[DeTomaso] Hello Again!

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Fri Mar 16 02:07:24 EDT 2007


In a message dated 3/15/07 21:44:21, spleen at spamcop.net writes:

<< At a local outdoor storage lot, right next to where the U.S. Air Force 
stores many of their planes that are in "mothballs", ready to be put 
back into service when needed.  Dry desert air and all that.

>>>HOT dry desert air.  If your dash wasn't destroyed already, it probably is 
now. :<(

>In retrospect, that may not have been a great decision.  

>>>Gee, ya think???

>But a coworker 
who utilized an indoor lot paid five times as much to store his BMW, and 
they ended up leaving it outside - with the windows rolled down! - which 
completely ruined the interior.  The rest is a long story, but the 
result was that my company ended up paying for the repairs.  The place I 
used started up the engine every two weeks and moved the car to another 
place on the lot to keep the tires from sitting on one spot, keep the 
gaskets lubed, etc.  It seemed like the better choice than draining the 
fluids and putting it in indoor storage.  What can I say?  I made the 
wrong decision.  On the other hand, the paint was a little tired when I 
put it in storage, so I might have been looking at a paint job now 
anyway.  This forces the issue, and I may be glad in the end that I now 
have a strong impetus to get it done.  At least that's how I'm selling 
it to my wife. <g>

>>>HAHAHA!!!  Clever man!

>No, the hazard lights flash and I can't turn them off, key in or key 
out.  Several list members have already responded privately with 
suggestions for a fix, so I think I'm in good shape.  Thanks, guys!

>>>Great.  Replacement switches are available very cheaply, which 
unfortunately don't have the same markings but are mechanically identical.  Since you 
have already figured out how to take yours apart, you might be able to swap the 
guts over and be back in the saddle for only $20 or so.
>   Hooray for the Pantera vendors.  It's one of the things I love about 
owning this car.  I'll swap the still functioning passenger's belt with 
the driver's until I can order the replacement.  Then I can drive the 
car without fear of a traffic ticket (or, at least, one for not wearing 
a seat belt.)

>>>HAHAHA!!
>   I hate to admit it, but it might have been due to my decision to use a 
car cover rather than just letting the desert have its way with it.  I 
bought a pretty expensive cover that was supposed to breathe, but it may 
have trapped water which led to the rust.  Live and learn.

>>>Ah well.
>
>  Good point.  What are the details on Vegas this year?

>>>Last weekend in April, 25th-29th or thereabouts?  People start showing up 
Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday we're at the racetrack, Saturday is 
the car show and banquet.  There are also many, many other things going on 
including group scenic drives to various mountains and state parks and whatnot; 
trips to visit a private car museum, cruises to hot-rod-themed restaurants, and 
much more.
>   
>A bit of a long story here, but I'll try to keep the answer just shy of 
a novel.  I bought a Stephen's body 1988 Esprit Turbo shortly after 
moving to England in 2002, with the intention of driving it until I was 
ready to leave, and selling it before I returned.  After a couple of 
months,  I decided that I couldn't live without it, and looked into 
bringing it back.  Since it wasn't Federalized (i.e. built to U.S. 
safety specs), that was pretty much impossible.  I even got a letter 
from Lotus detailing the differences between the European and U.S. 
models, and it would be impossible to modify that car to satisfy the 
NHTSA.  However, reading the fine print, it turns out that if the car is 
25 years old or older, all of those rules are void.  I didn't want a 
normally aspirated Esprit, I wanted a turbo.  Those began production in 
1980, but they were the Essex models which almost never go on sale (and 
I couldn't afford one if they did.)  But 1981 saw just shy of 100 Turbo 
Esprits (as opposed to the Stephen's Esprit Turbo, the one I had) for 
sale, so I began looking for one.  They were rare, but I finally bagged 
one out if Wiggan, UK.  It was a mess, exactly the kind of Esprit you 
*don't* want to buy, but it was the only one I had seen for sale for 
months.  I sold the 1988 Esprit Turbo to buy the 1981 Turbo Esprit, and 
began fixing it up.  Suffice it to say that for the 24 months I owned 
that car in England, it was in my possession (rather than a mechanic's 
or body shop) for exactly 12 days.  But in that time, the suspension was 
fixed and upgraded with modern parts, the body had several flaws 
corrected and was repainted, including a clear coat, and the leather 
interior was completely recovered, top to bottom, front to back - *by 
Lotus*.  The engine was supposed to be completely refurbished as well, 
but time ran short and I need to get that done here in the U.S. now.

Given that the car was 25 years old, importation was a breeze.  My 
overseas contract let me import it on my company's dime.  Otherwise, 
that would have been about $3000 more (it was imported in its own 
container.)  If it hadn't been for my special circumstances, I'm not 
sure I could have afforded to bring it back with me.  I doubt there is a 
viable market for importing old Esprits, but I'm sure glad I have mine.  <g>
 
>>>Good on ya!  If the Pantera is still a little green around the gills come 
April, by all means bring the Lotus instead!

Mike

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