Suggestions for mods to create the fastest M100 ever built

[ecc]

Probably a thought project rather than something that'll actually occur, but what would your suggestions be for mods to create the fastest M100 ever built? Like an undisputed fastest M100, not just in a straight line, but around a pleasant B road in the summer.

Let's limit it to a budget of £20,000, and let's include mods that'll provide the necessary handling upgrades. After all, a fast car that can't corner is a bit American; surely the Brits can do better?

What are your ideas? What have you actually done that's a belter of an improvement over the guys/girls at Hethel?

[RonR]

For starters have a look at Costas' NOx breathing monster Here

Edit: Most of the photos have long since gone, but you can search on Youtube for "Sh4rk Lotus".

[Rambo]

Probably a thought project rather than something that'll actually occur, but what would your suggestions be for mods to create the fastest M100 ever built? Like an undisputed fastest M100, not just in a straight line, but around a pleasant B road in the summer.

Let's limit it to a budget of £20,000, and let's include mods that'll provide the necessary handling upgrades. After all, a fast car that can't corner is a bit American; surely the Brits can do better?

What are your ideas? What have you actually done that's a belter of an improvement over the guys/girls at Hethel?

Sorry, it has been done before

As Ron has mentioned, Costas from Athens has been there, done that

You can read his write ups and project on here using the search facility

From memory it was close to 300 BHP and those that were there at Donington about 13 years ago experienced it first hand. Neil (Enright) who experienced a passenger ride with Costas in Sh4rk is still changing his underpants regularly

[rip]

From memory it was close to 300 BHP

Way more than that, Taken from Costas' forum signature:
Power 362hp (437hp NOS)

[Simon_P]

I suggest dapinky since he is a new mod.

[Rambo]

From memory it was close to 300 BHP

Way more than that, Taken from Costas' forum signature:
Power 362hp (437hp NOS)

You're correct Rip.

I was just thinking back to an early conversation I had with Costas when he was looking for an "aspirational" 300 BHP. He soon realised that this was achievable and could be made massively more powerful with the addition of NOS

With all that BHP no wonder I remember Neil crapping his load as Costas sped out of the Donington car park, showering gobsmacked onlookers with pea gravel

[dapinky]

not true.... I used to be a Mod, but now given an even more poisoned challice.

But to be honest, and having witnessed the Sh4rk in real life, it would frighten me to have an Elan with that much power. Common wisdom 'used' to be that anything over 200bhp in a FWD car was pointless..... but the Elan is suspended differently to most (all?) others, and that figure has been exceeded by many without problems.

I would suggest that anything over 250-300 would be pointless though, as the cars' ability is in cornering more so than top speed - and getting to that speed is already rapid when going through the gears properly.

I see the limitation as the gearing on the car - any more power and you are just swinging the gearstick around quicker to keep up with it... unless you change the final drive ratio, and keep the gear ratios the same (6-Speed Vauxhall box?? - except it won't handle the higher torque).

At the moment, the car will get to red line in 4 gears, and nearly in 5th - so top speed can't be increased markedly unless you change the final drive, fit larger wheels/tyres (which will affect the handling), or balance the engine to go to a higer rev limit.

Costas did a lot of work (or paid to get it done), and had actually tried larger NOS injectors before reducing them to the ones fitted when I saw it - the power was ridiculous (and pointless) beyond what he had - no traction.

Obviously, technology has progressed in the last 10-12 years, and there are probably better (stickier?) tyres, better ECU controlability etc etc - but I still don't think that any of these extreme mods would make it any faster as a driving car than just an Everest chip and bigger exhaust will do....... unless you want to drag race a 1/4 mile.

So, as they say on the TV - "I'm out."

[simonbuk]

We need more details about the black and silver one sold recently. Reputedly to output around 280 bhp'ish and developed with various mods rather than just boost.

[John_W]

I asked, but neither the seller nor the buyer have so far been very forthcoming. Which is a shame. Many people have tried to push the known boundaries and extract more bhp (LGM, Costas, Phil, Delta, Monty, ESM, Game-On, DaveM, and others - sorry if Ihaven’t included you!) and have documented their successes and failures (failures mostly to do with the ECU and sensors), so it would be really useful to know how this project has been put together.
John

PS: And how they made 5th gear stay on would interest me!

[abmunro]

Mine has 267 bhp, as can be seen in my project thread!