Anyone know this Elise?

[TrevS]

On a random Ebay browse I stumbled across this Elise for sale with full Exige S1 body kit and Toyota engine conversion. I've been looking at Evora's as my possible first Lotus and have built up some good knowledge from owners on here but know absolutely nothing about S1 Elise's apart from the want factor on this car purely on the way it looks is off the chart. The ad says sold otherwise I would have gone to see the car as to my untrained eye it clearly looks like a lot of time, effort, money and love went into this car but does anyone know the car or the owner that sold? The body conversion looks great so is this fairly common on S1's? The ad also says the car had a Toyota 3ZR from Hangar 111. Again is this a common conversion/sight in s1 Elise's or Exiges?

I'd be interested to know what something like this would likely cost to replicate and any info on this sort of build. Apologies for the noob questions and excitement.

Here is the original ebay ad

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195910090784?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20221115143056%26meid%3Db64f3a5ccd5e484f955227ba915f6a9c%26pid%3D101612%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D195910090784%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4375194%26algv%3DRecentlyViewedItemsV2&_trksid=p4375194.c101612.m4236&_trkparms=parentrq%3A057bdf1218a0ab8e0d301c4fffff3c5e|pageci%3A4a4f619b-3d48-11ee-9fe2-7a974e02a124|iid%3A1|vlpname%3Avlp_homepage

Thanks

Trev

 

[Bibs]

If the car has been through H111's workshop, there's a chance that @DH2 might know it! 

[DH2]

7 minutes ago, Bibs said:

If the car has been through H111's workshop, there's a chance that @DH2 might know it! 

I do know a bit about it. Am travelling today so will try to remember to come back to this thread.

Dave

[jep]

The Exige S1 was in production from 2000 to 2001. If this is a 1998 Elise S1, then it has been converted to an Exige S1 body with a later engine. S1 Elise/Exige had K series engine. 

As your first Lotus I would suggest 'avoid'. It may be fab .....but it may not be. 

It certainly is not a common conversion, simply because you can buy the same looking car built by Lotus. 

Evora is a very sensible first Lotus but frankly any Lotus built on the aluminium platform from 1996 is a safe bet (factory spec cars 😊) if you buy wisely.

S1 Elise is probably the greatest road sports car ever made and the world is waking up to this. Loads of articles being written and prices are edging up. 

Justin 

[Rambo]

1 hour ago, jep said:

 S1 Elise is probably the greatest road sports car ever made and the world is waking up to this. 

Next to the M100, of course 😉

[jep]

Natch.

Type 100 they call it now 😊.

[Fermi]

On 18/08/2023 at 08:10, DH2 said:

I do know a bit about it. Am travelling today so will try to remember to come back to this thread.

Dave

Evening! I actually purchased this Elise and it's been fantastic. Definitely interested in hearing any details you might have on it!

[TrevS]

Were you at the LDC farmers fayre breakfast with your son? If so we had a brief chat about the car. I posted originally about the car as I thought it looked like a great example but didn’t go and view it. Would love to have a proper look around the car if you are at any other LDC meets. 

[Fermi]

I was and sounds good - I'm hoping to make it out to this Sunday's breakfast and will also be @ the Lotus on Track Silverstone event in November.

[TrevS]

Might see you at breakfast then, hoping we might get a rare dry day on Sunday to get the Evora out for a drive.

[Fermi]

21 hours ago, Fermi said:

Evening! I actually purchased this Elise and it's been fantastic. Definitely interested in hearing any details you might have on it!

@DH2

[DH2]

We were approached by a company who were essentially looking to box shift Toyota engines.  They were looking at fitting a Toyota to S1 Elise, and had purchased the cheapest Elise they could find (their words), and installed a 3ZR engine, adapted to the PG1 gearbox.  This is basically the 2 litre version of the 2ZR Lotus put into the S3 Elise from 2012-on.  We did a few bits on the car, including the exhaust manifold.

It had some potential, but the time for engine conversions had passed, and was in decline, as cheap Elises became fewer, and the value of original cars increasing.  My abiding memory is of the head gasket giving up on me somewhere near Oulton Park (as per photo, using shoes to let some heat out waiting for recovery). They had the car back after that, and that was the end of our involvement.  I believe they fixed the engine and sold the car, which later re-appeared for sale a few times, and evidently at some point someone emptied their wallet into the bodywork.

 

 

[Fermi]

Thanks, Dave!!! @DH2  

Good to know on the head gasket and from my research it's definitely lived a mega life.

There's a folder with a boat load of receipts and even with the higher body mileage seems well cared for based on those.

If it's okay I would love to send you a DM with some additional questions 😎