The Lotus variants use a standard automotive sealed ball joint to connect each of the wishbones to the uprights. Ball joints are a great solution as they allow movement in different directions - the suspension can go up/down and the joint can go side to side to allow the wheels to be steered. We cut one open to see the internals(see above). The Lotus ball joint features a ball stud that moves along a plastic internal 'bearing'. A rubber boot keeps the lubrication internal so the ball and bearing don't freeze. This type of design is preferred on street cars since they have good performance and are well protected from the elements which results in a long life. We've developed a spherical bearing conversion kit we call the MRbearings. We tested it last year in our race Elise (Art Car) and introduced on our Blog: HERE. This solution is in production now and will soon be released. We like the performance it delivers but also like the fact that we don't need to use a ball joint separator to disconnect the uprights or run the risk of tearing the rubber boots on the ball joints. This is a track focused solution that won't likely have the street life of a standard ball joint. But you already knew that...
We have made a few changes to the Switchblade. Since our last blog entry we have updated suspension, shifter and brakes. Some of the items we've installed are new parts we are testing to determine if they are fit for use. We will reveal them in full once the testing is complete.
The stock shifter on the Elise/Exige is one of the areas that is a disappointment. The steering feel is amazing, the handling is great, the exhaust/engine note can be made better, the brakes are OK but the sloppy shifter action definitely lets many people down. We have been selling various shifter improvements for years that have helped make the feel much better. We installed a Bollock and shifter cables on our car to improve it. It has made a nice imporvement - in fact a client with the same car drove our car and was instantly smitten. He had us install the same parts and is much happier with his car.
The stock brakes are OK but you can save significant unsprung weight by installing our ULTRAdiscs. We chose our limited edition Oro series with the gold hats. These save 10lbs. We are also testing a new brake fluid that claims to be of higher quality and performance as well. Stock pads and calipers remain for now. We installed a set of the ETHOS wheels in the 'inch-down' sizes for more weight savings. We choose to put on the Toyo RA1s so we would have a street tire that still delivers track capability. We are keeping this car reasonable on the street and resisting the temptation to build another track monster! I think these wheel/tire combo is perfect for any client living with rough roads or tracks. The aesthetics of a smaller wheel can be controversial but we are used to introducing looks that most people don't like at first...I do believe that 'form should follow function'. A picture of an Elise is posted below with the same wheel/tire combo for your review. Nitron Singles with softer spring rates than our 'Soft' rates were installed as well. The canyon roads in CA can be quite bumpy. This combination along with the ETHOS has delivered a magic carpet ride. Switchblade is very comfortable yet maintains the tossable and responsive handling that Lotus are known for. Ride height was kept at a reasonable 130/135mm to ensure good street clearance. We yanked out the front shims and some from the rear. We landed on -1.5/-2 deg of camber front/rear. Toe was set at zero on the front and 3mm total toe in at the rear.
We had sent our our gas cap to be powdercoated black. A new clutch is coming from a partner of our for testing. It features a stronger pressure plate and street friendly clutch effort. We thing it might be the perfect solution for most owners. This will go in along with a lighter flywheel from Fidanza. A BLADE275 will be installed soon. We just installed a kit on a clients car and it is fast! Switchblade needs to get some similar TLC...the list of items to install is still a mile long...
The Switchblade came to us stock so one of our first modifications was to reduce weight and improve the sound. The stock Exige 'S' muffler weighs approximately 32lbs. We swapped this out with our race-proven TRACKpipe and saved just over 16lbs. This muffler has a tip that exits out above the diffuser for improved aerodynamics.
We also added The Eliminator V3 which now comes in a black powdercoated finish. This product helps shed heat that builds up in the rear and reduced an additional 4.5lbs from the back of the car. We introduced this 'naked rear' to the US market many year ago and took some initial lumps from clients who did not like the appearance. Over time, the community has come to embrace the benefits of the naked rear and have come to accept this look as something that keeps with the old adage of 'form following function'.
The car now sounds like a proper sportscar with additional supercharger whine adding just the right sound! Savings 20lbs is a great start with more to come soon....
We also said good bye to a sweet ole friend, our Art Car. She has left to a good home down in SanDiego. Jack is an excellent driver who will be able to extract every bit of performance from her.
This past weekend we took delivery of beautiful '07 Exige S220 with 20k miles on the clock. Our game plan with this Exige is to develop a very cool, street-friendly Lotus that is also safe to run on track. We will reduce weight with various products but not make any drastic modifications. One goal with this build is that all changes need to be reversible to stock. We know this will limit the overall performance potential of the car but we've proven our ability to build fast track cars so we will display some restraint with this build.
We picked her up from Abe@Newport European. Abe has been active in the Lotus community for many years and is a guy I know and trust - plus he loves these Lotus. The previous owner of this car took excellent care of the car as it was in like-new condition. The only modification he had made was adding one of our darthHOLDER to the car - even though it came with the nifty stock cup holder. The car has had all the recent service/recall updates. The front lip has the typical scrapes underneath.
I drove her home on the CA freeways and have been driving her for a few days to calibrate myself - before we start our mods. The car is fun and definitely not as insulated or comfortable as the Evora. The acceleration is good. The rear visibility is non-existent as the intercooler blocks your view - though the previous owner had removed the rear view mirror. Some wind noise comes through the side glass and the roof. The sport suspension/forged wheels/A048 tires deliver plenty of fun handling on smooth roads but can feel a bit stiff in the bumps. The freeways are notorious in LA for expansion joints that cause a very uncomfortable ride in stiff cars - especially those equipped with the Lotus Sport Suspension. The car has an iPod connection so I enjoyed some of my favorite tunes.
Some of the lightening areas will include wheels, brakes, street-oriented uprights, roof, exhaust and seats. We decided to weigh her to see what we are starting with. 2072 lbs full of fluids was the result. We will weigh her periodically to see our progression. The car will get a BLADE package for added power. We think that 275hp should not annihilate the trans on track - especially if we forgo super sticky slicks and focus on smooth/slow shifts. Restraint is key...
I really love the color of the car and am scheming some way to make it look a bit more distinctive but not too racy or aggressive. I have always tried to innovate technically and aesthetically - this car will have something cool about it visually. Here are some inspirations:
The Exige still garners more attention than you might imagine. Lotus got the formula right with the Elise & variants. I drove a track prepped Cayman yesterday and got out after a couple of laps. It felt like a boat with slow responses. The Cayman was not as engaging as I come to expect from my track cars. Even though these Lotus have been available here since 2004 (yes almost ten years!), the performance, size and shape continue to put smiles on the faces of the many - including me.
We are now looking for a '07 Exige S to build an awesome street friendly yet track ready Lotus. We had previously focused on hardcore track with our last project the Art Car - which still holds the Lotus track record at Buttonwillow. The time is right for us to build a car that we can take a friend in without getting a headache from the NVH! More details of the build will come and of course we will be blogging about it here. Expect this car to use weight savings measures and performance enhancements that don't take away from street useability and comfort - if you really believe a Lotus and comfort can be used in the same sentence...;^)
I attended a recent safety seminar put on by Stand21 during the Long Beach Grand Prix. Stand21 are my favorite safety gear brand as their approach to product development is driven by safety and performance. They work with industry experts, including professors, physicians and others who have a keen interest in improving safety in motorsports. They hold these seminars at various times of the year and are well worth attending. This year they had several presentations from Dr. Terry Trammell, Dr. John Melvin, Danny Ebberts and Dr. Jacques Dallaire.
Terry spoke specifically about fire safety and the importance of fire resistant underwear. Studies that he conducted showed that an extra layer of clothing more than doubles the time BEFORE fire temps begin causing damage to the human skin. The correct underwear can also keep you cooler as well - which I can vouch for having run in very hot conditions at Spring Mountain.
The most dramatic presentation came from race car driver, Danny Ebberts. Watch the video linked below to see his off-road truck get engulfed in flame. He narrowly escaped but still suffered 2nd degree burns and was hospitalized for weeks. Danny's speech was especially relevant as one tip he provided I had never heard - hold your breath in a fire incident. This was something that can save you from damaging your lungs.
Terry stressed that cotton t-shirts are really not going to provide the protection that proper racing underwear can provide. Additionally, plastic based performance shirts are known to melt to the skin - what may be appropriate to wear during a 5K running race may not hold up when your race car is on fire.
He also addressed women specific issues. Specifically, he mentioned bras as a source of trouble. Terry mentioned under-wire bras as a special no-no as they speed up heat transfer. Stand21 introduced a jog bra that is fire resistant to give women better options.
Additionally he talked about the safety concerns for women with long hair. He recommended that they put their hair into a 'flat-braid' so it goes down the neck under a balaclava and can be tucked into the driving suit. He suggested that hair that is exposed acts like a wick for fire.
I'm especially concerned that many trackday participants don't consider the possibility of fires when they are on the track. Most production cars that are running stock fuel systems can be very safe. It is the track cars that are using modified fuel systems that I have seen catch on fire. A couple of years ago, a Lotus Cup racer's track-prepped Exige caught on fire in a race. The fire exploded through the rear glass and engulfed the driver - who luckily only suffered some singed hairs on his face. He told me that eve that he would never wear an open faced helmet in a car again! Be careful of any mods you make to your fuel systems and be prepared with the proper fire protection clothing and fire suppression system.
I use Stand21 products because of their technical approach to product development. Fashion is not foremost in their minds - though their products look great. Most importantly, I've been happy with their comfort as well - especially in the heat of the desert tracks I frequent. I blogged about their products a couple years ago: HERE.
Stand21 feel so strongly about safety education that they have set up a non-profit organization, Racing Goes Safer, designed to improve motorsports safety. Learn more about them: HERE
Fitting seats into an Elise or Exige has been the bane of our existence in this market! Several years ago, my friend Steve from JDM Password, was starting a carbon fiber manufacturing company and asked me if he could make us a seat. I told him I needed a seat that would fit into the stock seat sliders but also accommodate larger hips - the stock seats tended to pinch larger drivers, even causing numbness in some. I gave him the seat out of my '06 Exige. It took him a couple of years but he developed the following seats that we introduced to the market. Our CF Big Bottom Seat has become a great solution for clients looking for more comfort or a seat that will allow harness installation. Best of all, it also allows you to run your stock 3pt belt. The following testimonial came in from a happy client today:
Great stuff! The anti-sub bars and Big-Bottom CF seats came in. I
have them installed. Please use the attached photos if you want. The seat name
is a bit of a misnomer. The seats are actually a copy of the Exige racing seat,
but in carbon fiber. So those of us with average bottoms actually feel like we
are sitting in the factory seats. The Big-Bottom CF seats are absolutely
drop-in compatible. Perfect fitment to the factory passenger and driver seat
mounts in my 2011 Elise SC. Took less than 2 hours to do the complete install.
The center console has plenty of room, a problem I had with other
"Universal" seats (Cobra Racer 7). The CF Bigbottom seats are magical. Thanks
again. Please use my input on your site. As a consumer, there is woefully
little information out there for detailed reports. J. Bennett
He also provided us with some great pictures showing his installation of our 5th pt anti-sub straps using our Anti-Sub Belt Bar. With our Schroth harnesses, this becomes an easy upgrade that provides fantastic security in aggressive driving. FYI: the design of this bar is similar to the one used by Lotus on the 340R. Simple and effective!
Note Anti-Sub Bar and installation of Anti-sub strap.
One of the great advantages of an Ariel Atom is that the mild steel chassis can easily be repaired. We recently fixed an Atom that suffered chassis damaged at a suspension (wishbone) mount. The guys stripped down the chassis to improve access to the bent part. They then cut out the bent part. A new section was positioned with clamps and measurements were taken to ensure the position was correct. They then welded in the new section. It was masked off and spray painted to match. The parts were reinstalled and the car was aligned. Quick and easy!
The first Mono built by us has effectively been a 'test mule'. This car allowed us to learn how to build the car, troubleshoot it, and ensure it is fit for use in North America. Additionally we have been writing the build manual so documenting the process has shed light on various areas that need to be addressed with more detail. Even with 13 man weeks of training at the BAC factory, we have learned even more by building this first car. So what have we learned so far? We would like to believe that assembling a car would go without issue, but experienced people recognize that this is not generally the case. Ian and Neill Briggs, from BAC, visited us a week ago to evaluate this first car and provide us additional insights. Even with the daily emails/phone calls that we've had with the engineering and operations staff back in Homes Chapel, a face to face meeting is always benefitial. So here are some of the items that we experienced and our corrective actions.
I had to stop and take a picture of the odometer
Inoperative Fuel Gauge: We calibrated the fuel gauge on the Mono but it only showed a full tank of fuel and did not change regardless of tank level. Corrective Action: The steering wheel needed to be updated with a hardware change to match the current fuel level sending unit. The factory has inspected their stock and confirmed that future wheels are correct. Gear Fluid Leak #1: We found fluid leaking from the left side gearbox drive flange of the car during the initial test drive. We thought the seal might be bad, but it turns out the circlip that holds the flange in place was missing. Hewland does not ship this gearbox to F3 teams with this circlip - these teams have another retention system. The Mono spec requires it, so we installed them on both sides and the leak was fixed. Corrective Action: Hewland spec has been corrected at the factory and all future gearboxes will be inspected for circlips. Gear Fluid Leak #2: Fluid was leaking from the rear gear position sensor plate. This adapter plate allows us to get the proper gear reading on the steering wheel by positioning the mechanical sensor. Corrective Action: We've added a small amount of sealant to the plate to correct the leak. The installation instructions have been updated to reflect this addition. Engine oil leak: We had a minor oil leak from the oil pressure sensor fitting. The fitting we had received was the wrong type and it did not seal correctly. Corrective Action: Specification has been updated and build manual adjusted to reflect the correct type of fitting Coolant Leaks: We've had a few coolant leaks that have come from various hoses. Corrective Action: Tightening the clamps have corrected the problem. Procedure has been changed to re-tighten hose clamps after the first full warm up of the car. Body gaps: The entire Mono body is hand fit. This takes a fair amount of time to get the panel gaps correct. This attention to detail is what differentiates the Mono from other low production vehicles. With input from BAC, during their visit, we've learned some additional tricks to get the gaps very consistent. Loose Fuel Tank Internal Clamp: The hose that connects to the high pressure side of the internal fuel pump popped loose and stalled the car. The Oettinger clamp, used on this hose, was not crimped tight enough. Corrective Action: We inspected all tanks in stock and BAC are working with the tank supplier to correct this issue. We've recommended a change of clamp type to improve the quality of the connection. This is now under discussion. Inoperative Lambda Sensor: During start-up we noticed our AFR readings were not working on our laptop review of live car data. We traced the problem to a connector that was pinned incorrectly. Corrective Action: We swapped the unit out initially to fix it quickly. The bad unit is getting repinned and future units will be inspected for correct pin-outs. The factory is correcting their procedures to reflect this issue. Stone Damage: Within 20 miles of driving, the rear fenders of the Mono began seeing serious stone impingement. We brought the car over to our Clearbra specialist, ClearPro to have her protected. After another 500 miles of driving the car revealed additional areas that also need to be covered. Corrective Action: Increasecoverage area to clear bra kits and look at thicker materials to provide better protection in the most vulnerable areas. The learning curve has been steep for us, but this has also been a significant benefit for BAC as we act as an extension of their factory. Several items that we've shed light onto have helped our friends at BAC to improve the build of the Mono. This first car has delivered enough clarity that the subsequent cars will be built faster and to an even better standard. A custom built, low-volume car requires patience and we have been getting pretty good at taking the proper perspective.
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