Plan(s) A

jimbers45 · 20 September 2006 20:23

Like many regulars I guess, I’ve been following with interest, and no little awe and envy, the mods undertaken by Jamie, Sean and Gavin (tarmac terrorist)

In the meantime I’d made contact with Graham at Plans and begun discussing what started out as a service!

Well 8 weeks ago I dropped my “standard” Cup 240 off at Plans Motorsport, 200 miles due south from me…for a bit of a service and some cheeky, if now pretty standard Exige.com mods!

But the difference in both the process and the result for me has been anything but standard.

My oultine brief to Graham was to make my Lotus stop and handle like my old 964RS, because whilst I’d swapped the RS for a N/A S2 and that for the Cup to get the speed right I was still missing the feeling I had with the RS.

WOW! I’ve read all of Jamies stuff, and now I’ve expereinced it first hand. So to the work…

swapped the std ohlins dampers for the plans 46mm ohlins damper/springs upgrade
swapped the lotus front calipers and discs for 4 pot AP Motorsport calipers and 304mm AP Discs & RS14’s
changed the bushes for powerflex and had all the wishbones and uprights blast cleaned and powder coated (oops)
dry cell battery
Plans Motorsport rear wing
Daytona Carbon side scoops and induction kit
2Bular 8" GT3 Exhaust & De Cat & MIL Light Eliminator
Maddodg Motorsport Extended Diffuser (now slightly bent…sorry Dave)
240R Lotus Sport Wheels & AO48’s
Suspension Setup * Handling Test / Evaluation at Plans test track
Oh and a 2nd year service for good measure

WOW!

the car feels/is 15mph quicker and more planted everywhere not straight. less crashy, perferctly balanced, to my weight, and makes up in part for my somewhat over eager approach…pushed into the road at the back and stable and super directional at the front…goes where you say even if thats the wrong place!!!
stops progressively with a poise and balance better than the RS. I was worried the AP calipers up front would upset the balance but Graham was right; the development Plans have put in, using the 4 pot as opposed to 6 pot lotus kit(cheaper incidentally) and retaining the standard rear setup is just awesome…140 to nothing in nothing…and dead straight…no fade…no pad transfer (yet anyway after a brisk session at Dunsford…true test to come at Donnigton)
the 2bular exhaust is just astounding…pushed hard up through the gears it sounds just fantastic (graham to john “the exhasut sounds great in here…”…john to graham…“you ought to hear it out here!!!”…it pops and blats on que just beautifully…AND at 70+ on the motorway it just hums away like its not there…but knock it down and the sound the combined induction, supercharger, exhaust make is to kill for. and it may be the aural effect but i’ll eat a Maddog Front Splitter if it aint quicker…especially mid range.
having gone over the changes, and the basics (plus algebra) graham guided me through the handling test and evaluation on the Top Gear Test track…testament to how different the whole Plans experience has been from my experiences with any other dealer/motorsport firm, including some bloody pricey Porsche types. Everything Graham’s advised me to change made complete sense when I got out on track, and despite a limited run and some excursions into the thankfully empty scenery, the time wasn’t half bad in the end either, flattered largely by the car and the very brave navigator me thinks!.

So if you’ve got a little christmas money saved up…bugger it, drive a little further, take a little more time…send the kids and the wife down the Y; then call Jim at 2bular, Dave at Maddog and Bemani(if you’re n/a) and then get down to Plans and get this stuff done cos there is nothing but nothing (well not dressed anyhow) that has put a smile this big on my face in yonks.

I’ll be doing Plan B next to hopefully include cage, extinguisher, cut offs, roof scoop, ECU, intercooler, race numbers, gearbox, bag tank etc. and in between I look forward to waving at everyone go by from a Track/Armco near you!

And I apologise unreservedly to the more technical amongst you for my somewhat emotive approach to describing the experience. One day I might be able to avail you of my perspective on the relative merits of this versus that, wax lyrical on slip angles and spring rates and blah…but right now I just can’t stop smiling.

Thanks to Jamie, Dave, Sean and Gavin and the regulars for the inspiration, and to 2bular, Maddog and the Plans team for the development and delivery.

and if you see a black cup 240 in a hedge do stop and help…that’ll be me!

Jimbers

Mr_Pesky · 20 September 2006 20:29

Excellento, Jimbers

I presume that you’re racing next season?

jimbers45 · 20 September 2006 20:38

Pesky…my heart says YES YES YES…my head says Yes Yess, my bank manager says No No No…my other half just laughs, packs her bags and the kids and F*&%'s off! You tell me!?

Mr_Pesky · 20 September 2006 20:59

Just that “Plan B” sounds, perhaps, a little excessive if you’re not racing… but what the hell, go for it

tim_marra · 20 September 2006 21:18

My oultine brief to Graham was to make my Lotus stop and handle like my old 964RS, because whilst I’d swapped the RS for a N/A S2 and that for the Cup to get the speed right I was still missing the feeling I had with the RS.

So, why didn’t they put the engine in the boot

Tim.

stevegreen · 20 September 2006 21:52

Jimbers

sounds really good, when you say you have left the rear brakes as standard do you mean the original Lotus discs and pads?

jimbers45 · 21 September 2006 05:12

Pesky…for excessive read stupid…yes that sounds like me! But you’re right, thats why plan B is plan B. and that goes to the standard brakes Steve…I considered putting the old standard fronts on the back but Graham suggested I’d have to lose the handbrake, though I think there is a way round that now…so I still have the brakes on the rears that the std Cup240 cars run.

Of the outstanding plan B mods I really would like to hike the power and I’d love a sequential box…I went to one of the Palmer days recently and drove one of there Palmer Jaguars and just loved that, but once again I’m in two minds because for road use thereafter its a large compromise…the safety stuff I appreciate sounds excessive but that said you can roll on a track day (plus the cage in Gavins car is totally unobtrusive in a way that I wouldn’t even consider the lotus one as an alternative), you can still catch fire on a track day(see Wounder!!!)
and the bag tank just means more track time between stops.

But I think the most solitary thought and consequences for me are that; I will one day sell the car and the market for it narrows the more and more modified it becomes plus fundamentally any money you spend becomes less easy if not impossible to recover!

Second, talking about the LOT race series with Graham he pointed out, I think realisitcally in his inimitable fashion, that mentally, to really go racing, you have to be able to walk away from the car financially in the event you stuff it (despite everyones best efforts accidents are exactly what they say they are and happen on track days ostensibly WITHOUT the traffic, the adrenaline and the testosterone) and thats a long hard expensive walk for me.

To that extent I’ve considered an S1 (and all kinds of other makes/marques and alternative from Karts to radicals)to prep myself and race! because that for me is also key…because I feel unless you can do a good deal of the routine (and less routine) work & maintenance yourself the cost of racing once again is prohibitive for most of us??

SO thats my dilemma if I’m honest…but either way it probably wont stop my heart ruling my head and spending the kids school fees!

Oh and Tim…talking to John the GT3 cars have the engine on the floor!!! thats Plan C…does that count?

SeanB · 21 September 2006 08:00

Fair play Jimbers!!! Your car sounds like a bit of a weapon!

I agree with what Graham said about being able to walk away from the car financially if you have a crash. That really is a worst case scenario, but one that could happen.

Also I agree with what you say about the more you mod it, the less desirable it is to most purchasers and the more money you will loose. None of us are into our cars because of the investment opportunity and potential return they will give us, but you can limit the pain I guess.

If you are ever in the Old Hill, Cradley Heath neck of the woods, you will have to stop in for a chat!!!

Sean…

jimbers45 · 21 September 2006 08:03

Sean…if you’re around next couple of days let me know and I’ll drop in given I work opposite Merry Hill

SeanB · 21 September 2006 08:07

Cool man, I am gonna start to have a look at my wiring today, so will be around for most of it. Give me a call on 07967 662294

Sean…

deano · 21 September 2006 16:55

wow that sounds fantastic jimbers!
any photos?

jamie · 21 September 2006 20:23

I knew you were going in for a bit of a Plans but nice work

Have to get the beasts together for a little on track action Interested to see those mighty brakes in action

Have been mightly tempted by racing and know I will eventually I just dont think it will be in my Exige

jimbers45 · 21 September 2006 21:09

deano…let me clean it at the weekend and I’ll take some photos of the intresting bits! and post em up.

Jamie…we’re about to start a project in Glasgow so I’ll drive up and be great to meet up and compare notes.

On the racing tip, I have the same inclination about sparing the exige…but the conundrum then is what else gives the same versatility and bang for buck? think on!

still smiling!

evo_ufo · 21 September 2006 21:11

…but the conundrum then is what else gives the same versatility and bang for buck?

Caterham Academy?

jamie · 22 September 2006 06:51

I have looked at that but they seem to be rather keen on you buying a brand new Academy car so if you race it for a year and then try to sell it it would costyou 10k for the cost of racing plus the drop in value of the car. If I am wrong and you can use a used Academy car that would be more interesting!

When you are up you will need to try Knock Hill a great little ‘3D’ track that I am still learning new lines and getting faster on

GrahamH · 22 September 2006 08:10

Thanks Jim for the feedback - it makes it all worthwhile.

For the record, no need to call 2bular or Maddog separately as we will now be keeping them all in stock.

The choice between Caterham Academy and Exige racing is basically one about open or closed wheels. Go and see a Caterham race before taking the plunge.

I’m a bit of an old woman and don’t like Caterhams they scare me.

SeanB · 22 September 2006 13:34

I’m a bit old

You said it Graham!!

jimbers45 · 22 September 2006 14:38

I’d love to be able to do the caterham thing BUT I’m too short and sh(1)t scared…I drove one of those r300 thingys at the palmer thing as well as the Palmer Jaguar and it was like a fair ground ride…but I just couldn’t imagine driving one down the M6 with the lorries! A guy I work with, Mike Blackadder, swears by them and only starting a new business parted him with his old Academy car.