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Günter Weniger's 1998

Günter Weniger from Potsdam, Germany owns a 1998 V8-GT in Mustard Yellow, with a black interior.

Model:

V8-GT
Year:

1998

Colour: Mustard Yellow 'B05'
Interior: Black
Driving Style: Normal
Miles per year: 2,000 – 4,000
Owned Since: 2003
Purchase from: used car, Auto Salon Singen
Serviced at: Myself, I'm a mechanic!
Other Cars: Ford Scorpio (Plant oil) Estate car
Previous Lotus': None
Why an Esprit: i was a kitcar-freak in the past, i'm a mechanic and know the english way of engineering
Upgrades: different from GT standart: SE-seats, dual-airbags, climate control, Pioneer 6 CD-changer/radio system, incar-cellphone (al options are first owners decision...)Upgrades: programmable VW-wiper relais (thanks to LEW-tech. mods section... ) ; complete steering column mountings modified (for more leg space and free knees -under use of original GM-Airbag steeringwheel of course... ) ; K&N-filters (now in daily use) ; EBC-pads (only for trackdays...) ; engine-preeheater (for daily use in winter season and to preserve engine life in short distance use...)
Replacements: Engine overhauled (by Auto König ; it happens in first life..) ; Gearbox (by Lotus/Renault as special offer, it happens in first life...); clutch (only in parts -especialy 'friction plates', thanks to Steffen and Olaf from "R&B"...), starter motor (owerhauled by a friend, with truck parts...) ; Generator (lost its regulation, overhauled by a friend/owner of a bosch-shop...); lower part of steering column -cross hinge("new" 15mm-needle bearings , reused from an Iveco Daily Truck steering system...), i use a ZF-powersteering pump as temporary spare part (will "reassemble" the GM pump as soon as i can get...) 'the windscreen wiper is modified with an "clip on" 10 nozzle water system from an old truck wiperblade -the original water nozzles in the car body are not verry effective
Problems:

ok, only some typical symtoms: battery capacity is always low ; rattles an different noises from some parts in passenger compartement ;

Leaking oilcooler pipe, i replaced the complete item with a "unic fabricatet" new one from a truck hydraulic shop -thanks to "R&B" for selling me the right metric/unf oilcooler adaptors..

(other problems: broken catalyst housing -just "rewelded" by my own ; broken welding on handbrake cable rest in left side tunnel -just "rewelded" by my own ; broken clutch cylinder hydraulic pipe[flexible metall/rubber part] left side of clutch housing, -replaced with a spiralic brake hose pipe by my own; and so on...)
Info:

hip hip-huray , i am now in the "over 100.000 km club"; and the car is stil alive....
i'm also an engineering student (bachelor of engineering - automotive engineering) ,
" http://home.fhtw-berlin.de/~s0516255 "'

                  

UPDATE Jan 2008
...after a lot of fun with my E85 test-drives i have new problems with the older parts. The right side KAT housing is complete empty, thats maybe the reason why my car has different running consistence and fails in the last polution-test in Germany... . With a bit of luck i can pass the next test by adding a aftermarket KAT from an unused Kit-Car. Next step is swap to the stainless race-cats, but that is a queston of money to..

 


  

UPDATE Feb 2010
after the engine suffered on a belt-fault again (this time I was responsible..) in the fall of 2008[on 111.019km] it is now on the road again. 1 year of engine rebuild in a 'take it easy' working style ,with parts-search sort out the main problems with machining companies & some DIY skills -and we are ready to go. So all out there who fear it, it could be done at home! -just take it easy and don't do it in a hurry. LINK

      

 

And while the engine was out I've reworked both fuel-tanks too. I've replaced the open cell-foam with a closed type, both where put in several chemical substances to get the rust off, and after that both have got an POR-15 type tank sealer on the inside & a black 'ant rust' respray on the outside. The engine-bay and rear frame section was also cleaned up on that process.. .

  

now more than 115.000km on the odometer!

 

weniger.rehbruecke@freenet.de

 
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