I’m a reasonably new member and I am shortly going to begin my Exige S1 purchase search and subsequent alterations project and am on an information gathering mission. I sold my S4s esprit last year and have been thinking about something special and rare to replace it with. Have always liked the S1 and I thought this would be the best place ask for a few ideas.
I’m looking to buy a titanium/gunmetal/black car rather than the silver (albeit its still a lovely colour). I understand from my readings that these colours seem to be a bit like rocking horse poo and just wondering how often one would come up for sale ?
I have a close friend who works for an accident/repair garage and will strip the car down to whatever level necessary to respray it completely to ‘as factory finish’. However, it’d be just under �3k so ideally would like to buy in my prefered colour but don’t want to wait too long once I have everything planned and ready to go(subject to ���)
My plan then it to fit probax seats if possible from the latest S2 exige, retrim the interior if needbe, add a removeable steering wheel and get bernard to complete an audi engine conversion. Suspension and brake upgrades are the other 2 issues that people seem to generally have differing opinions on, so any suggestions greatly appreciated.
My main use of the car is an everday commute and fastroad use and not so much trackdays although thats probably gonna happen once my kids get a bit older and can come along. Circa 25k miles per annum, hence the desire to soften the interior slightly ( que the jokes:-) ). I bought a brand new S1 elise when they first came out and it was a bit of a back breaker on longer jorneys and I figured the extra power/reliability from the audi would compensate.
Any other good ideas you may have would welcome, I’m a real lotus fan, but mechnical and racing expertise is sadly lacking. Am planning a walshy day shortly after purchase.
If you’re planning that level of conversion also consider an Elise with motorsport panels. It’s most likely going to be cheaper, and it’d be a shame to “ruin” a very rare care.
Rumours of my car ruining are greatly exaggerated…
In fact the only EXIGE I’ve converted was my first, which became a TT260… the others retained their K-series or were ten-a-penny Elises with motorsport bodies.
I wasn’t going to change the external asthetics just change the engine, and tidy up the interior if it was looking a bit tired. Would an audi engine really qualify as ruining a car ? Wouldn’t want to offend anyone here
Having only just bought an S1 Exige, I would say PLEASE keep it original - they are like an endangered species
For what it sounds like your wanting, I’d say you’d be better off buying an early elise then adding the motorsport panels then you will have a considerable amount of ���’s left over to customise it and add what upgrades yuo want.
Would an audi engine really qualify as ruining a car ? Wouldn’t want to offend anyone here
Cheers
Dan
Dan - welcome, no you wouldn’t really be ruining the car - my comment was just a gentle ribbing of Mr Admin.
By all accounts the Audi conversions are absolutely stonking, so take a very good car and move it on a bit. I’m not sure where all this “leave it original” comes from…I think you would be hard pressed to find a truely original one, after all who wants original Lotus 177bhp, resonator valve, and brake discs made of two year old Brie.
I’ll admit I’m wrong when i see someone taking along one to the Antiques Roadshow
I think you would be hard pressed to find a truely original one, after all who wants original Lotus 177bhp, resonator valve, and brake discs made of two year old Brie.
Knievel (aka Bertone), for some obscure reason only known to himself!
I think you would be hard pressed to find a truely original one, after all who wants original Lotus 177bhp, resonator valve, and brake discs made of two year old Brie.
Kneivel (aka Bertone), for some obscure reason only known to himself!
Are you suggesting that the upgrades made by Tim prior to my ownership are worthless???
Thanks again for your posts, from the research I’ve done and I have read a great deal on here, pistonheads, seloc, audieliseowners etc, the audi conversion, for me, seems to be the easier to live with option on a daily basis bearing in mind my motorway milage. Think the Honda or even the standard 177/190 K would be too much work day in day out ( que obscenties )
David/Dave (MADDOG) will give you a bell tomorrow for a chat. My mechanical/technical knowledge is not what it should be though, I’ll warn you now Can’t find much about the motorsport panels on an S1 elise in the forums. Are the clams the exact same ones used on the S1 exige ? How does the convertible nature of the S1 elise affect things ?
A number of people have mentioned the price hikes in the conversions, the audi ones being circa 12k-15k depending on which flavour, what were they before then ?
Everyones input much appreciated, I always found the esprit fraternity very helpful as it seems all the lotus bods are. Quite a few shocking arguments on seloc though
I think you’d find mine falls squarely into original category, except for race seats and four point harnesses No sign of Brie in the brakes but maybe I’m not trying hard enough to melt 'em. Keep it standard!
