2006 Lotus Elise build thread

Finally - all caught up to present day. Two quick and easy projects with the car this week. Let me start by saying that I hate snakes.

The OEM radio in an Elise is an awful Blaupunkt acapulco mp54. You're never going to get good sound quality from an Elise, but at the very least I wanted a radio that could play bluetooth, had a USB input, and had a volume knob at the very least. Here's the stock radio:

I haven't bought a car stereo in nearly a decade and didn't realize how cheap they've gotten. I picked this one up from Crutchfield for $99. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130X6900BT/Pioneer-DEH-X6900BT.html

I start by yanking the old one out and see this...

There's a pile of garbage inside the dashboard. Great - this was home to some mice at one point. I can't reach too deep into the dash from the little hole, but I made an effort to get as much as possible. Then I feel something funny, pull it out, and...

I grab a handful of this snake skin and dive out of the car. After getting myself together I made a pokey tool out of a wire and start stabbing around in there. I think I'm in the clear and get as much trash out as possible. I think I need to take the dash apart to get all of it as there's still a pile behind the airbag and there may or may not be a snake in there.

Project #2... I need a cup holder. I realize this is sacrilege in an Elise, but I've always got a can of soda in my hand and needed somewhere to put it. You could spend $130 on something like this: https://www.blackwatchracing.com/product-p/1019.htm, but I went the cheap route and got this thing and slapped some double side tape to hold it in place: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00911UXJ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_fH9Ezb034G8QD. It stays in place and cost 10 bucks. Sold.

Weekend well spent. Radio works way better than the OEM one and I have a place to put my soda. Next up - I'll do a 6 month / 1,000 mile review of life with an Elise.

Great info. I'm thinking that I'll pick up an Elise or original NSX sometime in the next year or so.

What a small world. I live North of you in NH. I've gone to Fort Devens several times, although mainly with the Renegade Miata club, and only once this year with the SCCA. But, I bet I saw your car at some point. Been to the Larz Anderson too, but not for British car day.

The President of the SCCNH, which runs autoX up at Loudon, drives a purple Elise. He's plenty fast, and if you can get a hold of him, he'll probably give you many useful tips. His name is Howard Roundy.

I like reading stuff like this. If money wasn't as much of a factor, I probably would consider going from a Miata to a Lotus. They seem like a logical progression, keeping with the less is more, super-focused sports car concept. But of course, I'm still a long ways off from having Lotus money, even if in the grand scheme of things they aren't that expensive.

I can't believe how much garbage your critter friends left you in those dark corners of the car! This Elise has had quite a life apparently. My Miata is twice the age, yet has less evidence of unexpected visitors. The car has stupidly low mileage for its age, so it did spend its fair share of time sitting around a lot. But I suppose that sitting time was spent in a well sealed and controlled garage.

I remember the thread about Lotus' and Wirewheel, and you had just bought this, I believe. I'm very much going to follow this thread, since turning 50 last month it's on my mind that I might need to buy my "Mid-Life Crisis" car now, while I can still enjoy it.

And the Elise/Exige has been on my mind for a few years, after reading the article about $35-40k examples. But your beginning definitely has me a bit nervous, at least for a car I can't at least test drive and think "that doesn't feel right at all".

I'm trying to sell the supercharged MR2 at the moment, and partially because I'll need the garage space if I find my Lotus...

Guessing the snake took care of the mouse issue . Hopefully it moved on after taking care of the mice. I think I'd be pulling the dash apart at seeing that - along with the poking around lots of nooks and crannies.

I realize I haven't updated this thread in a while, but there has been nothing new to report. With Lotus ownership - no news is good news. Car has been running great all summer, no other pieces have fallen off, and all is generally well. I was only able to get about 1,500 miles on the car this summer due to a crazy work schedule and losing a bunch of weekends to rainy weather. Fall in New England is awesome, so I'm hoping to get at least one more good month out of it before putting the car away. Went for a nice long drive all throughout the back roads of MA earlier today and the car was right in it's element.

I inevitably hoard parts every winter and I'm sure it'll be no different with the Elise. I think I'd like to get a nice set of coilovers to replace the tired original stuff. I will likely do a lighter battery too and I'm not sure what else from there. There are always awesome used parts popping up for sale on the Lotus forums for cheap so we'll see. After having gone to every autocross event for the last three years - I was only able to go to a single event in the Elise this year. I don't foresee my schedule getting any easier next year so I won't pay too much attention to building the car up to a competitive autocrosser in it's class and just throw parts on there that I'll enjoy.

Here's a shot from today:

"With Lotus ownership - no news is good news."

As a long term owner of a Series 1 Elise this is the truest thing I've ever read.  And you got off easy with the niggled when you first bought it.  Try an early one with the Rover K Series engines :)

Also, spitfire engineering make a fantastic toe link kit next time you're thinking of replacing.  I've had one on mine for 5 years and punished it on trackdays, the Nurburgring, commuting and general dailying on pot hole speed bumped horror show UK roads and it still looks and functions like new.

Original owner here. Still love mine. 

Track time, 3 cross country trips, 19 hour straight driving days, keeps on chugging, and looks as good as I ordered it new from factory

mr2s2000elise said:

Original owner here. Still love mine. 

 

Track time, 3 cross country trips, 19 hour straight driving days, keeps on chugging, and looks as good as I ordered it new from factory

These comments are worthless without pictures :)

jnoiles said:

mr2s2000elise said:

Original owner here. Still love mine. 

 

Track time, 3 cross country trips, 19 hour straight driving days, keeps on chugging, and looks as good as I ordered it new from factory

These comments are worthless without pictures :)

I am ok being worthless on another gentleman’s build thread