$15K power challenge

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by sleepless

So, the only way I'd buy a turbo track car is if I could test drive it on a track; I bet the number of people offering to let me drive the FF car has just seriously diminished

You can still drive mine, as long as you take responsibility if you put it into a wall.

[fzust]

Originally Posted by pianomaniac

"Gutless wonder"? You are sounding like Dickedup.

I'm pretty certain that my NA Elise will take my Audi S4 V8 off the line and for the first 50 feet or so.

That is because the S4 weighs like 6000lbs. What is it about Quattro that weighs 500lbs? The Elise may beat it off the line for the first 50 feet, but then it can't escape the gravity well of the S4. Sorry, I hate heavy cars....

[abelise]

i have the forced fed 275 turbo and if you haven`t driven one you should.

it is exceptional and very fast. I would not want to go faster on the street.
it is a perfect match for the lotus elise. it turns a dog into a race horse. Best of luck. ABelise

[Buz]

It should take the S4 about 1/4 mile to catch the Elise.

[pianomaniac]

Originally Posted by Buz

It should take the S4 about 1/4 mile to catch the Elise.

It really would be an interesting experiment.

[sleepless]

Originally Posted by MitchT

Just curious, this power is needed to stop gettin pasted by *@#$$ in v-8s who can not drive too well but have 400hp. I have this issue, they can't hang in the turns but on power straights pass me and it eats at me to no end. Looks like tripoint and a intercooler on you roof will solve the problem.

Yep, it would be nice to pass people quickly; I prefer to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. And yes, it is annoying to catch a high HP car only to have them out run me on the straights. Even if there is no one on the straight, I'd rather just get the straights over as quickly as possible

[merkin]

I agree the "let by zones" at PR can be difficult unless the driver you've been nibbling at through 3a/3b truly lets up. I applaud your challenge and budget as it as least puts it within my realm. Do you know your car's output with your current mods? (I realize it is relative given the weight loss program you put it on)
karl

[Greenstreak]

Originally Posted by Boosted2.0

2ZZ top end is plenty strong under 9K RPM.

Anyways you would need the following IMO:

Engine management (Power FC for affordability) HKS FCON VPro would also work just fine.
J&S Safegaurd or HKS Knockamp if you go with the VPro
Injectors - 500cc
Fuel pump - Walboro 255 LPH
Autometer gauges or possibly just adapt a Celica cluster
AEM Wideband O2 with Gauge
Cams
Valves & valve springs
MWR oil pan
CircuitWorx oil pump gear if you can find one
Modified pressure relief on oil pump
accusump
Ballanced bottom end
Carillo or Pauter rods to reduce reciprocating weight
Fidanza flywheel
decent clutch - Southbend for best price for performance - RPS if you're into name brands
Fully Polydyn low friction & ceramic treatment on internals
Upgraded main and rod bearings (MWR)
ARP studs
P&P on head (mainly exhaust but clean up intake)
Race header - probably have to be custom
Oversized throttle body
Modified intake manifold from a Matrix- take the tank off extrude hone and polish the runner and modift the tank for a nice oversize TB off a mustang or something.
Redline to about 9000
Denso IK22 plugs

TWM ITBs would be great but I don't think they would fit without cutting a hole in the firewall.

I'm not sure you can get 250 to the tire with all that, but you ought to get close especially on race gas.

Littlerocket could probably do it for $15K if he felt like bothering. Enginelogics could probably do it for $15K. I could probably do all that for $15K but I'm too busy to take on a project like that until probably next spring.

This could be done for well under the budget. I am doing 85% of this list and I haven't broken 5 grand yet-including machine work for the sleeves. I haven't sumped the lube system or done any knock prevention. Besides that.....it is in the works.

[fpitas]

Originally Posted by 008

Are there any modern racecars that use superchargers? If it's a track only car why not consider turbos? On the other hand why not sell the Elise and strip down your Cayman to 25/2600lbs?

I think turbos are chosen for race cars typically because of the superior fuel economy; i.e., less pit stops. Also, the technology gained during turbo development for racing can potentially be applied to passenger car design.

[Boosted2.0]

Originally Posted by Greenstreak

This could be done for well under the budget. I am doing 85% of this list and I haven't broken 5 grand yet-including machine work for the sleeves. I haven't sumped the lube system or done any knock prevention. Besides that.....it is in the works.

Yeah but having someone else do it adds a bunch, as does the EMS work - the Lotus needs a buttload of custom wiring, but your spyder is plug N play

[sleepless]

Originally Posted by merkin

I agree the "let by zones" at PR can be difficult unless the driver you've been nibbling at through 3a/3b truly lets up. I applaud your challenge and budget as it as least puts it within my realm. Do you know your car's output with your current mods? (I realize it is relative given the weight loss program you put it on)
karl

Unfortunately, right now my car makes less power than stock. We've been trying to figure it for a couple of months now. Despite the power loss, it still does 1:40's at PR; I'd love to see what it would do with the 15HP that it's missing.

[smoseley]

Elise + $15k = 505 hp. Just sell it and get a Z06 What do I win?

[Andrikos]

Originally Posted by transio

Elise + $15k = 505 hp. Just sell it and get a Z06 What do I win?

You win nothing.

$43k + $15 = $58k
There's a USED Z06 on the forum for $75k.

I think you're missing another $15k or so.

[LittleRocket]

I think 250 is doable. 230 is cake with the hard parts out there now. With a lightened crank and internal thermal coatings I think 250whp is doable.

The main unknown component at this point is the engine management. I think I have a handle on that one. Let's say I am 95% confident I can make the PFC work in the elise. I say that because I have been able to mesh a 2zz celica pfc into an '03 spyder 1zz/smt car. The car has a 2zz swap. To make it go I had to keep the 1zz ecu to run the throttle body and the smt computer to run the gearbox and run the engine with the 2zz PFC.

Basiclly the 1zz ecu still works the can bus, gauges, a/c, emissions, dbw t/b, SMT computer interface, and everything else it is supposed to with the exception of the engine. The same thing I need to do with the elise. The car is driving around with a few smt quirks that we will attempt to tackle but zero issues with the engine side of the equation. FWIW I think rexroth has an interface for the smt computer but that is another chapter.

The main motivation for me undertaking that project is to determine if I could or could not mesh the pfc with another ecu and make it go.

The rest of the power is out there IMHO. I may not hit 250 whp for 15k but I can get extremely close....

We will have to increase the displacment with a stroker and an over bore. Count on, port work throttle body over bore, custom header and exhaust, cams, electric water pump, alternator pulley, flywheel, clutch, lightened crank, internal thermal coatings, valves and springs, and 12:1 compression.

You may be obdII compliant but it really depends on the cams and the stock ecu's ability to adapt. That may be in your favor from what i understand about the elsie ecu. The beauty of the pfc is I can make it plug and play. So the stock ecu may very well run the engine without an immediate cel....

[sleepless]

BTW - I was hoping for "only" 250 crank HP

[Boosted2.0]

Originally Posted by sleepless

BTW - I was hoping for "only" 250 crank HP

In that case it can be done naturally aspirated for under $15K.

[smoseley]

Originally Posted by Andrikos

$43k + $15 = $58k
There's a USED Z06 on the forum for $75k.

The thread starter's elise is loaded, well over $50k of Elise. MSRP on a Z06 is $65k. And besides, I was being silly, so don't whip out logic on me.

[Bleu Omdurman]

But you suggested he sell it and add 15k to get a ZO6. He would be very challenged to sell his elise for over 40k. It is possible but no way he'd get over 45K. But I'd never whip out logic on you Steve. he he.

[smoseley]

Blah, blah, blah... you guys and your logic... I'm going to the beach.

[sleepless]

Regarding selling my Elise: It has lots of goodies on it, but it is also a stripped track car. So basically, the resale on it would suck. This is why I'm interested in upgrading it vs. say going for an Exige S (which is an option that I'm will to go with, but it will cost me over $30K easily). And, I'm not interested in a Z06.

Regarding my $15K choices: There are 3 supercharger kits out there to choose from and all are at or below $15K. There is 1 turbo kit which also would work, except I don't want a turbo. Then there is LittleRocket's NA proposal. And of course, there is the upgrade to an Exige S which blows my budget two-fold. But with the FF header and 2bular muffler off my Elise I should be close to 240HP (crank) and with a minor supercharger pulley swap, I'd guess it could run closer to 260HP with the stock ECU.

Now, I sit and scratch my head, and boy does my head hurt!