Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • Motorsport
    • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
    • LAKESIDE DTC RESULTS
  • Magazine
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Galleries
  • Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Archives
duratec-banner

Duratec Elise – better late than never

By Joe Arico.

I guess the first place to start this article is with an apology.

After completing parts 1 and 2 of “Duratec Madness” many moons ago I never completed the series. It’s the usual reasons… life got busy with work taking most of my time. International travel was “fun” when I was younger (actually, not really!) but these days I find it nothing less than exhausting – and that was before COVID! I’ve managed to extract myself from that life recently (more on that later), but to those of you I left hanging on the Duratec project my apologies!

The good news is that the Duratec conversion was a success.

More so than I anticipated if I’m honest. It’s proven to be quick on track while remaining an entirely enjoyable car to drive on the road. It’s spent most of its life driving to Warwick and back to compete in the QLD Super Sprint series and I must say, it never ceases to amaze me (of Elise’s and Exige’s in general) that you can drive to the track, relentlessly flog them, place very well in your class / overall, and then drive them home!

I need to get out and do more in the car but somehow, through COVID and a few other life challenges, I lost motivation to participate in anything more than the sprints. That’s something I shall have to remedy in the coming year!

But let’s get on with where the conversion ended up. As I said it’s been some time since the last instalment so best I summarise and tell the story in pictures.

Engine mounts (final iteration):

From top left: Front engine mount, lower engine mount, gearbox mount

I still wanted to enjoy the car on the road, and as such was determined to do what I was told was impossible and retain the air conditioning. Space was an issue but where there’s a will there’s a way!

Where there’s a will there’s a way!

When I first got the car running it went well but with the competition being what it is at Morgan Park I wanted to squeeze a little more out of it. So, for Duratec v2.0 I ended up moving the bulkhead forward to accommodate a longer intake for more power / torque.

I ended up moving the bulkhead forward.

CES Racing did a lovely 4-2-1 tuned exhaust for me, and I got a bit carried away and designed a CNC coil cover badge because… well, just because!

Just because.
The final finished product.

The small block you can see at the back of the engine (that the PCV hose loops into) is an idle control / emissions manifold. I integrated PCV, cannister purge and idle control into a single block to tidy up all the plumbing and to make sure I complied with all the legalities of getting the car registered.

It took 18 months to complete and all the spare time I had but for me it was a bucket list experience. I learnt so much, least of which is how much I enjoy designing in CAD.

Which leads me to the part I said I’d get back to at the start. I recently decided to walk away from corporate life and start a business that specialises in 3D scanning / design / printing, reverse engineering and offers a manufacturing service. I’m focusing on cars to begin with but will potentially expand into other industries down the track if all goes well. My business is called Optimum3 Design and Engineering. If you’re interested and would like more information you can check it out at www.optimum3.com.au

Should you have any questions about the Duratec or anything else, please feel free to get in touch.

Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022 Kev’s Big Day Out

Related Posts

mp-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Morgan Park Sprints R4

kevs-banner

EMRs, Gallery 2022, Homepage

Kev’s Big Day Out

gold-rush-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022

Random images

IMGP0983
Ready to go with Bond, Moneypenny and Bond girl (in jacket).
Peter-and-Elise
Food-line-up-Angela-Clive-Wybe-Tony
MG_6540
MG_6064
the-lid
MG_9493
MG_9481
The Sevens
P1020674
P1020648
001
113_1367_IMG
IMG_3774
IMG_4427
IMG_4423
Carolyn & now Senior Craig
Type-94T
Darryl-Ringuet-using-all-the-track-photo-by-Trapnell-Creations
gw_Vyvyan ahead of competitors
gw_Rob & Matt
elan-tas
_MG_9155 as Smart Object-1
IMG-0168
John B in his 7
IMG_0339
Dick\'s scrutineering
Jeff
dtc-17
dtc-10
Herrmann-1
_MG_4893 as Smart Object-1
_MG_4787 as Smart Object-1
Tim,-Mal-and-Clive-sharing-tall-tales
0083
IMG_7341
image_053
0209ac
main-36
main-9
Mar-main-82
Mar-main-72
image_234
main-40
That-was-a-tricky-corner
Guest-driver-Frank-from-Westfield-Club
IMG_0285_1
lec_0170
IMG_0355
img_1123
IMG_8024
IMG_3331
IMG_3290
image_215
IMG_6841
IMG_4200
DSC05010
Rob
Doing_the_warm_up_lap
EMRa0412
013_13
Daryl_Wilson_Caterham_7
IMG_8152
IMG_3058
2008_06_22_13_15_28_0209
IMG_6358
077_77
IMG_8842
DSC_0285
Ready-for-the-next-run
Its-dusty-in-an-open-car.-The-end-of-a-hard-day-in-the-Gobi_
7-Dougs-Seafood-Cafe
IMG20200204163036
IMG_3896
Bridie-getting-a-ride-with-Evan
karen-black-at-the-standing-stones-photo-by-vyv
2-Trevor-Doyle
Lots_Of_Tickets_Usually_Speeding
IMG_9690
compressor-mount
A bit of Understeer
Instructions 1 of 8
Over-3000cc-Sports-cars.-Geoff-Noble-Matt-Plowman-and-Maree-filling-in-for-Tony-Seymour
received_676311546392473
joe's-1947-alfa-3
A27I4710
The Loxtons
At lunch
09192021-copy5
IMG_1899
classic-seven-cockpit
_MG_9737 as Smart Object-1
Old fashioned milkshakes
Rd 1 Presentations-Jason,Garry & Joe
Aston-Martin-1
Chris and Patty
IMAG6123
IMAG6159
IMAG6204

Recent Articles

  • Morgan Park Sprints R4
  • Kev’s Big Day Out
  • Duratec Elise – better late than never
  • Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022
  • Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022
  • Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane
  • Leyburn 2022
  • August 2022 DTC

Latest Gallery Images

20220220_093834 20220220_093818 20220220_093827 20220220_093743 20220220_093812 20220220_093730

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios