Lotus Elan Central

by **Jackonicko** » Sat 27.09.2008, 01:46

I saw a nice dark blue S2 outside SW Lotus on Friday afternoon, complete with a 'Kuching' type hard top.

It seemed to be in black/dark grey carbonfibre finish (unpainted?) and it looked bloody good. My pa and I spent several minutes studying it. From what we could see, the inside looked good, too, like every other Elan hard top I've seen in the flesh.

Even without having one sprayed like Nige's at Hethel, this is a good looking addition to an Elan, and a very practical one for anyone using their car as a daily driver. I don't think it looks as nice as the Lotus original, but it's got something.

I wonder how many people would buy such a thing, if one became available again?

I wonder how many firm orders would be required for someone to tool up and launch production?

by **ailwyn** » Sat 27.09.2008, 11:52

What's your estimated price if going to get a new design made?

Personally I like Kucking's HT design and they are a great piece of kit at an unbelievable price (given the limited market), maybe a better approach would be trying to encourage Simon to start re-producing these?

by **Monty** » Sat 27.09.2008, 12:03

If i remember right the moulds/tooling cost 30k a pop :shock:

by **Jackonicko** » Sat 27.09.2008, 19:08

I'm absolutely hoping that Simon will start resupplying hard tops, even if he does so with unpainted units.

Perhaps if people express their interest here, he might regain some enthusiasm for doing so.

But if he doesn't then perhaps someone might.

by **MattDon** » Sat 27.09.2008, 21:04

i for one was very dispointed to hear he was stopping making them, Ive wanted once since i got mine back in november as i use it every day, only funs has stopped me getting one. I have my own ideas for a new roof system, but for the same financial reasons i cant persue it. Winter is almost upon us im willing to bet demand would be high, especialy once our footwells start filling up again.

Website · by **theelanman** » Sat 27.09.2008, 21:39

Ive always said after seeing Simons and Sys that Id have one......
just the lack of spare ££££ stopping me......
I promised to start saving up but it appears one bad apple...n all that.... :cry:

by **ailwyn** » Sat 27.09.2008, 23:01

Time to put your money where your mouth is...

If Simon were to supply hard tops who would be prepared to buy one now, unpainted, with whatever liner it comes with?

1.
2.
3.

by **Jackonicko** » Sun 28.09.2008, 01:44

Depending on price, of course,

1) Jackonicko
2)

by **ailwyn** » Sun 28.09.2008, 09:11

Jackonicko wrote:Depending on price, of course,

1) Jackonicko
2)

Well they were about £1500 unpainted....

by **ektrolleyboy** » Sun 28.09.2008, 22:11

I'd be tentatively interested... But more around the 1000 pounds mark I think. 1500 unpainted seems a little too steep (and I know they're limited run before I get kicked down again!). Depending on how they fit? How are they held in place at the rear?
I fear they may be too aftermarket for my liking!

Website · by **theelanman** » Sun 28.09.2008, 22:23

ektrol
theyre the mutz nutz.....
and unfortunately at £1500 youd be getting a bargain compared to what Simon has put into the whole thing.....
the fitting will be good...but you need to remember that every elan is different.....and I mean different.....
they were hand built and it'll depend on what day of the week it was and if theyd been to the pub the night before...or for a shandy at lunch
the hood fits in place of the rear deck....so undo the bolts to the underside of the deck....take the deck off....replace with h/t....drop it down and use the clips on the hood farme to hold to the header rail (as you do with the s/t)......simple :-D

cheers
gareth

by **ektrolleyboy** » Sun 28.09.2008, 22:37

Simple!???
I wouldn't go that far!

So it's not really a case of pop it off for a quick spin with the roof down etc. As in the case of a Merc' SL or a Boxster etc. It's a kind of 'on for the long term or off for the long term' thing then?

Not sure that it's really appropriate for me being as my car only gets used when I'm in the UK every couple of months or so, depending...

I guess as an everyday prospect it works...

Perhaps count me out.

And less of the ek-trol'!
Ha, ha...

Website · by **theelanman** » Sun 28.09.2008, 22:56

ektrolleyboy wrote:Simple!???
I wouldn't go that far!

So it's not really a case of pop it off for a quick spin with the roof down etc. As in the case of a Merc' SL or a Boxster etc. It's a kind of 'on for the long term or off for the long term' thing then?

Not sure that it's really appropriate for me being as my car only gets used when I'm in the UK every couple of months or so, depending...

I guess as an everyday prospect it works...

Perhaps count me out.

And less of the ek-trol'!
Ha, ha...

yep its summat you put on for the winter if youre using it over the winter that is.....
sounds like its not gonna be your cuppa tea.....
sorry about the ektrol......didnt wanna call you trolley boy
:-D

by **MattDon** » Sun 28.09.2008, 23:02

Id love to put my name down, but im only half way there with the funds, but i want to lend my support.

by **ailwyn** » Mon 29.09.2008, 10:08

Hard top is on/off in 10 mins easy, that includes removal/refitting the tonneau cover.

by **ratman** » Mon 29.09.2008, 15:09

Jackonicko wrote:I saw a nice dark blue S2 outside SW Lotus on Friday afternoon, complete with a 'Kuching' type hard top.

It seemed to be in black/dark grey carbonfibre finish (unpainted?) and it looked bloody good. My pa and I spent several minutes studying it. From what we could see, the inside looked good, too, like every other Elan hard top I've seen in the flesh.

Could you be so kind, if possible, to provide some photo shots of that car with this hardtop? :mrgreen:

by **Dave Eds** » Mon 29.09.2008, 16:24

Try here

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=11612

by **jecuk** » Fri 03.10.2008, 23:04

That was my car at Steve Williams.

The hard top is great. I will try to take some pics tomorrow. It is in unpainted CF finish. I also have the roll hoops with fairings and the twin bubble hood top.

I have to say I was very impressed with the quality of everything Simon supplied.

by **daveA** » Fri 03.10.2008, 23:38

You can add my name to the intrested list ,Soft top for summer months (I know what summer months/I'm not going to be hard core with the top down when cold (wimp) ) hard top for winter.....

by **abmunro** » Sat 04.10.2008, 09:32

I am going to SPC design on Monday to have Twin Bubbles, Roll hoops and fairings fitted. :banana:

I was talking to Simon about the Hardtops and he tells me that he makes very little money on a hardtop when you consider the amount of work that goes into it.

He seems very dissapointed about the incident with the last Hardtop sold. Maybe becuse SPC do not do the actual painting themselves and so it was out of his control.

Maybe if you do get a list of say 6 people together Simon could be pursuaded :poke:

, especially if you all took them in undercoat and had them painted yourselves.

But I honestly think he would take quite a lot of pursuading.

Talking to him the hardtop project was not a profit making scheme.

Same as the Twin Bubbles ( he designed these as I had asked him if he could so I could mount my speakers behind my head )

He actually told me when I asked him at the beginning that a one off project would be quite exspensive. Thankfully lots more of you have jumped on board and this has helped bring the cost to more than reasonable IMHO.

Also I will be trying to talk him into having more input in the Suspension debate.

We are very lucky to have a person with the knowledge of RACE CAR DESIGN that SImon has, and even more lucky that he is prepared to give us his knowledge for free.

PS THIS ADVERT FOR SPC DESIGN WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ABMUNRO :-D