Tension Wires

[Gordon]

Just a couple of quick questions!

1. What do the Tension wires specifically do? - both of mine are disconnected, but the hood seems perfectly taut?
2. is it possible to access the rivit / anchor at the front end without disturbing the canvas?

I'm wondering if the cables help with the folding in some way?

Gordon

[RayD]

I’m only guessing here Gordon …

If it’s in a straight line from back to front could it be keeping the top of the roof curved like a bow string would?

Or is it simply keeping the webbing that runs at the side of the rear window taut?

Or taking the strain of the over-centre clips?

Or all of the above.

Ray

[RayD]

With a bit more time to have a proper look I can now see what it’s doing …

Its sole purpose seems to be to curve the edge of the hood over the side of the car … to make it more curved when looking from the back or the front … to keep it close to the window seals.

Ray

[Gordon]

Thanks Ray - Any ideas how I can get to the front rivit witout damaging the canvas?!

[RayD]

The fixing point at the front will probably be directly in line with the channel the wire runs through … if its inaccessible you could anchor a new one anywhere in the area … it would just need an extra something to keep the weight off the stitching.

I imagine there is some nylon cord that would replace the wire and do an equally good job.

Ray

[wayne]

Hi Gordon,

Sorry can't offer any advice on how to get to the front rivet at the moment (dark outside here now).

I believe the wires have a play in lifting the rear of the hood when you lift the front part up. When I first got my car back the previous owner had removed them when he had the hood locally recovered

First thing I noticed folding the hood down was a real pain. I havd to lift both front and back and kinda juggle it into the hold

I've since replaced both hood and frame so it now folds normally (or should I say as it used to... I do not have experience with any other elans).

Now when I lift the front part of the hood the rear half comes up as well and it is easily stowed.

Hope this helps

[RayD]

Wayne,

I wondered what else they might be doing but the moment you lift the front of the hood the wires go slack … the adjustment only allows for them to be doing anything at all at the last minute … as you push the front of the hood onto the window rail the tension comes on and sucks the sides in, taking the folds out where the roof has been stored.

I would imagine, on a car without tension wires, the edge of the hood would be wavy across the top of the window rather than straight.

Ray

[wayne]

Ok. Had another look in the daylight...

The wires do indeed go slack when hood is opened so oviously do not play a part in lifting the rear (sorry)!

Rays pulling the hood sides taught makes perfect sense.

I dug the old hood and frame out of the shed and other whan wires missing the only visible problems I can see with it are loose joints
and non standard bolts placed in a couple of the pivots and offset cams are adjusted 180 to each other. not sure why it was such a pain to close.

Maybe it was Lotus's "fix for the leaky roof before the car went into production" ?

[Specky]

Maybe it was Lotus's "fix for the leaky roof before the car went into production" ?

I'll check the "Preproduction" tonight, Mines a shocking fit, It looks like it's been in the wars a bit..The internal is an off-white cream colour (And not with mold)

Get back later...

TTFN

[dapinky]

Probably no help to you as such, but when i replaced the hood on the red car i replaced theses cables with stainless steel bicycle brake cables - i just fed them through the hole in the front plate (where the rivet had been) and fed them through the hood to the rear adjusting points on the main bar (you'll know the bit i mean if you've looked at it all!).

I believe that they may have a purpose in pulling the bar up as far as it will go to keep the hood tight on the webbing straps to the back where it touches the deck, but i can't fall out with any of the other theories being expressed, as i don't know the definative answer.

[RayD]

Probably no help to you as such ...

- i just fed them through the hole in the front plate (where the rivet had been)

I don’t know about “no help as such” Dave, it finishes it off nicely … it sounds from what you say you can get to the front fixing, and presumably, using a brake cable the nipple end would stop it from passing through the rivet hole.

Ray

[Gordon]

I've yet to find a way of accessing the rivit holes short of tearing back the canvas...

They only issue I've really got with this hood is when folding, the canvas always strains over the "elbows" in the mechanism - it's worn through in the past, and been patched, but I'd love to resolve why it dosent fold properly without help...

As the wires only serve a purpose when the hood is up, I might just live with them snapped - the hood looks fine up, although granted, I suppose it could be tighter along the door glass rubbers... I suppose it may also help wind noise at speed...

Thanks for everyone's input anyway

Gordon

[RayD]

Apart from the mentions of repairing the hood at that point I don’t know when the damage occurs …

Is it when it’s up?

Or when it’s down?

Or going up and down?

You can see from the picture above there’s just a vague mark on mine were the hole’s supposed to be.

There must be something different about the frames or the adjustment

Ray

[Gordon]

Without any doubt, the wear occurs as the hood is being stowed - and if the pressure of the "elbows" is not relived from the canvas, the more damage the longer it's stowed I would guess...

What I don't understand is, my old hood didnt suffer the same problem - at all apparently?!

I changed my hood to get a "better" set of seals - and because of torn canvas elsewhere, but it was clearly an old hood, showing no signs of the classic "B-Post" wear...

I feel it must be an adjustment issue, but I can't figure what it is!...

Gordon

[RayD]

Gordon,

In the daylight I'll try to take a picture on the inside of the full length of the frame to see if there's anything noticeably different.

Ray

[Gordon]

I'll try & do the same at the weekend... if not before...

New tyres today, so she's on dolly wheels at the moment - nothing exciting, just Uniroyal Rainsport 2's... I quite like them though

[dapinky]

Ray, I stand by my statement of 'not much help', as i did mine whilst replacing the roof, so there wasn't any canvas actually glued to the frame at the time - sorry if it was unclear

[RayD]

Bigger picture sent via email Gordon.

Ray

[RayD]

See 27 June 2011 post on here

Ray

[enndee]

The wires prevent the sides of the hood lifting away from the window seals. One my wires snapped recently and it seemed OK until driving over 60 mph, there was a gap of about a quarter of an inch between the canvas and the seals.