Spec M100 racer?

[Jeff]

After participating any many track events with my....ahem..."other" Lotus,I see numerous Spec MX5 Miatas there. The thought came up of possibly converting mine to a Spec M100 dedicated to track events. I know of one individual (I believe Dave in Georgia?) who had a stripped down M100 used for track events. Was his a UK spec Clemo? Thought I would put this trial baloon out there and see if anyone had opionions on this. I've read various threads and website of M100 owners who upgraded their M100's to primary track use. One of the event coordinators that I know lit up when I told him I had an M100.

Thoughts?

Jeff

[Doug]

I have dave's contact info here somewhere (at home) if you want to email him. I believe he uses the 340R on the track now, but still has at least one M100.

What is your plan for the track, Jeff? Just a dedicated track car to use and abuse? Turbo project in mind?

I guess you won't have the Elise forever so your thinking makes sense to me . . .

[Jeff]

Yeah, pondering dedicated track use car. Started looking at things from a weight reducing perspective,and what could be ditched.. interior A/C..etc.

Maybe pick up a set of SE wheels? I don't know if I could go any smaller due to the hub and brake related issued, not to mention the offset issue.

Texas World Speedway has a variety of configurations, 1 including a long straight that is part of the 2 mile high speed banked oval configuration that the likes of Andretti ,Foyt and several automotive companies were involved in for high speed testing. The Elises/Exiges get murdered in this part of the track by Z06's, Viper's and GT3's etc. Definately would need to address braking as you go from speeds of 130+ mph down to about 50 mph exiting into the infield portion of the track. I remember reading Philbo's website about this.

Also would need to look at an approved roll bar as you can't run in the advanced groups without it.

I don't know of any other M100's that have been at TWS other than Andy Barron, and possibly Steve Brightman?

[Doug]

well, if the Elan is paid for and you like it well enough then it is probably worth it. what do you WANT to drive? The Elan with the top down sounds like a fun track car to me -- unless you can get a 340R or Ariel Atom, etc.

It will never be as good as other large displacement supercars, but it will never cost as much to run and maintain either!!

[Jeff]

Bought and paid for. I know it wouldn't compete with the torquier engined cars in the straights, but would give the Spec Miata's and Elises a run for their money

There was a young kid out there a couple of weeks ago in a track prepped Golf that literally blew the competition away. Granted he was a very good driver as well. It was akin to that video with the Carlton and the police trying to catch up with him.

You still have pics of Dave's car? I remember seeing them on the old web page.

[Dave M]

Hi Jeff. I'm not Dave from Georgia (I'm Dave from Michigan - sitting in snow not driving my Elan...grrr), but know the other Dave and have seen his Elan. You're right, it was actually a yellow n/a in right hand drive. It was relatively stripped down and had a custom strut/spring assembly in it from what I remember. Stock brakes with ducting and he said he never had issues. Saw him run the car at Road Atlanta years ago. It was in with Miatas and the like and did fairly well.

While I don't think Dave has the yellow Elan anymore, Dave's son did have or still has one of the pre-production cars in black. It's a beaut and has the instrument binnacle cover signed by Doc Bundy.

I also have modified my Elan for track use, though I still keep it "fairly" comfortable as I drive it on the street quite a bit. The whole sorted story is at the thread "Track Elan" under Projects. You've been around the site, so you've probably seen it. The key pieces for track use are as follows:

Auto Europe rollbar
AP Racing front brakes
Adjustable proportioning valves to control the rear brakes
ProTech dampers
Momo harnesses
Kumho V700 tires
Quaife LSD
I also have some lightweight wheels coming in another month or two.

I am also in the final stages of modifying the engine a fair amount. I hope to have ~2x stock horsepower. To help with the weight issue, I've removed the A/C, stock seats (replaced with Momo RS GT), stock seat belt assemblies, and a number of other bits like the washer fluid tank, speakers, airbag and related wiring, and other bits. If I was going to continue and only have a track car, the first thing I'd do would be to remove the headlight assemblies and any other heavy items way out over the front of the car. Basically try to get closer to a 50/50 weight balance. The one downside of the car on-track is limited grip due to understeer - it could be lighter in the front, IMO.

With some engine mods, I have been faster than a spec Miata. We are close in the corners (the Elan is slightly faster) but I beat them on the straights. With the current engine tweaks, it should be no contest. I haven't had the car in 100% form on the track, so it's hard to make comparisons with many other cars. Throw in driver ability and it's really hard to tell. However my though is that this could really be a monster with a sorted braking system and a revised suspension. With the amount of weight I'm removing and the ProTec dampers, I'm sure I've screwed up the good "touring" handling balance Lotus engineered. Granted, the car doesn't lean nearly as much anymore and the lower ride height should improve aerodynamics a touch, but I need to balance things back out in the years to come via lots of track time and lots of adjustment. While the ProTecs are OK, I see having a custom set up similar to what the other Dave had. Hopefully I'll be talking to Ohlins at some point to get a nice kit made. Adjustable anti-rollbars would be nice, too.

Good to hear of another potential track car in the works! Anxious to hear your ideas and what you may be doing to the car. Good luck!

[Jeff]

Was considering what real weight savings could be realized on a Fed M100. For instance, I would probably yank the passenger seat altogether, and removing much of the trim pieces for starters.

Does your roll bar have a harness mount of some sort installed?

Just looking at the project at this point from a high level:

Weight
Heat and cooling. (You are probably well aware of the number of Esprits that become track day casualties due to this.)

Just curious what kind of wheels that you are looking at. I was considering the SE wheels, although I don't know what kind of unspung weight reduction could be realized.

Several of the Elise/Exige guys have ditched the Lotus OE LSS suspension and Yokohama A048s in favor of either the Ohlins or Nitron dampers, and going with the Toyo RA1 tires (shaved), and have posted dramatic lap time improvments. Thats cool that you are talking to Ohlins.

[Kuching]

Jeff,
Depending on how serious you want to get, perhaps this could tie in with a project that I have been ruminating for some time now. I'm thinking of a full light weight space-frame chassis with integral roll-cage to FIA spec, spherical jointed suspension lowered and optimised for track use, redesigned cooling package to suit uprated engine and improved charge cooling, maybe even 4 wheel drive. Oh, and a hardtop of course.

With the weight reduced by 400 pounds or more, I’m convinced that a fully prepared track Elan could shame almost any road car conversion and even embarrass many formula cars.

This is clearly going to be too big a project for one individual to support, but if there were a few seriously interested people it could really happen.

[Dave M]

I haven't had the car weighed yet after it went on a "diet", but I'm guessing I've saved:

Momo RS GT seats vs. stock seats - 35 pounds
Momo steering wheel vs. stock wheel - 3 pounds
No A/C - 35-40 pounds
Harnesses vs. stock seat belt assemblies - 4 pounds
Washer fluid & container - 8 pounds
Various other items (EGR system, stock airbox, etc.) - 10 pounds

Weight added:

Rollbar - 20 pounds (? - I never felt it out of the car)
New radiator (+ more coolant) - 5 pounds

The wheels are Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2s http://outmotoring.com/team_dynamics_pro_race_1_2.html and weigh in around 15 pounds each. I'm guessing that'll be a savings of somewhere around 30 pounds as well.

I would totally agree on sticky tires (the first track improvement I would recommend for better lap times). I went from the Kumho 712s to the 700s and with only a small change in horsepower from turbo work shaved almost 9 seconds off my times at that same track from one year to the next. While some I attribute to power, I'd say more than 1/2 of that was due to the tires.

[Jeff]

Thanks for the starters Dave. What size wheel did you go with, and they did match the Elan's offset?

Kuching...

<scratching-chin-thinking> emoticon here

[ailwyn]

if there were a few seriously interested people it could really happen.

What does serious interest cost these days? I hear Monty and Dico are looking for a track car

[Jeff]

Kuching,

Funny that you mention it; that magical 400lb number has been stuck in my head for several months now.

So tell us,what additional tricks do you have up your sleeve? Carbon fibre replacement body panels?

[Monty]

What does serious interest cost these days? I hear Monty and Dico are looking for a track car

Well thats gone to pot as Dico has bought something else, another fish tank(+ i`m skint ) Maybe another year, so looks like Pinky will get a bit more thrashing on the track

[Sy V]

...Auto Europe rollbar...

Dave

If you've nothing more TAXing on at the moment.
Could you:
a. Remind me what these suckers look like.
b. See what the current price is and ask if they'll ship to the UK, please.

TVM

Sy

[Dave M]

Thanks for the starters Dave. What size wheel did you go with, and they did match the Elan's offset?

The wheel is a 16 x 7 in a 45mm offset. Not perfect, I know. If you went up to the 17" wheel you can get a 50mm offset, but despite how nice 17s look on an Elan, I went for weight vs. overall looks.

[Jeff]

No I wanted to go with a SMALLER set of wheels than the fed 16's.

[Dave M]

No I wanted to go with a SMALLER set of wheels than the fed 16's.

They have the 15x7 in a max of 45mm offset - and it only weighs 13 lbs! You'd save about 10 lbs each corner!

[Dave M]

If you've nothing more TAXing on at the moment.

You should SEE the pile on my desk!

Could you:
a. Remind me what these suckers look like.
b. See what the current price is and ask if they'll ship to the UK, please.

I've sent an e-mail to AE and see what they say about getting/making more bars and how they'll ship. As for pics, I don't have many on my computer at work, but here's a few I found that'll give you some idea. The bar is about the height of the windscreen. If you want any more pics, let me know. I have some at home.

[Sy V]

Thanks Dave

I found one too:



If it had a horizontal bar welded between the outer uprights it would facilitate harness fitment.

[Sy V]

Aah

Have you done something similar between your B-Posts for the harnesses in that top picture?