thoughts ideas on rear plinth/elise light conversion

[Jackonicko]

I'm getting a bit excited!

[rip]

Iv never been too keen on the after market rear plinth tbh... Can't work out if I love it or hate it?? I love the carbon one Iv seen on a car on here, but thats only because its carbon.

You mean my one



Phil told me that making this one was not easy: Just making one out of CF (like Monty's) is ok, but to get a nice finish with the weave visible is a different process:
I believe:::: the process required involves baking in a kiln. It is usually only worth doing if you have lots of components to do together & even with the greatest amount of care, some will fail due to air bubbles in the mould.

The light recesses were also separate mouldings. Phil told me that these required a lot of effort.

On to the options:
I am fairly certain that in the UK, a number plate needs to be illuminated. This would be an extra issue for bumper-mounting & is also explains why the panel tilts inwards. My plate light is mounted in the boot lid which requires re-routing of wiring for the light. The advantage of it is that is is a huge improvement over the boot 'glow-worm' so in the dark I can see what I am looking for in the boot

As far as the light clusters go, I am fairly sure that a red reflector is required on the rear of a car in the UK & probably most (if not all) other countries too. Some find my lights a bid odd: Tail lights are only a half-light on each side, as are the brake & fog lights. The 4th half is the reflector. I don't mind only having a semi-circular tail light because it means that my brake lights are discrete lamps. I think this makes it a lot more obvious to other drivers that I am braking.

When I first had the panel fitted, I wasn't so sure that I liked it as much as the OEM clusters (which I damaged in a moment of carelessness). These have grown on me & now I prefer them.
My opinion is that the dark grey of the panel provides a nice contrast to my blue boot & bumper.
If I were to buy another Elan, I would happily have the light clusters converted with a similar panel moulded in fibreglass & painted dark grey.

[Denny]

My plate light is mounted in the boot lid which requires re-routing of wiring for the light. The advantage of it is that is is a huge improvement over the boot 'glow-worm' so in the dark I can see what I am looking for in the boot

Personally I like the elise / monza lights and think rip's and others I've seen on here look great as they are an older design and in my opinion, suit the elan and are more in keeping with the pop up front lights. I also like the idea of the plate light in the boot lid. Can you provide more fitting details or a pic please rip?

As for the 'L O T U S' across the back and more modern lights, I'm not so sure. IMO you would have to consider modernising the front lights, or it would look really odd

[rip]

My plate light is actually a row of LED's. They are actually bunched up a bit close: they light the middle of the plate very brightly, but not the edges. They could do with being separated out a little, but this is something I have not got around to doing yet. They could also do with raising a little as anyone following me can see a bright white line below my boot lid, although I am not sure this is possible so I may just paint the rear edge black.

I'll take some pics when I get a chance. It's getting near the time of year when I only see my house (& Elan) in daylight at weekends, so this may have to wait until Saturday.

[Gazza]

Would like to do mine and already have the elise lights but don't like any of the panels at the moment other than LGM's. The problem with rip's is that i would prefer the lights to be further to the outside. With the gap line between the boot lid and spoiler spaced evenly between the 2 lights.

Gazza

[MattDon]

im kinda with you on that one gazza. it tricky because so many people have different ideas, but its nice to hear detail about what people want. I'll talk to the fibreglassing guys again and see what is posible. it would be nice to make blanks and modify them indervidualy but it would workout more expensive.

[Gazza]

Neither seen a bad comment about LGM's. When i get some time i was going to carry on asking my garage Sinclaires to do me one. They would then sell them as well once the mould was done.

Have added a picture of LGM's so you can see the light spacing i prefer which gives room for a lotus badge.

Gazza

[kenich]

Uhmm... I do like that a lot, though not enough to buy one. I would want carbon if I got one lol

[Denny]

Have added a picture of LGM's so you can see the light spacing i prefer which gives room for a lotus badge.Gazza

You would need a longer plinth for the UK number plate, so they might not be room for the lotus badge?

[Gazza]

I'm sure LGM used the same dimensions as the Esprit version which fits uk plate or the rover plate they were made for. I think anyway

[MattDon]

what is interesting is that the lgm lights stick out from the rear where as the mould i have they fit flush. I wonder if there is a reason.

[lotusgirlmarie]

Style.... Well that's mostly why. A few of the variants I've seen have the lights flush but this angles them upward. When I set the lights in mine they're perpendicular to the ground. Put that on an angled surface and place them so they're spacially planar with eachother and there you go. I also took styling cues from the Ferrari 355 for lighting and esprit to keep it looking like a lotus. As I've said before, I never wanted a piece that looked added on or "ricey", just a more updated and sleek design.

[Gazza]

Marie

Did you make the number plate space the same as the Esprit's or just so it looked good?

[rip]

what is interesting is that the lgm lights stick out from the rear where as the mould i have they fit flush.

Are you sure?

Mine was made from the mould you bought & I've also had Phil green panel fitted for a short period & with both, the lights sit in the panel vertical like Marie's

[rip]

what is interesting is that the lgm lights stick out from the rear where as the mould i have they fit flush.

Are you sure?

Mine was made from the mould you bought & I've also had Phil's green panel fitted for a short period. With both, the lights sit in the panel vertical, but maybe just recessed a little more than Marie's

Would like to do mine and already have the elise lights but don't like any of the panels at the moment other than LGM's. The problem with rip's is that i would prefer the lights to be further to the outside. With the gap line between the boot lid and spoiler spaced evenly between the 2 lights.

I suspect Marie's conversion may require cutting the fibreglass behind the rear panel? The conversion Phil designed requires no cutting so OEM light clusters can easily be re-fitted.

[lotusgirlmarie]

No cutting of any kind is required. When I built the original panel I was thinking of the euro plates. If I remember correctly they should fit. The depression is as wide as the glassfibre stuctute allowed on the Fed Elans. Assuming the light mounting structure is the same between the models they should be compatible. The only difference was the top edge where the "eyebrows" are as they are different between the Fed and ROW models. Even the plate light requied no modification of any kind to the bootlid. Just running new wires.

I was curious though. The inner lights on the valance I designed sit fairly close to the original light structure. I'm not sure how anyone could get the lights to sit back much futher. Seconly i'm curious as to how his was mounted. I used some of the original screw holes for the eyebrows and mounting tabs that correspond to the original holes from the Renault lights.

[Gazza]

Marie

I have read all your posts twice now and still can't find a start date for your second run on these?

Gazza

[ratman]

I would like have a rear plinth like this one but I'm really worried about the price of the original elise lights.
If there is the chance to find other cheaper lights, it would be better, in my opinion.

[ratman]

I would like have a rear plinth like this one but I'm really worried about the price of the original elise lights.
If there is the chance to find other cheaper lights, it would be better, in my opinion.

like these ones, for example:

[MattDon]

if i knew the diameter of the elie lights, i might be able to source something cheaper.

As for the mounting depth of the lights, i cant honetly say as i was going on the pictures above and have never seen one in the flesh.

thanks for the advice lgm much apriciated.

just incase anyone is tempted i have one order (dependant on final price) and id need about 4 more before i could justify any more out lay.