Hard Top - Now Obsolete

[Kuching]

[quote author=Sy link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=240#253 date=11/12/04 at 00:42:12]Simon<br><br>Do you want me to get a cross section of seal profile available at my local trim shop.  I could mail them to you for perusal if needs be?<br>[/quote]<br>I do have quite a range of seals to start testing once I get the top back from the paint shop but it can only be helpful to consider as many different ones as possible. At least that way we know we have found the best available option. <br><br>You could either post some samples or bring them to Stoneleigh.<br><br>Thanks Sy.

[Kuching]

F.A.Qs<br><br>Starting production depends first on getting the chance to try fitting the hardtop on a range of different Elans to ensure that it will fit consistently without having to have each one taylor made (these are hand made cars after all). Also I want to do some wet weather testing on the the seals (one of the advantages of living in Cumbria). But if all that goes to plan I expect to supply the first top before the end of the month.<br><br>Although I haven't finalised the price yet, I still intend to keep within that stated a few pages back of £1450 for the basic spec. <br><br>Unless the tops can be personally delivered or picked-up, it would be easier to supply them unpainted due to the risk of damage in transit. However, it would be possible to produce them in a self-colour of black, white or grey. Alternatively the inside or outside surfaces could be finished with a ply of woven carbon fibre. A full carbon fibre structure would be possible but I doubt that it's really worth the expense unless you're looking for that last tenth of a second on the track.<br><br>As for being 100% watertight; just remember that even when James Bond drove his Esprit under the sea, that fish still got in there somehow!<br><br><br>

[Doug]

Holy s**t, Batman  :o<br><br>Just put 1450 into the currency converter and its $2700 US   :'(<br><br>DOH!   :-/

[mark]

[quote author=AV8NDOC link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=255#262 date=11/12/04 at 17:28:15]Holy s**t, Batman  :o<br><br>Just put 1450 into the currency converter and its $2700 US   :'(<br><br>DOH!   :-/[/quote]<br><br>no sh*t Sherlock - its only going to get worse as the dollar is expected to get weaker over the next few months (I'm into currency trading at work).  hence my somewhat tongue-in-cheek comment last week about getting the tops made here for us US fellows..<br><br>So how about we split one doug - I'll take it in the winter months since your queen doesn't see the light of day if there is rain anywhere in the northern hemisphere, you can have it for the summer months...<br>

[Doug]

[quote author=Mark link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=255#263 date=11/12/04 at 19:12:48]So how about we split one Doug . . .  you can have it for the summer months...<br>[/quote]<br><br> [smiley=wtf.gif]

[nitroman]

OMG, AV8NDOC is Sherlock?  That makes you Dr. Watson, I presume?  The talent never ceases to amaze me here in our little secret society.  Alas, I have no Jeckyll/Hyde secret to reveal.

[Andy]

Container shipment logistics - Easier said than done whether FOB or CIF.  Be prepared for hidden costs/fees/duties, other than the ocean freight charge.  If snagged by US Customs be prepared to add another $500-$1000 for examination and other fees.  Don't forget charges(about another $1k) from the Customs Broker too.  Trucking from BNSF RR will cost another $250.  Hopefully you have a forklift or loading dock at your disposal.  And who'll front the initial costs and accept the responsibility of being stuck w/ several obsolete tops?   Don't forget freight damage -- who gets the dropped unit?  Consider getting insurance, but the claim probably won't get settled.  Will never happen on a non-profit basis.  If one is ever seen in the US, it'll be more exotic than the Elan.  If price is no object, then it'll be smarter to just crate it, placed on a skid, and sent LCL.  Waiting to consolidate a 20' container will either never happen or somebody is going to get screwed on this deal.

[Paul.P]

Sounds to me like it would be cheaper for you lot over the pond to ship your cars over ( minus the soft-top ) then ship back with hardtop on ?

[JLSELAN]

Just a random thought from an outsider  :), but potential US buyers of the hardtop might consider contacting Dave Bean to see if a deal can be worked out to "piggy back" on one of his shipments.  DBE  http://www.davebean.com/ do several big shipments a year from the UK, and in talking to his guys in the past about stuff I've been waiting for, I have sometimes gotten the story that they are waiting for a "few more items to fill up a shipment" before it leaves the UK.  At any rate, they certainly know the ins and outs of shipping parts from the UK, and, who knows, they might even be interested in offering the hardtops for sale through their shop.<br><br>Good Luck and  [smiley=cheers.gif]<br>

[erod]

Great job!!!,  I will start saving money so I can get one, moving from the bay area to northern Italy has made the hard top one of the top priorities (It rains a bit more here).<br><br>It looks very nice from the pictures, a true masterpiece!!<br>

[Fubar1764]

[quote author=Agent Smith link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=255#266 date=11/12/04 at 22:11:00]Container shipment logistics - Easier said than done whether FOB or CIF.  Be prepared for hidden costs/fees/duties, other than the ocean freight charge.  If snagged by US Customs be prepared to add another $500-$1000 for examination and other fees.  Don't forget charges(about another $1k) from the Customs Broker too.  Trucking from BNSF RR will cost another $250.  Hopefully you have a forklift or loading dock at your disposal.  And who'll front the initial costs and accept the responsibility of being stuck w/ several obsolete tops?   Don't forget freight damage -- who gets the dropped unit?  Consider getting insurance, but the claim probably won't get settled.  Will never happen on a non-profit basis.  If one is ever seen in the US, it'll be more exotic than the Elan.  If price is no object, then it'll be smarter to just crate it, placed on a skid, and sent LCL.  Waiting to consolidate a 20' container will either never happen or somebody is going to get screwed on this deal.[/quote]<br><br>Andy's right all around. The more I thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. A 20' container would hold about 45 crated tops; we might have 4 or 5 takers here in the U.S. My experience with a 20' container puts the FOB price at my storage to be about $5k after all logistical costs, which I figured I'd front. Wait a minute! That figures out to be $1k/top. Even if we could share the container with someone, something I'd never tried and assumed my agent (not Smith. . .sorry, couldn't resist) could tell me it's possible or laugh at me, the cost would still be at least $500/top. And then we'd have to include insurance. . .and I'd never had any experience with insurance claims as I've always ordered more than I need (stone), assuming 10% loss.<br>Well, it was a great idea, ruined by ugly facts!  :(<br>Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

[stevieshag]

Is Air Freight a possibility, we send stuff all the time via Air Freight, i will have words with work on Monday. they may come up with some ideas....

[Portugal_lotus]

excelent hard top ,<br>i would like to sugest to mad the interior in black and the outside color black im from portugal and when ready i would like to order <br><br>regards to all<br>

[Kuching]

[quote author=stevieshag link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=270#271 date=11/13/04 at 13:05:15]Is Air Freight a possibility, we send stuff all the time via Air Freight, i will have words with work on Monday. they may come up with some ideas....[/quote]<br>The more I think about this, the more it seems to make sense. The low weight of the hardtops would seem to favour air travel rather than sea, especially if 5 or so tops are carefully nested together and packed into one crate. <br><br>It would then need someone willing to receive the crate and distribute them from there.

[Fubar1764]

Under the circumstances, the air freight isn't going to be an issue of weight so much as volume. I think freight by ship would be just fine. Send by Royal Post, perhaps? I checked FedEx last night. 40kg is 214.4UKL and that's air freight.<br>As for Stateside distribution, I'm happy to do it. In the end, I think that will save everyone some silver. And I also have a forklift to unload and a warehouse to store.

[PJB]

Kuching<br><br>Regarding the FAQs, I remember being confused as a small boy how a fish got into that Esprit without 007 and his belle drowning!!  Nevertheless, about 15 years later I bought one of similar vintage! <br><br>I look forward to the results  and comments of the testing of the fit of the hard top over multiple cars, and (especially) on the seals etc, as I've already got a roof that leaks admirably!! <br><br>At the risk of starting a new thread, I have recently been considering the possibility of Exige S2 ownership and noticed an intricate drip catch and channel system that seems to exist to stop the drip at the windscreed corner that seems to plague all convetible Lotus.(Should mention this S2 had the roof off at the time which is a non factory conversion that can be done).<br><br>This seems to catch the water and send it down the front of the windows down to the front of the door.  Has anyone else looked at this as a possible solution for our Elans?  I confess I haven't, but it may be worth looking at if someone knows how collectively we may be able to get a seal, perhaps a goodwill gesture  :o from Lotus if anyone has good contact there.  <br><br>Of course although the seal may not fit, the concept is there and something similar may also work to ensure the hardtop does not leak.  ;) (Sy - feel free to move this section of the post for a larger audience)<br><br><br><br>Good luck with the testing and sorry can't be at Stonleigh to see your creation<br><br>Phil<br><br><br><br>

[stevieshag]

Had a word with our guys at work, they seem to think also that it would not be a problem going via air-freight, they also said that they can arrange pick up & a single drop off point. which has been addressed in previous comments!!<br> the main points as i see it are, <br>1. how many,<br>2. whats the weight.<br>3. Dimensions,<br>4. collection & drop off point,<br>when we have the final figures for this, prices can be obtained, i can get a price from the people we use at work, if required...

[Kjeld]

Wow, this thread has exploded since I checked last. Since there are so many postings to review, could someone please tell me where we are right now for the cost of the hard top itself. Is the top in primer? Looks like $500-$1000 for shipping.<br>

[Sy V]

UK owners can see the masterpiece in the flesh, this weekend at Stoneleigh.<br>See here:<br><br>http://www.lotuselancentral.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=ukevent;action=display;num=1088585768;start=45#45

[WillB]

We ship loads of stuff in/out of the USA via air frieght.<br><br>The main problem will be that the items will be charged  at volume weight rather than actual weight do to being light but bulky. Something to be aware of. <br><br>We use Concordia consolidated shipping. They group together lots of customers shipments for a better rate. Currently we are being charged $1.65 per kilo + handling charges etc.<br><br>Will<br>