£10K budget. Best Elise for track (& road!)

[Retset]

I'm looking for a 2nd car to use around 8 track days & 2000 road miles per year. The only 2 cars I've driven on the track that 'did it for me' were Caterhams and an S1 Elise (driving experience at Thruxton only).

The only Caterhams that I really like are in the £15-£18K category. Even then, they are almost exclusively narrow and I can only just drive them and only then with my narrowest shoes! If only I could afford an R300 SV

So, my mind has turned to Elises and I have a few questions:

1) Which is the better track/low miles car - a 135 or 111S? Or would you simply modify a stsndard car?

2) How are modified cars viewed generally by the market? i.e. does their value reflect the mods or does it generally devalue the car?

3) I have always shied away from Elises on the basis that even a small 'off' can result in them needing a new subframe. Ungluing the old one costs megabucks and I understand it is not difficult to reach an £8K bill. Am I worrying unnecessarily or realistically?

4) How long to put the hood back on? Silly question but I'd still like to know

5) Anything I should specifically be looking out for on a prospective purchase above and beyond the usual for any used car?

Thanks.

[TIPPER]

Hi Retset. Can't comment on th3e 135/111s as I have in sufficient experience of them, but I'd be surprised if you could find a goody for your budget. When I bought my car I was very ignorant and shied away from modified cars and I think a lot of other potential purchasers would act similiarly. That said I'd have no problems with one now as long as the mods were from a recognised source. I think that a modded car would appeal to a narrower audience but one appreciative of the value.
One way to go would be an £8.5k car with sports zorst and induction. Add £800 for diy for upgrade kit (about 150 bhp available from DVA/140 from PTP this route) and the balance for suspension. Should bring you in on budget with a nice track car that'll also be great for sunny road days.
Roof removal fixing about two minutes with practice.
I'm sure plenty of others will be along soon with their advice - Happy Hunting and if you go for it welcome to the world of the greatest little car ever made.

[Lotustuart]

www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/73568.htm

Shes a quick one, just ask any "Boloc`s". I`ve replaced so much she shouldn`t cause you any problems for a while!

[Retset]

Thanks for the info so far.

Southampton's a fair old treck for me Stuart but I'll bear your blue beauty in mind.

Reading the ads, I was also wondering about the hurricane induction kit. Seems popular. Does in increase bhp? Also what does it do to the drive by noise - thinking places like Bedford.

Are there any sports exhaust sytems for the car which push the noise too high for some tracks?