2005 Elise extreme makeover - LotusTalk

Dapcius · 11-07-2008, 06:25 PM

Last week was the first time i took my car out of garage. Only few of my friends have seen it . I had it for about 8 months worked on it for about 4 ( on and off) . Afer taking it to aligmet shop and seeing peoples reactions , decided to start a thread describing my most recent project .
I have purchased car in salvage auction near Atlanta I think in February ,
2005 Elise 3900 miles LSS wheels and suspention. No frame damage one of toe link ball joints was bent .
Maybe someone even recognises it I'd like to know what the hell happend to it ,there was not a single side or fiberglass part that wasnt damaged .
Looked like someone ran in to a wooden fence or old barn . There were splinners everywhere two 1x6 about 3 feet each were stuck near engine ripped all wires from ECU .
here are first pictures ( many more to come ) of the car the way I have bought it .

Hello Kitty · 11-07-2008, 06:45 PM

How much did you pay for it?

Dapcius · 11-07-2008, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hello Kitty

How much did you pay for it?

With auction fees it was 5900 . Got about 1400 from selling airbags , AC condenser , heater , fan some other parts .

gt3guru · 11-07-2008, 07:06 PM

Sounds like a the right price anyway! never seen one sold for that little. most want much more

lotusforsale · 11-07-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gt3guru

Sounds like a the right price anyway! never seen one sold for that little. most want much more

I dunno, even with a net in the low $4K range, all new body, front lights, crash structure, windshield, grill set, replace the parts he sold, a good paint job, replacing much of an interior exposed to the elements, and lord knows what else, could probably easily pick up a low milege 05 0r 06 Elise for at or less than what's this is going to cost to restore. Maybe he can do all the work himself, donate his sweat equity.

Mr. Know · 11-07-2008, 10:42 PM

I'm confused. Are you going to repair it, or part it out? I'm curious as to what happened to it as well...doesn't look good whatever it was.

Dapcius · 11-08-2008, 06:27 AM

Forgot to mention in first post that car is beeing buid strictly for track . Because of damage it had sustained there is just too much to replace to put it back on the street . Everything that you need for the track is intact frame, suspention, brakes, engine, tranny ....
It took me a while to sodder all ripped wires wrom ECU . tried starting it ..... nothing- fuel pump was not working . Thanks to LotusTalk find out that there should be a fuel pump reset button . but all I had was three wires and broaken lastic fitting . Even that was cruched After bipasssing the reset swich car started right up . Of course couldn't resist took most broaken fiberglass and took it for a spin around neighbourhood , couple people seen me with what the f... is that look on their face.
There is few more pictures . Started to remove everything from the car .

xeeeejme · 11-08-2008, 06:49 AM

Looks like an awesome project. Good luck! Pictures of the frame??

zygotesoup · 11-08-2008, 07:06 AM

you're like one of those good samaritans... saving that poor elise from the scrap yard

orangeflash · 11-08-2008, 07:23 AM

wow... dude. i would do almost anything to get my hands on any elise. I want one so bad. even if it's a project like this.

Darkside Eng · 11-08-2008, 10:34 AM

WE GOT WHAT YOU NEED!!!!

CF front clam 2000+shipping
CF Rear clam 2000+shipping

Dapcius · 11-08-2008, 04:28 PM

Thanks for offer of carbon clams , but like i said the car is pretty much finished exept for few things here and there . The pictures that Im posting are about 8 months old .

CertifiedCC · 11-08-2008, 05:30 PM

as long as ur sure there wasn't any frame damage, i think you should be fine.

Dapcius · 11-08-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CertifiedCC

as long as ur sure there wasn't any frame damage, i think you should be fine.

I defenately would like to find ex owner to hear the story .It is strange how the car has sustained damage . It didnt hit a large stationary object like a tree or guard rail or a moovig car ,where whole force of impact would be concentrated in one area . Like I have mentioned there were pieces of almost rotten wood stuck in fiberglass everywhere front ,both sides back . I think car spun out in to eather a fence or a small wooden structure . The impact was defenately strong enough to mess all the cosmetics . After I have replaced damaged toe link ball joint and started car ,took it around neighbourhood even front alighment seemed fine .
I have looked everywhere didnt see any cracks or fractures anywhere . There was one dent on frame behind drivers door about 2x2 inches 1/4 inch deep thats where 2 large pieces of 1x6 penetrated and ripped wires of ECU . that small dent in no way efects the strenth of that frame . I defenetely wanted to make sure the car is in good enough shape to spend time and money on it .

Dapcius · 11-09-2008, 05:38 PM

Finally got everything removed from car . A/C condensor , compresor , heater fan , window motors ..... Installed shorter belt since there is only one that moves altenator a/c ... made aluminum brackets for radiator , without condesor it has to sit about 1' lower
Before cutting out broaken windshield made paper template . Bought piece of Lexan from house boat building co $90, cut it out glued it . Most race cars you have to reinforce Lexan windshields . Because of the Elise winshield shape it turned out very strong
Next step will be bodywork

Dapcius · 11-10-2008, 05:54 PM

Original plan was to replace front clam , doors , headlights ... and try to fix rear clam and rocker moldings half of one was missing .
So started on bodywork on rear clam and rocker panels , or whatever there was left from them . And started shopping around for parts

Hello Kitty · 11-10-2008, 06:24 PM

Way more pictures please!

Dapcius · 11-10-2008, 06:58 PM

Lets get to fun part .
After working on a car for about a month decided not to spend 7 or 8 thousand on stock elise parts but do something comepletely diferent . At this point rear clam and rocker moldings were fixed . So time was to work on the front . There were about 7 or 8 pieces from front clam several sections were missing . I was never big fan of elise front look . Decided to use diferent headlights and lower the 'fenders' by 4 inches. And make body wider by about 3 inches for wide weels . also bring out fenders at doors .......
not sure if I was more after the challenge or final result .....
Here are few pictures of the transformation .Which took a while

Demonized · 11-10-2008, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dapcius

Lets get to fun part .
After working on a car for about a month decided not to spend 7 or 8 thousand on stock elise parts but do something comepletely diferent . At this point rear clam and rocker moldings were fixed . So time was to work on the front . There were about 7 or 8 pieces from front clam several sections were missing . I was never big fan of elise front look . Decided to use diferent headlights and lower the 'fenders' by 4 inches. And make body wider by about 3 inches for wide weels . also bring out fenders at doors .......
not sure if I was more after the challenge or final result .....
Here are few pictures of the transformation .Which took a while

OH SH---...

Please tell me you made it look classy

And more pics! Subscribed.

Darkside Eng · 11-10-2008, 07:20 PM

I think you need a CF front clam

jk, Really looking forward for the end result.

11-07-2008, 06:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dapcius Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 105	2005 Elise extreme makeover Last week was the first time i took my car out of garage. Only few of my friends have seen it . I had it for about 8 months worked on it for about 4 ( on and off) . Afer taking it to aligmet shop and seeing peoples reactions , decided to start a thread describing my most recent project . I have purchased car in salvage auction near Atlanta I think in February , 2005 Elise 3900 miles LSS wheels and suspention. No frame damage one of toe link ball joints was bent . Maybe someone even recognises it I'd like to know what the hell happend to it ,there was not a single side or fiberglass part that wasnt damaged . Looked like someone ran in to a wooden fence or old barn . There were splinners everywhere two 1x6 about 3 feet each were stuck near engine ripped all wires from ECU . here are first pictures ( many more to come ) of the car the way I have bought it . Attached Images Last edited by Dapcius : 11-15-2008 at 04:18 PM.

11-07-2008, 07:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
gt3guru Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Woodlands, Tx Posts: 484	Sounds like a the right price anyway! never seen one sold for that little. most want much more __________________ 2005 Elise, Saffron Yellow, Touring, Sport, Black wheels, Hard top, dual oil coolers, focal front speakers 1998 BMW 318ti, 77k miles. M sport package, 5 speed. Dependable daily driver since 97 1996 Colnago Technos, Dura-Ace, Zipp, spinergy, Specialized, Mavic. And I ride it in the middle of your mountain roads. I hope your insurance is as good as my lawyer.

11-07-2008, 10:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mr. Know British by extrapolation Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marin, California Posts: 3,335 Images: 6	I'm confused. Are you going to repair it, or part it out? I'm curious as to what happened to it as well...doesn't look good whatever it was. __________________ 07 Magnetic Blue Exige S Join the Blue Lotus Team on Facebook.

11-08-2008, 06:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dapcius Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 105	Forgot to mention in first post that car is beeing buid strictly for track . Because of damage it had sustained there is just too much to replace to put it back on the street . Everything that you need for the track is intact frame, suspention, brakes, engine, tranny .... It took me a while to sodder all ripped wires wrom ECU . tried starting it ..... nothing- fuel pump was not working . Thanks to LotusTalk find out that there should be a fuel pump reset button . but all I had was three wires and broaken lastic fitting . Even that was cruched After bipasssing the reset swich car started right up . Of course couldn't resist took most broaken fiberglass and took it for a spin around neighbourhood , couple people seen me with what the f... is that look on their face. There is few more pictures . Started to remove everything from the car . Attached Images

11-08-2008, 06:49 AM	#8 (permalink)
xeeeejme Add Lightness Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Triangle, NC Posts: 376	Looks like an awesome project. Good luck! Pictures of the frame?? __________________ '06 CO Exige - sold

11-07-2008, 06:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Hello Kitty Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 554	How much did you pay for it?

11-08-2008, 07:06 AM	#9 (permalink)
zygotesoup Resident Drunk Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 1,219	you're like one of those good samaritans... saving that poor elise from the scrap yard __________________ 2005 BADA55 Lotus Elise 1993 Black BMW 325i 2000 Solar Yellow MR-S - SOLD 1987 White on White Porsche 944 Turbo - SOLD 1993 Maroon Lexus SC400 - SOLD

11-08-2008, 07:23 AM	#10 (permalink)
orangeflash Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 53	wow... dude. i would do almost anything to get my hands on any elise. I want one so bad. even if it's a project like this.

11-08-2008, 10:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
Darkside Eng Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: On the Track Posts: 880 Images: 22	WE GOT WHAT YOU NEED!!!! CF front clam 2000+shipping CF Rear clam 2000+shipping Attached Images Last edited by Darkside Eng : 11-18-2008 at 04:39 PM.

11-08-2008, 04:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
Dapcius Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 105	Thanks for offer of carbon clams , but like i said the car is pretty much finished exept for few things here and there . The pictures that Im posting are about 8 months old .

11-08-2008, 05:30 PM	#13 (permalink)
CertifiedCC BANNED Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Northern VA [The BEST Part of VA.(Sadly)] Posts: 875 Images: 4	as long as ur sure there wasn't any frame damage, i think you should be fine.

11-09-2008, 05:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
Dapcius Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 105	Finally got everything removed from car . A/C condensor , compresor , heater fan , window motors ..... Installed shorter belt since there is only one that moves altenator a/c ... made aluminum brackets for radiator , without condesor it has to sit about 1' lower Before cutting out broaken windshield made paper template . Bought piece of Lexan from house boat building co $90, cut it out glued it . Most race cars you have to reinforce Lexan windshields . Because of the Elise winshield shape it turned out very strong Next step will be bodywork Attached Images Last edited by Aedo : 11-09-2008 at 06:40 PM. Reason: resize photo

11-10-2008, 05:54 PM	#16 (permalink)
Dapcius Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 105	Original plan was to replace front clam , doors , headlights ... and try to fix rear clam and rocker moldings half of one was missing . So started on bodywork on rear clam and rocker panels , or whatever there was left from them . And started shopping around for parts Attached Images Last edited by Aedo : 11-10-2008 at 08:38 PM. Reason: resize photo

11-10-2008, 06:24 PM	#17 (permalink)
Hello Kitty Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 554	Way more pictures please!

11-10-2008, 06:58 PM	#18 (permalink)
Dapcius Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 105	Lets get to fun part . After working on a car for about a month decided not to spend 7 or 8 thousand on stock elise parts but do something comepletely diferent . At this point rear clam and rocker moldings were fixed . So time was to work on the front . There were about 7 or 8 pieces from front clam several sections were missing . I was never big fan of elise front look . Decided to use diferent headlights and lower the 'fenders' by 4 inches. And make body wider by about 3 inches for wide weels . also bring out fenders at doors ....... not sure if I was more after the challenge or final result ..... Here are few pictures of the transformation .Which took a while Attached Images

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11-10-2008, 07:20 PM	#20 (permalink)
Darkside Eng Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: On the Track Posts: 880 Images: 22	I think you need a CF front clam jk, Really looking forward for the end result.