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Adrian Heath's 1997
Adrian Heath from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, UK owns a 1997 GT3 in Chrome Orange, with a Black interior.
Model:
GT3 Year: 1997 Colour: Chrome Orange Interior: Black Driving Style: Very Fast Miles per year: 4,000 – 8,000 Owned Since: September 2004 Purchase from: Peter Smith Sportscars Serviced at: Paul Mattey Other Cars: Vauxhall Vectra SRI, and Smart Roadster (handles almost as well as the Esprit) Previous Lotus': None Why an Esprit: A real british supercar, for Mondeo money, it would be rude not to Upgrades: Dump valve, Blueflame exhaust and braided clutch hose. PNM adjustable Turbo actuator, EBC slotted front discs with green stuff pads, 15mm rear wheel spacers, and Alpine CD925 stereo with Ipod connection & control, with alpine powered Subwoofer mounted between the seats. Problems: Poor connection to the started solenoid, causing no start. Leaking clutch slave cylinder, and a broken plenum cover in the front boot where the boot lid gas strut attaches. this has now been strengthened with ally plate and fibreglass. The cover that the strut attaches to is only thin ABS and not really up to the job, and at almost £200 for a new one strengthening and repair was the only option. Info:
Le Mans 2005
Special Decals made for the 2005 Le Mans trip. For the entire 5 day trip people just stopped and stared, I hate to think how many photo's and video's were taken of her.
Le Mans trip 2005. First stop M25 services, on the way to Dover. I do not know who the other Esprit belongs to, as we did not see the owner, just a coincidence I suppose. My GT3 in posh company. Indianapolis corner, Le Mans circuit June 2005.
Believe it or not everything in the photo (above left) went in the Esprit, including Jim who is 6'4" tall. As a bit of fun we fitted twin water jets to the rear engine cover one pointing left and one right. These were connected to a water tank in the boot, then to a handheld toggle switch in the cockpit. The reason for this was, as anyone who has been to Le Mans knows, is that when you pass the circuit campsites or drive through Arnarge village people will leap out of nowhere with supersoaker water pistols and drench anyone on an open car or foolish enough to leave windows or sunroof open, so this year we decided to get our own back. You should have seen their faces when we soaked them back. The only ones who were not amused were the two Policemen we hit by mistake. A swift exit was the only answer. If you look carefully you can see the jets taped to the engine cover with the water pipes going through the engine vents. For next year we are planning something directional with remote control. Almost like a starting grid. Waiting for the Ferry back to England, in Bolougne.
New Blue Flame exhaust, note modified rear splitter, to allow twin outlet, sounds fantastic, the best £350 spent this year.
The photo's of the car with a large package in are form last weelend (July 2006) when we picked up a new armchair from MFI. You should have seen the blokes face in the shop when we poled up in the Esprit, we soon wiped the smile off his face. Who says the Esprit's not practical.
Esprit wins the Britballrun 2006!
This weekend Adrian Heath & Jim Moyes in a 1997 GT3 won the 2006 Britball Run. Their Chrome Orange car was done up as a Bond car with gadgets including a rear mounted watercannon, orange smoke emitters, and fake machine guns at the front, they were dressed in tuxes
The event was run over threee days starting in Sterling in Scotland on Saturday morning, driving and navigation skills were tested to the limit. The route took them through Avimore, Inverness, Loch Ness, Glencoe, Loch Lomond, Glasgow, Dumfriss, Blackpool, then into Wales, Worcester, Birmingham, and finally finishing yesterday at the Gaydon Motor Heritage centre.
The winning team was the one that completed the shortest distance and completed the most challenges on route. Successful challenges equalled miles off their total.
Ade and Jim beat last years winners into second place by just 15 miles. Another Esprit, an S4 owned by fellow LEW members Gary Hodeges and His Girlfriend Mary also finished high up the rankings, but I'm sure the high point of the weekend for them was when Gary proposed to Mary at Glencoe. I m happy to report she said yes.
Both Esprits completed the gruelling course without incident or machanical troubles. Who said Lotus's are unreliable.
Look out for more news on Britball 2007. If you enjoy driving, and if you own an Esprit why wouldn't you. Then why not enter it would be great to see even more Esprits on the startline next year.
NEW V8 Seats for the GT3
May 2007
Here's some photos of the interior of my GT3, featuring new V8 seats purchased from Malc at Espritism. They are a tight fit, and required elongation of the holes as the runners on the V8 seats are approx 10mm wider than the GT3 bucket's, but it was well worth the effort.
August 2007
BritBall Run 2007
by Adrian Health
This years Britball run was held over the recent August Bank Holiday weekend. Three Esprits entered this year, two GT3's and one S4.The start venue this year was the Gaydon Motor Heritage Centre near Warwick.
Day one took us to the Welsh coast via Worcester, LLangurig the highest village in Wales 1000ft above sea level, then on to Aberystwyth, and Aberaeron, coming back via Abergavenny and Hereford to the day one end point of Solihull. Over 300 miles with a shopping list and challenges thrown in, one of which was that the Navigator had to memorise the order in which a pack of 52 playing cards had been shuffled. My navigator manager 3, but Gary Hodges wife Mary managed 46!
Day two we went East via Cambridge, on to Kings Lynn, then Peterborough, Leicester and finally Warwick, with more challenges along the way.
Day three was a precise navigation challenge through the Cotswolds to the end venue if Gaydon.
I am sad to report that I did not retain the championship but Gary & Mary came a very close second only 4 miles behind the winning Smart Brabus Roadster. Gary, Mary, GT3 Jonny, and myself all vowed to be back next year, why not join us for for a weekend I promise, you will not forget
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