Not such a newbie but I finally bought an Elise

[Shug]

Mark - if you want power, you've got the wrong car...

The only way you'll get to Esprit levels of thrust is to dump the K and chuck in a Honda or Audi turbo. Sad to say, but it's fact, unless you like spending thousands on turning the K into an unreliable race engine...

Seriously mate, learn to drive it quickly in the twisties and forget about straight line thrust - it's just not what the car is about at all...

Fuel pressure won't make an iota of difference apart from making it run too rich, 56mm TB is a waste of time, you won't be able to tell. 421 is a useful upgrade and the only thing I'd look at electronics-wise would be a new ECU. A different exhaust cam, porting & ECU could see you at abotu 180 bhp, but then you're stressing the pistons and big bills follow to get the power much higher.

[Modena Scotland]

If the suspension feels shot, ask Ali to check the bushes as well.

Unless you've already got the yellowstuff, I'd go for Pagid RS42. As for the tyres, I don't know it but for the first few trackdays, I will not change them. 48s are not too great on wet as they don't shed water well enough. Rather than worry about the actual lap time, I'd concentrate in learning how the car handles on track before changing to grippier tyres.

Goof luck

[mwmackenzie]

I think 170 bhp would be fine, like you say it's more about the twisties I'm just looking for that wee bit extra is all a bit more spritely would do me. I know I'll never get Esprit performance from the elise, it's just more a fun wee thing to tinker with and enjoy

Thanks for the tips Shug much appriciated, so the to do list once the Esprit is sold should be, Porting, cams or cam, a 4-2-1 and an emerald... possibly lightweight flywheel too

Cheers
Mark

[mwmackenzie]

Ali checked the car before I bought it and said the S2 upgrade and 2 ball joints is all it needs to be spot on, so he's going to do this for me, I agree I need to learn the car and get to grips with the way she drives/handles first, as for the tyres I'm going to run with these for now but will look to change in the not to distant future for some yoko's or toyo's probably not 048's or 888 until next summer but maybe advan neo ot T1R or S for the first while to get used to the wet weather grip/handling

The 42's are pretty expensive in comparison to the Yellows and judging from the hype on Seloc there may not be much in it? I would prefer the blues but agian it will come down to money, if I have more at the time I'll be going down the blue route.....

Cheers

Mark

[mwmackenzie]

Just had a look on DVA site wow a grand will see betwwen 170 and 180 bhp for the K06a kit... Must sell that damn Esprit hahahahaha oooops must fix that damn Esprit first

Mark

[mckeann]

I'd spend my money with Kiwirog of Sabre heads. Speak to Ali at SLS about what is possible.

edit: also agree with everyone else that you should learn to get the most from the car before you tune the engine or else you become an annoying straight line hero. I can vouch for how hard a properly quick elise is to drive on the limit, and unless you can do it with 120bhp, your not going to manage it with 200, 300 or 400bhp, and will still get overtaken by less powerful cars. Which would be embarressing, wouldnt it.

[gorrie]

Mark.... Ventus are Hankooks... You get Hancook Ventus Sport or Hancook Ventus Prime I think. I had Ventus Sports on my old MGZS180, and while they had OK grip, they were pretty bad for road noise.
FWIW... the garage shoved a pair of Ventus on the back of my S2 cos' the Potenzas were shot. They seem OK, but nothing special (A bit too hard a compound for the Elise I think). Probably best to check the pressures, easy to overlook and will not help a hard tyre if over inflated.
I'll probably not bother changing the Ventus tyres until they need replacement (unless these R1R's ever appear).

Cheers...

[mwmackenzie]

I don't think a 170bhp elise is over the top even to learn the cars limits, I am used to a but of power you know, my Esprit has about 350bhp when it's working , I do agree that there will be a learning period with the elise as there would be with any new car, Ali helping set the car back up! I'm not looking for crazy HP at all just want the car to be a bit more spritely.

I have done the Lotus driver training course at hethel in an elise, the HPC course at knockhill in my Esprit and have also done a few trackdays but these were some time ago to be honest, so a walshy day may help refresh I'm not claiming to be a good driver by any means but I'm not a 17 year old numpty jumping out of a chav nova into my first sportscar, I Have had my Esprit for 10 years during which time I have also had an Esprit V8 and a Porsche 944S2 along with some other sporty numbers like the audi quattro turbo.

Mark

P.S don't get me wrong all advise is greatly welcomed as reading this back it sounds a tad negative but I just want to clear the air

Thanks Gorrie for the info on the tyres, I'm sure they are overinflated and will check tonight as I've not driven the car much since I got it, raining and all that

[mckeann]

I wasnt meaning, you shouldnt up the power because you will crash it, but as campbell said, you need to drive an elise with low power, before you fully appreciate it, then start the power cravings properly. Its completly different to all the other cars you mentioned (heck, i came from a 1,4 seat ibiza).

[mwmackenzie]

McKeen that wasn't directed at you mate, there has just been a lot of lean to drive first comments and while I do understand all what everyone is saying about learning the car first, I do appriciate that but I have driven an elise before, albeit only on track, once a full day course at hethel and again a wee bit round knockhill. I am a complete novice and am not claiming to be anything other than just that. I know it'll take a while to learn the cars characteristics once she gets set up properly, at the moment its all bangy and bouncy hahaha and squidgy at the back...

I hope my post didn't offend anyone as it really was not intended to, just to give a little of my background was all. Hope we're all still friends

Mark

[Edin430]

Mark....

You bought an S1??????????????????????????????????????????????????

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!!!!!!!!!!?

[campbell]

Mark....

You bought an S1??????????????????????????????????????????????????

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!!!!!!!!!!?

Er, "That's all I can afford...for now" ???!!

[mwmackenzie]

Hahahahaha.. What he said ^^^^^^^^^^ I want to break myself in gently Lewis I still have the Esprit so cash is well.... erm very tight!! I'm happy with the S1, it's raw!!! just needs some S2 billies and a geo, a couple of ball joints and the bushes checking. Then we want more noise, once we get used to the old girl once I get her up to scratch I'll take her along to a few meets, I really can't wait, I think Ali has me booked in next week

Whats up with your exhaust campbell?????

Cheers

Mark

[Edin430]

Just kidding....

[campbell]

Whats up with your exhaust campbell?????

My much loved, early vintage Blueflame (Motobuild) stainless exhaust is now suffering a failed weld.

Then we found a hole in the flexi downpipe - which owes me nothing, it was free to replace my original some 4 or more years ago - but two hits in one go were not welcome!

As ever, though, SE to the rescue and Fat Bob Fisics has helped me swap off the tailbox for a spare Janspeed courtesy of Ali / GregR / AndyG (who knows really!!!) from the "SE parts bin" while I get a relative to inspect the weld for potential repair. The early Blueflame exhausts are the perfect blend of silent cruising but lovely burbly note around town and decent rort under load. No longer available, even the jig has been dismantled so Blueflame can't even make me one to order!

I'm taking advantage of the downpipe issue to install an S2 manifold and downpipe combo, primarily for better access to parts of engine bay / head in future, but also because they are a better design overall and so why not.

However the overall cost of the bits, not least a potential new tailbox if the welds are knackered, is expense I had not planned on just yet, having put a bit of cash into head and suspension upgrades in the last 15 months, not to mention new tyres etc etc

On the upside, the kind help I've had from Robin and others is making a difference and it's possible I can do the whole job this side of £300 IF the tailbox welds up OK. The whole issue has also encouraged me to think about taking the Elise off the road over winter, officially, and investing in a runaround, as I'm in need of a car for work more than I used to be and the missus has first claim on the family barge for the sproglet transport! She is over 9 years old after all. The Elise not the missus.


Well...you did ask


Campbell