GFWilliams Purple, Slightly Modified, Exige V6

[GER]

Was it tricky to get to the ‘inside’ of the subframe George?

This is a neat solution, I too have had the same problem. I change my Titanium back box out for my H111 Track box each time. I’m fairly quick at it now except  for a few issues trying to align these bolts up, normally requiring me to try to hold the nut from the back. 
Did you make the fixing or were you able to buy it and repurpose?

 

[GFWilliams]

@GERas I’m sure you know now, you need to hold the nuts from the hole in the side of the subframe. It’s quite easy to get the new bracket with bolts in, although would have been easier with shorter bolts.

the bracket was from deroure and I bought the nuts and bolts to go through them.

On a slightly more interesting note, finally got my exhaust back together yesterday and then went to the filming of Top Gear which was set up outside on the runway. Very well done I thought, in fact I much preferred it to the old studio!

[GFWilliams]

Been good to spend a bit of time on the car over the last few weeks and start a few new projects. Main thing has been to remove the front PPF as it was really quite tired and had quite a few stone chip marks in it.  I'm pleased to report that the paint looks great now the PPF is off with only two stone chips which made it through. I'll run it with no PPF for a while, until the respray eventually (hopefully) one day happens.

I had to remove the front splitter to properly remove the PPF then clean, which then led to me removing the front side grills, cleaning the insides out, giving the radiators a quick coat of black paint, then coating the plastic of the grills. It's the little things which add up to make a difference, and it looks much better now!

As the splitter is off, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to replace it. It's seen better days, from when I used to run the car too low, and I seem to only see imperfections, so it's nice to get everything looking top notch. I think a gloss finish will look nice this time...

The new (410) backbox has now been painted with a special ceramic paint in gunmetal finish with black on the inside. KSD done a great job as always!

Expecting to fit it in the next week or so, just waiting for Jim to send a link pipe with sensor ports so it works with my downpipes. 

[GFWilliams]

Final part of the exhaust system is due to arrive tomorrow, can’t wait to fit it next week! Thanks to Jim (2bular obviously) for making this with my slightly custom requests!

[GFWilliams]

Final part of the exhaust system is due to arrive tomorrow, can’t wait to fit it next week! Thanks to Jim (2bular obviously) for making this with my slightly custom requests!

[Jack]

@GFWilliams-- George, looking good.  Jim makes great stuff.... too bad he hates us Yanks.  

I'd love to buy his headers/down-pipe/S-pipe setup but alas, it will never happen. 😢

[GFWilliams]

So my new exhaust system has been a bit of a nightmare, but finally at a solution I think.

First of all, the link pipe Jim made was a bit too long, so we had to cut it down. Not the end of the world and we just cut about an inch off it and it was in the right place. Bette to have a pipe too long than too short!

When I was at Komo-tec getting the 460 kit installed, I changed from the factory valve controller to a wireless remote one. I wanted to change back to the factory valve controller so it was operated on the steering column, plus would open over 4500rpm and at 80% or more throttle (IIRC).

We changed back and found the old valve controller wasn't working. B&C don't supply the Exige S one anymore as they say it had issues, the problem is that the operation of the Sport 350 onwards one is slightly different as instead of having a 1 way valve, it has a bit of hose which is open to the atmosphere. Once we worked out the operation of this, we worked out that you can add a 1 way valve to the hose and it would operate like the old valve controller.  So once this was all working, the valve operated as it should, but I still wasn't happy as the valve was opening even on small throttle operations, implying that there wasn't enough vacuum pressure.

This is when I learnt that Komo-tec do some interesting things with their intake and add a vacuum chamber. I believe the standard airbox has a vacuum chamber built into it, so KT cleverly added one (basically a big plastic ball). We hadn't connected this up before which I think was part of the problem for the vacuum pressure. It also needs another 1 way valve in between the supercharger and the Y split for the Valve controller and Vacuum chamber so that it an hold vacuum pressure in the system.

I'm yet to connect it and test, but I believe this is how it should all be connected:

I'm looking forward to getting this working so that I can bring the car to my new house (and garage!) without pissing off my new neighbours.

The new exhaust is the loudest exhaust I've ever heard. Very antisocial and childish, but okay when the valve is closed.

Also, the paint looks great, but there's no way it's going to last with the heat of this flame spitting exhaust, despite the special ceramic lacquer. I'll probably get it zircoated along with the Y pipe and link pipe at a later date.

So that's the exhaust stuff sorted, onto some carbon.  Some of you may have seen from my Instagram, but I'm getting some really lovely quality OEM inspired carbon fibre side skirts made. Also got rear barge boards in OEM style and Cup R size splitters being made in carbon. All proper pre-preg etc and very well thought through to make sure the weave all looks nice and curves through visible areas in a beautiful way (those of you who know my attention to detail will appreciate I'm doing everything I can to do things properly).

Here is a test fit of the prototype skirts:

 

[NANO]

6 hours ago, GFWilliams said:

...

The new exhaust is the loudest exhaust I've ever heard. Very antisocial and childish, but okay when the valve is closed.

...

If I understand correctly you no longer have the central part, go with the direct pipe ("Catless") ... towards the (new) final muffler of the 410 ?

[GFWilliams]

@NANO the exhaust goes:

Komotec Manifolds

Komotec Y Pipe 

2bular link pipe with lambda ports, effectively decatting it

Lotus 380/410 Stainless backbox

 

I have ordered an electric vacuum pump which I hope to plumb in so that it provides vacuum before the car is started. I think a timed relay on ignition would be perfect, then the exhaust will have enough vacuum pressure to start in quiet mode when it does the stupid Rev. 

[steveoexige]

Thats a very similar setup to what i had...as in:

2bular manifold

2bular YPipe

2bular link pipe (decat)

OEM 380 valved back box

I like a "loud" car (and loud bikes too) but for me this was on another level LOUD....it was just too much and would definitely damage my hearing near the red line. Jim has since provided me with a silenced link pipe and if I'm honest it is still too loud......

Hopefully yours doesn't make the same racket.

[NANO]

@ GFWilliams & steveoexige :

But have you probably missed 😔 the familiar " pops and bangs " about releasing the gas (so "good & bad" form me ) ?

[Kristof Thys]

@NANO, I think you have that backwards; pops & bangs galore in above setups.

(on a side note, don't want to pollute GF's post, but my exhaust goes: long tube headers, decat, and depending on fully controlable valve position: straight pipes (so nothing there to muffle anything 😀) or absorption muffler.  So pretty confident that's about as loud as you can go.  Oh, and did I say pops & bangs galore AND flames??😀.)

Back ontopic. (sry for that)

@GFWilliams like the electric vacuum pump idea, but can't you use the vacuum canister that comes with the KT air intake and use it with a normally open solenoid?  The time for it to loose vacuum will also be the time for the engine to cool down and in that case it doesn't do the stupid "Rev up on Engine on thing"?

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by Kristof Thys

[GFWilliams]

Thinking out loud with the Respray again...

Also, side skirts mould is nearly finished, just got some more reinforcement to do on it, then we can make the first set in carbon for my car. This shows the shape a bit, taking inspiration from OEM, cutting in where your feet go when you get out to aid ingress/egress, plus I think look better that way, then we have designed them to be a bit more aggressive than others, while still giving the OEM quality fitment.  Weave will be 45 degrees out from the middle of the car, but the edges will have carbon which had the weave all the way over the edge to the bottom, meaning it is a no compromise solution. For reference, the OEM ones have a (admittedly neat) join half way through the edge. Other aftermarket ones seem to have given up with the edges... so I’m confident we’re doing things properly, even if it takes a bit longer.

 

[PeterG]

This picture might help you on the respray 🤔 

 

[stephenwhyte]

Now we’re talking @GFWilliams......similar to Crazy Plum. Much better choice than Pink👏👏👏😎

[EldonZ]

I spoke with my body shop guy about this color and he told me that it does not fair well in the sun.

Later,
Eldon

[stephenwhyte]

37 minutes ago, EldonZ said:

I spoke with my body shop guy about this color and he told me that it does not fair well in the sun.

Later,
Eldon

We don’t get the sun here Eldon.....won’t be a problem!😉 It certainly pops in the sun though!😎

[alias23]

@GFWilliams a very worth while note "Weave will be 45 degrees out from the middle of the car, but the edges will have carbon which had the weave all the way over the edge to the bottom, meaning it is a no compromise solution. For reference, the OEM ones have a (admittedly neat) join half way through the edge. Other aftermarket ones seem to have given up with the edges... " the edge is the hard bit for sure!

Good luck buddy 👍

[GFWilliams]

6 hours ago, stephenwhyte said:

Now we’re talking @GFWilliams......similar to Crazy Plum. Much better choice than Pink👏👏👏😎

I wouldn't do crazy plum, the above is a BMW colour, but I'm not entirely happy with it so would customise it I think.

[stephenwhyte]

1 hour ago, GFWilliams said:

I wouldn't do crazy plum, the above is a BMW colour, but I'm not entirely happy with it so would customise it I think.

Don’t think for 1 minute I’m sitting thinking you would.....I knew it would have to be different - but the idea of an even more pearlescent vibrant version of similar is the right way to go. Certainly compared to Pink anyway👍😉

[Woots]

10 hours ago, PeterG said:

This picture might help you on the respray 🤔 

 

Is this the one from oakmere...? That’s gorgeous

[PeterG]

Yes it's from Oakmere. Really pleased with it.

@GFWilliams this site might help you with choosing a purple. https://www.instagram.com/makepurplegreatagain/

Very nice one is the Morgan Aero SS in Bugatti Violet Metalic. Lots of different shades in different light conditions.

[GFWilliams]

I decided to get my winter (cast) wheels refurbed and am super happy with the result. I went for a dark shadow chrome which really shows the shape of the wheels well. 

I ceramic coated the wheels with Gtechniq C1 then Exo V4 before they went on and gave the wheel arches a thorough clean when the wheels were being changed. 

You’ll have to excuse the temporary lack of front splitter, the new carbon one will be fitted soon... I’ll take some proper photos of the wheels soon.

My forged wheels are anthracite, I much prefer the shadow chrome so might get the forged wheels redone in shadow chrome next year before they go back on.  Also worth saying that I ceramic coated the forged wheels earlier this year and I’m amazed how well it’s held up and how clean they are even inside, they still feel brand new!

[cweeden]

Hi @GFWilliams, can I ask which company you used to refinish your wheels? They do look great.

cheers

-Chris

[GFWilliams]

@cweeden - wheelworksuk in Gatwick.

A couple of better photos:

Also test fitted the second prototype side skirts today and super happy as the fitment is now absolutely spot on.  Should be pretty quick for the first batch now!