[Modern Wedgie]

I've been off the forum for a while, and a little out fo the loop about what is going on.

I have 2 deposits down, one since January and one since April. I'm going to England next month for a while and have arranged a Lotus factory tour. Has anyone else been to the factory?

Anyway, I just wanted to make my presence known for future events, posts, etc.

Lillie

 

[Randy Chase]

Welcome again!

Take pics in the factory and keep us informed.

Are both your deposits at Symbolic?

 

[Modern Wedgie]

I hope they let me in w/ a camera

I put my deposit at symbolic in January, and at Smith Lotus in April (#12). Brent Smith races a motorsport elise and is a very knowledgeable and cool guy. I met him later through a friend and gave him a deposit because he gave me a number. I would totally recommend him to anyone still looking to buy one (who isnt on the list yet and doesnt mind driving their new Elise along HW1 from San Luis Obisbo).

 

[lotusetude]

Take pics in the factory and keep us informed.

Lotus do not allow cameras inside the factory tour for pictures. They request your camera at the gate if you have one with you.

On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to attend a driving experience at the factory track, you can sneak a camera in with a guest, and take pictures out on the track with your test drive (car), i.e. when another in your group is driving or in between your drives.

These days, the Lotus Driving Experience is conducted at the Rockingham track under Johnny Herbert.

Interesting tour though! Not all of the body is hand laid up these days, as Lotus (for the Vauxhall) retained a manufacturer to do the body panels, and had next to no modifications necessary to fit them together, whereas, in the earlier days not so long ago in the 1st half of the 90s, they would have to work them to fit right.

-- Tom

 

[Thomasio]

>I hope they let me in w/ a camera

I have one word for you: "Minox".

Thomas

 

[Craigy]

Lotus do not allow cameras inside the factory tour for pictures. They request your camera at the gate if you have one with you.

On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to attend a driving experience at the factory track, you can sneak a camera in with a guest, and take pictures out on the track with your test drive (car), i.e. when another in your group is driving or in between your drives.

These days, the Lotus Driving Experience is conducted at the Rockingham track under Johnny Herbert.

Interesting tour though! Not all of the body is hand laid up these days, as Lotus (for the Vauxhall) retained a manufacturer to do the body panels, and had next to no modifications necessary to fit them together, whereas, in the earlier days not so long ago in the 1st half of the 90s, they would have to work them to fit right.

-- Tom

Tom,
AFAIK, not all the lotus days are at Rockingham - they still do them at Hethel too; and as far as the body panels go - they are made by the French company Sotira using a patented process. Lotus don't lay much GRP any more

Craigy

 

[Vantage]

Hi Lillie,

What kind of track work do you do? Where do you go?

Thanks.

 

[Modern Wedgie]

Mostly HPDE events with NASA at Buttonwillow, Willow Springs, and California Speedway. When I get the Elise I hope to do those and the N. Cal tracks too.

I dont have the $$$ to own a real race car, only a street car w/ some suspension upgrades and sticky tires

 

[mikester]

Okay. welcome back !

Have a great time in England and on the tour etc., that's defenitely on my personal "to-do" lists as well !

We'll want a full report, of course....

Mike

 

[jml1952]

Another 24-year-old buying a Lotus! Where did I go wrong? When I was 24 in grad school, I was living on rice and beans and drinking Old Milwaukee beer because it was 99 cents per six-pack. I was thrilled when a friend sold me his Ford Falcon for $500, once I figured out how I was going to come up with that huge sum of money.

In any case, good for you.

 

[OneFastLotus]

Welcome back to the forum. Let us know how the tour is, I would love to take that tour myself. May be a good reason for a vacation soon.

 

[Modern Wedgie]

Another 24-year-old buying a Lotus! Where did I go wrong? When I was 24 in grad school, I was living on rice and beans and drinking Old Milwaukee beer because it was 99 cents per six-pack. I was thrilled when a friend sold me his Ford Falcon for $500, once I figured out how I was going to come up with that huge sum of money.

In any case, good for you.

It's called...credit! Besides, all that money I save by buying lots of ramen and cheap beer allows me to spend fortunes on my babies (my vehicles).

Regarding color:
I used to want laser blue, but after driving the test car I must admit that yellow is my new found dream color.

 

[Craigy]

lots of people over here are young and drive elises...

mostly people in Information Technology.

(I'm 26.. work for IBM)

Craigy