Hard Top - Now Obsolete

[timmo]

Take a bow Kuching.

[PJB]

wow, well done Kutching!!<br><br>It looks the business.  I presume the finishing options will be left to the individual, but I like the idea someone else mentioned about getting a bulk discount on the painting.<br><br>I guess it could also apply to the headlining etc etc.<br><br>I reckon a lot of Elaners who really like to use their cars will love this.  Assuming it doesn't leak it will make life a lot more bearable for the winter!<br><br>Well done again and looking forward to seeing it at Stoneleigh- think someone mentioned earlier that you'll be there?  I should already be on list of prospective buyers, if it's as good as it looks I don't want to be last on your list!!!<br><br>Well done again <br><br>Phil<br><br>

[Stef]

Amazing  :o<br><br>Can't wait to see it at Stoneleigh!!! ;D

[Paul.P]

Kuching, leave them all white, thats fine by me ! ;D

[new2u]

grey carpet on inner mould line held on with copydex please! oh go on please! [smiley=joke.gif]<br><br>so when's the first high speed test then?? [smiley=cool_shades.gif]<br><br>Well done kuching [smiley=cheers2.gif]

[Scott J]

[quote author=PJB link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=240#241 date=11/08/04 at 06:57:29]wow, well done Kutching!!<br><br>but I like the idea someone else mentioned about getting a bulk discount on the painting.<br> [/quote]<br><br>how about painting them all GOLD for that added BLING effect   ;D   ;D   ;D    ;D

[Peter_W]

[quote author=Paul.P link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=240#243 date=11/08/04 at 08:51:42]Kuching, leave them all white, thats fine by me ! ;D[/quote]<br><br> [smiley=dito.gif]<br><br><br><br>I've never seen better integrated lines on a removable hardtop by any OEM or aftermarket manufacturer for any vehicle!  Very impressive!

[Fubar1764]

I've done containers from Asia into the U.S. (Houston), but I haven't done freight from the U.K. (not to be confused with Europe!) to the U.S. If there's interest, I'll ask my freight broker. In the end, it might be cost effective to "fill" a small container and ship.<br>I also have a warehouse in which I can store the tops, pending pick-up or further shipment. We can all work out the logistics.<br>Hey Kuching, make sure you etch in your signature on every hard top!<br>Cheers!<br>Jack

[GaryJ]

"U.K. (not to be confused with Europe!)"<br><br>Never a truer statement spoken!

[Kuching]

[quote author=AV8NDOC link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=225#237 date=11/07/04 at 21:32:14]<br>Simon, I've Knighted you by making you an honorary Forum God now and forwarded the recommendation to the Queen herself  ;D[/quote]<br>I humbly accept this honour to be bestowed on me ;D. Now Debbie wants to know if she should be referred to as 'Lady Kuching' [smiley=king.gif]

[Doug]

[quote author=Kuching link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=240#249 date=11/11/04 at 13:16:03]<br>I humbly accept this honour to be bestowed on me ;D. Now Debbie wants to know if she should be referred to as 'Lady Kuching' [smiley=king.gif][/quote]<br>I'll let you know when I meet you and your work at Donington  ;)

[Kuching]

A really big thank you to everyone for the amazing amount of encouragement and support. It does mean a lot to me.

[Kuching]

[quote author=Fubar1764 link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=240#247 date=11/11/04 at 09:45:16]I've done containers from Asia into the U.S. (Houston), but I haven't done freight from the U.K. (not to be confused with Europe!) to the U.S. If there's interest, I'll ask my freight broker. In the end, it might be cost effective to "fill" a small container and ship.<br>I also have a warehouse in which I can store the tops, pending pick-up or further shipment. We can all work out the logistics.<br>Hey Kuching, make sure you etch in your signature on every hard top!<br>Cheers!<br>Jack[/quote]<br>Jack,<br>This seems like a really good idea and could solve a lot of problems. Please let me know what your shipping agent comes up with.<br>

[Sy V]

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>

[Neil D.]

Simon<br><br>for seals try<br><br>http://www.enpi-retro-auto.com/Catalogue/Produits.htm<br><br>I know it is in french, but the choice is good<br><br>also<br>http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk<br><br>in the uk<br><br>Neil

[muley]

[quote author=Mark link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=225#235 date=11/06/04 at 16:03:26]Kuching - looks fantastic!  I'm thinking  of glossy black againt the Norfolk Yellow!!<br><br>So, any ideas on how we can get them to the US at a reasonable price?  Between the dollar being in the toilet against the pound/euro (and forecast to get weaker over the next year) and shipping something that large, the top seems out of reach for me.  Is it feasible to think about shipping the dies here and doing a separate production run in the US?[/quote]<br><br><br><br>I vote for glossy black, too!<br>

[westonben]

2 tone is for soft top - colour co-ordinated for hard top.  

[PJB]

Kuching<br><br>Have been looking forward to seeing it at Stoneleigh, but something has come up and not sure if I'll be able to make it. :'(<br><br>Just a few questions to ask to help me decide whether I really need to wriggle out of whats come up or whether I try to see it when I'm next oop north!!  :P <br><br>I'm not being pushy, I'm just excited, appologies if some of these are answered earlier in the thread <br><br>Any ideas as to when you may start manufacture and therefore potential delivery?<br>Any ideas as to the final costs?<br>Will it be 100% water tight?<br><br>I know someone who has worked on fibreglass on my Lotus' over the years and done some spraying although I'm all the way down in Hampshire.  I am also aware of a interior fitting company in Andover who friends have used and said are very good and reasonable...let me know if you want their details.<br><br>FWIW I reckon the hard top will need to be colour coded as it fits into the rear body panelling, however as my Elan is black I'm happy to go with a job lot black spray, as long as it matches the black that Lotus used on the  Elan SE!! ;D<br><br>Cheers and well done again<br><br>Phil<br><br>

[Fubar1764]

[quote author=Kuching link=board=body;num=1081474915;start=240#252 date=11/11/04 at 13:44:06]<br>Jack,<br>This seems like a really good idea and could solve a lot of problems. Please let me know what your shipping agent comes up with.<br>[/quote]<br><br><br>You bet! So I can get a better idea, can you give me an idea of how many people are interested here in the States? <br>If we get a container, the weight will be irrelevant. (Bear with me, I'm thinking whilst typing - more dangerous thank drinking and driving.) We're probably looking at a 20' container. Were a 20' container filled to capacity, I "guesstimate" we could pack 45 crated tops. Just a guess, but I don't think there are 45 takers here in the U.S.<br>What I'm concerned with is volume and how they're going to be stacked. We will have to get them crated, and the crates filled with straw or some other filler. If we're going to share the container with anyone else, then we definitely need to crate them well. <br>Once it's over here, I can get them unloaded into a warehouse for the next step in delivery. For those from SoCal going to LOG 2005 in St. Louis, you could drop into Houston and pick yours up. In the alternative, I can probably truck the tops up to LOG if there's enough interest.<br>Finally, if there are only three or four takers here in the States, we may be better served with a group "buy" on freight. I'm not sure if my shipping agent can arrange this (doubt it), but he may be able to point me in the proper direction. I'll look into this.<br>Kuching, when do you guess the top will be ready for delivery? Price? I haven't picked up an Elan just yet, which means I may have a top before the Elan!  ::) And as a final thought, I was driving past a car wash the other day. Of course, I've already started to look into hand-wash programs at the local car wash. And then it hit me: with a hard top, I can drive through a regular car wash! Imagine, the top will pay for itself in saving at the car wash in only. . .600 washes! That's a mere 1 year and 235 days if you wash your car everyday! <br>Cheers!<br>Jack<br>