How do you want your lights? - Back panel Mod

[surfboardfiller]

How much do these Hellas cost?

Elise LED lights are about £80 + each. That's £320 for a set, seems expensive to me what do you think?

[F1 LOTUS]

Perhaps look into sourcing these too - posted by nige: -
I note from the latest Classic Car Mag article on the McLaren F1 (the other Peter Stevens design) that Bova coach lights were used on the F1 (4 round units, reverse and rear fog supplementary in mesh below main lights). On the basis that if it's good enough for an F1 it's good enough for an Elan and after all the F1 used 'our' indicators/side lights at the front so a fair trade it might be worth an examination.




The thing I like about these is they have some [domed] shape to them; by contrast, one of the things about the Elans' backend is that it's flat and angular, not in harmony with the rest of the car? Possibly this all stems from the corner angle of the Renault lights which don't allow more curvature [in top view] as the Elise has???

[Nige]

I remember that! I very much admire what Roger has done and my hat goes off to him. However, personal preference remains the earlier Elise lights (I think early Mk 2 Elise) as pers Costas and the Esprit V8 or the McLaren F1 (Bova Coach) lights. The advantage of the Elise units is that 4 lights would give you all you need. I appreciate the 'benefits' of LEDs but personally think the units designed to take bulbs are more in keeping with the car. The V8 Esprit style rear end is also my preferred style of housing. Not sure about a round Lotus badge on the back or any other script as the car already says Lotus on the Back and either Elan, Elan SE or Elan S2 dependant on model.

[Rogerf]

I was going for the original elise lights but the price put me off first,then realised they were too ' bulky' for the moulds we were making.
i.e they stuck out instead of being set back.

The main problem this project will incure is satisfying everybody.
But if Phil can produce it for the approx price qouted i think there will be an awful lot of interest!

Roger

[Rogerf]

Phil,
Jumping ahead hear,but how difficult would it be to make those side sill skirts?

Sorry,off topic

Roger

[surfboardfiller]

Phil,
Jumping ahead hear,but how difficult would it be to make those side sill skirts?

Sorry,off topic

Roger

It's not off topic, it's idiosyncratic!
Not too difficult, about the same as the back panel only you need 2; So Twice as difficult The trouble is; those bits are covering the outriggers that make up essential parts of the chassis. The Esprit has them conveniently above the door in the form of the roof. Our roofs just ad weight So you have to find out how much space you have inside the shell to accommodate the intake. I'll have a look when I see my spare body shell next

[Enright]

Roger asked if I could post these too:

[Rogerf]

Cheers Neil,
Just thought it would give a comparison!
The LED's do give a very good light output.

Roger

[F1 LOTUS]

Looks like the Saleen S7 (also made in UK) has a bit of Bova too?

[Doug]

but what's with the screws in the lens covers??

this is the 21st century dammit

[lotusgirlmarie]

I tought this might find some interest.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lamborgh ... 3632QQrdZ1

It has a great shot of the rear of the 'Ghini and that of several Elise'. Me personally, I'm Partial to the elise lights. Not jsut because I have tham but, the fact that they are a Lotus part. IMHO keep with the factory parts, it keeps with the heritage.

Doug, cheesy as it is it was the best they could do as on the other side of the reflector is the radiator and the exhaust. Makes it kinda hard to replace the lamps if they didn't do it this way.

[Benmac]

Roger asked if I could post these too:

They look great, just the sort of thing that I'd be up for.

[surfboardfiller]

Ok how about the light holes in the panel being one size and I make the correct mounts for each variation of light. To do this we need to establish a master Diameter.

The first thing is to establish which lights will be an option so far these look good to me:

1/ Elise LED
2/ Hella LED
3/ Bova Coach lights
4/ ?

Then to find the diameter of each of our options.
Then I'll make holes the right size in the model and design some inserts if necessary. How’s that for a plan?

[F1 LOTUS]

If you make a recessed area for the lights (S7, F1, MG etc) rather than a fitted 'counterbore' ('frenched' I think it's called?), this would leave all options open to the individual and minimize your tooling? Just a thought

[GeoffSmith]

Checking the Bova website, there is a parts network in the UK Phil. It might be worth dropping them an e-mail to see if you can get hold of drawings and prices etc.

Geoff

[Enright]

4/ ?

I know what 4 is!
When the McLaren F1 first came out, it had different rear lights.
And if you think that them coming off a Bova coach is bad enough, these were even worse!
They were the sort of lights that you see in groups of 2 or 3 on the back of articulated lorry trailers.

While hunting for photos I've just been rather surprised to find that for one of the prototypes they used one each side, but then 2 each side for what I presume is one of the production models.
They "Bova" type must have come along later, but I don't think they are the same. The McLaren ones seem to have 4 screws, but the Saleen Bova "Pac-Man" style ones with the segment, have only 3.
I thought they bore more than a passing resemblence to the ones on the back of the Aston Martin Vantage, but reading further it appears that the Aston ones were specially designed and tooled. Odd that - that the million dollar car had the cheapo lights!

[surfboardfiller]

If you make a recessed area for the lights (S7, F1, MG etc) rather than a fitted 'counterbore' ('frenched' I think it's called?), this would leave all options open to the individual and minimize your tooling? Just a thought

Not a bad idea! Although we are entering the realm of taste and as yet I'm not sure how many people are interested in this as a product. I was hoping to be able to produce several options and if I have the time, then I will produce them anyway.
I guess most people will wait and see what is on offer in the form of a finished 'off the shelf' product.
I should get some renderings done soon to visualise the designs. It's a bit slow going on my laptop now my workstation has gone to a new home. Best pull my finger out aye. Donny is approaching and fast! Time I took on the spirit of Elan

Nice one Brian
Thanks Geoff

[Elanlover]

A couple of thoughts. One would be making it resemble (only somewhat) the Elise taillights. Some pics of other cars have a similar look with a center "core" section in the back panelt being black and the lights in that as opposed to all the same color as the body. Brain once posted a photoshopped pic of a possible Elan rear light cluster with a carbon fiber look to it that was very nice.

However, have you considered creating a one piece rear bumper and tailight piece? Doing so would allow for a lot of creativity in swooping the rear light panel down into the bumper section so the actual bumper wasn't so pronounced.

Am I describing that right?????

[surfboardfiller]

Enright13, I think McLaren, like Lotus spent all their money in the right place and thankfully these niggles are relatively superficial and easy for us to fix. Though like you say "Odd that - that the million dollar car had the cheapo lights" as if these things are an afterthought, you can almost imagine the engineers reluctantly adding the parts to their masterpiece like a cheap frame on a Picasso.

[Elanlover]

Here's a few pics that might help with my poor description. On these, ther eis no discernable bumper - its integrated into the over all design. I know you were probably only thinking baout the taillights but, this may be a chance to do the back end justice with an updated design..............