windows/doors seals

[kevin31157]

Hi again everybody,
Had the car 4 months now and its the best car ive ever bought and ive had loads. Just a short question. Does anyone know how or who could fit windscreen pillar seals and possibly the door rubber seals too. When it rains it leaks from both front pillars of the windscreen. I dont know how much to buy and fit myself and how difficult to get perfect or how much and who would/could do the job. Any help please.
Kind regards kevin.

[Jackonicko]

Whereabouts are you, Kevin?

[kevin31157]

hi jackonicko , i am in Hopton, near GT. Yarmouth Norfolk
regards Kevin

[rip]

GST performance in Newmarket is a Lotus specialist. Gerald comes recommended by many on here (including me). He knows the Elan as well as anyone & will not replace anything for the sake of it.
You are not too far from Hethel itself though. I remember Kimbers telling me that Lotus themselves provide a good service at a reasonable price. His father was chairman of Lotus at the time though.

[Jackonicko]

It may be adjustment and tinkering more than parts.

But if you're paying garage rates, that could be MORE expensive, not less.

[kevin31157]

ok thks everybody. I `ll look them up in the directory and give them a call 1st.

[bobbrown]

If you do not mind the drive just call in at GST (a call first 01638 661144 to make sure he is around) as Gerald is quite happy to give advice even if he is not doing the work, as he works on the premise that you will come to him when there is something you can not do. One thing he knows the Elans hoods as he was involved with Lotus on the early cars when the hoods leaked sorting out the issue.

[Coupeboy]

If you need some new A pillar seals they are now available and around the £65+VAT mark each from Chris Foulds or other suppliers although I have chickened out of this as fitting them looks too exciting and there have been question marks over the quality of these newly manufactured items. The originals do go tatty but not convinced they ever actually need replacing. More likely is window adjustment - before I sorted mine out sombody had added some stick-on length of rubber strip to 'bolster' the A seal and allow it to touch the glass. Once somebody is familar with poking about inside the door it's relatively easy to adjust the window in and out i.e. to touch the hood seals at the top and on the A pillar. I would estimate an hour per side based on my now 'experienced' efforts. The problem with this job (if you can call it that) is project 'creep'. Once the door panel is off you're not far from taking the glass out and fixing the sliders, replacing the door top rubber strip, new furry thing, new speakers etc. So weigh up what might need doing and have it all done it one go if you are not going to 'fiddle' yourself. Cheers

[mikeydude]

I am working on developing a kit for updating, and repairing the a-pillar seals and all the rest.

It's a work in progress but involves a rubber extrusion to fit over the damaged sections common towards the top of a- pillar seals.
Then a u shaped rubber seal is added to the a-pillar seal into which the glass fits. this greatly reduces water ingress and wind noise in that area.
But it needs some electronics sorting to allow the windows to be controlled outside the car! so the window can be dropped, then lifted into the u shape seal. (like porkers do! automatically)
Next another type of extrusion is fitted on the inside of the car in-line with the a pillar seal and forms a gutter with a collection cup at the top..as seen on many cars these days. this solves "drippy wrist" syndrome instantly. (still not worked out how to get the water collected in the gutter out of the car..leave that with me...

Next!...the same u section used on the intermediate seals.

Finally, I have bought some liquid rubber to test to try to effect a seal repair!

[kevin31157]

Hi all again,
Thanks for you help, i just think i will wait until the summer approaches again be4 i decide what to do and just take the old girl out as a fair weather car for the time being. Sounds alot of complicated fiddly, got to get it just right , hassel to me.
Regardss Kevin

[a5gcd]

I am working on developing a kit for updating, and repairing the a-pillar seals and all the rest.

Mikey
You have a PM

Geoff