1999 Lotus Elise S1 with DVA K13a upgrade – 38k miles

A great opportunity to become the custodian of this lovely low mileage 1999 Lotus Elise S1. I’ve owned this car for more than 10 years and it represents the perfect fast road performance set-up. It’s sublime to drive, sounds fantastic, provides great feedback and has had the weak areas of the S1 addressed so it’s ready for the next owner to enjoy. The spec is as follows.

1999 Lotus Elise S1 – registered in August 1999, 4 owners including me.

Engine & transmission

1.8 Litre Rover K series engine – upgraded to DVA K13a spec:

- Ported cylinder head DVA Power K13a – :

Details from DVA site :

"K13A - S2/S1 Elise, MGF and Caterham 150BHP kit

Includes a ported cylinder head with standard sized inlet and exhaust valves, the head is fitted with Piper fast road cams. The head must be provided by the customer, and as modified flows enough air for 175BHP so is ideal when later upgrades are planned. Gives large gains in torque and much better drivability.

Unlike other conversions head work includes full porting to both inlet and exhaust ports, modification of exhaust valves to improve airflow, tapering of inlet valve guides and work to the combustion chamber to improve airflow and combustion.

Recent examples on 1800K series Elise have given up to 159BHP and 138lb/ft.

Comprises of

Pair Piper fast-road cams (choice of 3 profiles)

Extensive porting work to your cylinder head

Modification work to your plenum and exhaust manifold (included in fitting)"

- Deflashed inlet manifold

- Modified stock airbox to increase flow, plus K&N Panel filter which makes the engine bay look standard 

- Piper 633 camshafts

- Adjustable Piper vernier pulleys (timed by DVA)

- Emerald K6 ECU

- 52mm Aluminium throttle body

- 82 degree PRRT thermostat

- Janspeed large bore 4-2-1 exhaust manifold with Eliseparts flex sports cat & Brooke Kensington Silencer

B4BP Close ratio gearbox – reconditioned by transmission solutions

Upgraded rear engine steady mount

Aluminium radiator

Handling

Reconditioned steering rack with bronze cups – completed by Hofmanns

Nitron NTR 40 dampers with Hofmanns geometry

Upgraded uniball double-sheer toe links (Elise-shop)

Standard arb with poly bushes

Carbon Lorraine RC5 pads all round & braided hoses, plain Pagid discs all round – barely worn

Interior

Floors are corrosion-free and were addressed as a factory recall years ago

Refurbished S1 seats with probax inserts & cushions

Sill pads are in lovely condition & not worn

It’s a lovely place to be, very comfortable & tidy

Exterior

New aluminium paintwork is in excellent condition, there is the odd stone chip of course but nothing that detracts from the car

Clear indicators

Eliseparts headlight covers

Black stone rear guards

Soft top is in great condition, with the plastic strip remaining unbroken

Door seals are not corroded unlike many and are nice and flat

Grilles are very good too

Victory wheels finished in black with Nankang NS-2R tyres all round

Overall, it’s a lovely example. I’ve regularly maintained & improved it over the years. The gear change is slick & direct, brake pedal solid, throttle response immediate. It turns in beautifully and has a much more urgent level of torque than the original 118bhp cars, while still not being overly loud. I always have used top quality oil – such as Millers CFS & Fuchs Pro S. While I’ve owned the car it has only been used on the road, although I am sure it would be very entertaining on track too and has enough parts upgraded that it would certainly be up to it. The car featured on the Grand Tour in “Business Park Racing” – Season 2 Episode 3 driven by “Jenny from HR”

It fires up on the button and has never let me down, it just needs to be driven. Large folder of receipts and has the original ECU present. The alarm siren even works properly! If you’re looking for a fun Rover K powered Elise that is very entertaining to drive and ready for the summer, this could be it.