CAR Went out for a pint of British skim milk...

[Ninja]

...came back with this instead: 1998 Lotus Elise Series 1

It needs a massive detailing after having sat in a shed (basically untouched) for the last 10+ years with the top off. It's hard to describe just how tiny this thing is- weighs only 755 kg / 1665 lbs with a full tank.

After a thorough detail and some other small things, I plan to completely refresh the suspension and brakes.






New photos added on page 2

 

[NiggaPHX420]

Daaaaaam sun!

 

[ERock]

Sweet!

 

[patina]

Congrats! The S1 are very special cars. Be extra careful with the front bonnet and make sure you keep it on a battery tender, swapping out that micro battery is a pita. I'd also strongly suggest you keep a fresh fire extinguisher in the car.

 

[anomaly]

Hell yea brother!

 

[SickOfItAll]

I remember how cool those things were, haven't seen an Elise in years now.

 

[Section8]

wow that's a great find. might want to go through all the hoses and belts to make sure they aren't dry rotted.

 

[patina]

Sucks we never got them over here.

 

[Phx Cobra]

Congrats! The S1 are very special cars. Be extra careful with the front bonnet and make sure you keep it on a battery tender, swapping out that micro battery is a pita. I'd also strongly suggest you keep a fresh fire extinguisher in the car.

Will second the battery comment. I had a 2005 Elise and it was very similar, replacing the battery with something small/lightweight like a Braille lithum is a good choice.
Get a rash guard for under the front lip, because that fiberglass loooooves to get smoked and splinter.

 

[five]

so sick!!

 

[Ray Wonder]

it looks like the size of my toddlers car

 

[tommylightning]

Wonder if @Scottwax has a current passport

 

[cASe SenSiTive]

 

[mollywhop]

neat-o

 

[monolith]

Awesome

Always loved those cars, used to read the Lotustalk forums quite a bit. Reading about the cost of repairing or replacing the clamshell(s) was pretty interesting.

 

[Bloke]

Looks very cool

 

[Kevin]

mouthify my wang

 

[Cashishift]

@ace3

 

[Ninja]

wow that's a great find. might want to go through all the hoses and belts to make sure they aren't dry rotted.

I've currently got about £3k/$4k in my eliseparts shopping cart

I'll be replacing the radiator with an uprated alloy version along with a bunch of silicone hoses.

Car has a handful of upgrades including a Nitron suspension, full Larini exhaust, and Sport 160 spoiler. I also plan on picking up a hardtop.

 

[Leonard Washington]

Awesome.
I got a chance to drive a series 2 and nothing has come close to that much fun since

 

[patina]

I've currently got about £3k/$4k in my eliseparts shopping cart

I'll be replacing the radiator with an uprated alloy version along with a bunch if silicone hoses.

Car has with a handful of upgrades including a Nitron suspension, full Larini exhaust, and Sport 160 spoiler. I also plan on picking up a hardtop.

I’d go ahead and upgrade to their quickshifter kit if it hasn’t already been done.

 

[Ninja]

I’d go ahead and upgrade to their quickshifter kit if it hasn’t already been done.

I'm eventually going to swap in a Honda K20, so I'm holding off on engine/trans upgrades. The S1 Elise came with a medicore Rover engine, not the Toyota 2ZZ.

 

[smell my finger]

best car purchase thread in a while old:

 

[iLLt3ck]

Congrats Can we get a pic of the engine bay?

 

[DasVWBabe]

Love this! Congratulations!