Lotus Elan Central

Here`s my very 1st trackday on 6/1/07 in the wet at Oulton Park

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sAQqMR9_i4

G R e A T Vid - loved it. What terrible conditions, really impressed with the driving. thought the bloke getting out of the truck looked really enthusiastic. Well done

Marvellous Monty!

Loads of comments - don't know where to start.

Crackle - must go.

Great vid quality though - well done.

Ditch your PAX - he's a demented knob.

Are you using AB gear cables? - seemed to have trouble with the 3/2 downshift going into the chicane.

Spanked the Ferarri on the brakes - well nice to see.

It appeared that the monster rescue man used the non-tow hitch to get you out of the gravel - I hope you stopped him.

Be proud of yourself Jay, that was a great first go - I take it the bug's bitten now!

Sy

Re the video - the crackle seems to be engine speed related. Have you tried the cam without being in the car - like under the bed clothes for instance

Great video Monty, apart from that snake at the end (Monty Python? ).

I didn't get any crackling! Bugger, someone's pinched my speakers - where's my youngest? I'll just have to watch it again with sound.

I hope you've got a sanitised copy (without the spin) to post on the Phlypside's "Can a FWD car be a sportscar?" thread.

Geoff

Cheers guys,

Think having the Pax rides before christmas helped me out with what speeds and lines to take, you could feel the car just starting to slide so just held the throttle. Now if u brake to late then thats were the big off`s are going to be.

Chris i think u`r right, the crackling seems engine related, but noticed u can`t really here dico and i speak so i think it`s just got a sh*t Mic fitted.

Sy,
Yes got AB`s (a good job) + Dave`s short shift, so the gears are stiff but think i need to re-route the cables again which i`ll do in the summer with other things on the list.

It appeared that the monster rescue man used the non-tow hitch to get you out of the gravel - I hope you stopped him

Whats one of those then lol, i never noticed what he was using as i was busy giggle my boll**ks off after the spin

monty
laughing like a big girl!!!....LOL...
most of the time!!!!!!
sounds and looks like great fun shame about the weather.....
I did it in the +2 in aug a couple of years ago and I probably sounded the same...
nice to see the herald on there no doubt dapinky will be wanting to take his out!!!
how chipped did the nice newly painted alloys get???.....
excellent stuff ......
cheers
g

Think u`ll fine that wasn`t me LOL I`m not the one with a high pitch voice

how chipped did the nice newly painted alloys get???.....

errmmmmm i`ll let u know more tomo`s when i clean them up but there are some marks
and what do they make that gravel out off i had to use a screw driver to prise out the stones inbetween the rim and tyre and the dam things were sparking.

Sweet! Looks like great fun!

You certainly showed a few people what the Elan is capable of!!

Thats it!! I wanna a go too now!!!

Dan

geoffsmith wrote:I hope you've got a sanitised copy (without the spin) to post on the Phlypside's "Can a FWD car be a sportscar?" thread.
Geoff

Nah, leave the spin - if it spins it's a sportscar

Nice vid BTW - are you running adjustable dampers?

Jay

I don't want to be the one to bring a downer to what appears to have been a great day, but it looks like he hitched up to the tow hook in the middle of the centre grill.

The tow hook that's joined to the prongeron; the prongeron that bends if you look at it too hard. Maybe you've got away with it, but the general consensus of opinion is that the car shouldn't be towed by it.

Great job Monty! - You did us proud

Very impressive Monty.

Just curious about track days in the UK vs. the states. It looks like the car had their windows up. Here in the states at HPDE events all 5 run groups (1 novice to 5 instuctor) must keep their windows down for safety reasons as well as for point bys, even if it is pissing down rain. At my last event several cars were black flagged by the corner workers for having windows up (pouring down rain).

Well done to Monty for finishing his first track day in one piece
Although it was a novice day and quite a few of the drivers were taking it steady, a few of the drivers were obviously giving it some stick, including -
the Ferrari, the Mitsubishi evo, Porche 911. Monty wasted the lot of em, particularly with the braking which was a bit of a suprise.
A lot of it is down to the size of your love spuds I suppose but even so the elan (and Monty) did better than I could ever have imagined!
The video really does'nt replicate the speed we were actually travelling at, 100mph in some places.

For the first time myself and Jay apreceiated how the Quaife helped the Elan, particularly when powering out of the corners in the wet. If you intend on doing track days regularly in your Elan I suggest you get one, and definately if you have upped the boost. As for general road use or even agressive road use, it is quite a financial outlay for little benefit in my opinion. But for track days its a must!

A couple of pics -

Jeff wrote:Very impressive Monty.

Just curious about track days in the UK vs. the states. It looks like the car had their windows up. Here in the states at HPDE events all 5 run groups (1 novice to 5 instuctor) must keep their windows down for safety reasons as well as for point bys, even if it is pissing down rain. At my last event several cars were black flagged by the corner workers for having windows up (pouring down rain).

Jeff

Thats a strange one, if i had the windows down Pinky would be like a fish tank
Even in Racing they don`t do that, so not a requirement, in the UK u don`t even need a Rollbar unless the car is fitted with one as standard


Paul,

but even so the Elan (and Monty) did better than I could ever have imagined!

Couldn`t agree with u more, it was a shock to me when i was over taking other cars. It wasn`t the way i planned the day, ie take it slow and easy and build over quite a few laps and come in after 15/20 minutes. Nope after the 1st lap the car felt good and is so different the driving on the road. I got so carried away on my 1st stint that i stayed out for over an hour lol.

ps nearly booked another trackday at Oulton with LOT end of Jan and it was only £80 but it was full maybe a good thing as i might be getting carried away with all this

I can't get yesterday out of my head, so I don't know how you are copeing

And when you suggested we go halves on a dedicated trackday Elan.....
hmmmm

Dico wrote:I can't get yesterday out of my head, so I don't know how you are copeing

And when you suggested we go halves on a dedicated trackday Elan.....
hmmmm

yeah like a bit of a dream, were i`m saying to myself did i really do that

yeah that would be cool to have a trackday Elan, strip it back a bit remove the Hood and fit a hardtop so u could use it all year (get rid of the landy) and then the hardtop could be removed at the track. Fit ESM chip, Peco Exhaust and Brake upgrade to start with

ajax317 wrote:

geoffsmith wrote:I hope you've got a sanitised copy (without the spin) to post on the Phlypside's "Can a FWD car be a sportscar?" thread.
Geoff

Nah, leave the spin - if it spins it's a sportscar

Nice vid BTW - are you running adjustable dampers?

Yes, AVO`s all round, 18 clicks at the front and 18 at the rear.

That reminds me:-
The Peco Exhaust came in at 95 DB`s
The tyres were set at 28psi (S2 wheels, Goodyear F1`a)

Go for it boys! You know it makes sense.

I've just watched the video again having recovered my speakers and it's even more impressive.

Listening to the whining, it is definitely engine related and there are two possible causes: Either it's getting into the camera direct from the engine (fibreglass isn't a good screen and I'm assuming the camera is plastic) in which case you could wrap it in turkey foil and connect that to the chassis or it's being conducted up the power supply leads in which case a filter should help. If you're bringing it to Donny, I'll take a look.

Geoff

PS What about getting a HUD speedo like Ailwyn?

Geoff,

Think Dico & i dreaming a little as it`s all down to dosh but u never know.

HUD would be great as it`s difficult and dangerous to try and look at the speedo.

Geoff,
Since u`r the man for AVATARS, is it poss u could edit part of the spin in the vid so i can use it in my profile?