Project "Have Blue" revealed (2 Viewers)

[Cruisergreg]

I was waiting until some titling issues were resolved before spilling the beans. I had intended to wait until obtaining gainfull employment but this one came up locally on eBay and I couldn't pass it up so I pulled the trigger (I guess divorce does have some advantages). Sometimes in life one has to do things out of order. Anyway...

2005 Lotus Elise Turbo, 12,600 miles. Black on black on black (on black).

Specs:

Toyota 1.8 liter 2ZZ VVT-Li mated to Toyota 6 speed tranny.
Professionally-installed intercooled Forced Fed brand Turbo Charger producing 275 BHP/200 ft-lb torque on max 8 psi boost. (0 - 60 in the 4 second range)
Fiberglass body over aluminum space-frame
Some other kewl options beyond the very bare-boned base model

I give a Rice Krispy Treat to anyone that gets the "Have Blue" reference without Googling.

 

[Daisy 53]

Have blue was the code name for the stealth fighter program...
Daisy

 

[OGBeno]

I was waiting until some titling issues were resolved before spilling the beans. I had intended to wait until obtaining gainfull employment but this one came up locally on eBay and I couldn't pass it up so I pulled the trigger (I guess divorce does have some advantages). Sometimes in life one has to do things out of order. Anyway...

2005 Lotus Elise Turbo, 12,600 miles. Black on black on black (on black).

Specs:

Toyota 1.8 liter 2ZZ VVT-Li mated to Toyota 6 speed tranny.
Professionally-installed intercooled Forced Fed brand Turbo Charger producing 275 BHP/200 ft-lb torque on max 8 psi boost. (0 - 60 in the 4 second range)
Fiberglass body over aluminum space-frame
Some other kewl options beyond the very bare-boned base model

I give a Rice Krispy Treat to anyone that gets the "Have Blue" reference without Googling.

Wow. I need to get one of those too....you can't be the only cool dude in Corrales.



So, Greg, explain to me how a Lotus has a Toyota engine in it...I'm completely ignorant when it comes to exotic vehicles.

-o-

 

[Cruisergreg]

Very Good! Assuming he didn't cheat, Daisey gets a Krispy Treat.

The connection first came up when I went to look at the car. All that black, I thought looks like an F117. Then the seller commented he thought the car was essentially "invisible" to police radar because of the black color. I don't buy it, but all the weird angles of the aluminum subframe could deflect a radar return giving it a very low radar cross section that a police radar might not read as a "car". And then there's the fact that Lockheed's program was a "black" project on a "night fighter" so I'm just having fun with the connections. Might get a vanity plate...

 

[Cruisergreg]

So, Greg, explain to me how a Lotus has a Toyota engine in it...I'm completely ignorant when it comes to exotic vehicles.

Lotus, like a lot of European exotic builders, likes to use as much off the shelf hardware as possible when it meets thier design specs to keep R&D and production costs down. Lotus has often built thier own engines but in this case the Toyota powertrain met thier design concept apparently (note: I would not have bought a Lotus with a Lotus drivetrain). There's also a higher level Elise that employs the TRD supercharger. Just poking around the car I found the rearview mirror was a GM part, the catayst is from Porsche and surely many other pieces are from the bin. Nice thing is, if I destroy the motor I can get another from Toyota for pennies compared to some weird exotic motor.

Another great example of this approach was the DiTomasso Pantera of the 1970s. It was Italian built but powered by a SBC. I once knew someone that had one and looking it over it was full of FIAT trim items, door locks, etc.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Bah!

Wierd angles do not a stealthy vehicle make. Shoot, the two biggest reflectors in a typical jet fighter are the HUD frame, and the pilot's helmet.

That's wicked awesome Greg. That one certainly is vanity plate worthy. Can't wait to see it.

Dan

 

[pappy]

"Have Blue" won't fit on a plate. How about "GotBlue?" Cool wheels Greg.

 

[Cruisergreg]

I was thinking HAV BLU. Get's the idea across.

 

[OGBeno]

Lotus, like a lot of European exotic builders, likes to use as much off the shelf hardware as possible when it meets thier design specs to keep R&D and production costs down. Lotus has often built thier own engines but in this case the Toyota powertrain met thier design concept apparently (note: I would not have bought a Lotus with a Lotus drivetrain). There's also a higher level Elise that employs the TRD supercharger. Just poking around the car I found the rearview mirror was a GM part, the catayst is from Porsche and surely many other pieces are from the bin. Nice thing is, if I destroy the motor I can get another from Toyota for pennies compared to some weird exotic motor.

Another great example of this approach was the DiTomasso Pantera of the 1970s. It was Italian built but powered by a SBC. I once knew someone that had one and looking it over it was full of FIAT trim items, door locks, etc.

Nice explanation. Makes complete sense.

So, uh, when can I get a ride in that Batmobile?

 

[Daisy 53]

No cheating here!!
The things you learn on the Military Channel...

Nice ride Greg, bring that to the next meeting!

Daisy

 

[Rudical]

So, uh, when can I get a ride in that Batmobile?

Exactly what I was thinking. Nice car Greg! Do you have the costume too?

 

[Cruisergreg]

So, uh, when can I get a ride in that Batmobile?

Batgirl gets the first ride.

 

[juane]

That is a bad ass looking car Greg!

Room for bat girl and kid's seats?

juane

 

[Beowulf]

Lotus has often built thier own engines but in this case the Toyota powertrain met thier design concept apparently (note: I would not have bought a Lotus with a Lotus drivetrain).

Actually, Yamaha designed that engine in your Lotus for Toyota.

Another great example of this approach was the DiTomasso Pantera of the 1970s. It was Italian built but powered by a SBC.

The De Tomaso Pantera used Ford engines; the Cleveland 351ci. They were also sold in Ford dealerships. The Pantera wasn't great at anything except cooking the occupants 365 days a year and extremely poor reliability. They were truly expensive junk... but they did look good and they were fast when they ran.

-Mike-

 

[Beowulf]

... giving it a very low radar cross section that a police radar might not read as a "car".

This is true regarding conventional radar from what I have read. I'm not sure about the newer laser speed clocking technology (LIDAR? ?)

It looks like a fun car but they'll kick you out of PCA when they find out about it.

-Mike-

 

[evanz80]

Very cool! I never heard of a Lotus with a Toyota drivetrain, but that sounds like the perfect combination. Does it even weigh 2,000 pounds? My Celica GT is supposedly 2,450 and I bet this one is much lighter.

Can't wait to see it in person. You can probably sell tickets for a ride! We might need to talk to someone about closing down a street for you, or find a racetrack close by to really get the flavor.

 

[BionicCruiser]

or find a racetrack close by to really get the flavor.

there is one. a buddy races a Camaro at (i think) Duke City Raceway. it's out west off I-40.

a neighbor of mine has a Pantera(and like 8 other cool cars). he drives it once in a while. very cool car. he doesn't leave it out in sight anymore. the teenagers have egged it a couple times. shame.

looks like a fun lotus. Nathan will be jealous, didn't he have one of those?

 

[Cruisergreg]

Room for bat girl and kid's seats?

No jump seats for the kids this time. Unless I paid $40K for a 15 year old 911 there weren't any other non-two seater options for the handling I wanted. Kids will have to go one at a time - no complaints about that so far. Batgirl isn't returning my calls so that's not an issue. And as far as Badass goes, Perea's wife thinks it's "cute". Women (?!?).

Actually, Yamaha designed that engine in your Lotus for Toyota. The De Tomaso Pantera used Ford engines; the Cleveland 351ci.

I don't care who designed it as long as Toyota built it.

You are correct sir, it was a Ford in the Pantera. But the point for Onur's query was that it had a Detroit iron powerplant.

This is true regarding conventional radar from what I have read. I'm not sure about the newer laser speed clocking technology (LIDAR? ?) It looks like a fun car but they'll kick you out of PCA when they find out about it.

Supposedly even LIDAR has less effectiveness with a black car due to the light absorbing qualities. In any event I'm in the market for a Passport system. And I'll spray lots of that anti-camera goop on the license plate.

They'll kick me out of PCA for sure when I get rid of the rattley 944. There's almost always one Lotus varient at the PCA autocross events, and usually they kick a$$ over most of the Porsches. Looking forward to my chance - there's one next weekend but I don't think I'll have the car dialed in for my driving skills by then.

Very cool! I never heard of a Lotus with a Toyota drivetrain, but that sounds like the perfect combination. Does it even weigh 2,000 pounds?

Barely. I have the "Touring Package" which adds disgusting creature comforts like carpet and a sound system that can be heard over the exhaust which the purists are agast by. This car tips in just under 2000 lbs.

there is one. a buddy races a Camaro at (i think) Duke City Raceway. it's out west off I-40. Looks like a fun lotus. Nathan will be jealous, didn't he have one of those?

What I really would like to find is something like an abandoned airfield or big empty parking lot of a dunct factory to do some slower, very tight skid testing.

Yes, I believe Nathan had an Elise, although I'm pretty sure it was N/A. There were no forced-induction cars before 2006 and the ones that came later (TRD Supercharger) were badged the Exige.

Today was really the first day I was able to wring it out on the street legally. I spent 3 hours with the interlock techs (not legal for a customer to get involved but they like me)trying to figure out how to get the thing installed without freaking out the security system. At one point all 3 of us were under the car trying to trace wires. I think I have the dubious distiction of having the first Lotus in the US fitted with an interlock because there was no available information on how to do it. Such is my life these days but at least I can drive the car.

For anyone interested in driving impressions:

I like that you can drive around all day in the low RPMs without any public rucuss getting and great gas mileage but if you want ponies the boost comes on around 4K and then when the second cam kicks in at 6K it's a rocket up to the rev limiter. I think this thing will eat Corvettes and give Vipers a run for thier money.

Steering feedback is great, if not too great. The PO had competition tires on it and they go all over the place on any uneven/seemed surface. I have HP street tires on order so hopefully they'll even out that dynamic a little.

In the end I was wanting to recreate the driving experience I had in X1/9s adecades ago nd as far as I can tell this is about as close as it gets from a modern vehicle, so I'm very happy.

I've used enough bandwidth on a non-4X4 topic so I'll go away now...

 

[Tyler Durden]

I was thinking HAV BLU. Get's the idea across.

Yup...a few people will get it.

I have veteran plates with an abbreviated firearms reference on it (ex. SA1911)...the few people that realize what it means get a kick out of it.

 

[sandcruiser]

very cool car, congrats.