Cars

[Hbkrusso]

would very much love to find and restore one of these badboys as my first truck was an old beat up one but don't have the extra cash laying around for yet another hobby atm haha

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

Re the Lotus Elise - Tell me it's as much fun to drive as I think it is.

It is beyond fun. I'm on my second one. Had an '05 naturally aspirated Elise and moved to an '08 with the factory SC.

You can get an '05 for around $30K and they look like $150K exotics. Toyota 2ZZ power train so relatively bulletproof.

The handling on them is sublime. In my instance, 218hp in a 1950# car. Frankly, I've never driven a car that handles so well. Certain cars just have the 'it' factor. This car has it in spades. A simple trip to Walgreens taking the long way through some twisty roads is heaven.

That said, it's very small, the glassfibre body is fragile and it's a complete pain in the ass to get in an out of with the hardtop on.

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

would very much love to find and restore one of these badboys as my first truck was an old beat up one but don't have the extra cash laying around for yet another hobby atm haha

Restorations are fun and ALWAYS take longer than expected. For me, it was scrounging parts for my Mini Moke. A relatively rare car that was primarily used in Australia? Waiting on parts.

Oh, and there's always that 'hey, I just need one more tool' thing. Restos are cool if you already HAVE the tools. If you have to buy them, look out. Gotta be smart about what to farm out (i.e., Powder coating, mandrel bending, etc).

 

[nvanprooyen]

It is beyond fun. I'm on my second one. Had an '05 naturally aspirated Elise and moved to an '08 with the factory SC.

You can get an '05 for around $30K and they look like $150K exotics. Toyota 2ZZ power train so relatively bulletproof.

The handling on them is sublime. In my instance, 218hp in a 1950# car. Frankly, I've never driven a car that handles so well. Certain cars just have the 'it' factor. This car has it in spades. A simple trip to Walgreens taking the long way through some twisty roads is heaven.

That said, it's very small, the glassfibre body is fragile and it's a complete pain in the ass to get in an out of with the hardtop on.

You are confirming everything I've ever thought about them as an outsider. That one is definitely near the top of my list for a "weekend fun / spirited drive car". How tall are you? Is there size a problem for taller drivers?

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

You are confirming everything I've ever thought about them as an outsider. That one is definitely near the top of my list for a "weekend fun / spirited drive car". How tall are you? Is there size a problem for taller drivers?

I'm 7'2", 494#. Nah, I'm like 6', 190#. Not a problem. We have one guy who is like 6'3" in our crew and he fits as well.

It's a ***** to get into with the hardtop on (not due to the height of the car, but rather the height of the side sills - the side sills are part of the 'tub' which is the monocoque of the car). There's an art to it. Once in, the seats are narrow, but they cocoon you - almost like you are wearing the car.

There really is no other way to describe it. Direct and I mean DIRECT road/steering input. It's as if you are connected to the road. No power steering or other nanny shit - it's a pure raw driving experience. If you ever driven karts or shifter karts, is the closest experience in a road going car.

It's just a phenomenal car for spirited drives. We do at least a half dozen a summer. Anywhere from a dozen up. Once had 32 cars in a convoy - mostly Lotus (Elise, Exige, Evora, Esprit) as well as a few other exotics (GT3RS mentioned above, 458 Italia, McLaren Mp4, Spyker C8, Gallardo Performante). Just an incredible time.

The only issue with height is if you track. I have to track it with my softop on (flexibility). With the hard top, my helmet hits the top of the roof and it's uncomfortable.

The main aftermarket company is called Sector111 - they made 'TallRails' which basically lowered the seat runner and inch or two. Made a big difference for tall guys. They don't make them anymore, but you can find them on the Lotus forums if you look.

 

[Nail Polish]

Restorations are fun and ALWAYS take longer than expected. For me, it was scrounging parts for my Mini Moke. A relatively rare car that was primarily used in Australia? Waiting on parts.

Oh, and there's always that 'hey, I just need one more tool' thing. Restos are cool if you already HAVE the tools. If you have to buy them, look out. Gotta be smart about what to farm out (i.e., Powder coating, mandrel bending, etc).

Im the 90s, I did a frame off on a 56 mercury that came out beautiful..Powder coated frame, proper coatings on window frames etc.Took 2 years, and I would never do another..I finally sold this one

 

[Globetrotter]

Porsche track car is a '98 turbo..Yes, that's Tywin on TG.

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

Is that a Factory Five GTM?

Very cool. There's a local guy (Gallardo owner) who also has one. They are VERY VERY low to the ground. Makes a GT40 (40 inches) look tall! I think he has a twin turbo LS9 in it!

That's on my bucket list. Build a kit - specifically an Ultima GTR or RCR Superlite.

Another idea is the Beck 904. I've been toying with the idea of a '55 Beck 550 Syder Replica. Got to met Randy Beck (Chuck Beck's son) and he runs one of their 904 Replicas with a 3.2L flat six from a 911 in it. I want to see he's dyno'd at something like 300HP. In a 1600# car! Crazy.

 

[LordKOTL]

For me the key to a fun car is accelleration. I don't really care how the car gets there--I've driven my aunt's bigass Crown Vic, and it was nowhere near as fun as my bro's old Talon TSi AWD (Pre-crankwalk issue DSM). I'm also not the type to sink a fortune into a car, so at best it's lightly "bolt-on" mods for me.

While I do agree with the "proper cars need 3 pedals", and in a vacuum I will always pick a stick over a slushbox for the same car, If I have my eye on a particular model I will sacrifice the stick for raw HP/TRQ--as was the case of my current car.

Right now my "dream car" which I hope actually comes out would be the rumored new GNX--supposedly a Twin-snail V6 pushing 400 and only avaliable in the proper color: Black.

 

[Crystallas]

While I have appreciation for nearly everything, and have done a number of projects in every direction(well, I haven't done an SUV, but if time/money permits, I will one day), I love retromodding obscure cars more than anything else. Taking something that had a very distinct, disliked appeal, and making it really awesome and practical to own, while making it fun to drive.

 

[Globetrotter]

Is that a Factory Five GTM?

Very cool. There's a local guy (Gallardo owner) who also has one. They are VERY VERY low to the ground. Makes a GT40 (40 inches) look tall! I think he has a twin turbo LS9 in it!

That's on my bucket list. Build a kit - specifically an Ultima GTR or RCR Superlite.

Another idea is the Beck 904. I've been toying with the idea of a '55 Beck 550 Syder Replica. Got to met Randy Beck (Chuck Beck's son) and he runs one of their 904 Replicas with a 3.2L flat six from a 911 in it. I want to see he's dyno'd at something like 300HP. In a 1600# car! Crazy.

Yessir. congrats on being the first person to know WTF it is.

I'm starting mild with a n/a LS3. You know what gearbox he was running?

This one will be lower and 2" wider than normal..

 

[xer0h0ur]

I've heard that Leno is a "regular guy"... That's cool about some people with tons of money..It doesn't go to their head

In my experience self made men are usually much less full of themselves than those born with the silver spoon in their mouths. Although obviously this doesn't apply across the board.

 

[xer0h0ur]

My wet dream is to one day have a turboed and supercharged car. Always wanted one.

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

My wet dream is to one day have a turboed and supercharged car. Always wanted one.

Ah. 'Compound charging'. Do a YouTube search on ronin Lotus. He took a n/a Lotus Elise and put both an sc and a turbo in it. Claimed it dyno'd north of 700hp. In a 2000 pound car. Insane. Tons of videos of him going crazy on the Mulhollland roads.

He's an old man and an absolute cretin though. He wound up totalling that car and built another Lotus custom thing.

Takes a lot of engineering but can be done.

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

Yessir. congrats on being the first person to know WTF it is.

I'm starting mild with a n/a LS3. You know what gearbox he was running?

This one will be lower and 2" wider than normal..

Not sure. Do you go on any FF forums? His has Wisconsin plates with 'Theo' on them. Has the car painted a nice charcoal grey with black RAC Monolites

 

[Globetrotter]

I saw a Venom in Vegas a few months ago. Unbelievable.

 

[FatBabiesHaveNoPride]

I saw a Venom in Vegas a few months ago. Unbelievable.

The venom to me is ick. Take an Elise, stretch and put an ls9 in it. Charge $1m. Even uses the stock interior. I just don't see $1m.

Compare that to a pagani Zonda where every single bolt and screw is titanium or the koenissegg agera where the instrument cluster is effectively a Swiss watch. That shows $1m in engineering and materials. The venom uses the same
damn $2 indicator stalks that are sources from a econobox vauxhall and are in my Elise!

Saw the original yellow mule model at pebble beach a couple of years ago.

 

[DrGonzo]

Kind of stuck on "hot hatches". I can't afford to have more than one car so I want one that attempts to do a little bit of everything (practicality/economy/performance/comfort/style) even if it isn't outstanding at anything. Have been thinking about getting a mkVII Golf R in about a year. It'll be in the US soon but at first dealers are going to want MSRP so to me it's dumb not to wait. But even when deals are to be had it's still a lot of money (for me anyway) and if I spend that much I have to be sure I love it because I'm gonna keep it forever. If I don't love it I'll keep what I have or keep looking...

http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/go...road-test.html

Normally I get a new car about every five years, about the time the warranty expires. Makes bad economic sense because I never stop having payments, but I get bored after a while.

If I ever move back to the midwest I will go back to a 4x4 small pickup. Mileage sucks but when I lived in MN I used to hate it when I'd be parked on the street and a snow plow would go by and pile two feet of snow alongside and I'd have to dig myself out. When I had a truck I could just say **** it and go right through. Plus back then I was always going camping and liked being able to throw a couple weeks worth of stuff in there.

 

[LordKOTL]

While I have appreciation for nearly everything, and have done a number of projects in every direction(well, I haven't done an SUV, but if time/money permits, I will one day), I love retromodding obscure cars more than anything else. Taking something that had a very distinct, disliked appeal, and making it really awesome and practical to own, while making it fun to drive.

About 12 years ago I was at a dragstrip in Spokane, and some guy drag-modified an AMC Pacer--like 7 secs in the 1/4 mile modified. Wasn't street legal, but was impressive.

 

[Nail Polish]

About 12 years ago I was at a dragstrip in Spokane, and some guy drag-modified an AMC Pacer--like 7 secs in the 1/4 mile modified. Wasn't street legal, but was impressive.

ummm...7 secs is REAL impressive....yikes!