TBD

Finally someone has done it!

For proper downforce you'll need to install a rubber skirt as the cup and 430. BTW the Autobahn is a great place to verify the effectiveness, the Exige becomes invcredibly planted at speed (but, top speed is reduced slightly).

Why are neewly built Ford GTs always called replica, but newly built Lotus Seven still called Caterham??🙂

Yes, the rears. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see it either. In fact, I had the car up 3 or 4 times before we found it. It was only upon removal, when we couldn't pull the shock that we realised the bolt was blocking it.

Check the rear upper mounts for the shock absorbers. I had the bolt loosen and finally throw the nut and slip out of place. Its all in a cage, which means that if it did move you can't remove it.

I put the complete list on FB quate a time ago. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3440306262600

The limit without doing internal changes is about 500HP. The Komotec EX460-kits have proven to be very reliable (if correctly installed).

Absolutely amazing project Suds!!! Not to mention the garage😍. I've been contemplating an Esprit project for my ever nearing retirement and recently took a look at an S3 that was on sale. However, after seeing that one I know I'll never be satisfied with a halfway restoration and, in fact the restomod idea is growing on me. You may seriously have blown all my budget considerations. The Esprit exemplified leading edge technology when it was new and it seems that it wuld warrant the same treatment today. It still has the space age looks it had 40 years ago. But, in my dreams I could imagine an electrical conversion for the Esprit, restomoddding it into true eSPRIT.

That is about the only decent hotel in Mendig.🛌. On the other hand, the better place to eat (and drink house beer) is Vulkan Brauerei: https://g.page/VulkanBrauerei?share

I would say my good friend and neighbour Marc probalby has the best collection of Lotus Miniatures: https://www.facebook.com/groups/136076595578/

Per law speed indicator has to come from the car and not GPS. This would come from the OBD (CANbus) signal. Which actually leads to an interesting question. The OBD speed is stored as an 8 bit number, i.e. goes from 0 to 255 Kph (its always metric, cnversion is in the display). So what happens if the car is goind faster than that? The GARW just goes restarts at 0 (so 260Kphh is shown as 4 Kph). What does the AIM display show? Has anyone tested this already?

https://www.komo-tec.com/en/lotus-exige/mk3-toyota-v6350380/suspension/671/uniball-upright-bushing-kit-kt-track-for-exige-v6?c=521

I finally picked up the car after 4(!) months, three of them waiting for Lotus to deliver the replacement bell housing. Turned out the real culprit was a disintigrating differential, where the axle hat pulled. It was then probably the unballance that caused the housing to fail. Komotec spent a few hours cleaning the geabox from metal bits and pieces. It was such a rare fault that Lotus specifically asked that Komotec return the broken differential for analysis. On the upside, I did get the Quaffe installed instead of the stock diff - heavily subsidised by Lotus.

See here: http://vsic.lotuscars.com/

So would this setup pass MOT, resp. tÜV in Germany? To my understanding it would require individual (and expensive) certification

I wouldn't even think twice as long as the remaining open area is larger than the throttle opening, which it certainly looks to be. Further the entire scoop is a forced air compression chamber, which is its entire purpose.

See here

Don't expect much of that coming in the future. Every tuner extends the bounds of the cars homologation, something you can generally do on an individual basis where the cars owner takes all accountability for the legal implications. As a carmaker you can't do that, you can't tranfser your liability to the customer. For example, the EX60 kit from Komotec can be legalized in Germany, meaning it's recorded in the cars papers, but only because Komotec actually did the necessary emissions testing (so you do get an uprise on your car tax). But, to my knowledge you can't legally register the kit in France, though it will pass all inspections and MOTs. If it were Lotus doing the tuning they need to have a full COC for every market they intend to sell the car to.

Exactly! The market for tune VWs is logically much larger than for tuned Lotus. I have heard of supplier engineers who have sold the unencryption algortihms for their ECU'S for a few hundred thousand Euros! That just doesn't work for Lotus, which is why Komotec has spent a lot of effort reverse engineering the ECU and even today has only limited access. However, there are meanwhile a few outfits that can handle the Lotus ECU and make minor changes for example to timing. Some have even cloned the KT software. Unfortunately I've seen some of their work here in France - mostly in the form of blown engines. The encryption is more or less required by law, simply because the manufacturer is liable for changes made that could affect consumption of emissions. Its also the reason aftermarket ECUs aren't legal for road use (except maybe in the US).

Unfortunately ist the exact same kit in both the 410 and 430. In both cases you get the new headers and sports cat, so after kit instalation both engines are identical - ultimately producing the same power. Consequentially, if you ask Daniel which car you should buy he'll tell you to get the 410, save a lot of money that you can spend on the EX475 kit.

I have been told there are great roads there, particularly on the Spannish side. I believe the D115/ C-38 between Le Boulou and Ripoll is a good start. Then Andorra etc.

I still have two upper shells, but no bottom sides and cores. If we get a few (3-5) together I could have these printed new. I also still have the carbon key (see photo above) available if anyone wants it.

Since moving to France I've been supporting Daniel in helping several French customers with the Komotes EX460 kit. Several kit owners here have had serious engine failures following installation of the kit, failures evidently not previously experienced on other Komotec installations (one particular French dealer seemed to have had a penchant for failed installations) . However, we have meanwhile been able to trace the fault to a simple, but catastrophic installation issue regarding the O2 sensor cables It is of utter importance that the before-cat O2 sensor cables are correctly connected to the correspondign left and right engine banks! Interchanging the cables will lead to a rough engine, probable cat failure and potentially burnt pistons. A returning MIL light is a good initial indicator, monitoring the sensors would confirm wrong readings. Unfortunately it is easy to interchange the cables because the sensors are relocated with the kit and the extension cables are identical.

The difference is the airbox, which you can see in the photo above. Basically the stages are as follows (always accompanied by the corresponding tune). Exige S/350 (also Evora S) Stage 1 (390 HP): new headers, sportscat, airfilter, stage 1 tune Stage 2 (430 HP) stage 1 plus compressor pulley, carbon airbox, stage 2 tune Stage 3 (460 HP) stage 2 plus charge cooler, stage 3 tune Exige 410/430 (also Evora 410/430 and 3eleven) Stage 1 (475 HP): new headers, sportscat, airfilter, stage 1 tune Stage 2 (490 HP) stage 1 plus carbon airbox, stage 2 tune (already in the online shop for the 3eleven) All above 500 HP requires internal engine mods and the squential gearbox, which is why you won't find it in the online shop.