Elise | Z-Car

Simple DIY Lotus Elise Front License Plate Bracket

By Jimmy April 6, 2014 Cars, DIY, Lotus 1 Comment

Since buying my Lotus Elise in 2005, I have been pulled over three times for not having a license plate on the front of the car. Fortunately, the friendly police officers always seemed to let me go with just a warning. While I definitely don’t like the look of the license plate mounted up front, I really did not have one installed because there just is not a real good bracket out there.

Recently I came across a company that utilized the stock tow-ring nut located within the grill to mount a license plate bracket. It was a very sexy solution, and I got ready to plunk down my credit card. However, when I saw the final shopping cart price of $100, I decided to take a different course.

I found that an 8MM x 60MM bolt with the appropriate nuts and washers did an excellent job of mounting a left over garage door bracket to the front end of the car. I lined up the holes in the bracket with the license plate, and painlessly drilled a couple holes in the license plate to match up with the bracket holes. A few sprays of black paint, and it was ready to bolt-up. I think it turned out pretty well, and saved me a cool $100.

How to beat the CEL – Custom Lotus Elise Cold Air Intake

By Jimmy April 5, 2014 Cars, DIY, Lotus No Comments

I have tried a number of different cold air intakes for my 2005 Lotus Elise, and while I loved the sound and performance, I have been plagued by the infamous P0171 code that accompanies the inevitable check engine light.

Finally I decided to take matters into my own hand a develop my own solution. The conventional wisdom was that the aftermarket cold air intakes modified the intake pipe size, and MAF sensor location just enough to confuse the Elise’s fragile ECU. This seemed to make sense, as I did have varying success with the aftermarket units, my last one was a simple pipe with a K&N filter clamped on the end. However, the pipe had a slightly larger bore size than the stock air-box.

So, what was my solution? It was simple, I purchased a used Exige air-box and carefully cut-out the enclosed air-pipe using a sharp sawzall and some pliers to clean up the ends. Go slow and take your time. Once you have it removed, find a K&N filter that will fit the end of the pipe, and clamp it down solid. I think you will find that it will solve any CEL issues you may have had, you can say goodbye to P071 for good!

2 Weird Lotus Elise Brake Pad Facts..

By Jimmy March 31, 2014 Cars, Lotus No Comments

The Front brakes on a Lotus Elise are the same pads used on the rear of a 2006 Subaru STI

DG961 or MKD961 or PR961

The Rear brakes on a Lotus Elise are the same pads as used on the rear of an 1992-2000 Viper

D491 or 100.04910 or MKD491

Lotus Elise Car Stereo Wiring Harness Guide

By Jimmy March 3, 2014 DIY, Lotus No Comments

cameron diaz in car with thumbs up

Ok, you finally decided it was time to upgrade that stereo in your Lotus Elise. Great idea, Cameron Diaz agrees and gives you a solid thumbs up. So, here is your handy dandy cheat sheet on the wiring codes for your Elise. The main key is to pick up the VW wiring harness, with this handy gadget, you can mash any two harnesses together.

Good Luck!

VW wiring harness, Scosche Part # VW01B

Car Radio Battery Constant 12V+ Wire: Violet
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12V+ Wire: Green/Red
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Red/Orange
Car Radio Dimmer Wire: N/A
Car Radio Antenna Trigger Wire: N/A
Car Radio Amp Trigger Wire: N/A

Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Black/White
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/Gray
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Black/Gray
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/White

Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Black/White
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/Gray
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Black/White
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/Gray

Lotus Elise Stereo Installation

Lotus Elise and Pretty Girls, perfect combo! Part II

By Jimmy February 9, 2014 Girls, Lotus 1 Comment

Swinging pretty legs out her Lotus Elise, nice shoes!

From Wheels and Heels Magazine. Like the Black wheels, and heels…

Cute girl with a tattoo, Red Lotus is in background

Stripe bikini Blonde with Lotus Elise

Very cute girl next to her orange Lotus Exige

Silver Lotus Elise, pretty model babe in black dress

Secret agent girl with her light blue Elise.

Purple hair girl with a Blue Elise

Lotus fan talking on her phone

Underwear model next to her Lotus Elise

Pretty legs peeking out of young ladies short black dress – Orange Lotus Elise

Cute blonde stepping into her Red Elise

Pretty red bra wearing girl makes phone call while sitting in her Lotus Elise

Sexy blonde in green sitting on her Lotus Elise

Harness girl with tattoos, not riding in her Lotus

Beautiful Magnetic Blue Lotus Elise with girl in black

Pony-tail blonde sitting in her Yellow Elise

Girls in interesting matching outfits next to yellow Elise

Pretty girl with short black dress leans seductively next to Elise

Another fabulous harness girl in her Lotus Elise

Asian red hair on Orange Lotus Elise

Sitting next to her Orange Lotus Elise

Pretty girl in black bikini checking the oil in her Lotus Elise

Wheels and Heels Magazine Cover Model in her white Exige

Pretty girl in underwear in garage, Lotus Elise parked outside.

Girl in underwear laying down next to a silver Elise

Babe in short black dress getting ready to jack up her Orange Lotus Elise

Girl in white bikini begging her Lotus Elise to be quiet

Group of girls wearing matched outfit in front of a Chrome Orange Lotus Elise

Matching girls in front of their Elise

Fit girl in white outfit in shows off the curves of her Lotus Elise

Pretty girl in pink bikini in front of her light blue Lotus

Girl in blue underwear with her Chrome Orange Lotus Elise

Big bobbed girl in blue bra lounging in her Elise

Pretty girl in green girl in her yellow elise

Non-Lotus blonde harness girl with white heels

Masked ladies with their Black Lotus

Girl in Black Dress sitting on a red Elise hood

Babe next to silver and orange Lotus Elise

Continuation of

Lotus Elise and Pretty Girls, perfect combo!

Lotus Elise – Wiper Blades

By Jimmy June 8, 2009 DIY, Lotus No Comments

24″ Bosch Micro Edge Excel
24″ Valeo
24″ Bosch Icon
26″ Bosch Icon 426A

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