Interior Exterior
Q:
i get 210F driving to the shops and back
A:
210F sitting in traffic on a hot day = common
210F at speed with plenty of airflow = borders on worrisome
A:
... car saw about 2500 miles last year (I took delivery 12/4/04), pretty much all track miles. Will probably see 1300 to 1500 miles this year, since it won't have any need for break-in mileage (as it did last year).
For those who doubt the advantage, I'll see you at ACC, RA, etc. this year and we'll see how the temps stack up. I know I've seen a significant drop after this mod. May not matter to those who aren't running in 100F for trackdays, but I ran three very hot days last year and did a few hot ambient temp PCA events where I brought my Elise (rather than the 930)...
Just FYI, your mileage may vary... would definitely not have done this mod if it were mostly a street car or an only car, but as a fifth car that sees little non-track duty, it was worth doing, imho.
But I guess I'm "that guy" - the dreaded person who never gets exactly what he wants out of the showroom. I did the Tubi and the intake mods on my Gallardo a few weeks after I got it (second Gallardo delivered in Chicago and first with these mods...), put all the GT goodies on my DB7 Vantage Coupe a few months after I bought it... more motor mods on my 993 than I probably needed to enjoy the car... I guess I'm just not a person who buys into the "stock is best" attitude. My Gallardo was at the track within two weeks of when I got it and I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more with a few mods - and mine was probably the first in the midwest to spend hours and hours on the track and find the heat issues on that car (ended up slotting the car's undertray and making other mods as a result... with positive results. Actually got the Gallardo so hot at Gingerman that the taillamp melted. Personally? If it's one my cars with two doors, and I'm going to bother having it in the garage, it better be optimized around being beaten on at the track. And everything else should either be daily-able or able to be towing something to the track.
But that's just me... again, if it were mostly a street car or I cared about resale value or whatever, then I probably wouldn't...
Hope to see you guys at the track :-)
Would it help even more if you put a duct on both sides, or is that pointless if you've hit your target temp?
A:
.... you sewing circle pu$$ies crack me up :rofl:
A:
.... you sewing circle pu$$ies crack me up :rofl:
I still think it looks terrible. The fit&finish is off. Customizing one's car is fine, but this looks like some kid did it. Obviously you have some disposable income so I'm surprised it didn't come out better. Then again maybe the Elise's aesthetics don't matter to you since it's just a track car.
This is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
members of this board derided me for my color combo choice so don't go off thinking I'm an insensitive prick (then again maybe I am insensitive and that's why it doesn't bother me to get bashed).
A:
I am a believer that everyone should modify change their car as they wish.
Agreed! I think there are more elegant ways of improving the cooling, but am glad to hear that this mod was done for functional, not aesthetic, reasons. I can respect that, especially when the driver is noticing an apparent improvement to validate the theory.
A:
Perhaps the picture itself is to blame. You can't see the whole cla so its hard to judge if its crooked or waht not, perhaps a picture of the whole front might be more usefull in seeing how it really looks, in any case its not in my car so what do I care?
A:
Maybe this mod makes sense if you knock a big hole in the front clam and don't want to buy a new one.
Funny that's exactly what I was thinking...why do something like that to a perfecty innocent Elise ?
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As someone else pointed out, I think it would have worked better (i.e. more air intake), and looked much better, if you went with a semi-circular duct that follows the lines of the car. But as long as it works for you and you're happy with it, then .
A:
It never ceases to amaze me how other owners get lashed for making mods to their own car. Keep in mind this fellow didn't come here looking for opinions. Someone wandering by snapped a picture, posted it on the internet, and suddenly he's in the middle of defending his own decisions. WTF...leave the guy alone and show a little respect for fellow owners.
A:
It never ceases to amaze me how other owners get lashed for making mods to their own car. Keep in mind this fellow didn't come here looking for opinions. Someone wandering by snapped a picture, posted it on the internet, and suddenly he's in the middle of defending his own decisions. WTF...leave the guy alone and show a little respect for fellow owners.
I agree: to each his own. But stating that we don't like a particular mod isn't attacking the person that does. It is simply stating our opinion, and we are just as entitled to ours as he is his.
A:
I agree: to each his own. But stating that we don't like a particular mod isn't attacking the person that does. It is simply stating our opinion, and we are just as entitled to ours as he is his.
Like I say, he did't come looking for your opinion. If I was him, I'd say adios to this group before even joining. Oh, BTW Chicago Elise, welcome to our Elise community. Sorry you were spanked before kissed.
A:
This added duct does not look like it would work. It directs more air to the low pressure side of the radiator. This may reduce cooling.
Suggestions:
* Go to a much higher percentage water in the coolant. Add some water wetter or equivalent. Bleed properly.
* Add the 2nd oil cooler if that is not present.
* If you want body work mods for cooling, get more air into the mouth of the car, and build up a little air dam ahead of the stock air exit...this would lower the pressure at the radiator exit.
* Ditch the AC condenser as the air must first pass through it to get to the radiator. The added resistance cuts flow.
A:
It never ceases to amaze me how other owners get lashed for making mods to their own car. Keep in mind this fellow didn't come here looking for opinions. Someone wandering by snapped a picture, posted it on the internet, and suddenly he's in the middle of defending his own decisions. WTF...leave the guy alone and show a little respect for fellow owners.
I agree for the most part, but I also think that constructively discussing any mod is good for the community as a whole.
A:
I agree for the most part, but I also think that constructively discussing any mod is good for the community as a whole.
Constructive discussion is fine, and mostly what we're about here. I just didn't like the way he was 'dragged' onto the forum and his first posts had to be defensive...not exactly an elegant entry and warm welcome.
A:
I still think it looks terrible. The fit&finish is off. Customizing one's car is fine, but this looks like some kid did it. Obviously you have some disposable income so I'm surprised it didn't come out better. Then again maybe the Elise's aesthetics don't matter to you since it's just a track car.
This is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
members of this board derided me for my color combo choice so don't go off thinking I'm an insensitive prick (then again maybe I am insensitive and that's why it doesn't bother me to get bashed).
Something tells me that no one would make comments like this to a person's face, I wonder why it is okay to do it on a message board? Seems awfully rude to me. Things like this are reasons we leave the impression of being snoody. This guy owns car a lot faster and better than the Elise. I think we need more car guys on this forum and less Lotus gods.....but I have made that speech before and I will get off my soapbox.
A:
I think you'll enjoy that car you have on order... I've had mine for almost 15 months now and it's a fun little car.
Oh I know I will, just counting the days. Had it not been for a test drive at the Tail of the Dragon from Lotus of Durham, I wouldn't have pulled the trigger.
Sorry for the brash welcome... it's the "mean season" around here. Folks get antsy when they can't drive as much. ET really is a nice bunch.
So do you have a cupholder yet?
Cheers,
JnC
A:
I think it looks actually looks pretty good especially since it's a black car. He put it there for a reason, and he is actually getting results.
I don't think he is trying to impress anyone who drives a Civic.
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Something tells me that no one would make comments like this to a person's face, I wonder why it is okay to do it on a message board? Seems awfully rude to me. Things like this are reasons we leave the impression of being snoody. This guy owns car a lot faster and better than the Elise. I think we need more car guys on this forum and less Lotus gods.....but I have made that speech before and I will get off my soapbox.
am i thinking of someone else, or weren't you carrying a torch for Ronin? Wasn't he considered so rude that he was banned from this forum?
regardless, I'm done with this thread.
I can be rude sometimes. sorry.