RE: Ginetta G4
Discussion
Anyone have any idea where to find a racing/aluminum Dare G4 radiator? My radiator said uncle after 2800 miles and I need the radiator and cowl.
I have spoke to the factory and there seems to be a possibility that a new radiator could take weeks--my mechanic has had the car for 6 weeks waiting for the radiator already and is getting tired of having it taking up his space!
I have spoke to the factory and there seems to be a possibility that a new radiator could take weeks--my mechanic has had the car for 6 weeks waiting for the radiator already and is getting tired of having it taking up his space!
I have never read a comparison test between the Elise and the G4. How do you think it would play out?
I think the G4 would be easier to ingress/egress and, the way Ginetta has tuned the Ford motor, the sound is better. Acceleration/Handling would go to the Ginetta G4 compared to a standard Elise. Does the AC, engine position, air bag, radio tilt things towards the Elise?
I think the G4 would be easier to ingress/egress and, the way Ginetta has tuned the Ford motor, the sound is better. Acceleration/Handling would go to the Ginetta G4 compared to a standard Elise. Does the AC, engine position, air bag, radio tilt things towards the Elise?
Driven both, but not back to back. G4 was a stock 1.8 Zetec running at 130bhp, long wheel base. The Elises were an S2 with 135 upgrade + sports exhaust & induction, and an S2 Exige. I'll be off in a Series 1 160 Elise, and an S1 190 Exige weekend after next, so may report back on them later, if you want.
G4 isn't that much easier to get in and out off: if you have a soft top, then you get the head & shoulder room, but nowhere to hold (the window frame is very weak), and the hard top requires some clever twisting.
The G4 running 1.8 Zetec didn't seem to have much grunt, but then neither did the S2 135R Elise. However, the Elise felt lighter, had a much more forgiving clutch (the G4 clutch is pretty savage) and gave me more confidence from the off that the G4.
The Elise was much more neatly packaged, and finished to a higher leve lthan the G4.
The Elise doesn't mind living outside - the G4 really doesn't like it (holes in side windows).
And yes, the Elise has a lot more of a creature comfort feel to it than the G4 (if that's what you like)
However, the G4 looks far better, is far more exclusive, has much better progressive control, better feeling brakes, much more kit for your money, feels like a proper competition car for the road, and made me smile a lot more - even with the holes in the windows, wobbly dials and loose wires
If I could change the universe to suite, I'd have a G4 every time. However, I can't, so I'm taking the Elise, but sticking a Honda engine in it (or maybe a V8 Cyclone
)
>> Edited by jitsukadave on Tuesday 13th September 09:13
G4 isn't that much easier to get in and out off: if you have a soft top, then you get the head & shoulder room, but nowhere to hold (the window frame is very weak), and the hard top requires some clever twisting.
The G4 running 1.8 Zetec didn't seem to have much grunt, but then neither did the S2 135R Elise. However, the Elise felt lighter, had a much more forgiving clutch (the G4 clutch is pretty savage) and gave me more confidence from the off that the G4.
The Elise was much more neatly packaged, and finished to a higher leve lthan the G4.
The Elise doesn't mind living outside - the G4 really doesn't like it (holes in side windows).
And yes, the Elise has a lot more of a creature comfort feel to it than the G4 (if that's what you like)
However, the G4 looks far better, is far more exclusive, has much better progressive control, better feeling brakes, much more kit for your money, feels like a proper competition car for the road, and made me smile a lot more - even with the holes in the windows, wobbly dials and loose wires
If I could change the universe to suite, I'd have a G4 every time. However, I can't, so I'm taking the Elise, but sticking a Honda engine in it (or maybe a V8 Cyclone
) >> Edited by jitsukadave on Tuesday 13th September 09:13
The G4 is a truly great car. It upsets me to see what has happened to Ginetta over the last fifteen years. That GKD thing looks very sad! The GKD is like an old lady with tons of very cheap makeup over applied!
Thank god you can still buy a G4 from Ivor and Mark at DARE. Built with loving care by real enthusiasts with over 50 years experience.
Thank god you can still buy a G4 from Ivor and Mark at DARE. Built with loving care by real enthusiasts with over 50 years experience.
Toweringeagle said:
The Ginetta G4 built by DARE; did clean out the Elise! It did this in 1998 driven by Mark Walklett in the 750 MC series.
'clean out'? it annihilated the Elise(s) & Morgan +8s, Porsche 911s & Carreras, etc - some races were won by by the G4 in excess of 20 secs... YES that is right, 20+ secs!!!!!!!! it did it in 98 & 99 (if only it had managed to compete in 'all' rounds it may have won the overall championship).
The Ginetta G4 built by DARE; did clean out the Elise! It did this in 1998 driven by Mark Walklett in the 750 MC series.
'clean out'? it annihilated the Elise(s) & Morgan +8s, Porsche 911s & Carreras, etc - some races were won by by the G4 in excess of 20 secs... YES that is right, 20+ secs!!!!!!!! it did it in 98 & 99 (if only it had managed to compete in 'all' rounds it may have won the overall championship).
toweringeagle said:
The Ginetta G4 built by DARE; did clean out the Elise! It did this in 1998 driven by Mark Walklett in the 750 MC series.
Mark's achievements were remarkable but a) he can drive, and b) the factory supported G4 was a very far from standard car.
Much as I love the Dare G4, I can't get close to an equally standard S2 Elise on the circuit (but that might just be me being short on talent, but I like to think not...).
My advise is that, if you want the sheer task of opening the garage door to bring a smile to your face, then buy the G4. If outright performance, handling balance and alround driveability is your bag, the Elise is the car to buy (sorry chaps!), If a standard Elise is not quick enough for you, ZCars will build you a Hayabusa powered Elise with a power to weight ration of 560+/ton - scary, scary stuff!
[quote=Broomco(600)LTD]Quite alot of sensible stuff[/quote]The reason everyone has an elise is that it is pretty good! Out of the box it would do pretty much everything better than an aging steel spaceframe component built car. As above - we buy the G cars because we love them.
For those mechanically minded, they are also very easy to work on, so it is possible to take a standard car and make it track quick and road undrivable with a little knowledge - but people are probably more inclined to do that with a £12k race car than a £20k pristine road version.
If a one arrives, I'd have a Ginetta over a similarly priced Elise purely to be different. However, if it was a road car, then I'd have to accept that I wasn't going to change it too much, and matey in his Lotus would probably go quicker than me around a track.
Possibly wouldn't be having as much fun though
For those mechanically minded, they are also very easy to work on, so it is possible to take a standard car and make it track quick and road undrivable with a little knowledge - but people are probably more inclined to do that with a £12k race car than a £20k pristine road version.
If a one arrives, I'd have a Ginetta over a similarly priced Elise purely to be different. However, if it was a road car, then I'd have to accept that I wasn't going to change it too much, and matey in his Lotus would probably go quicker than me around a track.
Possibly wouldn't be having as much fun though
daydreamer said:
I'd have a Ginetta over a similarly priced Elise purely to be different.
Totally agree - which is why I spent what some would regard as a crazy amount of money on a new G4. Imagine an 8-year-old with his nose pressed against the windows of West End Motor Works every day on his way to school and you get the answer - I was that 8-year-old.
The G4 is fun as soon as you open the garge door - just looking at it brings a smile to my face. If I had an Elise, great car that it is, it probably would not bring the same smile until I was already breaking the law. I guess that is the difference between a driving enthusiast and a marque enthusiast.
was at Thruxton in 98 ? and attached myself two the Walklett's, "three" of them Trevers,Ivor and Mark. Mark started on pole and won by a big margin 20sec ? Looking at the car with Trevers he was telling me the spec of the car other than a rose joint on the rear wishbone all the suspension were standard, dampers were standard but upgraded springs vented discs, standard rear caliper, but four pot front. it did have a limited sleep dif and a very good engine don't know what the car weigh but helped put the bonnet on and it was no light weight!! compared to the Elise, it seemed to go pretty well, I had an Elise for a little while and although very good on high speed corners, it was very nervous and didn't inspired confidence. Thruxton being a fast circuit I can quite see who the G4 did well.
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