📓 Journals My DV Emira and modifications

[JonFuller]

Hi guys, thought I'd share a few pics of my DV Emira which has a few small aesthetic mods, for anyone that's interested.

Full PPF from GVE in Uxbridge (discounted 10% thanks to Ade's video), roof centre area is black PPF.
Rear tailgate glass dark tint (so the whole centreline of car is black), however, not happy with the tint results, so going to order a rear tailgate glass in privacy spec (£372+vat), as they look exactly how I want it to. Didn't initially order privacy option, as I don't like the small rear quarter-glass in dark tint, think it looks out of place.
GVE also did the wheel colour change while they had it up on their ramp being PPF'd.

Rear engine vents and trims either side of tailgate soon to be DV rather than piano black, so the green pillar line continues right through from A pillar to duck tail (I bought a set of the vents & trims from B&C which are off being painted DV as I speak)

For context, I shamelessly stole the pinstripe design idea from the Evija JPS themed car, as I figured it would work ok with the very dark look of DV (see Evija pics)

 

[JonFuller]

Months before I even collectd the car, I found myself hating the new Lotus logo. I feel the logo is the last remaining 'nod' to Chapman, so shouldn't be altered from his design, at least that's my humble opinion.

The new logo from 2019>, in my eyes, looked rather cheap & plasticy and looks like it belongs on a kids toy.
The straightening out of the word lotus, and changing of the font of the ACBC overlay, losing all its small Serif details offended my eye, and to make it worse, they increased the size of the thing from 56mm to 72mm making it really stand out.
Once I decided I didn't like it, I couldn't un-see it :-/ (previous Lotus's I've owned have had the nice black & silver metal and enamel badge that felt like a quality part).

So I set about making a replacement that I felt honoured the Chapman legacy a little better.

When I showed up at B&C with my vernier caliper to measure the bonnet badge, they thought I was nutz.

Anyways, I made a two piece mould, by turning up the male part in Alli, then took a mould off that in GRP to create the female.
Then, re machined the male part reducing the dia by 1.5mm to allow for the carbon cloth thickness when the two are clamped together.
Then, mould the carbon cloth (just fine twill weave carbon, and polyester resin), apply the chosen logo (computer cut vinyl) then bury it all under several coats of 2 pac laquer before flatting and polishing to a flat mirror finish. (that's simplified, but is the basic crux of it).

The end product is a thin carbon dome, the exact same dimensions & thickness as the original pressed alloy painted yellow/green item attached to the plastic body of the bonnet badge, and clip in plastic wheel centre caps. So I bought these std items from B&C and removed the factory alloy logo veneer, replacing them with my carbon items (bonded on with Sikaflex PU, just as the factory ones are).

 

[JonFuller]

After making and fitting all 6 badges (bonnet (72mm), 4 x wheel centres (60mm) and a 50mm steering wheel centre, I noticed that the logo file I had used (found on the net) had a fault in it! FFS....Not happy!
So had to scrap all those, and make them all a second time.

I also remade the side 'Emira' badges, just to continue the Carbon / Gold theme.

Now looking at making carbon / gold versions of the logo plate in the seat headrest, but with the EMIRA logo rather than Lotus.

 

[JonFuller]

Collection day @ Hethel, Sept 1st 2023.....

...Handover by Scott Walker, who incidentally is ex B&C.

 

[Evotion]

You need to put the NEW pics up, Jon!
Probably best DV car around.

 

[JonFuller]

A million years ago, I had a couple of Esprits, the first being black. I developed a illness/obsession with the JPS thing back then, and would have liked an S2 Commemorative edition. So for that car I bought the Momo 'Mario Andretti replica' wheel as fitted to the S2 Commemorative from B&C, along with the black / gold bonnet badge badge as fitted to the mid 80's esprits.

I still have the wheel sat in my lounge. Probably quite sought after now, for anyone renovating a JPS Esprit.
Would love to fit it to the Emira (not a big fan of the Emira wheel) but of course it lacks all the buttons & controls.

I guess this Emira allowed me try something close to the jps theme.

 

[JonFuller]

You need to put the NEW pics up, Jon!
Probably best DV car around.

Hi Ade, they are there, a couple of posts up.

 

[JonFuller]

BTW, anyone who likes personalised drawings of their boys toys, I had a guy leave a note on my car at Brooklands a few weeks ago offering his services.
Emailed him some photos, and he produced this montage picture for me.
He's doing one of my Beach Buggy next

 

[JonFuller]

And finished item:

He's based in Surrey and can be found here: https://www.hgravettdesign.co.uk/

It's A3 btw.

 

[dgrace]

Simply stunning work all around. The car, wheels, graphics, badges, and drawings. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Porter]

Hi guys, thought I'd share a few pics of my DV Emira which has a few small aesthetic mods, for anyone interested.

Full PPF from GVE in Uxbridge (discounted 10% thanks to Ade's video), roof centre area is black PPF.
Rear tailgate glass dark tint (so the whole centreline of car is black), however, not happy with the tint results, so going to order a rear tailgate glass in privacy spec (£372+vat), as they look exactly how I want it to. Didn't initially order privacy option, as I don't like the small rear quarter-glass in dark tint, think it looks out of place.
GVE also did the wheel colour change while they had it up on their ramp being PPF'd.

Rear vents and trims soon to be DV rather than piano black, so the green pillar line continues right through (I bought a set of the vents & trims from B&C which are off being painted DV as I speak)

For context, I shamelessly stole the pinstripe stye idea from the Evija JPS themed car, as I figured it would work ok with the very dark look of DV (see Evija pics)

That looks absolutely incredible. What method did they use on the wheels? Paint? Or did they take the finish off and powdercoat?

Really nice job, either way.

 

[TomE]

A lovely set of modifications and what a labour of love to make your own badges (twice!). Kudos for that.

The gold wheels look excellent with DV, I can see a lot of people following your lead on those.

 

[JonFuller]

That looks absolutely incredible. What method did they use on the wheels? Paint? Or did they take the finish off and powdercoat?

Really nice job, either way.

Stripped, blasted and re coated.

GVE have their own tyre removing/refitting, and balancing kit, so they pulled them appart, and sent the rims out to a shop that does the paint stripping and re coating for them.

 

[robrmon]

Wow love what you have done here. Amazing effort, I particularly like the pinstripes!

 

[Nick in Sydney]

Looks awesome! Great to see someone making the car their own.

May I ask where you found the union jacks? I have been planning to add exactly that touch to my Emira.

 

[JonFuller]

Ebay uk

I had wanted a slightly larger one, 60, maybe 65mm, but these (53mm) were all I could find.
If they wont post to oz, I could send some.

Domed Resin Gel Stickers - UNION JACK GOLD & BLACK x 2 53mm x 27mm Exterior Use | eBay

Gold background with Black. Will stick to almost any clean smooth surface.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[robrmon]

Was the pinstripe professionally done? Or DIY?

 

[JonFuller]

Was the pinstripe professionally done? Or DIY?

I drew them in cad, and a local sign guy cut them for me on the plotter.

 

[Lego Man]

Collection day @ Hethel, Sept 1st 2023.....

...Handover by Scott Walker, who incidentally is ex B&C.

That's my car behind, keeping yours company

 

[JonFuller]

That's my car behind, keeping yours company

Cool!
Are you enjoying it?

I think I kept you waiting a while. Didn’t you rock up early with ya family??

I’ve done 1200 miles in mine now. Just about to change the oil(s) and filter
J