Been a while since i’ve given an update but last weekend was my first race of the season in the Elise, we managed a 2nd and were running 2nd in the other race until the alternator went!
Just to let you know, we have resisted a Honda conversion and are still running with the K-Series. In fact, the engine was over revved substantially at the weekend but it is fine!
Quaife Sequential woes have continued though, 5th gear breaking whilst testing the new Geartronics paddle shift. Currently it has the Quaife dog box instead.
Other than that, the car has a new loom and has had some weight removed. Although we won’t win the series, we got a fastest lap (and were 2 seconds quicker than Honda Supercharged Exige with better aero) at Rockingham and hope to at least get a win this season.
My dad is racing the car in the Lotus Trophy at Anglesey tomorrow (invitation) so will be interesting to see how it goes against other Elises/Exiges.
Your cars going very well this year. With those times I reckon your dad has a chance of winning outright at Anglesey which would be a first for a K series in modified class I think?
(Ah just spotted your in ‘Invitation’ class - surely your not above the Power to weight for modified with a K series?)
Yeah, proud of the old man there! First standing start race… which explains the stall! To pass 27 cars or whatever to reclaim second was excellent… and he got his first win too.
Hopefully we have demonstrated how fast you can make a k-series car if you don’t just focus on the engine. It is only our second season of racing too, Martin Donnelly is a good couple of seconds quicker than us in our car.
There are lots of detail things we aren’t allowed for LOT, i can only ever see us being invitian as we’re more commited to longer racing… 20mins is not long enough for us, so we won’t compromise the car for the occasional race. Is good to race with fellow Lotuses though… :c)
I think you’ll find no end to the Quaiffe sequential problems, everyone I know who has tried that 'box has replaced it. The problem is the replacements are quite spendy, Sadev ST90, Hewland and Ricardo being just about the only options of which a used Kitcar Ricardo is the cheapest option. Check around in rally cricles for a FWD gearbox, especially France and Ireland.
[quote=englebert]Yeah, proud of the old man there! First standing start race… which explains the stall! To pass 27 cars or whatever to reclaim second was excellent… and he got his first win too.
Hopefully we have demonstrated how fast you can make a k-series car if you don’t just focus on the engine. It is only our second season of racing too, Martin Donnelly is a good couple of seconds quicker than us in our car.
There are lots of detail things we aren’t allowed for LOT, i can only ever see us being invitian as we’re more commited to longer racing… 20mins is not long enough for us, so we won’t compromise the car for the occasional race. Is good to race with fellow Lotuses though… :c) [/quote]
Interesting… what sort of things do you have that stop being eligible for LOT ? (apart from central seat and plastic windows)
What weight does the car come in at ? Car looks well sorted.
Yeah your old man was very quick. Especially as it was his first time on 48’s and his first standing starts.
I went through all of the Quaife sequential woes when I had one, both with and without a paddle shift.
The problem is it just isn’t a very well engineered box and the gears are made out of cheese. BUT, it did show that good gearing is worth about 40bhp in my opinion!!!
Yeah, i think it is a combination of things really… its about 670kg now so i’m not sure how that is compared to other cars in the series? It also has latest Ohlins whereas i only see the old Dynamics dampers on other Msport cars…
Anyway, hope you have a successful season Sean…would have been nice to talk to you and John.
Couple of questions. Which diffuser are you using?
And I can’t see exactly, but have you added some sort of extened flat floor between the front oversills and the rear wheel arch? If so, what have you used?
Yes, you’re eagle eyed! It has barge boards, which is part of a one piece flat CF honeycomb floor.
With the Motorsport floor not covering enough, and with NACA ducts dotted over the place, there was clearly an improvement to be made. We did need to fit an oil cooler for the 'box though.
The diffuser is designed for a Mk2 Exige and made to fit. I’m not sure who makes them, other than he is ex-Lotus. You would have to contact our team (John Danby Racing) for info.
