Honda Elise Project. [Archive]

Project X

23-11-2005, 01:00 PM

G'day Im new so howdy,

Just thought Id start a thread on a project that a few of us are doing. Ive recently purchased a 04 type R integra from Japan that has been rolled and have taken the engine and gearbox out to put in a Lotus Elise. We are contemplating supercharging the K20A engine and if all goes well may race it next year if we can get the right numbers. Should be pushing close to 320hp at a weight of about 700kg so you can do the math on the power to weight ratio. The plan is to have a complete carbon fibre Exige body, upgraded AP Racing brakes, Hondata or Motec ecu, upgraded suspenson, 18 inch rims on the back an 17 inch on the front etc Its gona be a beast. Ill keep you all updated on the progress.

mr_mojo02

23-11-2005, 01:20 PM

ohhhh that sounds soo hot... any idea how long this is going to take you?

Project X

23-11-2005, 01:32 PM

G'day mate,

Well I just took the engine out of the DC5R (i think thats what you vtec nuts call them) last weekend and Im taking the standard K series engine out of the Lotus this weekend so after that it will come down to the engineering of engine mounts/engine bay, the wiring of ecu, carbon fibre body fabrication and suspension and the rest of the figity shit, so its gonna take a while but we are aiming to have the first car ready and tuned by march next year ( if everything goes smoothly ). There are a heap of parts that I need to get rid of at some stage as well but Im not allowed to advertise until Im a member :confused: :confused: Yep its gonna be a weapon. Most likely if we can get enter them into a race series we'll racing against mainly Porsches so we need that power to weight ratio to be competitive.

vinhy

23-11-2005, 01:42 PM

this is goin to be mad... it will be like the ariel atom

lerroy

23-11-2005, 02:07 PM

ah man my dream is a extige.....

cant wait to see this car go its gonna be soooo mad :P
any pics man ???

Project X

23-11-2005, 02:13 PM

Got a few pics on my phone of the jap spec integra with the engine out but it doesnt seen to let me post them. will try again. Im exceeding my quota by 5.3 kB which seems a bit funny as its a tiny phone photo maybe cos im a n00b.

^^v

24-11-2005, 12:59 AM

sounds good mate.... should be an animal when its finished...

to post pics .. sign up to http://photobucket.com/
then link the pics by using the following (without the spaces)
image_address

Vivski

24-11-2005, 12:10 PM

Awesome. I must say, that's an excellent choice of car and engine. That will be a great looking, great sounding, very fast little car. Will it be street legal with that kind of power:weight or will it be solely a track car?

Project X

24-11-2005, 01:38 PM

Its gonna be built for track purposes only.

barefootbonzai

24-11-2005, 04:28 PM

Come on bro get some pics happening.

integraz

24-11-2005, 04:40 PM

great work! that was my dream.. hahah u stole it!!!

nah go N/a! fully worked with ITBs then u won't even hear yourself think.

but s/c is still good, got traction?

Vivski

25-11-2005, 09:35 AM

Are you going to put the Toyota engine back in the Teg? :D

How do you think it will compare to an Atom?

Jus-10

25-11-2005, 10:01 AM

The Elise he has is running the K-Series engine, not the Toyota engine...

But sounds good....I have seen a few of these conversions over in Europe. Good luck with it all....the next 6 months will most likely drive you to insanity!

But it will be worth it.

2MPRSS

25-11-2005, 10:14 AM

there is already a lotus elise runing a k20a motor seen it a while bak

2MPRSS

25-11-2005, 10:16 AM

http://www.prototyperacing.com/k20kit.htm

thats the site

tinkerbell

25-11-2005, 11:55 AM

there is already a lotus elise runing a k20a motor seen it a while bak

i am sorry, i dont understand your point?

project x is building a track car, not saying he is the first to do so.

/i am subscribing to this thread!!!

2MPRSS

25-11-2005, 01:14 PM

i am sorry, i dont understand your point?

project x is building a track car, not saying he is the first to do so.

/i am subscribing to this thread!!!

and im saying there is already a lotus with a k20a?got my point?:rolleyes:

tinkerbell

25-11-2005, 01:22 PM

and im saying there is already a lotus with a k20a?got my point?:rolleyes:

well, sorry to inform you, but there is definitly more than 'a' lotus with a k20a :wave:

i would say there are hundreds...

2MPRSS

25-11-2005, 01:46 PM

you cant really say that there is more k20a lotus coz u just dont know maybe there is only 2 again,we just dont know!

tinkerbell

25-11-2005, 01:50 PM

you cant really say that there is more k20a lotus coz u just dont know maybe there is only 2 again,we just dont know!

sorry to go off topic Project X - maybe you could roughly indicate how may K20A Lotus's there are, if you know?

but 2MPRSS, try this:

type "K20A" and "Lotus" into: www.google.com and hit search...

Project X

25-11-2005, 01:54 PM

Are you going to put the Toyota engine back in the Teg? :D

How do you think it will compare to an Atom?

lol That would be funny, but the donor Elise has got an old Rover k series engine in it the newer Elises have the Toyota vvti. The Rover engine is slow and essentially shit hence the transplant. Also the tegy has been rolled a bit so not worth doing. The Atom is still about 200 kg lighter and is an open wheeler so it would prob be a bit quicker, but you never know. :)

2MPRSS

25-11-2005, 01:57 PM

u really like to proove your self dont you?why dont u search and find out how many there are i dont really care,from a simple reply of mine for people intrested what a k20 looks like in a lotus but you wouldnt think of that would you, i neevr said he isnt the first to have a k20 lotus i just said i have seen one before full stop stop trying to proove your self

Project X

25-11-2005, 02:00 PM

sorry to go off topic Project X - maybe you could roughly indicate how may K20A Lotus's there are, if you know?

but 2MPRSS, try this:

type "K20A" and "Lotus" into: www.google.com and hit search...

Its definitely been done before over in the UK and US but not sure about a supercharged version Honda Elise and there definitely arent many in Australia. So it will be quite unique.

Sorry for lack of photos fellas,only took the engine out of the teggy last weekend gona take the Rover engine out if the Elise tonight. Not much really to show yet but Ill put something up for you to drool at. :)

zco

25-11-2005, 02:06 PM

i never knew that lotus elise's came with Kseries motors.. wow. so they use motors from honda ? man. how exciting. learnt something new today

Project X

25-11-2005, 02:13 PM

i never knew that lotus elise's came with Kseries motors.. wow. so they use motors from honda ? man. how exciting. learnt something new today

Not the Honda K series the Rover K series. Its confusing I know. :confused:

revNhevN

25-11-2005, 10:54 PM

This car is gonna be awesome. Are you getting custom mounts made?
Also cuz the engine is now mounted at the rear, will the gear shift be backwards? Ie odd gears down and even gears up - if u know what i mean.

Vivski

25-11-2005, 11:12 PM

Instead of 6 reverses? :D

Do you have any idea how much you'd like to spend on it all up? If you do give it the works...
I'd be very surprised if there was a supercharged K20 in an Elise in Australia. I hope it all works out for you, 'cos this has the potential to be a very, very fun car to drive.

Recently I've been drooling over the Atom. By the time I have the money to get one they'll well and truely be complianced for road use. That will be so cool... except speed humps might cause a slight problem. :P

revNhevN

25-11-2005, 11:33 PM

Instead of 6 reverses? :D

Usually 1st is up 2nd down ,3rd up ect. But because the shifter is infront of the engine and not behind. will you have to shift downwards for 1st,3rd and 5th ?

roar

25-11-2005, 11:41 PM

Usually 1st is up 2nd down ,3rd up ect. But because the shifter is infront of the engine and not behind. will you have to shift downwards for 1st,3rd and 5th ?

i'm sure theres a way to change that around lol

Vivski

26-11-2005, 10:04 AM

Lol, yeah I know, I just like the mental imagery of 9 reverses. :D
I can't think of how you'd change that mechanically. Maybe ProjectX will tell us.

FunkyR

26-11-2005, 11:48 AM

Mmmm the US guys that did the elise/K20A transplant have done a supercharged version too....

jackosimm

28-11-2005, 06:43 PM

jesus this thing will hammer...

Project X

29-11-2005, 02:07 PM

G'day

Sorry for the ill communication, I dont have the net at home.
I managed to take the engine out of the Elise on Friday night and placed both engine side by side. The K20A is considerably bigger and its gonna be interesting to see how it fits in the back of the Lotus. Umm ill have to get back to you on the gear cable adjustments there will have to be some modification made to it obviously to make it work.

Engine mounts will have to be engineered.

Be back soon.

Stabo

07-12-2005, 05:36 PM

What state are you in mate?

Any pics yet?

EfiOz

18-12-2005, 01:17 PM

lol That would be funny, but the donor Elise has got an old Rover k series engine in it the newer Elises have the Toyota vvti. The Rover engine is slow and essentially **** hence the transplant. Also the tegy has been rolled a bit so not worth doing. The Atom is still about 200 kg lighter and is an open wheeler so it would prob be a bit quicker, but you never know. :)

The Atom also has sh1t aero and struggles above 130mph. The Elise isn't great at that but it is better. Other Elise/Honda's I've seen run typically Vmax at 165mph due mostly to drag. Stock brakes are useless so it's good to see you going for the AP's.

Have a look at Joe's Prototype Racing kit. I've seen a couple in the flesh and they are very neatly made.

Also check out http://www.compsystems.com.au/euro1.htm if you're after an ECU. Lotus use these in development as did Honda when developing the CTR. Also got some neat data logging gear to go with it.

PC_DC2R

19-12-2005, 09:05 PM

Hey Project X were you at wakefield with the Lotus club guys two sunday's ago? a guy in a early model Elise with K20A supercharged did 1.04.xxx because I was out timing the Proconcept EK9 race car and thought it'll be interesting to time the elise. This car is awesome,love the note of the engine in full flight. :)

EfiOz

20-12-2005, 07:15 AM

That's pretty quick, nearly up to a 360 Challenge time!

PC_DC2R

20-12-2005, 12:32 PM

Yeah. Its unbelivable.He's only slower than a Formula three open wheeler that day.keep an eye out. Its a early model silver elise with Queensland plates

EfiOz

20-12-2005, 01:19 PM

I've seen one of Joe McCarthy's Elises' walking away from a 996GT3 at California Speedway so it doesn't surprise me.

RyDC5S

06-01-2006, 03:15 AM

http://www.jdmstyletuning.com/

The Lotus Elise guys post there in the motorsport section, look for a guy called Serran.

SteveSeries1

06-01-2006, 05:32 PM

Couldn't help but reply to this topic, as a former Lotus Elise owner (Series 1).

In the UK/Europe they install honda K20 (incl. supercharged), Audi 1.8T engine ( 250 - 330 hp), and Ford Duratec engine - lots of choices :)

FYI There are lots of warnings about dealings with Joe Macarthy, including loss of money and poor quality components.

This may be old news to you, but a few sites of interest.
www.aussieelises.com (http://www.aussieelises.com/) - another guy has done the transplant recently and I think his business does a complete drivein-driveout swap for about $20-$25,000 (the swap is 10,000 pounds in the UK, so pretty similar).
www.seloc.org (http://www.seloc.org/) - the most popular Lotus Elise site in the UK with lotsa info on honda swaps
www.elise-r.co.uk (http://www.elise-r.co.uk/) - a guy who was doing the swap
www.elisetalk.com (http://www.elisetalk.com/) - the US lotus elise site.
www.dyno-plot.co.uk (http://www.dyno-plot.co.uk/) - theres some good dyno plots for honda and audi engines (incl supercharged honda)

Its a great combo, the honda engine & the elise, and there are heaps of them in the UK, and recently in Oz.

Have fun. I miss the old elise (except during summer when its as hot as buggery) :)