Diary: May 2006
When I first started reading about the Elise, I was always impressed with the articles that recognized the handling and chassis technology. It was rare that any photographs included the suspension arms or the bare chassis. I found it very frustrating and vowed that should I ever be lucky enough to own an Elise, one of the first things I would do is photograph the suspension. Well I did, sometime after my first two long trips. The suspension was dirty and I spent hours cleaning the parts and making it look like new. I took many pictures. They then got lost and I have literally spent days reorganizing my picture archive with 1000s of pictures, creating a method so I can find pictures, and archiving what I do have. The pictures are still lost and I am so frustrated.
(Should you buy a new Elise and are willing to come to my house, jack up the front and rear and remove the wheels so I can take pictures, I will be forever in your debt.)
Occasionally I decide to take another picture of the suspension, to make up for my earlier mistakes.
I also spent some time documenting details of my previous modifications. These additional details are to answer questions from people who are trying to follow along with my modifications.
Above, I am documenting how the welded wire mesh is attached to the underside of the radiator grille exits. These are similar to the way the Exige appears on the top side but are mounted differently than Lotus does.
Here I am using tie wraps and tie wrap mounts epoxied to the back side of the grille surround.
My Daughter at the Duel at Deanza
A year ago, my daughter attended the Duel at Deanza, an autocross sponsored by the local junior college as a fund raiser. She noted that there were no lady entrants in SS, the class for the Elise. I suggested that she should enter next year and would get a trophy.
Last January, I brought my daughter to a autocross clinic sponsored by Club111, the Golden Gate Lotus Club, and the Lockheed Sports Car Club, so that she might prepare for the Duel at Deanza. She did well and it was fun watching her race the Elise.
So she did enter the Duel at Deanza, her alma matter, and was first in SS L. Here she is waiting for her run group with my oldest son practicing wearing the helmet. Note the almost appropriate car number! It is a good things she won! I have entered this event for more than 20 years, usually wining first in my class. I did so with the Seven (easy), the Corvette (not so easy) and the NSX (hard). I did so last year with the Elise but this year the competition was overpowering. There were a couple of Z06 Corvettes, running slicks and driven by former national champions. There was no chance I would trophy. So my daughter carries on the family tradition, taking home the trophies now that her aging father is no longer able to do so. I am so proud!
