super widebody Lotus Exige labeled “KING KONG”.

super widebody Lotus Exige labeled “KING KONG”.

Author
Discussion

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Friday 29th January 2010
quotequote all
cyberface said:
Been watching some of the canyon videos and they're awesome. Doesn't seem to be that much lack of mechanical grip there, will you get any benefit at all from a big sod-off wing?

Especially those silly DTM thingies with winglets absolutely everywhere - massive downforce I suppose but huge drag too.

Obviously you've got the power, but on the canyon videos, you're not seeming to trouble the grip of the car round the bends - it's not as if you're fighting drifts round every corner - more downforce doesn't look necessary. And given the speed you're going round some of the left-hand canyon corners which are effectively blind - more downforce and a higher corner speed would just put you in that much more dodgy a position if you were to come round a bend at 120 to find a biker on your side of the road overtaking... I'd get nervous with enough downforce to go round canyon turns so fast that you've got no chance if there's something bad around the corner...

And yeah, I know you've got sod-off big brakes and those Hoosier tyres certainly stick to the tarmac. But there's LOADS of mechanical grip, and you don't really want to be showboating when getting a drift wrong means dropping to your DOOM (which is why I guess you don't do it, heh).

So are you planning on racing it, or do you race it already (I thought it was just an über-road car) - where the downforce could be useful? Or it is just a looks thing? I quite like the stealth approach (not that it's particularly stealthy) but without big wings, the flat grey paint, lose the bright orange wheels (says the bloke with the orange Exige, heh) and it's a bit of a Q-car, a perfect tool for making bikers look very silly indeed unless they're *very* good smile And I *like* that biggrin


ETA. fk me, just watched the youtube vid of the long downhill canyon drive, it's 8:25 long and Frank's pissing about with the rear-view camera at the beginning of the drive before getting down to some speed. All I've got is the MP4 download, was this ever uploaded somewhere in higher resolution / definition / quality? The one that's titled 'without the music' but in reality has exactly the *right* music - the engine noise alone - Frank? Please? That is absolutely bloody amazing - even in the blocky download quality I've just watched... I've got a nice supercharged Exige sitting outside but I'm wishing I had roads and weather like that - sod the fact I'd only be going half as fast, beats the st out of being stuck behind car after car doing 20-40 mph *everywhere* and getting violently aggressive when I finally find a safe place to overtake... under grey skies, potholed roads and at the moment, rain and the ever-present danger of aquaplaning, even with my winter tyres frown The UK sucks it down in the winter frown

Edited by cyberface on Friday 29th January 22:23
Yo Face, I know exactly what you're sayin about the need for additional downforce with the huge mechanical grip from the hoos yer daddies. The first day I tried them out in the canyons I had to rethink my cornering speeds compared to the Yoko A048's.....I keep sayin to myself do I really wanna go this fast around the blind bend [good observation] ?
After a few runs in the hills I've dialed in my brain to the new grip and have backed off to A048 corner entry speed and the R6's mid-exit grip speeds. It is now a really stupid mental car once you can see the exit...... It's fuccckin mental....nuts

I've got the wing but the highway patrol look at that stuff and assume you are another fast and furious boy racer about to go speeding, so far without the wing they don't really seem to care when they see some old guy drivin by....hehe

My thoughts on the DTM wheel wings are just to have the increased grip when I need it....It's just an Idea but so was the supercharger/turbo/flairs/wide body thingy.....idea

We are startin to get our share of rain over here for the first time in a few years. The rains screw up the canyons with rock and mudslides along with water runin across the road as it drains from the hills days after the storm has passed, so I don't think I'll be pushin it too hard for a while.....


It's a high gloss non-metalic grey... Glad you guys like the videos... If you send me your email I can try and send you my HD file..

Edited by roninexige on Saturday 30th January 00:05

cyberface

12,214 posts

258 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
roninexige said:
cyberface said:
Been watching some of the canyon videos and they're awesome. Doesn't seem to be that much lack of mechanical grip there, will you get any benefit at all from a big sod-off wing?

Especially those silly DTM thingies with winglets absolutely everywhere - massive downforce I suppose but huge drag too.

Obviously you've got the power, but on the canyon videos, you're not seeming to trouble the grip of the car round the bends - it's not as if you're fighting drifts round every corner - more downforce doesn't look necessary. And given the speed you're going round some of the left-hand canyon corners which are effectively blind - more downforce and a higher corner speed would just put you in that much more dodgy a position if you were to come round a bend at 120 to find a biker on your side of the road overtaking... I'd get nervous with enough downforce to go round canyon turns so fast that you've got no chance if there's something bad around the corner...

And yeah, I know you've got sod-off big brakes and those Hoosier tyres certainly stick to the tarmac. But there's LOADS of mechanical grip, and you don't really want to be showboating when getting a drift wrong means dropping to your DOOM (which is why I guess you don't do it, heh).

So are you planning on racing it, or do you race it already (I thought it was just an über-road car) - where the downforce could be useful? Or it is just a looks thing? I quite like the stealth approach (not that it's particularly stealthy) but without big wings, the flat grey paint, lose the bright orange wheels (says the bloke with the orange Exige, heh) and it's a bit of a Q-car, a perfect tool for making bikers look very silly indeed unless they're *very* good smile And I *like* that biggrin


ETA. fk me, just watched the youtube vid of the long downhill canyon drive, it's 8:25 long and Frank's pissing about with the rear-view camera at the beginning of the drive before getting down to some speed. All I've got is the MP4 download, was this ever uploaded somewhere in higher resolution / definition / quality? The one that's titled 'without the music' but in reality has exactly the *right* music - the engine noise alone - Frank? Please? That is absolutely bloody amazing - even in the blocky download quality I've just watched... I've got a nice supercharged Exige sitting outside but I'm wishing I had roads and weather like that - sod the fact I'd only be going half as fast, beats the st out of being stuck behind car after car doing 20-40 mph *everywhere* and getting violently aggressive when I finally find a safe place to overtake... under grey skies, potholed roads and at the moment, rain and the ever-present danger of aquaplaning, even with my winter tyres frown The UK sucks it down in the winter frown

Edited by cyberface on Friday 29th January 22:23
Yo Face, I know exactly what you're sayin about the need for additional downforce with the huge mechanical grip from the hoos yer daddies. The first day I tried them out in the canyons I had to rethink my cornering speeds compared to the Yoko A048's.....I keep sayin to myself do I really wanna go this fast around the blind bend [good observation] ?
After a few runs in the hills I've dialed in my brain to the new grip and have backed off to A048 corner entry speed and the R6's mid-exit grip speeds. It is now a really stupid mental car once you can see the exit...... It's fuccckin mental....nuts

I've got the wing but the highway patrol look at that stuff and assume you are another fast and furious boy racer about to go speeding, so far without the wing they don't really seem to care when they see some old guy drivin by....hehe

My thoughts on the DTM wheel wings are just to have the increased grip when I need it....It's just an Idea but so was the supercharger/turbo/flairs/wide body thingy.....idea

We are startin to get our share of rain over here for the first time in a few years. The rains screw up the canyons with rock and mudslides along with water runin across the road as it drains from the hills days after the storm has passed, so I don't think I'll be pushin it too hard for a while.....


It's a high gloss non-metalic grey... Glad you guys like the videos... If you send me your email I can try and send you my HD file..

Edited by roninexige on Saturday 30th January 00:05
You have mail biggrin

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,678 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
how far can you go on the standard toyota/yamaha engine with power without changing/opening the engine lets say on a NA engine (192hp) and a SC engine (220<>240<>260 versions)

Is it also possible like the Ronin-car to put a extra little turbo on a SC Lotus, or does that bring many other modifications with that as programming and stuff like that.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

275 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
GTRene said:
how far can you go on the standard toyota/yamaha engine with power without changing/opening the engine lets say on a NA engine (192hp) and a SC engine (220<>240<>260 versions)
about as far as Lotus have gone

GTRene said:
Is it also possible like the Ronin-car to put a extra little turbo on a SC Lotus, or does that bring many other modifications with that as programming and stuff like that.
yes, but not with a std engine and it needs to be a (relatively) big turbo, along with a built engine, ECU work, etc etc etc. (how deep are your pockets?).

cyberface

12,214 posts

258 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
Scuffers said:
GTRene said:
how far can you go on the standard toyota/yamaha engine with power without changing/opening the engine lets say on a NA engine (192hp) and a SC engine (220<>240<>260 versions)
about as far as Lotus have gone

GTRene said:
Is it also possible like the Ronin-car to put a extra little turbo on a SC Lotus, or does that bring many other modifications with that as programming and stuff like that.
yes, but not with a std engine and it needs to be a (relatively) big turbo, along with a built engine, ECU work, etc etc etc. (how deep are your pockets?).
Frank bust a fair few gearboxes finding out.

You run into the torque design limits of the Toyota 6-speed before you get to the grenade-engine stage IIRC... it's a front-wheel-drive gearbox designed for the Celica which only ever had 150 lb ft and FWD in a relatively heavy car. Weight transfer on acceleration means that FWD gearboxes can have lower torque limits since the wheels often spin under maximum acceleration (front end goes light).

Put that FWD gearbox in a mid-engined RWD sportscar with sticky tyres, even with the same engine, and you increase the maximum torque the gearbox will see, since there's more mechanical grip and the acceleration *increases* grip at the driven wheels, so torque is less likely to be spun away.

Frank's built engines bust enough gearboxes that he now uses a 5-speed box from the rally GT-Four Celicas IIRC (correct me if I'm wrong) which were designed for much higher torque loadings under acceleration.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,678 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
thanks for answering guys, when you stretch the tolerance to far above say 270hp and use the car a lot on a circuit or drag-strip you are asking for trouble/money, 260<>280hp could be "safe" but above that you have to be careful when using the power...(otherwise its gona be very expensive)
today I came across some site that linked me to another LotusTalk about a for me new SC the BOE TVS Supercharging sounds very good(long story 63 pages) and the max for the Lotus (also update the clutch biggrin) they don't use IC so you don't have to look for a place to drop it or as in a Exige, place it for the rear-window, but still a high power output.

http://www.boefabrication.com/lotusElise/superChar...

anyone here who uses that set already? its possible as a set on a NA Elise or Exige and on the others with SC.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

275 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
GTRene said:
thanks for answering guys, when you stretch the tolerance to far above say 270hp and use the car a lot on a circuit or drag-strip you are asking for trouble/money, 260<>280hp could be "safe" but above that you have to be careful when using the power...(otherwise its gona be very expensive)
today I came across some site that linked me to another LotusTalk about a for me new SC the BOE TVS Supercharging sounds very good(long story 63 pages) and the max for the Lotus (also update the clutch biggrin) they don't use IC so you don't have to look for a place to drop it or as in a Exige, place it for the rear-window, but still a high power output.

http://www.boefabrication.com/lotusElise/superChar...

anyone here who uses that set already? its possible as a set on a NA Elise or Exige and on the others with SC.
all I am going to say is don't got there...

260 is about the limit for a stock engine IMHO, if you start racing them at this then expect issues.

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
First off the TVS1320 is not the proper size blower for the 1.8ltr 2ZZ , it's just too freakin big for the low-mid RPM range, you have to spin it too slow to not exceed the stock piston limits or even low compression fordged pistons, which will cause it to feel as if it had an over sized turbo.....
If you want to run 20-24 psi on track with a proper chargecooler then it would be a nice choice but then the gearbox will take a dump...

320 rwhp will work as a absoult max for the stock gearbox if you're real lucky....

The Toyota E153 is working great with a shed load of burnouts to date, no issues what so ever.....



Now if I could just get the HD files to mail without bouncing back..

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,678 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
for road-use and say 6 or so trackdays (no real race) a year without the use of full slicks maybe max R888 tires could be possible? (its on the edge/limit I guess)

what will be the first to break, say the weakest link when you take it to the limit axles or gearbox or internals like pistons?

ah...(took a long time to write for me)...I see some answers...
but 280 WHP (say 330hp at the crank) do you then also have that (lag?) sounds strange to me biggrin but I'm not a engineer.

also the website says Below dyno is on about 10psi boost, 1320 TVS Supercharger, BOE Tune, and on 91 pump gas. The engine is equipped with KN cone-type air filter, free flowing exhaust and Weapon R headers

so its about 10psi not the above 20? you mentioned, is it stil not good for that engine or...

Edited by GTRene on Saturday 30th January 22:55

cyberface

12,214 posts

258 months

Saturday 30th January 2010
quotequote all
roninexige said:
First off the TVS1320 is not the proper size blower for the 1.8ltr 2ZZ , it's just too freakin big for the low-mid RPM range, you have to spin it too slow to not exceed the stock piston limits or even low compression fordged pistons, which will cause it to feel as if it had an over sized turbo.....
If you want to run 20-24 psi on track with a proper chargecooler then it would be a nice choice but then the gearbox will take a dump...

320 rwhp will work as a absoult max for the stock gearbox if you're real lucky....

The Toyota E153 is working great with a shed load of burnouts to date, no issues what so ever.....



Now if I could just get the HD files to mail without bouncing back..
I had a max file size limit on my mail server - I've just taken it off smile I'd really appreciate it if you could give it another shot...

Whose exhaust silencer are you using on the car Frank? I love the sound (much of it being turbo whistle / dump valve / induction, of course) but it doesn't sound offensively loud - in the video you posted, you could hear the bike over the car when you pull up in the layby (though I guess it could have been an exceptionally loud bike). Of course, it's possible to be lovely and quiet when cruising or under light throttle loads, but then make a load of noise when you hit the 'loud pedal' - mine is a bit like that. But mine only has 244 bhp or whatever the Lotus Performance Pack allegedly delivers.

Once I've run it in then I'll get it on a dyno somewhere, but I don't want to derail this thread into dyno arguments smile

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Sunday 31st January 2010
quotequote all
GTRene said:
for road-use and say 6 or so trackdays (no real race) a year without the use of full slicks maybe max R888 tires could be possible? (its on the edge/limit I guess)

what will be the first to break, say the weakest link when you take it to the limit axles or gearbox or internals like pistons?

ah...(took a long time to write for me)...I see some answers...
but 280 WHP (say 330hp at the crank) do you then also have that (lag?) sounds strange to me biggrin but I'm not a engineer.

also the website says Below dyno is on about 10psi boost, 1320 TVS Supercharger, BOE Tune, and on 91 pump gas. The engine is equipped with KN cone-type air filter, free flowing exhaust and Weapon R headers

so its about 10psi not the above 20? you mentioned, is it stil not good for that engine or...

Edited by GTRene on Saturday 30th January 22:55
That guy is al BS and hot air trust me...... There is now a compound charged Atom out. I spoke to them as they are using the TVS and they agree with me and the guys from Magnasun as to a proper size supercharger for our engines.....MP62 or a TVS900 if it ever comes out...

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Sunday 31st January 2010
quotequote all
Cyber I emailed the link, here it is again if anyone else wants to see us redneck nascar guys on our long wide open highways...
http://public.me.com/roninexige

The exhaust is a 3"-4" Burns stainless, remember the turbo is a rotary muff..

As for dynos I'm done spending tuning bucks. I really don't wanna go any faster. I wanna be real old and cranky one day..ranting

Edited by roninexige on Sunday 31st January 15:06

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,678 posts

225 months

Sunday 31st January 2010
quotequote all
Nice road, your car is way to powerful for such road, you can't explore it...
here in the Netherlands most roads are as flat as a pancake sadly, I live about 30km from the German border and there are some roads unlimited for high speeds, so you can speed up legal through all those gears full throttle.

What about all that electronics in your fast car..I see a rearview screen/camera? and a build in navi in the same screen...?
also a radar detector next the rearviewmirror I believe? and what is that round thing...for/against laser?
in some US cars I see 2 round things what are these for.
thnx for sharing that video, wonder what your car can do on the 1/4 mile or 100km/u to 200km/u

You have made a nice/fast car and it looks it have a lot of grip.

cyberface

12,214 posts

258 months

Sunday 31st January 2010
quotequote all
roninexige said:
Cyber I emailed the link, here it is again if anyone else wants to see us redneck nascar guys on our long wide open highways...
http://public.me.com/roninexige

The exhaust is a 3"-4" Burns stainless, remember the turbo is a rotary muff..

As for dynos I'm done spending tuning bucks. I really don't wanna go any faster. I wanna be real old and cranky one day..ranting

Edited by roninexige on Sunday 31st January 15:06
You are a star Frank. Many thanks - I've emailed you. Forgot about the turbo being as good as half a silencer - does that mean you're running it straight pipe from the turbo? Surely you've got a silencer on the output from the wastegate... the so-called 'screamer pipes' on some turbo installs (I think the Ferrari F40 uses one, as well as many 'Fast and Furious' rice rockets) are monstrously loud and your car doesn't sound like the wastegate is blowing straight to atmo - that'd definitely get you pulled by the cops for the noise alone biggrin

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Sunday 31st January 2010
quotequote all
No screamer, the wastegae enters the downpipe. The muff is a Burns Stainless 4"in and out stright no restriction race muff nice tone no drone....
http://www.burnsstainless.com/sm-400-625-17.aspx

Now to take a nice slow drive, I had some surg this past week for cataracts in the right eys so I'm only making left turns..wobble

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Monday 1st February 2010
quotequote all
Hey guys I had a nice little drive yesterday and came across this guy..yikes.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHenim1n5IE&fea...
Let's just say he's become aware of Lotus......biglaugh

dom180

1,180 posts

265 months

Monday 1st February 2010
quotequote all
Great videos Frank - good to see you on Pistonheads.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,678 posts

225 months

Monday 1st February 2010
quotequote all
wow, fat Mosler MT900, will not see one of those on Dutch roads any soon biggrin
personaly I find them to long, more a car for Lemans or German highways.

roninexige

115 posts

172 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2010
quotequote all
Dudes here's a little video from Sundays drive....My buddy Rolf's wife Bev wanted to ride shotgun, I thought it would be cool to have a human G-Meter on board.....

She has got to have a major set of stones to ride with me on a road I don't know ......and me with only one good eye..eek

Check it out...for some reason the sound is slightly out of sync at the end...freakin U-Tube..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMvU7iBM9zc

junks

303 posts

241 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2010
quotequote all
roninexige said:
Dudes here's a little video from Sundays drive....My buddy Rolf's wife Bev wanted to ride shotgun, I thought it would be cool to have a human G-Meter on board.....

She has got to have a major set of stones to ride with me on a road I don't know ......and me with only one good eye..eek

Check it out...for some reason the sound is slightly out of sync at the end...freakin U-Tube..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMvU7iBM9zc
Be good for any Pirate parts in Panto end of the year though mate biggrin

Looked like a fun drive - love that sound!!