Project V6 Elise

[Dominic]

Looks great! Looking forward to the vids

[Woodsport]

More testing done today, sorry no video yet, it's still too wet to give it a full power run, but we did open it up a little in second gear and it pulls very very strongly indeed, the weight difference between this car and an Mr2 that we would usually convert is speaking volumes. Traction is a big issue, there is so much torque even under light throttle that the rear is lighting up very easily, i expect that to remedy itself when it dries out a little although i'd still expect it to demand respect.

The car feels exactly as before with the K series in handling terms, very planted, very stable but still very agile, no difference in steering feel at all, just bucketloads of instant torque on tap, in the hands of a good driver you could drift this thing for fun all day with very light feathering of the throttle. I've taken it to about 60%-70% throttle in short squirts and the acceleration is quite something, as i said the weight difference can really be felt compared to our Mr2 V6 conversions, i reckon it's good for knocking a second off the 0-60 over an Mr2 V6 easily. Sorry i keep comparing it to an Mr2 but that's our only benchmark comparison.

Mechanically everything is great, no knocking noises, no vibration, in fact i was expecting there to be some especially with my front torque mount design, but there just isn't any. No creaking noises, nothing complaining about the V6 being there at all at the moment, let's see what 20k miles does i guess, but up to now it is exceeding our expectations and i want one myself.

This car is going to have to be driven with respect that's for sure, i've built more powerful cars but nothing that feels like this does.

The noise it makes under load is just gorgeous, no 4 pot could ever duplicate this V6 howl, i put a bit of it down to that exhaust system too, but man it just sings.

Video coming early next week as the testing continues, i'm praying for drier weather so we can really see what it can do.

[tut]

We all love enthusiasm Paul, especially when applied to an Elise, and regardless of any thing else that is one hell of a conversion that you have done to Kev's car.

Tis rare to see that attention to detail and getting everything right, looking forward to seeing the finished product when he gets it back. I have enjoyed the excellent pics that you have put up as you progressed, hope that there are other cars to follow it.

tut

[OlberJ]

What size of tyres are on the car at the minute?

[Kev]

What size of tyres are on the car at the minute?

I've got Kumhos KU31's fitted all round. The fronts 195-45-16 and the rears 225-45-17

[CubanGav]

Sunday and monday - dry as a bone in Durham

[roadboy]

It's lovely here today actually.

Perfect day for road testing when you don't have a roof.

Dan

[Woodsport]

Well we had a dry day up until about 3pm, i was super busy until then diagnosing a teething issue with the car, we have some sort of 5th gear engagement problem but it isn't conversion related. With the cables off the box i can engage 5th nine times out of ten, but the odd time it's popping out. I have a sneaking suspicion that the 5th gear lock ring is installed back to front (it meshes 5th gear to the synchro hub), which would be my fault when i fitted the new 5th gear set, a silly schoolboy error but very easily done. As it happens it looks like it's the first time i've made this mistake because i've changed the 5th gears literally hundreds of times before on Toyota gearboxes.

In fact browsing back through my build pics i can see it now.... here is the ring before removal, notice the top of the ring is smooth facing upwards....



And after i had installed the new 5th there is now a small lip at the top of the ring...



So it looks like this ring is fitted upside down, a stupid mistake!!! Thankfully the fact i take pics of absolutely everything has diagnosed my mistake without having to take anything apart, the bad news is that i may have to remove the gearbox now to rectify the problem, which if it cannot be done easily may mean i have to pull the engine out again.

As i've said before i cover all aspects of my builds, both good and bad, no secrets here!

After 3pm today it rained hard again and was left on my own so couldn't do a video today, but we will definately shoot one tomorrow of the car going through 1-3rd gears before we will have to sort the 5th issue out.

[r055]

Good man... Exciting stuff indeed
Can't wait to hear/ see the video.

[Kev]

Looks like you've sussed the problem

The world needs more people like you Paul, too many folk these days would find any excuse or someone else to blame. It's refreshing to see someone freely admit they made a mistake. If only the pilots I work with were like that

Top work mate

[Woodsport]

Thankyou chaps, it's always embarrassing if you make a mistake in your job, and let's face it there are a thousand things that could go wrong on a build of this size, but it's important to highlight everything so that the same mistakes are not made again in future.

Fingers crossed i don't have to take the engine back out to sort it, the fix itself is a 5 minute job flipping the lock ring over and sealing the casing back down. I think if i remove the NSR lower wishbone/driveshaft and 3 of the engine mounts i should be able to lower the gearbox just enough on that side to get the cover off, if i can't then it's clam back off and engine out to get access to it.

[campbell]

Most fixes on Elises are 5 mins, Paul...it's the extraction of the offending item that's usually the killer, such is the "design" of the car

[Woodsport]

Tell me about it, they didn't put a lot of thought into maintenance even on a stock car.

Sorry chaps no video today either, it poured down on and off all day, i just can't risk full throttle in the wet on a customers car, first dry patch we get and a video will be shot.

[tut]

Woofter…….



tut

[OlberJ]

Fair comment Tut....and you've not even seen him trying to drink