Seat Back Adjuster Knob

[superbad]

The metal washer inside the knob has split- any idea where to get these (either the washer alone, or the whole thing)? There is a GM P/N on the plastic knob, but it is worn away and illegible. I'm sure they stuck them on millions of Chevys, so I assume they are readily available.


Thanks in advance,
Scott

[lotos]

Hey there, superbad. Denver? I'm in Aurora. Are you a member of Lotus Colorado?

[superbad]

No, but I'm probably an honorary member. This is actually my dad's car (Jim Bennett), who either started LoCo, or helped start it, or something (I was 7 or 8 at the time). So I've known all the old guys like Greg Carpenter since I was a kid.

Anyway, I'm just looking after this car for a few months until it goes on sale, although I'm kind of considering maybe buying it myself. It's more fun than I remember these things being. I drove an S2 right after I test drove one of the very first Elises built (I was working in England then), and it didn't do much for me at the time.

[Specky]

If you have no luck by tomorrow I'll have a look for my spare ones...(They're in the loft and it's late o'clock)

Can I confirm what colour knobs you have black or grey..

TTFN

[superbad]

If you have no luck by tomorrow I'll have a look for my spare ones...(They're in the loft and it's late o'clock)

Can I confirm what colour knobs you have black or grey..

TTFN

That's fantastic, thanks. These are black. Hopefully we can find some closer to home and save you the trouble...

[Doug]

Hi Bad,

not sure if there is a US car cross-reference or not for those knobs?

From how you posted it I will tell you there's supposed to be a round fill plastic trim plug over where the bolt goes in -- it makes the whole outer knob flat and flush and has to be pried out to even get to that bolt -- you may or may not have this plug trim??

-Doug

_________
PS the washer is just a washer, isn't it? if so measure the old one or take to Home Depot for replacement

[superbad]

you may or may not have this plug trim??
PS the washer is just a washer, isn't it? if so measure the old one or take to Home Depot for replacement

I do have the trim piece. The washer isn't just a washer unfortunately- the center cutout is D-shaped to match the shaft, and there is a raised lip that engages with the knob. I could draw one up and have it machined, but that seems like overkill for something like this.

[tweetdriver63]

My car is completely missing the knob on the pax side seat. I just ordered one recently from SJ Sportscars (only a couple of bucks), and it's supposed to come with the hardware. (I hope that's right.) Anyway, when the order gets here, I'll let you know. They may be a source for you. You can go to their website and look through their parts listings for what you need. They seem to be very responsive, and they actually have some parts I didn't even think were available (I ordered intermediate seals for my roof, which I didn't expect them to actually have, and Steve emailed me back that the only delay on my order would be the A-post seal, because it had to come from Lotus, instead of their own stock.)

[Specky]

Made it in to the loft...

I have bad new and good...

First the bad...

The Pt No has nearly worn off the black and it's to hard to read...

Now the good...

The Pre-production car is slightly different and had no washer fitted... so I can read it

Winder.. GM ABS GRIWE 90229589
Plug......GM ABS GRIWE 90229590

when you read both winders together you can work out the badly scored writing on the other...

Hope that helps fella


TTFN

[GeoffSmith]

Looks like Astra / Cavalier to me although it would be interesting to see the reverse side.

Wonder if these fit?

[nitroman]

I can see why they changed the preproduction design to add the metal washer/catch. If you've ever tried to reinstall things without the metal washer it mainly just spins without moving the seat unless you tighten it so much that the plastic is ready to crack. That cork or whatever material is on the pre-prod dial does not grab as well I'm sure.

Just one more last-second fix to a problem which never should have existed to begin with; like fixing bugs in a computer program. It's too late to redesign the whole thing so just bodge it.

[Specky]

It's a steel/metal ring... slightly corroded... and very poorly manufactured, I guess in theory it stops the plastic splitting...

TTFN

[superbad]

Thanks for pulling those out. Interestingly, mine has a different number- the last three digits are 627. Tried a Chevrolet dealer here, but the three people standing around doing nothing were not interested in helping. (One did ask how much I paid for the car though. ) The local Lotus dealer says the only ones available are in Germany, and cost around $10. Nice margin on a $0.25 stamped piece of steel, but that's life. I ordered a couple. I think these are probably Opel/Vauxhall parts. I'm tempted to machine new winders out of aluminum. Overkill...

[M100 TWO]

they can be found on the Nova SR from the late eighties
diff