Lotus 111 Uprights - Street & Track

We have kicked off production of our street uprights.  One of our goals this year is to look for more obscure ways to save unsprung weight on the Elise/Exige.  Unsprung weight savings have been a major focus of ours for over 20years.  Our ULTRAdiscs and RS343 are the lightest components of their type for these cars.  The uprights are the next opportunity that we need to address - at least for street cars.

 These are a derivation of our raceUPRIGHTs.  Our raceUPRIGHTs are a proven solution that we introduced on our first ArtCar (see above) that we campaigned in Lotus Cup.  We saved nearly 9lbs with these uprights.  These allowed us to run the cars even lower while leaving the suspension geometry intact.  You can lower these cars too much and ruin the handling of the car.  Our raceUPRIGHTs allow the car to run low so we can get the benefit of a low CG and better aero.  Another cool advantage is that our uprights allow you to bolt on the front 2 piston calipers onto the rear.  We did just that plus our 308BBK in the ArtCar and could out brake 211s!

Street cars don't need to run that low.  But unsprung weight savings is still a nice thing to have as there are really no reliability issues that you will face.  Of course durability can be an issue if you attempt to go too light - we don't want it to break just as you cross the finish line!  😉

We are producing our first set for testing.  Ours will also allow you to install the 2 piston caliper at the rear - though we may ultimately offer this as an option since it will add additional weight to the uprights.  I think that most street cars run perfectly fine with the stock rear calipers - assuming good pads are installed.  This picture below is the machining that is underway.  We will be testing them later this Winter.

The ArtCar2 above also runs the raceUPRIGHTs

EV Conversion: Delorean

We've started to make progress on the EV conversion on the Delorean.  This will be the first Delorean that has been converted in the US.  Electrogenic have developed this kit on a car in England and ours will be the second in the world.  We have completed three of their kits on: S1 XKE, D90 and S3 XKE.  This DMC is the fourth kit for us.  

This one is especially interesting as Colin Chapman and Lotus were hired to develop the original car.  The chassis shares the design with the Lotus Esprit.

The car came to us with the original powertrain removed.  Jorge took inventory of the parts and began the install.  The motor was fitted and most things lined up well. He has dry fitted the rear battery to determine wiring lengths so we can terminate them for final install.

 

battery box dry fitted

 

Project 996 Road Rallye: Part 13

 The 996RR received a few new upgrades including a new front tube bumper, fabric tow straps, mud flaps and a front fascia - with a special coating.  

We had the 'new' front fascia coated with bed liner used on trucks.  The front of most sportscars get hammered - especially when following other cars in the canyons or tracks.  Instead using clearbra, we thought we would try this textured coating.

The front tube bumper was refabbed and extended a bit from the original.  It will get powder coated black onced we finalize the mounts for the Baja Designs DOT legal lights arrive.  I'm excited about improving the lighting on the car as the stock headlights are now 26years old.  These older cars really benefit from updated LED lighting.  

The mudflaps we installed are pretty low.  They are scraping on even the slightest incline.  The noise is pretty annoying!  We will cut them back and then extend them with rubber sheet. 

 

The rear tube bumper is still a work in progress...

We also have Braid wheels on order:

• Front: Fullrace A = 17x8 ET40
• Rear : Winrace S = 17x10 ET40
• Lightweight machining on all wheels
• Lighter Gold

The offsets are 10mm pushed out from stock.  I plan to run stock diameter tires so these specs should work for our needs.  Note the different spoke count?  Influenced by the Drakan Spyder.  Yes, we like to be different!

front: Model Fullrace A

rear: Model Winrace S

Emira Collision Part 3

 Months of waiting for parts has been frustrating for all involved.  Finally we are getting close with this collision/repair.  I would estimate that we are 95% of the way.

We reinstalled much of the interior including the side curtain airbags.  

The rear boot of the car required some fitment in order for the rear fenders and hatch to line up.  This took a fair amount of trial and error.  We had the rear glass removed from the original hatch and reinstalled onto the new hatch after it was painted.  Over all it is coming together nicely.  

We had Lee clean things up including removing some adhesive that remained from the tow yard after the accident.

2025 Year-End Summary & 2026 Projections

2025 Year-End Summary

2025 was a full year—sometimes rewarding, sometimes challenging, and rarely boring. The economy did what it does best these days: kept everyone guessing. Despite that, we launched new products, expanded our service capabilities (including entering the Porsche market), hosted and supported events, and continued building cars the way we think they should be built.

Our commitment to analog sports cars remains unchanged. The Elise and Exige are still at the center of what we do, even if the rest of the world seems increasingly convinced that steering feel is optional. With Lotus experiencing yet another downturn, our expansion into the Porsche 911 market will provide stability and allow us to keep supporting the cars—and the people—we care about without compromise. We remain Driver Focused, slightly stubborn, and fully committed to doing this the right way.

Parts

I coined the term 'Tasty Bits', back in 2004, to blend US & British slang to describe what we do.  Part development is still key to who we are.  We launched several new products in 2025 for the Emira, Evora, Elise, and Exige, while continuing to refine existing offerings through a Kaizen-driven mindset. I first learned this approach in the mid-1980s while working at the Fiero Assembly plant, and it remains central to how we design, test, and improve our products.

The QUADloc Harness Bar for the Lotus Emira stands out as a highlight. It delivers a safe, functional solution while preserving rear storage—something rarely achieved. We’ve been building harness bars since 2005, and this is easily the most innovative design we’ve produced. Our Nitron suspension development for both Emira variants has also been extremely rewarding, with owners reporting meaningful improvements in control and confidence.

Our longtime friend and partner, Brent@Xclusive continues pushing deeper into Lotus ECU development. While our calibrations were already strong, continued learning has allowed us to extract even more from the factory ECUs. The 500 hp kit we previously released for the Evora is now producing additional power with improved drivability as well.

We also introduced the KATANA275 and NA215 power kits for the Elise and Exige. Both have been running on our own cars since summer with excellent results.  The balance these provide is excellent and provides options for clients who want forced induction or for those that want to remain naturally aspirated.

Additional product launches included ULTRAdiscs for the Emira and, for the Elise/Exige, oil temperature and pressure kits, ignition 111coils, OCDpipe, the 111key for ’06+ cars, CAIs and further refinements to the KATANA3 bracketry and to our beloved shiftR 2.0s.

The launch of LotusRestored.com, in partnership with AutoEurope, marked an important step toward long-term support for the Lotus cars we value most. This initiative will continue to grow, ensuring these cars remain viable on both road and track.  Expect expansion into Evora and then Emiras in the future.

Service

We serviced dozens of Lotus cars in 2025, including several that were close to being written off. OE parts availability remains inconsistent, but we remain persistent. LotusRestored will become an increasingly important source of quality, used components, allowing us to keep these cars alive and usable.

We expanded our shop capabilities with new equipment, including an additional lift and an A/C machine.  We became the first shop to install Nitron’s Front Axle Lift system on an Emira.

Cars continued to arrive from across the country as transport logistics become simpler. We recognize that competent shops willing to work on older sports cars are becoming harder to find, and we take that responsibility seriously.

This year also marked our formal entry into the Porsche 996/997 and earlier markets. The 996RR project accelerated our understanding of IMS bearings and related systems. A 964 and a 996.2 also passed through the shop, each requiring a different approach and scope of work.

We’ve been servicing Vanderhall three-wheelers for several years, and in November the factory invited us to become an Authorized Service Center. We’re now carefully integrating these vehicles into our workflow.

Our blog, active since 2008, saw 36 new posts in 2025. Many focus on service and technical education for owners who work on their own cars or want deeper insight into how they function. Based on feedback, this resource continues to play an important role for many of you.  We introduced ~11 new videos on our YouTube channel and dozens of shorts from our shop.  We remain active on Instagram with our Facebook activity needing some attention!

Many of you continue to schedule appointments on our Session with Shinoo appointment feature.  Since 2004, I have talked with 1000s of enthusiasts, and it is truly one of the things I enjoy the most with this business.  Don’t hesitate to book a free Session!

Niche Cars

The most significant new project this year was the 996RR. This build confirmed that our tuning philosophy and supplier network translate well into the Porsche world. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and reinforced what we already suspected—there is a strong crossover between Lotus and Porsche enthusiasts. The 996RR is a true analog sports car, and it delivers exactly what we value most.

Kit car registration in California has become increasingly difficult due to regulatory changes and unresolved gaps in the process. As a result, we registered a Drakan in Michigan with help from our friends at AutoEurope. The car is currently in Florida, being shown to prospective clients during the winter months.

After over a four-year wait, we finally received an Atom 4. It represents a meaningful step forward over previous generations, and we’re looking forward to another arriving soon.

We also completed two Electrogenic EV conversions this year: a Series 3 Jaguar XKE and a Land Rover Defender 90. These builds, along with last year’s S1 XKE, were also upgraded with new hardware and software enabling Level 3 charging. Electrogenic continues to demonstrate a long-term commitment to this niche, and their steady improvements have earned our continued trust.

Events & More

2025 was full of well-attended events. We hosted multiple technical seminars, including Brake Tech, Upholstery, and an in-depth look at the 996RR build, along with the Hocking Hills Road Rallye with AutoEurope and several 2econd Saturdays gatherings with my other company, BrandXTR.

We also sponsored LOG44 in Pittsburgh and Lotus vs. the Dragon in Tennessee.   This driving event is a must attend - Josh puts on an amazing weekend!  LOG44 was especially meaningful this year, highlighted by the announcement of LUG—Lotus United Gathering—a joint event planned for 2026 with the Golden Gate Lotus Club. This is something I’ve hoped to see come together for over 20 years.  

I made one international trip this year, visiting long-standing Lotus suppliers in Japan. After more than two decades of working together, it was a privilege to finally tour the factory producing our forged wheels—arguably the finest available for the Elise and Exige.

I also visited a new domestic engine builder specializing in Porsche 996/997 platforms. Given the known challenges with these engines, aligning with a reputable partner was an important step toward properly supporting our Porsche clients.

2026 Projections

In 2026, we’ll continue investing in service to ensure analog sports cars remain supported. A new Shop Foreman will be joining the team, bringing decades of experience with Porsche and older English vehicles. Growth into the Porsche segment should allow us to add another lift and technician by year’s end.

While Porsche will receive increased attention, Lotus remains central to who we are.  This will never change.

New products are already in development, including Emira Stage 1 tuning and additional calibrations for both variants. We plan to introduce street-focused uprights for the Elise and Exige to further reduce unsprung weight. Depending on demand, additional suspension options for the Emira—and possibly the Evora—may follow.  A new baffled 111tank is being installed and will be tested in January.  Heck, we had to produce a rear subframe brace for our 996RR build.  New parts for Porsche are inevitable...

A new website is underway that will support international shipping quotes and orders

Two more EV conversions are underway: a DeLorean scheduled for January and another Series 3 XKE planned for late winter. While the broader EV market has cooled, these conversions remain a practical way to keep otherwise sidelined classics on the road.

Closing Thoughts

At our core, we’re sports car enthusiasts. We like driving, we value mechanical honesty, and we still believe a good road can fix a bad week. Our goal remains simple: keep these cars alive, supported, and driven as intended—especially the Elise and Exige—for as long as we’re able.

To do that, we’ll continue evolving in ways that keep the business sustainable, even as the broader market gets distracted by trends, screens, and features that no enthusiast asked for. Since 2004, we’ve weathered multiple economic downturns, navigated shifting regulations, managed currency fluctuations and waited on more backordered parts than seems reasonable—yet we’re still here, tools in hand, lights on, and ready for the next challenge.  

Thank you for your on-going support, we could not have made it this far without you!

Have a great New Year, and we hope to see you on the road, the track, at an event, or in the shop in 2026.

Best regards,

Shinoo

Project 996 Road Rallye: Part 12

The seats are getting changed on our 996RR build.  The stock seats are worn out and in need of rebuild and reupholstery.  We also decided to replace the shifter and cables.  This was the perfect time to do both.  Of course there were a couple of surprises...

We decided to look for seat options and found some period correct Recaros.  The Cross Sportster CS seats seem to fit the bill.  They are comfortable, work on a slider and will tilt forward with a simple release.  These seats are essentially the same seats found on early Lotus Evoras so remain period correct on our 996.  Recearo seat supply in the US is very lean so we found them from a company bringing them in from Japan.

Though we sourced a bracket that should have made the Recaro slider compatible, it limits the travel forward.  This can be an issue for drivers with shorter legs that need to slide all the way forward.  We will modify the bracket to fix that issue.  In fact we will probably weld in a bracket that is in double shear so that we can make the seat belt recepticle more secure.

Recaro CS + slider + bracket

The stock seats are powered and quite heavy at 59lbs with slider.  Our Recaros with the slider and seat bracket is 48.85lbs.  Lighter by just over 10lbs each.  So that's a 20lb savings with both seats!  We'll take it.  I would have loved to have installed a race-style fixed bucket but practicality was still a requirement.

I'm especially smitten with the gear knob....😁

The Numeric shifter kit with cables has been installed and the car now shifts much better. We installed it at the mid point so the throws are shorter but not too short.  I will drive the car this weekend and will be able to make a proper assessment.

Lotus Elise Front Clam Grill Replacement Tip

Look Ma no....

The small grills that 'protect' the oil cooler are know to break off.  Replacing them requires removing the clam.  This is a process that takes hours so many folks simply live with a missing grill.  Jorge came up with a faster way to replace it but it does require drilling into a hidden part of the clam.  This is NOT a method for those of you who want to keep their car 100% original.  For those of you with Outlaws, this is a reasonable solution...

This Blog shows the images of the modifications without step by step written instructions.  This work should only be done if you are mechanically inclined with at least intermediate skills and appropriate tools.

Tools needed

A longer screw will be required

Note measure for hole position

Drill at an angle.  A long bit is required

Note position of hole.

Screw/washer is installed in this image

Screw is run through the plastic grill

Cover hole with vinyl decal or rubber plug