[ssjr0498]

Hi Nitrous,

congrats on your purchase! It will be a good learning experience for all of us to understand what it takes to make a good track car from a stock one!

Btw, any updates on that time that Shantanu asked! It will be a good reference for all of us.

cheers
Shrey

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Thats a very brave target you've got there. Thats an average of 111kmph!!!

It'l be awesome if you can achieve it. You'l be right up there with the supercars.

Best of luck...

BTW, whats the fastest you've done in this stock esteem? It'l make for a good "before and after" comparison.

Shan2nu

[headers]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Prelude:
I needed something to keep me happy during the late nights ,weekends and track days. My requirements were simple. It had to be cheap.

Wow Nitrous, CONGRATS

Originally Posted by nitrous

Many a times,I've learnt that we go looking for things elsewhere when the perfect one is right in front of us.
I'd been spreading the word about a well maintained, recently restored esteem mpfi that was for sale. And one night, it struck my mind that It was the one I've been looking all over for. It was perfect. It was light. It was fuel efficient. It was quick.It was reliable.

But it was a Maruti!! Nevermind, marutis are not so bad afterall!

Originally Posted by nitrous

So, I called him the next day and eventually, took her out for a spin and she blew me away.85bhp on a 870kg car taught me why Elises are so popular around the world.Although, I had some newfound respect for the european ford's handling.I have to say the stock handling of the Esteem is pathetic.

I disagree here, the stock esteem handles pretty well!

Originally Posted by nitrous

This car was earlier worked upon at Electra and HI-Rev in Chennai. The same places I visit for regular maintenance.So, it came with a clean certificate.Didn't have much to think and I negotiated it for a fair price. I have to say it was gracious of 'Godseed1670' to have made this delicate matter,comfortable for me.
So,I took delivery of the bone stock car rubbing my hands with glee happy that it was gonna keep me busy.

Sure you gotta good deal!

Originally Posted by nitrous

I spent a month getting aquainted to her. Moving from a low power,good handling car to a powerful boat is quite a thing. I had to alter my driving style completely.This was more evident at the first track day i took her to. I had to enter really slow,take w-i-d-e lines and give throttle almost at the end of the corner.
And I had to let a gypsy(of all cars) overtake me.Something I've regretted at every weekend meet.

Thats a shame isnt it, letting a gypsy overtake you, of all cars!

Sometimes, it is better to accept the fact that some DRIVERS are better than you sir.

Originally Posted by nitrous

My plans for this car is to build her up slow and steady.The heart and the mind(wallet) had to come to an amicable understanding and the decision is to make one significant upgrade every month. The highest priority being handling.

This thread will be a record of all the mods and how they turn out . The ultimate goal is to do a 2:00:00 timing at the MMST.

I'd like to thank my friends Kuppy, Chikki ,PJSPEED, v1p3r, psycho and every racer and tuner in chennai whom i've gone asking for inputs.

Thats a nice plan nitrous, but 2:00:00 is possible in short loop, not the long one in an esteem. You will need atleast 3000 hours of testing or so and that works to a very high average speed!



Finally, congrats on getting what your heart wanted! Please spend money on tyres and suspension rather than all the pink and red lights!

Once you ride is fast, then all the colored lights can come on, else it would look like another "joker" who does the regular beach run! No offense here, just my sincere input!

and BTW, the next drag is with a MM540 DP 4WD :

[iraghava]

So finally she's revealed in public! But one question Nitrous, to have a mistress, you gotta have a wife first! Where's the wife man??

Anyway, did you have any luck with the wheels/tyres yet?

[nickatnite]

Nitrous

You should have called "the photographer" and taken some pics of your car!. Let's have some more pics. And, do enjoy your ride!.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by iraghava

So finally she's revealed in public! But one question Nitrous, to have a mistress, you gotta have a wife first! Where's the wife man??

Wife= Ikon. Now divorced- expensive to maintain.

Any update on thy mistress?

[CaliforniaKnight]

Looking forward for the builp up on the car Nitrous.Good to see an example that can do both the city + circuit drive.
I will be watching your build up quite anxiously.

[supremeBaleno]

nitrous, good that you put up a thread for your new love. Since I got a ride in the said car for the Pondy trip, I know the car to be good.

Originally Posted by nitrous

My requirements were simple. It had to be cheap. It had to be quick.Spares should be easy.Should be very mod friendly and performance parts should be available in the south east. Most of all, it should be a jap.

I am sure your above requirements were met well with this Jap car. And given the phenomenal FE that you got on the Pondy drive, your wallet will also remain full.

Originally Posted by nitrous

And I had to let a gypsy(of all cars) overtake me.

Just when headers had forgotten about this, you had to go remind him.

Originally Posted by headers

Thats a shame isnt it, letting a gypsy overtake you, of all cars! Sometimes, it is better to accept the fact that some DRIVERS are better than you sir. BTW, the next drag is with a MM540 DP 4WD

ha, you won't let even a small opportunity go by without ribbing him, eh?

Just one suggestion. Just spend some time/money/effort on cleaning the inside of the car - remember it looking quite shabby, especially the dash and stuff. And before I forget, get the damn a/c repaired - it ain't funny driving around in hot/humid Chennai and Pondy in a non-a/c car.

[benbsb29]

Nitro-endran anna, congrats on the mistress. Takes quite some guts publicizing it.
As some of the others have mentioned, i would also be watching this thread to see how the mods come about. Rest assured, the write-up would be detailed.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Mahendra ! Is it the same ride that you drove down to Pondy during our meet? Anyways, congrats and as many suggested i think good set of alloys and tyres will make it look neat

[im_srini]

First of all, congrats on your mistress, you couldn't have picked a more affordable car to convert into a track special...

Originally Posted by nitrous

This thread will be a record of all the mods and how they turn out. The ultimate goal is to do a 2:00:00 timing at the MMST.

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Thats a very brave target you've got there. Thats an average of 111kmph !!!

Originally Posted by headers

Thats a nice plan nitrous, but 2:00:00 is possible in short loop, not the long one in an esteem.

Wow ! 2 minutes on the long loop - that's extremely ambitious

I think the saloon class Esteems do it in the low 2 minutes (I remember 2:04 or something, but not sure if it's a track record for the Esteems). So I guess it's not totally out of the question. May I ask what're the mods done to the car up until now ?

And once again - congrats on your mistress !

[iraghava]

OT: Since all Rajni fans will also be eagerly following this thread, here's a nice site you guys should look at: :: Boss Ka Boss ::

[headers]

So Nitrous. whats Happening to your mistress(es) ?

Come on, educate us about your mods

[leadf00t]

hey nitrous,

heard a lot of short ratios and your stock mistress on teh FF4 meet thread.

come on buddy... spill the beans.

speak out with your "stock" mods. Its been over 9 months since we met adn talked about the mistress and you cant even put up a post to update on your full grown mistress oops baby .. oh whatever.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by nitrous

This thread will be a record of all the mods and how they turn out . The ultimate goal is to do a 2:00:00 timing at the MMST.

Please keep your promise nitrous. Update this thread with the mods. Or is your car still stock ?

Originally Posted by nitrous

I'd like to thank my friends Kuppy, Chikki ,PJSPEED, v1p3r, psycho, esteem_lover and every racer and tuner in chennai whom i've gone asking for inputs.

You're welcome.

[leadf00t]

Nitrous, either you bump the thread with the updates or we send someone to bump you up

Alittle birdie on the ECR told me the mistress is burning some serious rubber.