91 XR2 hesitation and lag before Turbo kicks in.
 

Just got a 1991 Capri XR2 convertible in red...perfect for a midlife crisis. It's really a surprise how great it looks and most of the accessories work except for the cruise control, radiator fan and the air conditioner. These will have to be sorted and address later.
Right now, I wish it ran more smoothly. It hesitates and acts like something electric (like spark?) is not right until it suddenly hits the turbo boost. It rockets off and doesn't hesitate a bit while it accelerates. I find myself alternately accelerating rapidly and letting it back off totally, and then again and again.
I love the way it accelerates and corners, but I'm sure to attract the local fuzz with my somewhat erratic throttle control.
I will sort through the "normal" things like checking the wiring, spark plugs and distributor for a problem, but I don't know enough about turbo's yet.
What regulates the "transition" from normal injection to the boost threshold? I'm seeing new terms (to me) like "waste gate" etc. Is it just a tuning problem, or something related to the turbo?
Can you provide any help or encouragement? Thank you.

July 17, 2013 Update to progress. I have checked several things like spark plugs, air filters, fuse testing and determined that the cooling fan works if I bypass the relays and fuses. I added fuel injector cleaners to the gas and lo and behold that "gremlin" disappeared and the car ran like it was intended. Smooth, strong performance. The boost comes on with a the only noticeable transition is a boost in power. I do miss how it tried to "snap my head back" formerly. I was a "hero mechanic" for 3 days until the hesitation returned.

I am thinking now that by sitting so long the turbo or the air feeding it has some part that is sticking or some wire that only makes sporadic connection. I have some more work ahead of me. I do have to address the radiator fan not coming on because in this 80 degree heat it registers close to the high mark on trips where I have to slow down a lot.

When it was running right it is a dream machine though.