Restoration of 45 year old seized supercar suspension | Timelapse & Stop Motion

[@soupclassicmotoring]

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[@stefanmaddock5516]

Love your work and love the warning. Wish more people of KZbin took ownership of their channel. Now... Off to de rust car parts without a fancy sandblaster...

[@fabtoy92]

These are the ones that I like best. A share of stop motion and some mechanics. The music is great, too. Thanks

[@jasonshull3106]

Thank you, sir, for your great inspiration. You helped me to get started on my audi. JDS. AZ usa

[@user-fb9os7hy2y]

A tonic for those of us assailed by fast and shouty motoring channels. Smooth slow thoughtful progress with the minimum of specialist tools on accessible classics. Excellent entertainment.

[@antking8847]

My Elite has a very similar rear suspension design. Big tip for getting new bearings in - chuck them in the freezer for an hour and put the hub in the oven - they literally fall in lol. Great work mate. Replacement bearings are getting rare and damned expensive!

[@davebarron5939]

The blast cabinet of happiness! Looking good, so happy to see the Esprit front and center again.

[@dankedney]

Cracking episode. That moment when the stud broke loose and started moving has been a long time coming - looked very satisfying.

[@rsage_]

You've turned DIY into beautiful cinematography. Your filming skills are putting the Yanks to shame. Well done, sir.

[@saltpeter500]

The blasting is so satisfying, the components look brand new

[@DeeYarEss]

Not just my favorite automotive channel on KZbin, my favorite channel.

[@caspar2937]

It is so good to see that Esprit coming back to life. And the love and patience and attention to detail you put in it. It is just incredible and I admire it. ❤

[@rjjgielen]

Agreed!!

[@trumjalle3035]

Wonderfully shot, George! Thank you for your hard work, your progress is a pleasure to take part in.

[@pbysome]

Those U/j sequences must have taken days. Hats off once more.

[@Mrtom248]

After a long week at work watching this is like flippin therapy.......keep them coming.

[@AmalgamationofMan]

It amazing how many projects hit a point like this and halt completely never to be finished or touched again because of the time, dedication and commitment restoring an automobile truly takes. Thanks for all the extra work you do to create these stop motion videos, that's adding a whole new level of time , dedication and commitment to the task 💪

[@noobFab]

Another very satisfying update. I'm getting really excited thinking about hearing it fire up for the first time and seeing it move under its own steam!

[@andersjjensen]

Oh George! You're spoiling us these days, and I love it! Really happy that you've found the mojo again.

[@tinman7551]

Another new video already 🎉❤ I’m really enjoying the new schedule. 😍❤️

[@joevergnetti767]

One of the most unique channels out there. Amazing work again George. I can’t imagine how long it takes to setup those shots. Us on the viewing side thoroughly enjoy it!!

[@stevecoleman4058]

Love these videos, especially the Esprit. Artful, therapeutic inspiration & motivation to get cracking with my Lotus Excel and life. Thank you George

[@PeterChasteen]

You give me such stoke to clean and polish and preserve. My T1N Sprinter is in need of much rust repair. No alpine windows but she's a beaut still. Thanks for all you share my friend.

[@rivenmotors7981]

It's a pleasure to mash that "thumbs up" for your work George, thanks for the inspiration!

[@robertedwards3551]

I just realised why I like this so much (apart from your perseverance & humour) is the Fingermouse narration meets Pogle's Wood animation... brilliant!!

[@Dundertaker1]

Those bearings are shot...and I was giddy to see the Lotus chassis! Nothing better than the victory of releasing a rusty stuck part without destroying everything. Get a thread "run out" cleanup kit. They have a male and female thread cutter that is less aggressive than a tool and die...but it fixes threads and cleans out gunk without destroying the plate/coating. I'll send a link if you need an example

[@bearddevil]

Strip the driveshaft down. You don't want to risk getting blasting grit into the needle bearings in the U-joints. If you are really committed to keeping the existing U-joints, strip them down and tape off the bearing surfaces and then rebuild them with fresh grease.

[@screaminlead]

Came here to say the same thing.

[@EBSCC]

Threads are a spiral inclined ramp. You will ALWAYS get more torque by greasing threads so that they slide against each other rather than binding. The grease will not impair holding ability, but it will allow more torque per given input, and will prevent siezure later. Good video !

[@jameshisself9324]

Good to see you got it out. To make it easier I would recommend installing nuts on both ends half way to protect the stud threads. Then heat the area of the A arm that the bolt goes directly through, not the areas to the side of it or the rubber bushing. Then while well heated, a few sharp hammer blows on each end of the stud with the nuts in place. You might see it start to move, then apply the pulling treatment as you did. Obviously what you did worked, I'm just suggesting time savings or additional techniques for others watching who have more stubborn parts.

[@ronanmc2112]

Lotus have to get involved at some stage in this epic project. At least send you some expensive parts you’re missing that they find long forgotten in their stock room.

[@alcampbell5831]

Keep up the good work mate, you are keeping the classic car dreams alive!

[@bp9749]

This is classic Soup! Love it. Been a long road on this one. Glad to be here

[@boriss.861]

As always amazing Stop Motion! and there's a lotus to boot!

[@paulliles183]

Great work George. Stop-go at its finest. Not too much and all in context with the build. Keep it up man.

[@SeasideGarage]

Your last video made me go at get a sandblaster! The transformation on the calibers was so satisfying...

[@BackPackMac]

As always, a great video. Great to see the Lotus well under way again. I would remove the UJ's, blast and add new ones to avoid getting media in the bearings. You are going to such detail would be a shame not to cover new unions off. You can use the Vice if you cant get access to the press. Best of luck.

[@aberl000]

Thanks George, I've been waiting for the Lotus all the time. Excellent work!!

[@JeraCravoMyself]

You are a true artisan in all aspects! Media creation included! Cheers

[@GrandThriftAuto]

Great stuff as ever 😊 By the way, WD40 is fairly useless as a penetrating fluid for jobs like this - Bulldog BDX is the absolute daddy; I’ve also had some good results with Screwfix No Nonsense penetrating oil which is a chunk cheaper (though you’ll use more of it).

[@dennisobrien2578]

Been watching since the beginning, love the stop motion photography.

[@alfatasteless]

Been waiting so long for more Louts. Love this car.

[@seancain7305]

Yes! George & his Esprit are back... :-) 2023 is lookin good already

[@rBear1989]

Thanks again for your meditative voice and video!

[@iamkoekwous]

Keep up the good job, Yes it will take a lot of time, but when done, it looks like a bucket of gold. Did all the suspension myself 2 years ago on my 85 Turbo Esprit, and had to cut the stud, as the treats on the stud where gone, but was able to save the hubs.

[@TheRomeoGuy]

I won't lie. The thing holding me back from building my dream is the sheer undertaking of it. What I want to do is so aggressively ambitious. It would REQUIRE that I learn CAD, 3D Printing, and a little bit of material science, as well as require me to source a space to do the work, all the tools necessary, and the patience to keep with it for the long haul (I think it would take me every bit of 6 years to accomplish).

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Baby steps! You don’t need space for a small 3D printer… that’ll get the CAD and printing learning going ;)

[@syncrosimon]

Fantastic, love the stop go, it’s where it started for me!

[@mikebrennan6165]

Thanks again George, love these videos and i still watch the range rover long video from time to time, its a sort of therapy for me!

[@OpticalMan]

Loving it. Each one a gem!

[@htownblue11]

Just a everyday mechanical Picasso painting his masterpieces folks…..we are blessed to be witnesses.

[@poldmets]

Of course you will strip the joints, George. Anything you've half-arsed, you've had to come back to in the past anyway. Keep up the good work!

[@soupclassicmotoring]

🤣 nailed it

[@mattslimmer8633]

Oh boy, I have some subframe modification coming up to keep my beloved DD from rusting in half-I hope nothing is as stuck as that control arm bolt or else it's going to be a bad day/week. Nice work as always George and it's great to see progress on the Esprit!

[@135Ops]

Every episode is worth the wait, amazing patience and great content.

[@jonathonbooth510]

Excellent work as always, can't wait to see it back together as a rolling chassis once again!

[@dilbert9120]

As usual am absolute please to watch. The effort that goes into the editing not to mind the actual work is to be highly commended. Well done George

[@tremperj]

Plenty of battery tool brands making impact wrenches on par with pneumatic power these days. Probably worth investing in!

[@curm1778]

Love your tenacity. Be careful blasting those bearing seats, though. I don't suggest it at all. Keep old bearings around. The races make a wonderful drift for seating new ones. Steady as she goes. Easy does it. And don't break anything.

[@CodewortSchinken]

Thank you for this episode! Budget friendly super car restoration is why I'm here. I wouldn't recommend to blast aluminum with such heavy grit media as it roughens up the surface to much. Glas beed or vapor blasting would be better but isn't exactly budget friendly. In the last years I rebuild an incredibly grimey VW 16V engine and found off brand sand soap hand cleaner from my local hardware store to be incredibly effective alongside with hot water and a stiff brush. It's a strong emulsifier that breaks down oil and grease with ease. The sand inside helps alot with scrubbing. Plus it's skin friendly and doesn't emits toxic fumes that make you feel dizzy. It doesn't remove oxidation of course but left a really nice, grey patina on said engine parts. Looks clean and tidy but not shiny new, perfectly for an imperfect car that doesn't look either.

[@NemoConsequentae]

Great progress there, George! Personally, I'd strip the driveshafts so make sure I can get into the interior parts of the yokes properly, but with the parts in hand you might be able to see ways to to that without the extra work. Back when I was an avionics tech at the airline, we used to have steel bearings in aluminium housings that were an interference fit. This was the benefit of aluminium having a higher thermal expansion ratio than steel. To get them in/out we would put the housing with the old bearing in an oven at ~80C. Then we could pull the bearing out (which was in a plugged hole so only accesible from the one side), using a tool that fitted the inside that we had put in the freezer. The new bearing to go in was also in the freezer & went easily as a slip fit into the hot aluminium housing & once cooled held as an interference fit.

[@StuartChilds]

The longer it takes the greater the joy when a hurdle is overcome - especially if it involves a blowtorch or a lump hammer ;) Enjoyed the close up stop motion and the details you are capturing

[@kieransammon666]

So satisfying watching the blaster do it’s job

[@michaelkim3432]

George - You do realize that once the Esprit is finished you will have to compile a stop-motion supercut of the beginning to the end so we can watch the whole thing in one go!

[@garethgrundy8087]

Great to see the Esprit project on the go again. You know you will have to take it to Sardinia once it is back together 🙂

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Maybe, but I’d go to Giugiaro first

[@mfnd502]

I LOVE IT WHEN YOU WIN! Keep up the great work.

[@bradcrossman5068]

Thanks for another one George. Removing bushings is a bitch of a job. I don't envy you but it will pay off in the quality of the feel of the car. Cheers Lad!

[@iberg01]

You found some real royalty free jerseys this time

[@steveporritt1550]

George, you shouldn’t blast bearing seats. Also you can use the old bearing outer races for driving new ones in or for next time you need to drive one out, just remove a few thou from the outside with a lathe or emery paper whilst rotating it in a drill. Like the other comments I would strip, clean the UJ’s block up the holes and then blast clean. I’d recommend powder coating for long term protection of the suspension parts. Keep up the good work.

[@lets_measure_it]

i can't recommend powder coat anywhere it is exposed to the elements. it's micro porous and sucks up water. as an experiment, powder coat some steel white and leave it outside for a short while to see the brown stains start to appear under the surface.

[@jimlong527]

So excited to see this beautiful car is going to get a second life by a person with much love for motor vehicles. We try to be as creative with our Porsches.

[@krazed0451]

I've never seen a better candidate for an ultrasonic cleaner... You're welcome to use mine any time you're in Australia ;-)

[@zimbarbaluba]

Seeing the Esprit body sitting there instantly brought to mind Airfix model kits

[@IanMcDougall-ns6hk]

Greetings from Mayo. Just a suggestion , I would protect any machined surfaces with layers of tape or you may find that the parts bind on reassembly ,also get yourself a set of taps and dies to clean up the threads , I assume they will be imperial. Great channel and the stop motion is fantastic.

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Sláinte Ian, watch this space ;)

[@claudiolebandit9408]

Classy pictures, nice project. Congrats

[@phildem414]

This car never gives up! Cool sound track 😎

[@GoD_Quake]

I just finished bingeing the entire Lotus series (so far) and looking forward to the next installment. Just wanted to drop a note to say I really enjoy your story telling style and the combo of live action and stop motion which all combines to make for very compelling content. Cheers.

[@jdeckard1243]

Great to see progress on the Lotus George.

[@warwickadams3946]

discovered this channel and am captivated by the stop motion work.....especially on the Esprit!! I also appreciate your honesty about getting ''restorers block'' (just the same as writers block)

[@jezbon4717]

Brilliant George, just brilliant!

[@thomasnwilcox4537]

Nice video I especially liked the still picture photography I haven't seen anyone doing it in a long time

[@marcusott2973]

Much awaited, much appreciated excellent work as always.

[@fransb8543]

This chassis is a work of art in its own right

[@mrcrabass3669]

Never ever sand blast a thread ,think about it and you will realize why, great video

[@gb7767]

... should extend that sentiment to any machined/cut surface ... cover up any holes threads, bores etc.

[@alastairaitken6263]

Still mesmerizing, fascinating and calming. Long may you post.

[@djk9168]

Thanks man. These are great to watch.

[@markeastwood954]

I eventually got around to checking out your channel at length. Great stuff and loving the editing. Mark from next door to Gareth.

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Sound coming from a journeyman mech! See you at the job ;)

[@dad_jokes_4ever226]

Really appreciate the amount of time and effort that goes into making these videos ... fair play George !

[@RestorationApprentice]

Great work, as always! Enjoyed the video!

[@chrisdeli7547]

love restoration just a tip apply tension to the olt or the press and then apply heat aluminium has much higher expansion rate than steel it will come out vey easily ant when you put bearings back back put them on the freezer ovrnight apply a little heat on aluminium and they will slide in without tools.waiting fo the finished car. nice job again

[@terryatkinson899]

Sometimes you wonder just what is stopping things coming apart 😤 but persistence pays off 🤗

[@TheToolmanTim]

A sandblasting cabinet is a blessing until you spend a solid hour stripping parts. At that point you realize your back will never be the same again. Great progress though!

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Or trigger hand 🥴

[@dennisferron8847]

I had a similar situation with a bolt stuck in a lower control arm bushing, albeit from a Honda with a steel, not aluminum, subframe. It didn't occur to me to saw the bolt; I tried pressing it out with a 20T hydraulic press. The bushing was stuck so badly to the bolt, what I thought was movement of the bolt was actually the bolt+bushing CUTTING its own exit hole. It caught the subframe between the bushing and receiving cup like the pin and anvil of a giant leather punch. Wild. This was disastrous because this particular subframe is unique to the electric 4WS system of a 92-96 Prelude and not easily replaced. I can hammer it back down and weld it, but then again the *area* that was damaged includes a stamped piece with a clock face, a slot, and an eccentric washer used to adjust rear wheel alignment (so not as simple to reconstruct as an ordinary bolt hole). What a mess.

[@RichardFanders]

Really enjoying these videos.

[@thediddly]

Mate good work on all your videos! I would suggest if I may that you pop your smaller housings in the oven at 170c, your bearings will simply fall out

[@AlteredCarbons]

love the videos my man. can't get enougn of them. should future proof it and put 5 lug conversion on it. rims will be easier to source and would have a better resale value imo.

[@richardvernon3366]

Fantastic viewing as always, can't beat the blowtorch but I always get scared around alloy. Forget the WD40 though George and mix some auto transmission fluid with acetone, 50/50 mix makes for a "cracking" release agent. Keep up the great work 👍

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Have always wondered about this. Does the acetone evaporate off of left, or once the mixture is made is it stable?

[@richardvernon3366]

It's been a few years since I've used it, so not sure if I'm honest. It's one of those things where you run into an issue and along with all the other rubbish in your garage like expired dot 4 brake fluid and underseal, there's always an old can of atf. And of course the missus will have some nail polish remover. I can testify that it works extremely well however 😊

[@hydorah]

That bearing, stick a zip tie through the centre of it and do it up down the outside of it keeps stuff all together and you know which balls /race went with which cup / cone etc. When you where working that ratchet with the deep socket on it I was worried for you and that nut. Such a relief when you got air pressure again. I should imagine your sense of triumph when that threaded pin came out was quite something :-D

[@hydorah]

I know you George, you will not risk blasting grit in those UJ bearings! I love the Esprit. I love the way it is very much a super car, but is a lowly four banger with such dinky four stud hubs! It's beautifully minimal and looks incredible. It's got that jet fighter look about it

[@soupclassicmotoring]

That’s exactly what I did! 💪🏼cheers Hydorah

[@roythomson1426]

It's fantastic to get some Esprit videos again. It's really interesting to see the similarities in the rear suspension to my TVR Tasmin. Apparently it was an ex Lotus employee who designed the chassis. I had the same problem getting the long bolt out of the hub. unfortunately I damaged the threads trying to do what you did ☹️

[@lobuxracer]

All I could think of was why glass beads? I converted to plastic media (basically the punched out part from making holes in buttons) and while it is more expensive, it absolutely does not etch the metal even a little bit. I was able to clean up zinc carburettor castings with plastic media blasting and nary a mark to be found anywhere. The original die parting lines were completely untouched. There definitely is a time and place for glass beads, nickel slag, and other useful blast materials, but for aluminium castings, you can't beat plastic media.

[@mickrowley2264]

Cannot wait to start my Esprit. Great videos 👍🙏

[@pete1973x]

I will raise a glass to you when you take your first drive in this mate, loving the content and your perserverance ;-)

[@moe9098]

Definitely a Lotus frame! lol Looks just like my Europa chassis!

[@DrieStone]

Finally a dedicated Esprit Episode! "Supercar" is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? 🤣 That said, my own Esprit is almost road worthy again. I think I have all my oil leaks solved, and other than a minor coolant leak, and after a load of parts from your side of the pond, I think she's ready to roll. Just waiting for warmer weather...

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Big stretch now, not so much back then. 😁 congrats on getting through the hard yards with your Esprit, enjoy that first drive!

[@scottcates]

This video brings me little solace. Rust never sleeps and neither should we. As rust has bound up the parts we desire to move freely, so, too, are we bound to its elimination. Rust bring no joy -- only suffering.

[@soupclassicmotoring]

Rust is inevitable, on metal and in life. Expecting it is accepting it, is getting joy from overcoming it. However temporary.

[@themekfrommars]

Nice blast cabinet!