My first season with the S1

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
1

My first season with an Exige has been fun. Picked it up in April having done 36.000 miles perfectly taken care of by MrBean.

[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/Lotus1_2/web.jpg[/image]

At home it took some time to get it registered so took the chance to look it over. Changed cam belt, fluids, filters, rear tyres, Removed the faulty radio and after wheel alignment the car was ready to hit the road. 30min later 400� fine for speeding, welcome to Holland

[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC07725/web.jpg[/image] [image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC07741/web.jpg[/image] [image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC07745/web.jpg[/image]

I did 9500 miles in it this summer. Great machine. Been to LoT Abbeville and Zolder, done two charity runs for sick children and been 4-5 times to the N�rburgring. Meet a lot of nice people in the process.

[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/2714982759_9d6ac1d450_o/web.jpg[/image]
[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC08183/web.jpg[/image]
[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC07781/web.jpg[/image]
[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC_0320_2/web.jpg[/image]

First upgrades installed where steering wheel spacers, Sparco steering wheel and 4-point harness. Solved a lot of squeak and rattles and changed a lot of rusty bolts. And mounted a Saab roof antenna :slight_smile: Isn�t attached to anything but looks as fast as the car does,

[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC08136/web.jpg[/image] [image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC08137/web.jpg[/image]

Ever since I had the car on the hoist for the first time I was haunted by the looks of the suspension. It al looked quite rusty. Than came the time I was in the UK and the ball joint started rattling so loud that I decided to do a major overhaul. This is what�s done:

  • All steel parts have been chemically de-rusted and yellow anodized.
  • Bushings replaced by polyurethane bushing kit
  • All balljoints replaced
  • Improved toe-link kit installed
  • ARB bushings changed
  • ARB painted
  • Renovation Koni sABS
  • New wheel bearings all around
  • Wheel alignment
  • Corner weighting
  • Steel Braided Brake Hoses installed

very nice job by www.vansten.nl

So now this:

[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC07715/web.jpg[/image] [image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC07719/web.jpg[/image]

Looks like this:

[image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC08878/web.jpg[/image] [image]http://gallery.mac.com/renelegrand/100111/DSC08875/web.jpg[/image]

Still have a million ideas but now I’m first off to Shanghai, China for 2009. So it will have to wait for a year. Hope to be over here for a week or two in the summer because I can’t be without an Exige drive for so long Maybe for that Exiges day @Spa.

cheers

Ren�

2

Great post, Rene, & good luck on your travels

Perhaps you & AndyD may meet up in Shangers - he knows the best places to hang out… from a pole

3

Really pleased to see what you have done to the Silver “Love of my Life”…May I send the Stealth Orange over for a Dutch Makeover?
Have fun in China

4

May I send the [color:“orange”]“Chrome Brown” [/color] over for a Dutch Makeover?

5

Thanx for your reply guy’s. I’m gone have a lovely time in Shaghai, getting those Chinese vehicles to drive like an Exige You are all very welcome for a Dutch makeover regardless of color
The only problem now is that the driveshaft/spring and brake caliper looks a rusty-chrome-brown
Need to get that sorted soon.

6

Just drove my Exige home from vanSten. Great improvement but not as much as I hoped. The PU bushings bring some what more vibrations in to the car but I only noticed it on some road sections. But the car is sooooo much more responsive. Very nice. The sABS where renovated and brought back 5-10% rebound damping force which had been lost. The body control is much better but the balance front to rear is the same and needs to be worked on… The braided hoses for the brakes did a lot as well. But the RS42 are still crap when cold…need to change that soon. And I was amazed how quite the suspension now is without any play. OK, after a wash it went into the garage…where it will be for a year

7

Great post, total transformation of the suspension…
Have fun in Shanghi and thanks again for the steering spacers they fitted a treat and have been one of the most cost effective upgrades done to date.

8

Make certain that it is really dry before going in the garage… and get those brakes nice and hot to burn off all moisture too!

Are you taking ‘lay up’ precautions such as tyre presures up, oil in pots, blocks etc etc… or having a ‘friend’ run the car up every 3-4 weeks?

Either that or keep it in the house with the heating on!

9

Haha politically correct Exiges.com is available on China’s internet.

Thanx Pete. That’s all done. And my brother din’t mind at all to take it for a spin now and then. Weird, isn’t it.

//Ren�