Right, let me start this post by saying i'm a little behind with things. Like most great ideas in my life - i often start "doing" them before I've actually thought about it (my colleagues at work will vouch that also includes talking_whilst_thinking). Ergo: I started writing this blog on my PC some time ago and events have now overtaken me: Even although today's date is January 26th, I am *typing* this on Jan 19th (geddit?)
*enters back-to-the-future-mode*
OK so the VX is sold - to a good home(where it will be tracked and returned to the Nordschliefe - J'espere) - and after much research I decided to buy this little monkey: It's a S1 Elise 111s race car, "only" raced for the 2008 season. Prepared by Steve Williams Sports Cars in Maidenhead and raced last year by a very firendly chap called Damian Murray. The car largely qualified in the second part of the Class A grid, had the occasional top-10 but mainly finished in the upper teens (no offence Damian).
It's a great little car. Buying a donor 111s in fairly half decent nick, and prepping it up to this level would set you back no less than £20k. Accordingly, I menntally exclaimed "Ree-sult" on acquiring the car for significantly less than that; the key figure being that I have 6k+ left over from the sale of the VX to get this car up to spec.
So, what does it have?
- A-frame half roll cage
- Corbeau race seat
- Scroth 4-pt harness
- Eliseparts gear linkage (short shifter kit - after the car gear-farting it's anger at a number of missed downchanges when i drove it home. I am undecided about this bad-boy mod)
- Full plumbed in FEV fire extinguisher (basically it will go off in the cockpit, engine bay and under the front clam - let's hope that never needs to happen and/or specifically that there isn;t an embarrassing pitlane/paddock accidental *ejaculation*)
-All the necessary MSA safety equipment and racing kit such as electrical cut-off, transponder, lap-timer.
- Detachable steering wheel.
- Brakes: PAgid RS14's and 42's, braided hoses, upgraded discs.
- Uniball toe-link kit - this is an upgraded toelink kit which is essential to fit to any S1 elise which ventures anywhere near gummy tyres or a race track - the standard rod ends are just not up to the job.
But the biggest bonus is.......the engine is BANG-ON the power. I mean BANG-ON. This is a massive surprise and Bully-bonus.
Why?
Well......Much of my time in the last 2 months has been spent pouring over a spreadsheet ("I'll be up in 20 minutes dear") making lists, lists of lists and indexes of lists of my budget for the year. There were a number of things tipping me over the edge of the budget. Namely:
1) Engine: a std K-series would have required a mild port, exhaust cams, an Emerald ECu and a mapping session to get it up to c170bhp ATF and 150bhp ATH (At the Hubs). Add onto that a close ratio gearbox (fitted as standard on a 111s) and you've already departed from £ 3,000 or near-as.
2) Seats and a roll-cage: get carrfied away on saving weight and you could easily see £4k disappear here as well.
Now, about the budget. By way of er..."communication", x2 options were available to me:
1) Run a "selective" budget. Ergo: there's a difference from the *real* price versus the *quoted* price. Many racers take this route when it comes to discussing seasonal budgets with loved ones.
2) Don't run a selective budget.
Option #1 was never a starter. Mrs R is
a) very intelligent and...
b) very knowing.
I am very lucky to have her as "mah waaahf" and there's no other way to do this. Well...aside from the fact she knows the exact sum of cash I liberally coated the UK trackday industry with last year - the idea is that goes into a racing budget. Ergo: This is as much a family *thing* as it is a hobby (well, when i played golf i disappeared once a week for 9 hours), every week. This way it's only once a month, for a weekend. And only in the summer. Better, dear?
So anyway, i don't want to be flagrant with my money and NOT having to spend 3 grand is a massive plus.
I picked the car up, (thanks Steve for driving me down there) and first thing we did when getting it back was to de-sticker it from looking like this............
to this....
...Now then. Now then.
Despite what you believe, NO car job is ever "no more than an hour, maximum". I've lost count how many times i've said that to the Mrs. So much so she just nods knowingly when i say "it's not a big job....pretty straight forward actually"
So, deja-vu it was when as soon as I got the car home, Steve (BRR CTO) and I set about a "one hour, two hours max" job to remove the stickers.
"just peel them off" I thought.
A Heat gun, a bottle of Megiuars "ScratchX" and many used cloths later, we finished. In the dark. x2 hours turned to 4, into 5......you get my drift.
Anyway, it looks much *cleaner* now don't you think?
First impressions
The difference in weight versus the VX is marked: 200 kg's is a lot. The car is significantly more "feelsome". However, it needs some work. The gearbox mount is perished (transmission shunt on and off the throttle) and the geo is out. The balljoints need refreshing, as does the odd toelink rod end. A driveshaft oil seal has gone (oil all over the undertray) + some other remedial items like the front indicator light. And so forth....(more to come about that)
The car also feels softly sprung - it has Nitrons fitted but the change of direction is sloppier than i expected for a lighter car. Definitely something to look into. Tired suspension parts could have a factor to play as well.
...but it sounds absolutely sweet! And surprisingly quick. As quick at least as the VX felt in standard form.
170bhp & 740 KG's is a pretty tight package.
vs
220bhp at 930 KG's. (Hardly 5 BHP/tonne in it!)
Autosport Show
Right after buying the car, Jase (friend) and I went up to the Autosoport show and bagged a few items: a half-price Alpine Stars GP2 race suit, fireproof nomex underwear, and a HANS device. I'm never going back there on a weekend day again.
Next blog: Will be up to date, and is due to be posted in the next 48 hours. Steve (Back-row-racing Chief Technical Officer) and I just managed to lose two days of our life in a dark and dingy garage (that 'll be mine) hammering and ratcheting my car to pieces to refresh the suspension. My back, thighs and feet are killing me. More to come.....
The grid seems some distance away but much, much closer than it did x3 weeks ago...............
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