Progress pictures below of the new roll cage fitted to my V6 Exige to enable it to compete in hill climbs and sprints, as you can see, … it has a certain ‘Monster Truck’ style of scaffold pole protection!
Other build projects in hand also.
Looks good. Given you’ve gone as far as door bars any reason you didn’t also brace between the A pillars?
Don’t really know to be honest, it was taking such a long time to fabricate and it needed to be compliant with the MSA Blue Book, so I left the cage builders to it… and this is what they came up with … which should hopefully pass scrutineering, … pretty sturdy looking job though eh?
As it now has those chunky door bars I have had most of the heavy original alloy beam removed from the door inners, plus fitting lightweight rear hatch and will fit S2 Exige 2010 style rear spoiler, lightweight front inspection hatch cover (having this specially made …anybody else want one?) and possibly fitting a Mohawk (single skin) roof to get some air into the cabin as it gets rather hot in there waiting to get to the start line sometimes… but that’s just an idea at moment.
Other mods are 2bular exhaust (if I ever receive it) and SSC induction system, complete aircon removal and perspex windows.
Plans for next year are proper 2bular exhaust manifolds, lighter wheels, smaller charger pulley and Komotec re-map… but we shall see!
Good luck with the 2bular… been banging my head against that particular wall for about 8 months now.
Patience Dear Chap, patience! … Regarding 2Bular I spoke to Jim Valentine this week and the delay is caused by: “Trying to get out-sourcing done, Worldwide demand, training of people and to keep production going” … so mine should arrive this week!
I’ve had every excuse from Jim under the sun. He still promises the world, but I think 8 months is being patient! Trouble is, he doesn’t keep a note of his excuses - he told me he’d put a manifold aside and just needed the backbox, then told me he had the backbox but no manifolds… I understand it’s hard, but it’s frustrating!! Look forward to hearing a clip of yours, should sound amazing!
Ooooh Shiny Shiny … Just arrived… straight through with new baffle system, no Cat and plain tips!
Wow that is gonna sound very fruity. Looking forwards to seeing this,…you got a planned timescale?
he’ll be along soon enough claiming ‘denigration’ and that he’ll sue exiges etc
what about something from komo? http://komo-tec.com/Shop/en/Exige/MK2-Toyota/Exhaust/
Well, if the vertically challenged ginger one had kept his fat mouth under control and hadn’t sought a cheap/libellous laugh from his onanist mates on here I wouldn’t have to have this place monitored. 
I did what any business owner would have done - you people don’t live in a wee bubble - and you needed to be told as much.
Lawyers eh? There’s waaaay too many of them and they’re always looking for a case. My one still mentions Exiges.com - funnily enough, he was most interested to hear that Dave Garthwaite owned a business.
Ref Richard H - I’m not surprised a pea-brain like you wouldn’t think to ask “who would wait 8 months for anything?”
Thing is, Richard knows what he wants, he knows he won’t get it anywhere else - so he waits. He’s been kept up-to-date with developments and I haven’t taken a penny from him.
He’s the epitome of the new owner you find on social media. Happy and engaging through the e-mails, whining and back-stabbing on the forums.
I’ve been informed of his similar posts seeking sympathy on the other Lotus forums and of course, the professionally offended such as you, are more than happy to stroke his fevered brow.
At one point, I had his 4-1 manifold but not his Re-Pack system. Problems with the press-tooling on the end-caps for those meant a lonnnng delay (more legal issues), so I sold his manifold. By the time we eventually got the tooling repaired, I had decided to engage another supplier for the manifolds - same people who make the pipes for Mercedes F1, so worth waiting for I feel.
Every time Richard whines about my service on the forums, I add another 50 :00GBP to his invoice 
Could I kindly request that nobody respond to Jim’s post please. This is a thread about a great build that we’re all interested in reading about.
I think Jim’s made his position clear for the community and all current and future customers, it needs no further debate on this forum.
Thanks.
Apologies folks, I certainly didn’t intend to stir anything up at all … So time-out gentlemen please!
Exhaust now fitted nicely to the car … thank you Jim.
However, … unbelievable ‘schoolboy error’ on the scaffolding front … The bloody doors won’t close!
So I won’t hesitate to name and shame the cage building company concerned in any and every way possible if they don’t sort this out pretty dammed quick! … Dozy Buggas! Shameful situation really as the Exige was to make its debut at the big British Championship hill climb meeting at Shelsley Walsh next weekend.
Fitting cages into an Elise or exige is an interesting challenge 
I’ve had three different types in my rally cars. In my S1 I went with a custom cages weld in that had door bars and we had to remove some fiberglass from the interior base of the doors to close them. That was explained by them though before we started, it’s a pretty tight cockpit! I went with a safety devices bolt in for my first S2 which was fairly straightforward without door bars. The best cage was the hot lap T45 that I had in my Honda S2, it was very nicely made with roof hoops and door bars, no cutting required of the doors but I recall the door bar was welded to the rear hoop but fixed with a bracket to the aluminum dash cross beam. Are you sure you will have enough elbow room with the double door bar configuration?
Hope you get it sorted quickly, I bet the S3 is a lot of fun to compete in.
Why not go with a Lotus sport oem or was that not available?
Yes umm errr well … Upon reflection, a Lotus Sport OEM version looks like a better idea … hindsight eh!
The car was banned from competing at Prescott Hill Climb by an MSA scrutineer (just before the start line bless em… aaargh!) even though it had earlier been passed by another … as it only had the original hoop and rear stay factory bars.
So with the OEM cage being very very expensive, I simply phoned around various independent cage companies for quotes. I immediately had a call back from the firm concerned who were ‘desperate’ to get hold of a V6 to use as a dummy (the dummy ended up being me!) for them to make full cage kits to sell to other V6 owners, also, they would collect and return the car, taking only two to three weeks to design, build and fit the cage in T45 steel to full FIA/MSA spec etc etc … and very cheaply too as I was doing them a favour! Sounded too good to be true? … well there ya go, let that be a lesson!
TEN weeks later, with no communication, no return of a dozen calls or any updates whatsoever, the car was duly returned to me … with the cage unpainted, meaning I had to get somebody to paint it in situ …Oh, and by the way … the rear bulkhead glass screen had ‘exploded’ … thanks lads!
Now in the middle of the re-build following a full bodywork respray, the doors won’t close as the lock/catch mechanism bashes against the door bar. We thought about cutting the door but it would need to lose about a third of the lower rear section and the door catch/lock area would be completely lost, so a re-route of the bar is likely to be the only option. There is plenty of room between side of seat and sill but the problem of course is that is is all bolted and welded in place so we are unsure what to do and then how to do it!
My mechanic technician (patient chap) is dealing with the cage firm this morning (Monday) to sort things out… as my next visit to them will probably be with a chainsaw … oh and a solicitor!
Wow, what a terrible time you have had, always been lucky with who used my car for different upgrades\design work.
Good luck with getting it sorted, that really is bad form by your chosen installer. It almost reads like they gave up on your install?
Are you going to name and shame them?
Well, I will be perfectly fair and give them an opportunity to rectify the situation, but even my usual easy going nature has a limit,
So yes, I will name and shame there everywhere - including through Trading Standards - without hesitation should the need arise!
It really is a shame as they had the car for ten weeks, knowing that this weekend was its big debut … so I am just totally disappointed!
ahhh, the up’s and down’s of racing…
You’lll get there!!