STREETuprights Weight Savings

stock rear upright = 5.6lb

We have received the STREETuprights from our machine shop.  They are based on our race winning raceUPRIGHTs.  Both of these deliver significant unsprung weight savings.  As it turns out, our STREET weighs the same as the RACE versions and deliver 8.8lbs of weight savings.

stock front = 5.7lb

rear STREETupright = 3.9lb

front STREETupright = 3lb

These uprights also provide additional mounts for clients who want to install a 2 piston AP Caliper to the rear.  This can be especially useful for owners of cars with the factory front 4 piston caliper with 308mm rotors.  Adding a 2 piston caliper to the rear has proven to be a great way to balance the brake bias.

We will be installing these onto a car to confirm fitment and performance.  We can then move to production.

Wishbone Bushes - Avoid the PUR variety on Tracked Cars!

 An Exige Cup car came to us for service.  Upon inspecting the car, we noted the wishbone bushes were failing.  Sadly the installation was also poorly done on this car so the subframe was maligned as well.

Closer inspection revealed the car was fitted with Polyurethane (PUR) bushes.  The factory bushes are known to fail and we have posted about this: HERE and offer suitable replacement solutions: OEalt, MONOballs, and UNIballs.

The bushes that were installed on this car did not hold up the track use but I suspect they would fail on the street as well.  If you look at the end of the wishbone, you can see that the PUR bush has been ground away.  Ultimately the wishbone made contact with the subframe and damaged it.

The mount tabs on this subframe were also distorted during the install by the shop that put these in.  This is not necessary for any properly developed bush option.

Bent tabs and crumbling PUR

The good news is that we are correcting this with a set of our MONOballs.  The car is getting it's Nitrons rebuilt so will handle better than ever.

Lotus Emira Turbo Tuning

 

Brent has been tuning the Emira Turbo and getting good results.  The car has three modules that can control the power: ECU, GCU & CPC.  We initially focused on the ECU after getting it unlocked.  This is done out of state by a trusted vendor.  We can then tune it.  

Brent's Tech Talk

The first tunes felt like the car was making good increases.  Putting the car back on the dyno revealed we weren't making much more than stock.  Torque is what most of us feel during acceleration.  Our initial tune made an additional 10 ft-lbs.  Interestingly, another Emira Turbo client was able to try this out and he noticed that difference.

A few additional days of tuning uncorked more, much more.  See below.

We will release the car to the client who will drive it and give us some feedback.  We can make additional changes as needed.  The OBDII port has been unlocked through our service so in the future or plan is to be able to flash through this port.  For now, we are bench flashing the ECU.

The CPC module is getting attention now.  It is not like the CPC modules found in the AMG cars so we have some work to do to unlock it.  These modules also control full output and will be key to making more power than what can be achieved with the ECU alone.  

Project 996 Road Rallye: Part 15

We've made some great progress on the 996RR with the exterior almost complete. The arrival of the wheels/tires plus the completion of the bodywork allowed us to start bolting the car together. 

One of the more controversial ideas that we have is to use bed liner on the fascias and the rockers.  These areas get alot of stone impact and are prone to be damaged with canyon/track use.  This car's fascias/rockers were pretty rough and in need of paint so we chose to bed liner them instead!

I believe 'form follows function' and decided to add ventilation holes to the rear fascia where the exhaust/mufflers reside.  It allows heat to flush out the back more effectively.  I have not seen anyone in the Porsche community doing this so I suspect we may get some push back...

We first did this on the Elise by opening up the rear of the car to expose the exhaust.  This application is not as aggressive looking but still something that not all folks will like - we think over time, people will get on board with this idea.

Of course we decided to pull out the heat shielding as well to save some weight.  We lined the inner fascia with heat shielding that we have used over the years on our race car and Drakan builds.

Here are some graphics ideas that we rendered.  Final concept is TBD...

Yes, I like the Mobil Pegasus!

New Rear Brake Caliper Testing

The stock rear brake caliper has been replaced with a 2 piston caliper that resembles the stock front.  This one has a smaller piston so the brake bias should be acceptable.  

Since we have installed a brake bias adjuster in place of our ABS module/block, we have the ability to further tune the bias.  Recent testing at the track proved we should be able to dial this in.

As we have written in the past, Black Ice Mode, is one of the weaknesses of the stock ABS system.  This is not a great performance biased ABS system so we have been defeating it for years on our track cars - first on our ArtCar1 with great results.

KATANA Bracket Revision

 We are always looking to make improvements to our parts based on feedback - often times our own techs will develop ideas from installing our parts.  The nose bracket we developed with the KATANA3 has now received some TLC and attention as a result.

We've added an additional notch to the bracket that eases clearance and improves fitment.  A small change but a good one!

Project 996 Road Rallye: Part 14

Yes, the front wheel styling is different from the rear  - a bit like our Drakan!

 The Braid wheels have arrived and they look amazing.  Of course we had to weigh them.  Our wheels are 102.2lbs (all 4 wheels) vs 108lbs for the stock 18" rims.  Our front wheels are considerably lighter but the rears are heavier.  

We chose two different wheel styles as discussed in a previously post. Our Drakan Spyder was the first car that I've used different wheels - front to rear.  We chose the light weight option that adds some additional machining to the face of the wheels to shave off more weight.  

Frankly I am happy that the fronts are so light as that will help with feel.  Braid are known to produce strong wheels - which is more important to me for a car that must negotiate broken road surfaces.

Since we went with the 'inch-down' on these wheels, we are looking at tire options that will work.  I've decided not to go with bigger diameter wheels as the additional tire sidewall height provided by the smaller wheels should be enough to meet our compliance needs.  I expect the turn-in to be a bit slower but thanks to the GT3 swaybars, we should have improved turn-in response anyhow.

111tank2 - Track Testing Results

 We had great results on track this past weekend after two days of track testing.  Our new baffled fuel tank for the S2 Lotus Elise/Exige now features a ball check valve. ProAlloy have been successfully using this design on their tanks for years.  We've installed several of their tanks onto Cup cars and 211s with excellent results.

We ran the car on two days on two different track configurations at SMMR.  Mansell C is shown below.  

We ran the exact corner where the car fuel starved with half a tank in Dec.  See above.  This is Pahrump 2 - which is a fast left hand sweeper that starts right after the equivalent right hander.  The picture of Nick's Elise is at the spot shown on the track map.

Now it runs perfectly down to about 1.5gallons remaining BEFORE it starts to sputter.  We experienced that twice and in both cases, the car took 8.5 gallons of fuel when we went to fill it up.  I am happy that this solution will be a good one for most of you running on the street and track.  It retains the factory safety and emissions plumbing and fixes the starvation at the source of the problem.

We will go into production on this latest design.  It will now be called the 111tank2.

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