Very sorry to see this but you are physically OK and the damage isn't critical.

Newbie here... what is the dreaded snap oversteer? I know what oversteer is, but not the "snap" variety.

 

I believe that when a mid engine car loses its rear end, it's not gradual. It goes in a "snap". One minute you are pointing forward, and then a split second later, you've spun.

OP: sorry to hear of your car's misfortunes. I hope you get it all sorted out to your liking ASAP.

 

All depends on how they are setup. Been hanging the a$$ out on my Elise and now Evora for years. 2nd lap =cold tires................

 

Snap oversteer is a problem with these cars. It took chassis setup changes and shock tuning to get rid of it on mine. Mine would do a 360+ spin and only move over 1/2 car width. I will also agree with @brgelise, there is no reason to be pushing a car on lap 2. It takes 1-2 laps to warmup the brakes, tires and mind.

Later,
Eldon

 

Thank you all. It's a bummer but you are correct, I was pushing too hard before the tires were warmed up enough. I admit that I have myself to blame for that.

 

Warm tires, and remember that with very few exceptions, on the track, especially in these cars, it's always better to be late than early.

 

That sucks, sorry that happened. Out of curiosity did you lift off the throttle when you lost control?

 

I'm pretty sure that I didn't. I was modulating the throttle while countersteering to correct it and thought I had it saved. I think I basically misjudged it thinking that the car had settled before it actually had and then it just got away from me.

 

Sorry to hear about your car, and it looks totally fixable.

This car doesn't "snap" on its own. I think the most common scenario is that you start losing the rear end, panic, and let up on the gas, which makes the problem worse. Cold tires make this happen more easily, but they're not the cause.

It's counter-intuitive, but a gentle increase in throttle usually fixes it, and unless you've practiced this a bunch of times, that reaction doesn't come naturally. Another example is cresting a hill during a turn. Unless you're on throttle when you crest, it'll really want to spin. I've tracked the heck out of my car, and it's still got a street-friendly alignment, albeit an aggressive one, and that's where I notice that the car has a sudden desire for the engine to be in front.

 

Sorry to hear about your car, and it looks totally fixable.

Thank you! You are correct and I am very lucky that the damage is only on the body and cosmetic. It sucks that these clamshells are so expensive though!

The front clam is very much repairable but the back will most likely need to be replaced. I'm thinking over my options now.

 

Awww dude! My heart is broke for you! Sorry to see it.

 

Man, I think most of us that have been around long enough in the Lotus world have been there so we feel your pain. Important thing is that you are OK. Good luck with the repair.

 

I would definately get those clams fixed instead of replacing unless you come across a replacement clam in great shape near you, ordering and shipping clams has been not great IMO.

We could tackle the whole repair project in San Marcos, TX, but there are two already in the queue so it won't be fast.

 

Thank you guys so much! You are really making me feel better if you think both clams can be repaired instead of replaced. Does anyone have any recommended fiberglass repair shops local to South Eastern Michigan? I'm going to call a few places that are local to me to try and get some quotes and first impressions.

 

Firstly, sorry to hear you had an incident at Waterford Hills, it can be an unforgiving track at times. I'm guessing you tapped the wall on the left side by the start line/paddock building based on the yellow paint residue?

Thankfully it looks like the damage isn't too crazy to the clams. Have you reached out to Tom @ Auto Europe to see who they might recommend? Should be able to point you to some options in this area.

 

That will buff right out.

 

Totally fixable. Call AutoEurope.

Sorry to see this but cold tires are a real problem. Don't feel bad as it has happened to most of us!

Pls check your alignment regardless and I'll assume your tires are not too old (4+yrs).

 

Totally fixable. Call AutoEurope.

Sorry to see this but cold tires are a real problem. Don't feel bad as it has happened to most of us!

Pls check your alignment regardless and I'll assume your tires are not too old (4+yrs).

Thanks so much Shinoo! I have sent an email to Tom already and am just waiting for a reply. I have asked about both a reputible fiberglass repair shop recommendation and also about getting the car thoroughly inspected at Auto Europe.

As for the tires they are only 2 years old and still in good shape. It was only my fault for not giving them time to warm up properly.

 

I dread the day it happens to me but yours looks minor 👌
At the first enduro we did with mine, first race owning it, one of the drivers cracked the rear clam in practice managing to find one little corner edge of metal wall that didn’t have tires in front of it…if it makes you feel any better. Because it’s just a race car, I’m living with a kinda bad ass looking repair job. We have a replacement clam (found cheap on here because it had its fenders cut) but haven’t switched them yet. He just has a bit of an ass crack now. Figured I should wait til it happens to me before making it pretty again!

Pro race shop guy who works on the car is going to help with set up this weekend. He’s saying my car unloads the rear way too fast making it too hard to catch. I’ve spun it several times on lower speed corners, but added a sticker to remind myself to commit to throttle when it gets stepping out.
I wouldn’t beat yourself up just count yourself lucky it wasn’t worse. And tons of people crash their cars during cool down laps, so **** can happen any time 🤷‍♀️

 

Thanks a lot for the kind words, Emma!

I'm taking the car up to Auto Europe tomorrow to get it inspected and get some quotes on the fiberglass repair. I'll see how deep I am in at this point with the inspection results, then I can dive in and start getting my hands dirty.

 

We autocross on a road coarse a few time a few in addition to regular cone lots. 1st run on a road coarse is dead cold tires as fast as you can go. Oversteer is one thing. Snap...lift on entry or mid corner and I spin like a top too. As my rears get warm I go from push to loose. IMO, an understeering mid engine car is best unless you like fearing the limit, have safe run off or are in a points race.

 

Ouch! I have to say, compared to my old Elise, my Evora GT is so much more forgiving and thus better at avoiding this issue. You really have to be on your toes with the Elise and Exige....especially with the Exige. Wishing you the best with your bodywork and your mental state next time you go through that corner.

 

I have seen much worse damage - yours appears to be totally repairable - the challenge is finding a shop qualified AND willing to do the work. I've had both clams on my ex-Lotus (two Elise's) repaired here in the Chicago area. Not all shops will work on it. I think this is similar to trailing throttle oversteer on my Porsche 911's' - let up on the gas and the rear become the front! It is manageable once you learn how to control the situation. Good luck!

 

Forgot to mention: If you haven't, check on D3Sshooter on YouTube. He's done a complete rebuild on an Elise (and other interesting projects). He's a has an amazing amount of knowledge on the cars.

 

Sorry to hear about the car to the OP, and glad you are OK. I hope it is patched up and running with minimal expense and downtime.

For those tracking your Elise/Exige:
-Drop the rear tire pressure - equal to the front. This reduces and slows oversteer. I have found it to be less twitchy and no real loss of handling.
-I am a fan of GoPros. Video will help you review your performance and find/correct bad habits.