SOLD
Update – We just heard from Gary that this Lotus sold within 24 hours of us featuring it! It’s already headed off to its now home. Hopefully, the new owner will keep us posted on their progress!
Automobiles are an important part of the James Bond movie series, but The Spy Who Loved Me brought us one of the series most iconic moments of all the movies, as Bond drives his Lotus Esprit into the ocean only to have it convert into a submarine. Well, Reader Gary A’s Esprit might lack Wet Nellie’s ability to go for a dive, but it’s just as sweet and will definitely grab attention everywhere it goes! Gary’s car has been parked for nearly a decade, so it need work, but it’s complete and is looking great. He’s decided it’s time to get it out of the barn and on to a new home. It’s currently located in Houston, Texas with 57k miles on the odometer and an asking price of $10,000.
Asking Price: $10,000
Location: Houston, Texas
Mileage: 57,000
Title Status: Clean
VIN: 77010137H
Seller’s Description: It’s a James Bond Esprit with white exterior and Green Tartan interior. It’s been parked for quite some time and doesn’t currently run, but comes with a spare block.
Body Condition: The body is in excellent condition and the paint looks perfect with hand rubbed clear coat.
Mechanical Condition: Not running, as it’s been in storage for the last 8 years. It comes with a spare Lotus 907 long block and all the manuals.
Alright, so this car isn’t just like Bond’s Lotus, but did you really go into this expecting that the car was ready to go diving? It does really appear to be in solid shape and once it’s back on the road will be a blast to drive. The fact that the original engine isn’t running is a bit of a bummer, but it’s nice having it and a good replacement. Hopefully, it will be as simple as pulling the engine out, stripe all the auxiliary systems off, refresh all the consumables, bolt everything on the new engine, drop the fresh engine in the car and go. It usually isn’t that simple, but this car looks nice enough overall to be worth the work. Be sure to take a closer look at it and message Gary via the form below!
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i got one yall might like.. i would pick this AMC up, but its out of my wheelhouse.
https://nd.craigslist.org/cto/d/1975-amc-matador-oleg-casini/6733002240.html
It is on Ebay now for $23k. None original paint, interior looks tired, none original steering wheel, rusty suspension, engine block from Jensen Healey. Good thing that I missed out on this deal with Gary(Seller).
Always liked the first generation Esprit. Just like the first generation Porsche 928. Such simple clean lines and the Early Esprit always looks best in white. What? Not a single photo of that wild 70s green and red Tartan interior? How could the seller leave that out unless maybe it’s trashed? Interior must be a mess. This would look great next to an early 928, also with the just as wild 70s checked cloth interior. The best of both.
I love these early cars too, (tartan plaid is awesome) and I would love to see it parked next to my ’78 928 with pasha interior…
Want. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaant!!!!
Listing says 57,000 miles. Odometer says 59,000 and the digits don’t align… what’s up with that?
Traditional Smith’s Gauges problems. By the way, why do British pilots have flat fingers?? Smith’s gauges!!
Like ALL Lotus’s Bonds leaked!! HA HA
I can’t believe how plain and cheap that interior looks. I thought they were more luxurious than that.
It’s for driving, not for looking at the interior!
By the looks of the steering column and interior panels and the manuels that this car has been in water. Also look at the boards in the barn.Pictures outside and barn photo’s are not the same vintage. Also the engine seems to have a lot of corrosion on it. I might be all wet but I think the car has too
Strange patches of what looks like white mold all over the plastic shrouding around the steering column, yet wood wheel looks brand new & untouched – wonder if it was replaced, and what looks like some driver’s side interior fabric trim around the feet with something looking like mold also. Engine appearance also doesn’t jive with exterior, which being fiberglass, would resist water better than the alloy engine block. That and the watermarks on the RH side of the barn in the photo don’t match wood on the opposite side. Makes me think the car was detailed on the outside but not the inside in prep for sale……..
Agree that there’s mold on the steering column surround and that the steering wheel is not OEM, but I’m not buying that this car has been in a flood. Only 1 wall of the shed shows water damage and that could easily be explained by bad gutters of a leak in the roof. The other walls show no sign of any standing water. Cars that sit in any humid climate develop mold on the interiors, and I believe that portions of Texas can get quite humid. The engine looks like its been driven hard and not been well-maintained, but I don’t see water damage or stains.
If this car were closer to me, I’d be inclined to make an offer. Always wanted one of these cars. A couple of years ago Edd China of ‘Wheeler Dealers’ upgraded one…it wasn’t easy. Did they have to replace the frame or was that another car?
The car that needed it’s frame replaced by Ed China was a Morgan.
Considering Houston’s flood and hurricane history, maybe this Lotus really does have submarine experience, just like the Bond movie car. Speaking from experience, I will never buy a car out of Houston again without a careful inspection! Pulling the door panels is the best way I’ve seen to look for flood history. (The Houston flood car l bought was a 1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. I had no idea at the time it had been flooded. My first hint came after the transmission failed and more water than ATF came out the drain plug. Then the differential started growling, and again, more water than gear oil! Dishonest seller had done a great job cleaning it up. No evidence of flood when I first looked at it. All the bad stuff happened after I bought it. Once I pulled the door panels off, I could see the waterline inside the doors.)
Flip away!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1977-Lotus-Esprit-1977-LOTUS-ESPRIT-S1-COUPE-VERY-NICE-ORIGINAL-RUNNING-CAR-/372535931366?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137
For sale already at $22k on Ebay by Kurt Tanner Motors