My New 135r Project

[Nick S1]

After building a couple of kit cars, one seven replica and a LB Stratos replica Ive been feeling a little bored (not helped by a year of lockdown).

As some know I bought a nearly new Exige a couple of years ago, absolutely awesome car and more than I ever thought Id ever own but with it being new I found myself needing something to tinker with.

The Exige went a few weeks ago and  spurred on by a few threads on various forums of people doing restoration projects Ive gone ahead and bought myself a new 'project' to keep myself busy and out of the way of the wife.

Its a 2003 135r, great history being a one owner car from new with less than 20k miles. The owner obviously used and looked after the car for the first 10 years but from what I understand it has been sat outside on his drive for the last 5-6 years. As we know, Elises being stored outside and being unused is not the best.

Its in desperate need of a clean inside an out and some major servicing, bodywork has paint bubbling across the top of the doors and the front clam has a bit of damage that looks like its been driven into a kerb.

It has a folder full of history and receipts that I haven't yet had chance to look through. My plan is to do a complete top to bottom refurbishment, Im told the cam belt hasn't been changed since 2008 so first job is to order up a cam belt kit and get that changed, then onto a brake refresh.

Dave99 thread on his S1 refresh is probably the sort of thing Im looking to do, whether I can match his standard is yet to be seen

Delivered today, cant wait to make a start, Im sure Ill be asking lots of questions 🙂

In the garage ready to start on cam belt

 

 

 

[MrWill]

I have garage envy Nick.  It's a garage which deserves a car rebuild project.  Looks like a great buy... enjoy! 

[Alex B]

Nick,

That looks fab!

What number is it? I own #001 which no longer has the standard seats or k series lump in it. 

[Nick S1]

10 hours ago, MrWill said:

I have garage envy Nick.  It's a garage which deserves a car rebuild project.  Looks like a great buy... enjoy! 

Thanks, I spent yesterday changing the old garage fluorescent tube lighting to new super bright LED batten lights, the difference is amazing, you could say it’s night and day!
Well worth the effort, although now shows up all the marks on the Lotus paintwork!

[Nick S1]

6 hours ago, Alex B said:

Nick,

That looks fab!

What number is it? I own #001 which no longer has the standard seats or k series lump in it. 

Cheers Alex, it’s build number 027.

Number 001 is interesting, was that originally a Lotus owned car? Is it blue or silver?

Have you kept the original LSS suspension or gone for something different? I’m not sure which way to go at the moment, the car is 95% original and I’d like to keep it that way but from what I read the LSS set up is quite harsh for road use.

I believe Bilstein will refurbish the original shocks. I’m no track god and the car will get mostly road use, so not sure if to go for something a little easier for the road and keep the original LSS shocks in a box  so I or the next owner could go back to original at a later date.

[Alex B]

Yeah #001 was originally a lotus owned car and used for all the press related outings. It's a mica silver car.

There's a guy over on seloc compiling a register.

Mine since then has had several rover Ks, and Audi lump and now has a Honda k20. It currently sits on a set of nitrons the LSS being removed long before me buying it.

If suggest anything you change to keep the originals, as putting back to standard when selling will help.

[MattJM]

21 hours ago, Nick S1 said:

After building a couple of kit cars, one seven replica and a LB Stratos replica Ive been feeling a little bored (not helped by a year of lockdown).

As some know I bought a nearly new Exige a couple of years ago, absolutely awesome car and more than I ever thought Id ever own but with it being new I found myself needing something to tinker with.

The Exige went a few weeks ago and  spurred on by a few threads on various forums of people doing restoration projects Ive gone ahead and bought myself a new 'project' to keep myself busy and out of the way of the wife.

Its a 2003 135r, great history being a one owner car from new with less than 20k miles. The owner obviously used and looked after the car for the first 10 years but from what I understand it has been sat outside on his drive for the last 5-6 years. As we know, Elises being stored outside and being unused is not the best.

Its in desperate need of a clean inside an out and some major servicing, bodywork has paint bubbling across the top of the doors and the front clam has a bit of damage that looks like its been driven into a kerb.

It has a folder full of history and receipts that I haven't yet had chance to look through. My plan is to do a complete top to bottom refurbishment, Im told the cam belt hasn't been changed since 2008 so first job is to order up a cam belt kit and get that changed, then onto a brake refresh.

Dave99 thread on his S1 refresh is probably the sort of thing Im looking to do, whether I can match his standard is yet to be seen

Delivered today, cant wait to make a start, Im sure Ill be asking lots of questions 🙂

In the garage ready to start on cam belt

 

 

 

Love that and especially the wheels 😍

Also the floor in that awesome garage is great would like something similar for mine for when my Fe exige arrives. Just wish I had as much room 🤦‍♂️  Where did you get the floor from ? 
cheers Matt

[Nick S1]

Hi Matt, the flooring was from Duramat, I bought the Duratile, I think my garage is about 5 metres square and cost around £500. Looking at the picture it could do with a clean!

https://duramat.co.uk/category/all/duratile/

If your getting a final edition Exige it deserves nothing less, what model are you getting?