Lotus elise - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

panZZer · #1 04-12-2014, 05:01 PM

maybe a custom Froto license plate could be had for it

Air&Road · #2 04-13-2014, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panZZer

uh Yea--real sharp

one of the goofiest little sawed off midget cars in recent memory .... the one that was in the shop- I recall aluminum floor pans and the tranz tunnel all pop riveted together out of flat aluminum sheets, I dont rememer it having door panels or upholsterd anything except seats, Clastrophobic looking driver area would be a huge understatement,
I wouldnt be caut alive in one.
If there is a dwarf colony near-by and tom wants to pick up a lil hottie, Idunno -maybe this would work, but buying a wrecked one and then the parts to fix it and a front clip..........
He could easily clear the cost of a Porsche caymen. The three new models Lotus came out with a couple tyr back are all better looking cars- but the new eliese still trails this pack.

You still haven't figured it out, so I'll help. Lotus cars are ALL ABOUT WEIGHT. Rivets and aluminum provide low weight construction. I doubt that they use pop rivets. I expect that they use aircraft type rivets. Of course since you know all about cobbling together cars out of old Datsuns and old Chevys, I'm sure that you're an expert on sophisticated lightweight sports car construction.

t walgamuth · #3 04-13-2014, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panZZer

uh Yea--real sharp

one of the goofiest little sawed off midget cars in recent memory .... the one that was in the shop- I recall aluminum floor pans and the tranz tunnel all pop riveted together out of flat aluminum sheets, I dont rememer it having door panels or upholsterd anything except seats, Clastrophobic looking driver area would be a huge understatement,
I wouldnt be caut alive in one.
If there is a dwarf colony near-by and tom wants to pick up a lil hottie, Idunno -maybe this would work, but buying a wrecked one and then the parts to fix it and a front clip..........
He could easily clear the cost of a Porsche caymen. The three new models Lotus came out with a couple tyr back are all better looking cars- but the new eliese still trails this pack.

Clearly this is not a car for you.

A Porsche caymen is an elephant compared to an elise. It nearly a thousand pounds more, more or less and if I happen to blow the engine while autocrossing it would be a very expensive proposition. The lotus otoh has a Toyota 4 cylinder motor....seems pretty cheap to fix if I blow it up.

After competing in a formula ford nearly every other car will feel like a school bus. the lotus is the only thing close.

t walgamuth · #4 04-13-2014, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

Very nice car that I wouldn't mind having, but if offered both at the same price I think I'd have the Lotus.

There's also something to be said for the 914 Porsche. Not much straight line speed unless you have the rare flat six version, and not the easiest thing to work on, but they handle pretty good right out of the box and can be had for five grand or so for a decent one.

It'd be hard to find an elise in running condition for as little as a decent s2000. There is a guy who autocrosses a 914 in the northwest Indiana region. Its seconds slower than my Miata was and finding one without loads of rust is very tough.

Air&Road · #5 04-13-2014, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

It'd be hard to find an elise in running condition for as little as a decent s2000. There is a guy who autocrosses a 914 in the northwest Indiana region. Its seconds slower than my Miata was and finding one without loads of rust is very tough.

A 914/6? If you could find one of those it would probably be a good autocross car? I don't think the sixes are very common though are they?

I think that for auto crossing one of the problems with a sports car that old is that they just don't have much rubber on the pavement.

t walgamuth · #6 04-13-2014, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Air&Road

A 914/6? If you could find one of those it would probably be a good autocross car? I don't think the sixes are very common though are they?

I think that for auto crossing one of the problems with a sports car that old is that they just don't have much rubber on the pavement.

a 914/6 is indeed rare and very expensive if factory....prolly worth too much to risk the engine racing.

t walgamuth · #7 04-13-2014, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.C.

Honda S2000

I'm looking at them too.

t walgamuth · #8 04-13-2014, 05:52 PM

I have absolutely no interest in a Datsun cobb job. I really have no use for anything with an iron block mouse motor either.

I actually don't know if I'll fit in an elise or not but I plan to have a drive in one soon.

Air&Road · #9 04-13-2014, 07:57 PM

Where there's a will there's a way. Unless you're the size of the abominable snow man, you'll find a way to get in it. Since much of my life I've had a sports car of some kind, I've heard too many people say that they wouldn't have such a car because it's too hard to get in and out of?

AFAIAC, who cares? It's always worth the trouble if you enjoy driving a good handling car.

I'm anxious to hear the drive report. I'm thinking you're gonna fall in love.

engatwork · #10 04-13-2014, 08:05 PM

I don't know Larry. I base my car buying decisions on how easy they are to get in/out of.

I settled on the E class about 5 years ago as it is a good compromise between being easy to get in/out of and being a good comfortable ride. It performs in the corners as much as I want too

.

Air&Road · #11 04-13-2014, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

I don't know Larry. I base my car buying decisions on how easy they are to get in/out of.

I settled on the E class about 5 years ago as it is a good compromise between being easy to get in/out of and being a good comfortable ride. It performs in the corners as much as I want too

.

For a car like that,ease of entry is indeed an issue. For a sports car, it seems to me that it should be on the other end of the list.

engatwork · #12 04-13-2014, 08:10 PM

If I want to be sporty I take the Harley

.

Air&Road · #13 04-13-2014, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

If I want to be sporty I take the Harley

.

Yeah but I bet it's tough to get inside of.

Skippy · #14 04-13-2014, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

If I want to be sporty I take the Harley

.

That's the funniest thing I've read all week.

t walgamuth · #15 04-14-2014, 06:29 AM

Over the weekend we went to Nashville In and fooled around. On the trip from Nashville back toward Bloomington it is a lovely road with nearly never ending curves with great scenery as well. We got stuck behind three Harleys running five under the limit in formation which made it impossible to pass just one of them. GRRRRRR!

This is par for the course with groups of Harley riders....completely inconsiderate of other people.