15 replies to this topic

[Trouserhams]

Hi Everyone,

 

This weekend myself and my partner decided to have a look for a fun weekend car with the aim of teaching her basic mechanics and engine modification and then having it as a track car.

 

We looked at an S1 Elise with an Exige motorsport kit on it first, which turned out to be an absolute dog, but then found this on Pistonheads at 10:30, and bought it by 12:30!

 

 

 

 

My first opinions are that it is completely gutless in a straight line, and the engine response is terrible, but my god its fun on country roads!! I've not been able to stop grinning every time I drive it on the lanes! Hooked!

 

I'm looking to resolve the straight line potency with a supercharger kit, OBDTuner ecu, and some engine and peripheral fettling in the future.

 

Daytime job I'm a Powertrain design/development engineer for JLR's Engineered To Order division (ETO) and am responsible for the R-S powertrains (550PS+ V8's mostly ). I'll be linking with Tom (Fezzasus) on some future performance upgrades

 

Other cars I have in the fleet are:

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to becoming an active member on the forum. Are there many of you based in the midlands, Warwick way?

 

James

[GiGo]

Welcome, there are lots of us in the Midlands, there a few down Warwick way too.

[Hark]

A couple of us with sc cars in the midlands as well.

[XXX]

That looks a very nice VX you have picked up there. Someone has looked after it. Was it a forum member do you know??

[Trouserhams]

Thanks everyone, it would be good to meet a few other VX owners at some point.

 

It was owned previously by Nathan Churchman,don't know if he's on here, but I believe he only had it for a year. It used to be on the Reg M4DRO. It wasn't on the VIN register on here so I've added it now.

 

At the moment I'm busy trying to chase some of the history of the car. Its done 40k and theres no sign of any chain rattle, but I have no paperwork to suggest it went back for its recall regarding the timing chain tensioner back in 2005, so that might have to be done in the near future.

 

Im going to order all the sundries to give it a full service including gearbox oil and brake fluid. Always good to start with a fresh sheet then I know if its consuming anything. I'll have a search on the forum to see what oil people recommend. I'm sure Tom will give me some guidance!

 

 

[fezzasus]

My engine looks cleaner than it did two years ago, so I'd happily recommend the Titan Fuchs supersyn 5W-40. It's fine, my company doesn't make this one.

[Tuuurtle]

Welcome to the forum, James. I worked at JLR at the Whitley site last year, but never got to enjoy any of the R-S models myself (although I did admire all the XKR-S' driving around site)! Enjoy the VX

[Claws]

Welcome! That looks really nice, has it been resprayed in Coral Blue? Enjoy!

[Wolfstone]

Welcome! That looks really nice, has it been resprayed in Coral Blue? Enjoy!

Was just about to comment that it looks more like coral than Europa. Maybe just the picture?

[Harry Hornet]

hellooooooo and welcome to the funny farm

 

HH

[fezzasus]

I think it's just the picture, looked like Europa in person.

[Nev]

 

My first opinions are that it is completely gutless in a straight line, and the engine response is terrible, but my god its fun on country roads!! I've not been able to stop grinning every time I drive it on the lanes! Hooked!

 

 

James

 

Hi James, it made me laugh to see such a candid resume of an NA engined VX, though as you say, they are plenty powerful engough for twisty b-roads, and I expect it's nimble handling is a refreshing surprise.

 

SC'ing is deffo a good way forward, but beware of high IATs if you hike the boost up too much, the bugbear of only using a few tiny laminovas in the inlet plenum itself.

 

Best of luck,

 

Nev.

[jonnyboy]

Looks like a great buy. Was the motorsport elise that orange one that's on eBay? Uklotuscentre apparently.

[Trouserhams]

Thanks everyone.

The car was on eBay, but it's been taken off now. The pictures looked like this;





It looked awesome from about 10m, but on closer inspection, every panel was a slight different colour and the fitment wasn't great. The front dampers were completely shot and the suspension in general looked like it had never been looked at or serviced! Everything was rusty!

Very happy with the vx at the moment. Took it for a B-road blast to the Cotswold motor museum yesterday and saw Brum.



And I got to sit on a wicked ass tractor



James. Aged 3 and 7 1/2 months

[Ed Winchester]

Very nice. You beat me to that one by by 24hrs. Lots of the 'nice to have' work has already been done on that car. I hope you enjoy it.. If not, let me know when you want to sell it

[Boombang]

What have you done to that poor rallye?

Edited by Boombang, 03 October 2013 - 08:41 PM.