S2 111S or 135?

[colintinto]

Cheers guys.

It would be easier if someone would buy my Scooby... Until then finding one in a dealer that takes trade ins will kill 2 birds with one stone!

As for colour, Scooby and new Volvo are both silver. Blue or yellow are fine with me, but we're not playing snooker here!

What about a 111R? Seen one or two at 14k or so... Not sure I like the idea of really revving cars to get the most out of them though, having come from a long line of Turbo engines. I drove a Honda S2000 and didn't enjoy it.

Colin

[campbell]

Forget the 111R Colin, they really do need ragged on road to get the best out of them. You can retro-fit a supercharger, and an ECU flash to lower the cam-change a bit (I think) but it's getting into tinkering territory, and why bother when you have already chosen the right strike-range. K-series S2. Take your time and find the right one. Enjoy the chase!

[alicrozier]

probably down to it having a close ratio box which the 111s lacks

I think the 111S has close ratios for 2nd and 3rd, but 4th and def 5th are longer-legged?

You always get that one wrong Campbell!

On a 111S, 1st and 2nd are actually shorter but 3rd, 4th and 5th way longer. This is somewhat masked (in 1&2) then accentuated by the 111S reving higher and making it's peak power higher up the range (it loves to rev right to the limiter - whereas in a std S2 it's quicker to change up earlier, maximising the normalised torque).

I would recommend a 111S for everyday use and the odd trackday. Depends how track keen you are - the 111S gearbox frustrated me hence with the same choice I'd probably go 135R...

[tut]

The 111s gear ratios were weird, best all round box was always the C/R, but of course it was not so good in 5th if you were MW driving.

tut

[campbell]

probably down to it having a close ratio box which the 111s lacks

I think the 111S has close ratios for 2nd and 3rd, but 4th and def 5th are longer-legged?

You always get that one wrong Campbell!

Thanks Ali, I might just get it right now!

I was close though, eh.

[robin]

Just to show that no two people ever agree about everything elise related, I retrofitted the S2 111S gearbox to egor.

This gives me nicer motorway manners (I lost about 300rpm on the cruise). The only downside is that you have to rev the knackers off it when your at the top of second/bottom of third territory (approx 65-70mph IIRC); the rev drop when changing up into 3rd gear is quite punitive when you have 6,999RPM to play with; the extra 200RPM of the VVC engine helps a fair bit there; Egor will have more revs soon

Cheers,
Robin

[campbell]

I suppose a 6 speed with the same effective ratio for top gear would be prohibitively expensive?

[alicrozier]

No cigar Campbell!
What's one gear between friends?

Yeah Robin, was the frustrating change 2nd to 3rd...then it pulled to over 100 in 3rd though.
I looked at the Quaife sets at the time, 6 speeder...better at both ends. £££...

MPH / MPH /
Ratio (x FD) 1000 7000
3.125 11.397 6.52 45.6
2.143 7.816 9.51 66.5
1.64 5.981 12.42 86.9
1.276 4.654 15.96 111.8
1.03 3.756 19.78 138.4
0.861 3.140 23.66 165.6
3.647

[alicrozier]

also a 3.955 FD:
MPH / MPH /
Ratio (x FD) 1000 7000
3.125 12.359 6.01 42.1
2.143 8.476 8.77 61.4
1.64 6.486 11.45 80.2
1.276 5.047 14.72 103.0
1.03 4.074 18.24 127.7
0.861 3.405 21.82 152.7
3.955

Edited to add:
Best part of 4K I think Campbell...just the gearset.

[campbell]

Best part of 4K I think Campbell...just the gearset.

indeedy!!

Always fancied a 6pd for the S1 but no way hosay

[Rag_It]

Had my 135r for 3 weeks now and love every moment of driving it. I usually cycle or run to and from work but have been taking the 135r, even for the 8 mile round trip!
It has an awesome mix of great fast road use, and having tracked Robin's 135r, that is what made me fall in love with the 135r.

I'd buy Kafur's 135r and be happy that you have bought an awesome all round beast, that should hold it's money fairly well!!

Dave

[campbell]

[objective mode off]

I always really fancied a 135R from the day Graeme tantalised me with the one-page flyer brochure thingy. Sat in one at F1 in Newcastle and was seriously tempted.

If money was no object and I had another runabout car, I'd probably have a 135R myself by now.

[objective mode back on again..."phew" says the missus...]

[robin]

I got a quote from the gearbox man for just less than 3K for a six speed H-pattern shift conversion, provided you supply the donor box. There may be additional charges if any of the other parts need changing (e..g syncro or bearings).

I'm not convinced it's worth it - probably cheaper to try and widen the power band.

Cheers,
Robin

[tut]

There never seem to be enough of them.

Would love a 7th for N3, with the lower gear set of the JDM engine I am in 6th most of the time, even roundabouts are 5th, and though the fuel consumption is pretty good off track, there would be no problem pulling a 7th when cruising, and it would sip less fuel.

tut

[campbell]

With 6 cogs already, Tut, presumably you could just have a custom 6th made up with a slightly longer ratio? Doubt you would miss the std 6th on track days, other than on only the very biggest tracks in the world?