Lotus Esprit Build

05/12/2026

The lotus is a grocery getter these days. Updated the fog lights as well. Running great on stock k24 manifold and stock tune.

02/15/2025

Welded in 2 O2 bungs today and wrapped the exhaust to help keep the heat from the intake and wiring harness. Welding isn't pretty but it's definitely improving.

11/17/2024

When making things by hand, everything is satisfying. Because of where the k series sits on the stock transaxle I wasn't able to use the stock mounting location for the slave cylinder. So I ended up widening a mount hole in the adapter plate and fabbing up some metal that I had laying around to form a slave cylinder mount. I didn't have a long enough slave cylinder push rod so I ended up hitting a threaded rod with a flapper wheel and then hand filing down the tips to round them off and make it work. Granted, this might not be the perfect long-term solution, but when you are on a budget and you know you're going to have to do it twice anyway, it's always a pleasure to make your own free things. I rather like the way it turned out too!

11/14/2024

Last few days update-
Cue me singing whyyyyy

Last few days have been infuriating and exciting and have to thank my wife for supporting me and encouraging me through all of this. Lots of engine in and engine out going on for fitment and figuring things out with a spare wiring harness from another Lotus buddy.
Fixing a lot of mistakes and figuring out what I was doing wrong took up a lot of time the last week or so. But the major silly one was me just plugging in the ECU plug wrong And trying to figure out why the car was detecting key on when it was off even though the wiring was good. 😂
After that, I had to fix a fuel line connection that I must have stopped halfway through installing one of those late nights and found when repairing the return line after it's been primed that the regulator is mounted lower than the tank so it will siphon out the tank when unfastened. ( Don't worry pic was after I removed one connection) LOL. OPE
All of that culminated with actually being able to upload a successful map to the ECU and getting it to turn over and backfire! Ended up finding out that I also had the cam sensors swapped so it ran like butt.

1st pop recorded Nov 12th of the lotus esprit swap!

11/14/2024

Interior update-
Ended up installing a electronic dashboard which I feel updates the car a bit but also makes it more of a race car which is what I was going for. All the dash, warnings and buttons still work after removing most of the interior of the Binnacle. The dashboard also has a sensor module that can monitor pretty much anything in the engine bay.
Interior is still looking a little rough but it's put together and I think that's okay for now. The main thing is to get it driving and update and improve along the way once I can enjoy it. I kind of like the look with the leather dash how it is but will probably end up flocking that as well to make it more cohesive and help get rid of some of the poorly wrapped leather portions. 😂.
You can also update the interior to a later generation of car and I may do that further along. But I really like the vibe of the old school setup with a budget, race pack and alacantara with flocking.

I have a wide band wired in in the engine bay and it will be able to have a flip down cover so I can look through the rear window and check my AFR but not have to look at another flashing gauge which I'm not too big of a fan of sans main display. Main display also has input AFR feed also so It may be redundant but that's okay too as it only displays a few items at a time on top of RPM.

11/14/2024

Engine/drivetrain update-
The transaxle ended up needing a longer input shaft and ended up taking apart the transaxle putting a new snap ring in and resealing everything up. It's a good thing I did as well as the snap ring disintegrated when I touched it with the pliers.
The fitment is now good to the flywheel and the input shaft is depressed enough that it's resting on the spring and not the snap ring.

The engine in for another mock-up of the exhaust. My buddy and I worked together to get a. Audi A8 manifold welded to the stock manifold and I think it works relatively well. Keeps the stock diameter piping, (Not going for power here) And looks really well. Put together and OEM once done. We welded v-bands a straight flex pipe and it goes straight to the stock exhaust. With a S2000 heat shield cut up. It looks really nice in there.
Engine now has a 50° gear and a new timing chain tensioner was surprisingly great so it must have been replaced at some point.
Picked up an EP3 ps/ac delete pulley and belt kit from ASM with another buddy of mine.

11/14/2024

A multi category update as I've been off Facebook for the past few months.
ECU wiring - made a panel with all my fuses relays and mount for the ECU mostly with quick connectors to be able to install and pull out for getting the engine in and out. Wiring actually was pretty straightforward to add to the stock harness and the original ignition relay sends the voltage which is kind of fun. We'll see how long that lasts being as it's a Lucas relay. But a 12-volt starter button is super easy to wire and later on.
Suspension- all bushings and sway bar bushings and adjustable shocks are installed.
Interior- A buddy of mine was over and I was measuring his race seat for dimensions that would work. With a steering wheel boss extension, my knees fit fairly well in the cockpit and a low pro seat is needed. I have cut down an S2000 seat and it seems to work if I was 1 in shorter in the leg department as I fit with headroom but not super comfortably on back room.

05/16/2024

Ive been bad at posting updates so i made a video update of the front suspension process, and little walk around with some more basic build info.

Brief description and walk around on my k24 Lotus swap projectCurrently redoing the front suspension and bushings and will be moving to doing the wiring and...

04/11/2024

A little suspension and front end refresh parts package from SJ sports car came today. Very excited for some more garage time. And.. a lowered lotus

03/28/2024

Had some help from some buddies yesterday. Worked for the whole afternoon on fabbing up some mounts and have the passenger side done. Making the rest of the cuts soon for the driver side and the k24 will be officially in the Esprit!

03/18/2024

Citroen clutch alllllll the way from the Netherlands. Fits inside the RSX pressure plate with the correct spline for the transaxle. Custom flywheel here we come!