Daveb99

Great work! Hopefully my thread has helped you with some of this as I covered the same things here and there I think. For the passenger airbag cover, I gently heated it and then rolled / pushed it against an old tyre to bend it back to flat. And I drilled it to add screws to the steel plate too, to keep it straight.

Stunning!

Thanks, the car has gone this morning so there’s a big space in the garage now! For the tweeters it would possibly be doable without removing the dash but the cable length could be an issue. When you ease them out (use a pry tool) you’ll see that you can’t get them out far. So you’d need to cut the wires and try to join the new wires into them. Doable perhaps - take one out and have a look. If not then yes it’s a dashboard out job. However, you’d be better to remove the seats and sill covers to replace the crossover units with the focal ones, to get the best out of the new speaker setup. To get the sill covers off you have to remove the lower dash panels - at which point you might as well take the whole thing out anyway!

Some of you may have spotted that, despite all the hard work I’ve put into the car, it has been up for sale in the last week, and is now sold awaiting collection. This was never in our plans; the sale was somewhat forced due to my wife no longer being able to drive a manual comfortably because of a health problem, and we bought the car to use not only for Lotus meets and runs but primarily for weekends away and longer trips etc, where we typically share the driving. It will be missed, and the new owner has bought a truly great example of this wonderful sports car. However - have no fear - I am keeping my mustard Elise S1 ! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this thread and if anyone needs any further tips or guidance get in touch. Cheers, Dave

Thanks everyone. New owner saw it on here I believe. Although the Evora replacement won't be a Lotus, at least I will still have my Elise S1. Apologies for the gratuitous pics in the wrong forum but it needs a bit of love. I haven't driven it since August as I need to change the fuel pump..... maybe if everyone replies saying "wow, that's stunning" then it will miraculously change itself 👍 Yes, all my Lotuses have always been this shiny - I have a reputation to preserve 😜

Thanks, well it didn't take long - I accepted a deposit for it last night. The new owner will be getting a great car. Thanks for all the positive comments everyone 👍

Thanks to all for the comments - the car in question is mine, so if anyone knows anybody looking for a very well sorted LE, please put them in touch. It was the only one produced in the colour/interior/wheels combo so it’s unique I guess. @Morty - I owe you a beer! @C8RKH - I apologise for the comment in my ad re the Sports Ratio gearboxes. I’ll remove it (if I can) as I certainly don’t want the advert to be anything but factual and it sounds like you know the real story with those. @Cdm2018 - I’m actually north of Hinckley. If anyone wants to know anything about the car, feel free to ask. I have a genuine, very unfortunate reason for sale and the car is a cracker 👍🏻

Sorry for reviving an old thread - Martin, did you get this sorted? I have the same on my NA.

For £7 you can buy a top quality can of caliper paint on eBay or similar, and do them by hand. Clean the calipers with brake cleaner and white spirit and give them a light key. No primer needed. Then 2 coats with a couple of different sized artists brushes (smaller one to paint around the Lotus lettering first) and the job’s a good un. I can’t believe how much some places charge to paint calipers - and they don’t even mask off the crossover pipes….. I used about a third of the tin, so they cost under £3 to do all four……. To protect the LOTUS lettering I then used a clear lacquer touch up stick (2 coats). Here are a couple of pics of some I’ve done previously (mine are currently black but I’m seriously considering red!)

Hi Scotty, hope all is well mate. I guess the S1 NA will always feel a little down on power compared to something like a GT410 Sport, or a 400. They have 50% more power! As you know I’ve had a ride in your car and it’s absolutely sublime in terms of performance and ability. A real supercar rival in a better package, for a lot less money. I think for many of us who own the NA, we accept that you have to really drive it, and, certainly in my case, very much enjoy wringing the car out now and again to extract the performance it does have. It’s still more than quick enough for the roads - and I’m nowhere near the limits of the car. The Exige V6 I had, on the other hand, although a real weapon, just didn’t deliver the thrills I wanted because it was all a bit too effortless to go really fast - like flicking a switch rather than turning a dial, if that makes sense. Some people want that of course, which is fine, I’ve had a couple of other cars in the past like that, and enjoyed them at the time, I just find now that having less power a bit more engaging and rewarding. If you’re taking your Evora on track, I can see how people would want more power, but even then I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy working with what I have. I’m really surprised to hear that it scared you on the limit, mine has always been absolutely planted but perhaps that’s down to the Michelins - they really are mighty compared to the Pirellis, in a much broader range of conditions. Maybe your geo was a bit out too - as I’ve never heard anyone say the Evora has scared them on the limit before. On the same Sunday morning runs as you (I love following yours btw, it’s music to my ears!) I’m absolutely grinning from ear to ear and still can’t believe how much fun it is peddling the Evora through the twisty stuff. You can really see how the Lotus DNA has carried through from the Elise, and it’s way more capable than I expected. Back on topic somewhat though - we must remember that, at present the used value of a decent S1 NA is about £40k - £50k less than a GT410 Sport ! In my case I chose to have a Launch Edition alongside my Elise S1, rather than sell both and buy, say, a 400. I love having the two options in the garage for different occasions, roads and conditions, and the purity of the drive in the Elise is just sublime - I think I’ll always have one of them tucked away…. To put it in perspective even more - you can buy an very good used Evora NA plus an Exige V6 for the same as a used GT410 ! I do completely understand why you bought yours though - it’s a proper animal and also happens to look utterly stunning - although I still love the purity of the S1 design. Wish I could have both Well spotted - I normally park it “nose in” but I had just fitted my wheels on that side….

Couldn’t agree more with the last few posts about the S1 NA. I think the values of these are going to continue to rise for many years yet - driven by supply and demand, and relative immunity to the current used car ‘bubble’ bursting. When I was looking last winter, the starting point for NA’s was around £24k ish. It’s now more like £29k. That’s 20% in 12 months. Here’s why - in my view at least. I’ve had 9 Lotuses over the last 22 years - admittedly mostly Elise S1’s (and I have still go a lovely yellow one). I had an Exige V6 for about 2 years but found it was just too much for the road - and it didn’t give me the same buzz that my Elise gave me unless I was doing silly speeds. Nothing clever about that. Enter the Evora NA (in my case, a Launch Edition). The perfect solution to my problem of wanting a Lotus to use and enjoy whatever the weather. It’s a blend of so many great things that are virtually impossible to find in any other sports car: Usable but still very brisk performance for the roads - the NA isn’t a “point and shoot” car like the supercharged Evoras and Exiges - you have to drive it properly and really think about how to extract the best from it - that’s what makes it so engaging and satisfying to drive A supple but perfectly controlled ride quality that puts most saloons (and probably all SUVs) to shame. A lovely noise when pushing on or just bimbling around (especially with a different exhaust) Utterly fantastic handling and balance - especially on Michelin PS4 or PS4S - both on slow and technical B-roads and on faster, more open roads Unique design (it’s not trying to copy anything else, it’s not a mish-mash) with an interior that wraps itself around you Great long distance GT ability and fuel economy when you need it - I’ve frequently seen 35-37mpg from mine on longer runs, with the long box (but equally under 20mpg when I’m “on it”) Low road tax (I personally find it hard to justify £50 a month for the supercharged version when I’m not driving it every week, £30 is far more reasonable!) Practical 2+2 layout and a decent boot - I’m hoping to keep mine long enough to get grandkids in the back for a couple of years! A safe place to put your money - I’m not sure the same could be said for those opting for a £60k - £80k GT410 (and possibly even the 400/410) with the Emira due to hit the roads next year. An interior with all the things you need (especially when fitted with a decent Apple Car Play/Android Auto HU) and nothing you don’t - the sign of a driver focussed car. (OK, a solitary cup holder would be nice!). I just want to drive it and focus on pushing and balancing the car around corners. Touch screens and fancy gizmos won’t help me with that… I could go on - but I won’t - most of us know all this! Of course they have their faults, mine was the 17th Evora produced and obviously they’ve made a few improvements in the later models. But I actually enjoy improving it and addressing some of the known issues here and there, it’s almost part of the charm of owning a hand-built, totally driver-focussed, unique sports car. I’ve done quite a bit to mine - see my thread here if you’re interested (it may help some of you too, hopefully): I also think the fact that it’s no secret that the Emira chassis is almost identical to the Evora speaks volumes about the driving dynamics the chassis delivers. What a car (especially with it’s new Xmas present - gloss anthracite wheels!)

Yes, they are gloss black. Thanks 👍🏻

Cheers Bibs - I was really torn between this and gloss black, in the end I decided on the anthracite as I always think that black wheels disappear into the arches (especially when dirty!). Now I’m torn between leaving it as is, or doing the calipers red…..I’ve done a bit of editing to see what it would look like. At this stage I’m not planning to do the roof black, I rather like it as it is. Opinions welcome……!

A few pics of my Launch Edition, I’ve just had the wheels refurbished in gloss anthracite. I think added to the ‘lower black pack’ it’s coming together nicely, I wrapped the sills and front splitter myself (the latter was an absolute nightmare to do!). Originally the car was 1 of 1 produced in Quartz Silver with the anthracite (smaller) forged wheels - which I still have - and the Oyster interior, so getting the larger wheels refurbished in the same colour is a ‘nod’ to the original factory spec…..

Regarding the blue IPS SR at Hendy’s, I can only imagine that for some reason the seller was struggling to sell it privately. Perhaps because it was an IPS, or maybe the time of year. I was half considering it myself at £43k but I certainly wouldn’t be interested at £52k - and I’ve done a lot to my NA LE so I’ll be keeping that I suspect. £52k is Evora 400 money, there’s a Hethel Edition up for sale for £51k…..