Scottish Elises

A few hours ago I picked up an s1, 10 years to the week since I sold my last one.

I managed to get in and out easily.

I managed to take the roof off easily.

But I've forgotten how to drive it!

I've only been out in it for 20 minutes and the roads were still slightly damp but I didn't feel confident at all. I don't know why - other than because I've been driving 'normal' cars for the last 10 years. So.... is it like riding a bike? Will it all come back to me?

skellyjohn wrote:A few hours ago I picked up an s1, 10 years to the week since I sold my last one.

I managed to get in and out easily.

I managed to take the roof off easily.

But I've forgotten how to drive it!

I've only been out in it for 20 minutes and the roads were still slightly damp but I didn't feel confident at all. I don't know why - other than because I've been driving 'normal' cars for the last 10 years. So.... is it riding a bike? Will it all come back to me?

Get the geo checked. Imo, nothing quite as sketchy feeling as an S1 with the wheels out. Unless your name is tut...

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Hope it does not have the original Pirelli P Zero's (they were lethal on an S1)

More likely the Geo as suggested, can remember when Willie at CLCM had an off day and mucked up my S1 geo and I nearly did a 180 beside Arnold Clark.

Enjoy the new motor, your post also brought back good memories on my S1 111S

George


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Welcome back!

Could be duff tyres or more likely the geo needs looking at as mentioned. Give Kenneth Brown in Hillington a shout, he is a geo master - transformed my S1.

Welcome back! Did you buy the Mannerstons car?

As above, Geo and tyres. And maybe check the toe links over.


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And yes. It will come back to you

Although you may have grown more sensible in those 10 yrs so your margins for error could be deeper than they used to be

Welcome back - keep us posted on progress. Pics pls!!

I think you need to Start slow and build up gently. Modern cars dull the senses and an Elise gives you so much feedback it feels nervous until you settle into it.

Even pressures, TBF. Never driven a car before or since that's so sensitive to tyre type and pressure - could be perfect geo, but a set of hard tyres and 30 odd PSI in them, the thing will feel lethal.

IIRC, I ran my pressures as low as 22f 24r when I had mine - albeit on track tyres. Still want to be mid-20s, which most "ordinary" car garages would see as half flat.

And yeah, as said above, last time I drove an Elise, it was a bit of a shock after being away for so long. Takes a minute to get used to the hyperactive messages from the steering again.

What was it Obi used to say? "Soft Hands - drive with soft hands" - the more you let the wheel do it's wee wiggles in your hands, the less stressy the driving experience is.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll check tyres first and then look at the geo.

Yes Ed it was the car from Mannerstons. Passing it most days was a killer and when he stuck it up for sale...

Excellent, glad its found a good home. Best of luck getting it sorted!

All the above sound like good advice, but i suspect a lot of it is lack of practice.
I went for a long drive for the first time since lockdown a couple of weeks ago and my progress was very poor for the first hour at least.
I managed to improve a fair bit after about 90 minutes (but still not where i was before).
Enjoy the new car.

skellyjohn wrote:Thanks for the feedback. I'll check tyres first and then look at the geo.

Yes Ed it was the car from Mannerstons. Passing it most days was a killer and when he stuck it up for sale...

Aahh...

Passing it regularly was emotional for me too, John.

Interested to hear what sort of nick it’s in and what it’s history is?

Perhaps even a nosey around it sometime - you must be fairly local to me?!

campbell wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:14 pm

skellyjohn wrote:Thanks for the feedback. I'll check tyres first and then look at the geo.

Yes Ed it was the car from Mannerstons. Passing it most days was a killer and when he stuck it up for sale...

Aahh...

Passing it regularly was emotional for me too, John.

Interested to hear what sort of nick it’s in and what it’s history is?

Perhaps even a nosey around it sometime - you must be fairly local to me?!

I'm in Linlithgow Campbell, just round the corner from the chippy on the High Street. The car came with a huge folder of history that I've yet to go through. It was a standard s1 but a previous owner has modded it up to have everything the 111s has and a few other bits n bobs. Seems as quick as I remember my 111s.

Nice to see you're replacing the silver S1 hole in Linlithgow that Campbell left when UJI departed.


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