Modificatios for the perfect S1 track car

Hi Guys,

I’m new here so be gentle.

I pick up my Exige on Wednesday and am looking forward to getting it on track ASAP. I have been reading this site for a few weeks now and have picked up a wealth of knowledge, so thanks a lot for that.

My question here is what mods have people done to the S1 specifically to make it a better track car? I will only use the car on the road at weekends and I am a track day regular, so am keen to start looking into various bits and bobs to make the car even quicker round track.

It seems that the coil overs you all rate are the Nitrons? Out of interest are there any other popular options? Plus what spring rates has averyone gone for and how have they worked out?

I have looked at the Elise parts website and these guys seem to have a fair amount of experiance, what is everybody elses opinion of them?

Any other advice you can give me on suspension, brake and engine mods that you would recomend will be greatly received.

Thanks,

Sean…

Sean

Firstly, welcome

Secondly, Geary & Joyce @ Eliseparts are tops

Thirdly, make sure you get to Croft on 28th April

Lastly - all you probably need to do at this stage is upgrade the brakes - braided hoses/racing fluid/ Pagid RS14 or Mintex 1166 pads.

Sean,

Mr Pesky is 100% - fix the brakes first - that will make a lot of difference to your confidence.

Croft is a must to see all the track mods possible and see who supplied what etc but … what I found useful after brakes:

  • Decent disks for the brakes, depending on how hard you are on them the standard ones can warp quick ( ask Uldis )
  • Change the breather system so it dumps into a catch tank it will smell a bit but will stop the rubbish getting dumped into your TB’s
  • Tyres - 048’s make quite a difference to feel and “sticktion”
  • Suspension - Nylatron bushes in place of rubber - helps the stuff stay where it should be
  • Rear toe link - changed to rod ends - just to make sure ( standard ones are OK but do break every now and then if you track hard on sticky tyres and jump kerbs etc )
  • Shocks / Springs - Nitrons are about the best compromise cost / performance wise and dont be worried about going too stiff - I’m on 325 front / 400 rear and now want to go up about 75 / 100 more all round to stiffen a bit more … I think .
  • Use Optimax or BP Ultimate - it will not help power but it stops pinking ( in my opinion )
  • Get a good geo set up from someone who knows what they are doing - can change the feel completely and is very important so I should have put it top of the list …
  • Cutout the rear number plate area etc to give better cooling
  • Always get track instruction early in the day, amazing how much quicker you will be
  • Get a few “training days” under your belt to understand the car and find where it bites etc - more confidence will mean more fun
    After that there are loads more bits to spend your hard earned on.

can’t think of anything else to add to what AndyD/Pesky said… maybe just repeat that better brakes basically means Aeroquip braded hoses, Pagid RS14 pads and decent Fluid… Castrol RS is good enough in my opinion but Castrol SRF is used by many on here… then some Ally Belled discs with decent rotors.

If you don’t want to shell out for Pagid RS14’s then you could try RS42’s or goto Mintex 1144’s or similar.

I also have to reiterate get the geo sorted and make sure there is nothing loose in the suspension/steering area… absolutely transfrms the car if its not right to begin with.

see you at Croft…

Perfect track car!!! How long do you want me to make the list .

Seriously though, the Exige can be a bloody quick and robust track car with a few mods. Brakes and shocks are the first things to do and then you can start playing with the engine for more uuumph and reliability. Remember to change the oil loads as the engine is pretty near its limit with 190bhp, a remote stat and steel dowels in the head are also wise, have a search around the site and you will soon find some answers.

For spring rates on track use 450/500 as an absolute minimum as they tend to roll a bit.

Yeah - and CHECK the oil level after every session on track days … high revs and high cornering forces mean you get through a litre on a good day

Thanks for all your help guys!!

Can’t wait to get the keys on Wednesday and start driving the thing. My everyday car is a BMW E30 M3, which I have tracked several times. My usual track day steed has been a very heavily modified Escort Cosworth (WRC Suspension, Ohlins shocks, 380mm disks with 8 pot Brembo’s on the front etc etc) but I do have unfinished business with the Elise. I sold my last S1 Elsie to buy my Escort Cosworth about 5 years ago, and always regret not getting it out on track.

So tell me more about the Croft event??? Where do I sign up etc??

Sean…

See the thread in events or if you feeling lazy follow this handy link . Just post the word YES to the thread and don’t go off topic or Pesky will get annoyed

As everyone has said, the list can go on and on, but I try to just replace everything with something better as it brakes

However, I’ve been chatting to a few folk on SELOC about the braided lines and I PERSONALLY don’t see the point, I get zero peddle travel anyway and I certainly don’t go easy on the brakes! Only get what you feel you need, I’ve found with braided lines the brakes can bite a little too hard and not give the kind of feed back I like (or got used to IYSWIM).

But welcome and enjoy

I PERSONALLY don’t see the point, I get zero peddle travel anyway

Limp ankle as well as wrist, then?

Only kidding mate - look forward to seeing you again @ Croft

I get zero peddle travel anyway and I certainly don’t go easy on the brakes! Only get what you feel you need, I’ve found with braided lines the brakes can bite a little too hard and not give the kind of feed back I like (or got used to IYSWIM).

limp suvvern softie…




LOL! You guys!

I’ll be wearing my furry chest wig, shell suit and permed hair to fit in oop north! Anyone want a DVD player??? Or anything else from the local houses

Also in my defence, with the Toyo poxies (even when they’re red hot) I can pretty easily get to their limit of adheasion. When summer comes it’ll time for some 48’s and then will see how my legs fare up

(although ATM I’ve pulled the muscles in both my thighs so even have trouble with the clutch LOL!)

LOL! You guys!

I’ll be wearing my furry chest wig, shell suit and permed hair to fit in oop north! Anyone want a DVD player??? Or anything else from the local houses


(although ATM I’ve pulled the muscles in both my thighs so even have trouble with the clutch LOL!)

ROFLOL

Well I picked my car up yesterday and I totally love it. Went to Autosport today and spent a fourtune in my head on bits and bobs for it.

Roll on the 1st track day.

Sean…

Congrats Sean!

Ian