many beneficial aspects; Great stress relief, Retail therapy when buying parts, using tools and buying tools (more retail therapy), doing things that makes other folks eyes cross, Yoga like working positions (kills 2 birds with one stone), problem solving, swearing, primal screaming when things go sideways or when that "C" clip goes shooting off into a 4th dimension never to be see again, reading manuals, putting electrical tape on cuts and scrapes just because it drives your wife nuts, washing your filthy hands in the kitchen sink (see driving wife crazy), driving a car, truck or Bike that you fixed!!!

I have more I can list out but you get the idea......

updates?.....

Woody, thanks for promting me. All has been well of late. We have been using it constantly for many short runs as well as a few 500 mile days up to NY and back. Runs like a top!

I still can't get the key fob to lock or unlock. No trunk action either. This is a work 1 day and not the next, so once it warms up, we will dig into it. I have been logging with the Durametric and think we will have to replace the vario solenoid ramps. The cam deviation is up there at about -7 and the IMS has been done. I have yet to pull the sump to see how much plastic is in there. My Lotus Esprit has been living on the lift for months as I try to revive it.

It has been a real project like Stella (the Box) but she (Vivian) has a beautiful and visible engine for a mid engined car:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...psxrjkr1qx.jpg

And Allie has been making a custom exhaust for her. We replaced the stock cast iron exhaust manifold with a custom built set of headers from Alunox and need all new pipes too. We went up in size to 2-1/2 inch and have been working in SS. The weight loss just in the exhaust is 51 lbs.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...psz2zntbdt.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...pslsubcxz6.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...pskqvouxqe.jpg

Sorry to turn this into a partial Esprit thread but this is what we have been working on with a little bit of Box on the side ��

Keep the Lotus updates coming, love to see them! Tell Allie nice welding :cheers:

Headers to replace cast iron manifiold and wastgate. I wish we could get stuff like this for the Box:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...pss3hdxmzo.jpg

Stop the presses!!! A Brit car with bad electrics?!? What!

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...psz15rxck5.jpg

Previous owners and hack mechanics. What a mess to figure out. I have a new (used) wiring harness to install today. Getting closer to fire in the hole.

Electrics by Lucas, the Prince of Darkness LOL

So cool! Keep up the good work, always looking for updates!

For those that have any interest:

Last Monday she started for the first time in 12 years!! I have about 12 months of work in her.

Yesterday was my day to get some of the final things finished up and see if Vivian is a runner and a DRIVER!! Nothing too big to do really; install front brake lines and bleed/flush them out. The brake pads are old but thick. Kinda like me :-) Bled the new clutch line too. I installed a new SS one from JAE.

I had to fix the throttle cable to the carbs and for that I had to make my own barrel pinch thingy. So I found a piece of 3/8" bar cut it and drilled it for a 5mm bolt. I used and Allen bolt but that was a mistake! It should have been a hex head bolt. Would have been so much easier to tighten, live and learn...

I figured that the clutch was gonna be super stuck to the flywheel, so with low expectations set, I fired her up (starts instantly) let her warm for a 20 seconds, pushed the clutch in and tried for a gear, cringing in advance... Well my fears were unfounded!! It slipped right into gear and rocked forward . I went for reverse, which was quite hard to find so there may be adjustments needed. I finally got it in and it rocked backwards. The clutch works and so does the shifter.

My mind started to spin about driving here and I wondered where the local police patrol was... No plates or registration. I have insurance tho. Next was to move all of the CRAP that had built up behind the car so I could open the door and get her outside under her own power for the first time in 12 years. I moved all my junk, climbed in thru the pass door and over the console into the drivers seat. Started her up and backed her out. I pulled her around to the drive entrance, looked WAY up and down the street for my local popo and drove her up to the gas station. I put a little bit more than 1/2 tank in her (10 gallons) and checked closely for leaks. All good in the gas department.

Across the street is a self car wash and it was off to the car was! 12 quarters and most of the 12 years of dirt and dust were gone and she looked MUCH better.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...psmvbi3sou.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...psezfwzust.jpg

The paint looks better than it really is. She's a good 5 footer.

The Box is running/driving great. No issues to report other than satisfaction.

She looks awesome 007!

Time for an update:

Funny how things can happen and you never notice it because you are living with it daily... Allie drives the car and most of us with older Boxsters have had issues with vacuum leaks. We did a lot of testing and even made a smoke machine to track down and leaks in the engine bay.

The other day I was fooling around in the car and saw a red-ish square o-ring laying on the floor. It's broken and laying close the seat bottom where it was prolly kicked when operating the pedals. Well, I knew what it was from and now to just start the car and confirm; YUP brake booster/servo is bad. It's not easy to hear the vacuum leak when driving the car but at idle with radio off, the sweet sound of air being SSSSSSucked in is unmistakable. This has probably been a factor since day 1 and the diaphragm has finally failed enough to hear it easily.

We ordered a new booster for about $140 and will change it this weekend.

Moral of the story, if you suspect vacuum leaks and have fuel trim codes popping, then make sure to check the booster holds a vacuum. If not then you will have to replace it.