[ray101381]

So I've been searching for an Exige S240 for a little while now and finally found one to my liking. I came from several Porsche GT cars and before that every iteration of M that was ever made, some Japanese muscle in the form of a GTR, and finally to the exige. Enough backstory.

2008 Exige S240 Arctic Silver, touring pack #119 out of 164 according to Andy Graham at lotus
First started with a thorough paint prep and detail, iron decontamination, clay bar, 2 stage polish, 2 coats of WDGPS, 2 coats of Fuzion

 

[ray101381]

The fluids were just done, trans, brake/clutch, oil and filter by the previous owner and had maybe 100 miles on them. So I went ahead and tried to do as much of the regular maintenance items I could think of. So I went ahead and swapped new BKR7EIX plugs and new OEM Toyota/Denso coils, new OEM Toyota air filter, and removed the snorkel. Next up did the DRL disable, LED in the front parking lights, interior and rear license plate lights. Also painted the coil and plug cover and installed a Radium Engineering coolant expansion tank and dual catch cans. Lastly the diffuser was a bit nicked up so fresh powder coat and new stainless hardware for the diffuser and under tray.

 

[ray101381]

So here's the full mod list(most of which I haven't had a chance to install yet):
Bridgestone RE-71R 205/45/16 and 245/40/17
Blackwatch Racing Adjustable Front Sway bar with endlinks
Blackwatch Racing Penske Non-Adjustable Coilovers 350/500
Blackwatch Racing aluminum steering arms
Blackwatch Racing suspension hardware refresh kit
Blackwatch Racing door pins
Blackwatch Racing stainless diffuser hardware
GRP Tow Hook
GRP GT Tail lights
GRP Carbon Fiber Access panels
GRP Carbon Fiber Side Scoops
GRP Wheel caps and new emblems
GRP GFwilliams/Alias23 billet mirror stalks and magical racing mirrors
Inokinetic Sonic Fury DE
Inokinetic BULLETstud Kit w/Yellow nuts
Inokinetic TLUkit
Inokinetic Girodisc CUPdiscs
Inokinetic Girodisc ULTRAdiscs
Inokinetic RE-ENFORCER
Inokinetic outer toe link ball joints
Inokinetic Black RAC Monolites(placed deposit)
Inokinetic Exige Carbon Fiber front lip
Radium Engineering Coolant Expansion Tank 1.1Bar Cap
Radium Engineering Dual Catch Can Kit
FTP foot rest delete floor mats
Porterfield R4-S
New OEM front Clam "Lotus" Emblem




I need to behave and stop ordering parts until I can get all this stuff installed but life has been just super busy. I'm hoping to get this "phase 1" part done before the monolites get here(shinoo says close to end of the year), and next spring After all this stuff gets done I plan on doing all the wishbone bushings and balljoints, and swap the rear brakes to BOE radial mounts with AP 2 piston calipers. then finally I might just get around to squeezing a little more power out of the car. I might just finish the brakes this year if I can scrape up enough cash to do the AP 2 pot rear conversion. then next year worry about a full bushing refresh and then do a simple power upgrade, I'm thinking injectors, fuel pump, pulley, intercooler kit, and tune.

 

[TachItUp]

Looking great. Enjoy her.

 

[Robocop305]

Wow, looks great. You are doing a great job on the car with those parts. What was the process like to paint the coil cover?

 

[DVG 335]

The car looks great Ray! You definitely didn’t waste any time getting a great build started. Best of luck with it.

Dave

 

[REKIII]

Looks really good. Too bad you weren't closer. I have a similar pile of parts to install, hahaha.

I should make a thread like this.

 

[ray101381]

Wow, looks great. You are doing a great job on the car with those parts. What was the process like to paint the coil cover?

Tedious but not difficult. clean with alcohol, took some fine sandpaper, i forget exactly what grit and sand ALL areas you want to pain. get some super fine paint brushes and appropriate TEstor's model paint and start painting!

 

[ray101381]

GRP GT Tails just showed up so of course I couldn't wait and just installed them along with a GRP tow hook. Love the tail lights, just as bright as OEM and they look so much cleaner with a subtle but updated look. Install is very easy, and fit and finish are flawless hardest part is contorting yourself to get the relay installed to get rid of the hyper flash. Tow hook, well it's a tow hook just screws on. Hopefully Inokinetic will soon getmore stock of the plate delete front lip

 

[Robocop305]

Thanks for the info. I love your garage too. Anymore pics you want to share?

 

[ray101381]

Thanks for the info. I love your garage too. Anymore pics you want to share?

it's really nothing special. 2 car garage. polyurea floor coating. 12x24 ceramic tile to cover the concrete mud wall. finished and painted drywall and saferacks to maximize overhead storage and just steel cabinets. it's a townhouse space is at a premium inside the beltway of DC/MD/VA. gt4 is gone. this is an older picture

 

[mcaden]

I like your attention to detail and thoughtful modifications. I recently purchased a 2008 Exige S240 (moved over from an Elise and have also owned several M cars previously) and also love the look of the GRP GT Tail Lights (which I installed on my Exige). Not sure if you are in NoVA, but I am located in the DC area on the MD side. Hope to meet you and compare notes sometime. Feel free to PM me.

-Marc

 

[ray101381]

so with the GRP tails the chrome raised LOTUS letters just didn't look right. so I took off the letters and spent a good 1-1.5 sanding them and prepping them for paint, 4 coats of satin black krylon fusion later. they're back on and I think they look great. I didn't like the gloss OEM Lotus letters that are on the Evora so I just painted mine. Pictures don't do them justice, they came out perfect.

 

[Crazy05]

so with the GRP tails the chrome raised LOTUS letters just didn't look right. so I took off the letters and spent a good 1-1.5 sanding them and prepping them for paint, 4 coats of satin black krylon fusion later. they're back on and I think they look great. I didn't like the gloss OEM Lotus letters that are on the Evora so I just painted mine. Pictures don't do them justice, they came out perfect.

Yup, much better:clap:

 

[Robocop305]

Great looking Exige. How was the GT4? I also sold my Carrera S after buying my Lotus. I just recently added an Alfa 4C and haven't looked back.

 

[ray101381]

So just got back from our annual lake trip to smith mountain lake and right when I got back Fedex brought some more parts from @GregsRaceParts Carbon fiber Exige access panels, and carbon fiber wide side intake scoops. I had a couple hours before work and on they went. install was very straight forward. the access panels use your oem hardware but the holes in the carbon access panels were about a millimeter too small so a little Dremel action and the recessed washers fit snugly right in.

 

[ray101381]

the scoops went on without a hitch and fit and finish is great! Greg includes longer bolts and spacers and they just bolt right in. I had a little trouble finding pictures showing exactly how much wider they are, so I took some before and after pictures and also a couple shots of the wider scoop vs the OEM scoop. glad I went with the wide scoops.

 

[ray101381]

a few more from the rear

 

[glb]

Do you track this car?

Actually, even if not, I highly recommend corner weighting, which works wonderfully for small light cars.

Did my hot rod Elan with scales borrowed from NJ BMW CC.

Elise done professionally a few miles from here. That difference was a bit shocking.

Of course, alignment will be in store for you as well.

 

[ray101381]

Do you track this car?

Actually, even if not, I highly recommend corner weighting, which works wonderfully for small light cars.

Did my hot rod Elan with scales borrowed from NJ BMW CC.

Elise done professionally a few miles from here. That difference was a bit shocking.

Of course, alignment will be in store for you as well.

Yes it has already been aligned and corner balanced. interesting enough the "off the shelf" corner balancing from black watch racing was very close to being spot on.