How much would it cost to turn this into a road car?

[zebedee]

or even if not, fabulous track car for the money, and 220bhp doesn't sound all that stressed?

www.dailysportscar.com/free/classified/lotusexige.htm

[shangani]

Should not be too hard to get it MOT'd - it is basically a road car, though the ride height would make for interesting crossing of speed bumps. A similar car went around the TG test track in 1:18 - faster than an Enzo.

[jedm]

Bringing it to the Elise Garden Party Mr H?!

You'll never get it into the paddock there!

[randy]

errrr... why?

[GTRene]

nice S1 Exige...only 680kg and 220hp...fast it is then
with a few goodies you "need" for the road? it stil gets under 750kg so sounds very tempting as a road/track car I would make it a road/track car also better for selling afterwards...and easy to make it track only again I think.
GTRene

[zebedee]

I looked into doing this with a Porsche 944 a while ago and all the advice was if you want a quick road/track car, by an old race car and make it road legal rather than start with a road car, which apparently always ends up costing far more.

Ah well, seeing as I am 2 months into a mortgage, I think I had better concentrate on things like paint and plastering first

[steff]

zebedee said:

and 220bhp doesn't sound all that stressed?

No not stressed at all should last about 3000 miles between rebuilds...

[cej]

lol..Great. With only 220bhp. Drop a Honda K20 in and you'll never have to rebuild

[S Works]

Lovely car, dunno if it's a wise choice as a road car tbh. And as a trackday only car quite an indulgence. But then if you've got the money and it's your cup of tea then why not?

Personally I'd seek out a cheap S1 and get it Honda'd for a little more cash. Probably similar pace and a reliable engine which could be both a road and track weapon.

[jellison]

Likely just tyres - but if new 048's or 32 then these will be ok too for MOT - log book!

No different to my TR.

[gooby]

S Works said:

Lovely car, dunno if it's a wise choice as a road car tbh. And as a trackday only car quite an indulgence. But then if you've got the money and it's your cup of tea then why not? Personally I'd seek out a cheap S1 and get it Honda'd for a little more cash. Probably similar pace and a reliable engine which could be both a road and track weapon.

Well S Works is selling El Beast 2 and he is being quiet about the replacement. Because the answer to every question is "put in a SC'd honda engine" Can we guess the next Beasty will have a SC'd Honda? Here is my fiver, I bet it is...

[S Works]

gooby said:

S Works said: Lovely car, dunno if it's a wise choice as a road car tbh. And as a trackday only car quite an indulgence. But then if you've got the money and it's your cup of tea then why not? Personally I'd seek out a cheap S1 and get it Honda'd for a little more cash. Probably similar pace and a reliable engine which could be both a road and track weapon. Well S Works is selling El Beast 2 and he is being quiet about the replacement. Because the answer to every question is "put in a SC'd honda engine" Can we guess the next Beasty will have a SC'd Honda? Here is my fiver, I bet it is...

Having second thoughts actually... El Beastie may be around for longer than I thought. If I were to change though there's no secret in what I'd do.

Buy the cheapest short tail S2 I could find and take it to Maidstones for the NA'd Honda conversion. SC is amazing (having pax'd around Brands in an SC'd S1 Exige), so much power it just blows everything to the weeds. It's the only car I've been in that could give a Superlight R a run for it's money on track. BUT it's too much for me.

[Lawrence5]

Ex Lotus motorsport mechanic who lived up the road converted one back to road use so it can be done. S1 exige is plenty quick enough for the road though

[zebedee]

what is a short-tail S2? Thought they were all the same?

[shangani]

This just relates to the roof - long-tail looks a bit like the S1 roof, short-tali is like any 111R / recent lotus. Ie no little tails of canvas extending back from the roof. Bodywork is the same (ie this has nothing to with the clam)

[zebedee]

can't you get the honda conversion in an S1 as well? Why so picky on the 'donor' car SWorks?

[steff]

zebedee said:

can't you get the honda conversion in an S1 as well? Why so picky on the 'donor' car SWorks?

didnt you know that S2 owners are gay?

[zebedee]

yes, yes I did.

[S Works]

zebedee said:

can't you get the honda conversion in an S1 as well? Why so picky on the 'donor' car SWorks?

Yes you can Zeb, various reasons but largely down to personal preference. Having said that I'm off on Holiday this weekend, then away for 2 weeks at which point the beast will be on vacation at my parents. Then it's the airfield day and then February.... I can't see it going before then.

I'm planning on trying out MSC's Honda'd S1 when spring arrives, and then also an S2 with the conversion, and then I'll make a firm decision. Having discussed options with lots of friends who've done a serious amount of trackdays, I'm open to keeping the current car more than I was at first.

There's also a small matter of a £25k investment I'm contemplating making in my house this year (extension and internal jiggery pokery), and a possible sabbatical to go snowboarding next winter to consider.

[poptosis]

steff said:

zebedee said: can't you get the honda conversion in an S1 as well? Why so picky on the 'donor' car SWorks? didnt you know that S2 owners are gay?

Only the ones with electric windows are gay.