New roof options

[madbilly]

Hi everyone,
Posting this in a new thread so it doesn't get lost in my other discussion:

I spoke to Dean Holt at Trim Technology and they're selling their hood replacement kits again, which comprise an S2 hood, the header, intermediate and falling (B) pillar seals, webbing, elastics etc plus adapator plates to fit the S2 hood to an SE, for £635+VAT. I asked about a LEC discount but they're not doing one atm. They won't sell seals separately, don't do fitting or frame refurbishments anymore. Lead time ~4-6 weeks if they've not got the colour you want on the shelf.

There's a few aftermarket places online selling just the fabric roof part, including BAS International, Monsoon Hoods, Car Hoods Direct, Don Trimming and Car Hood Warehouse. I know that the latter has at least one happy customer, they sell for ~£400 and will fit for £665 (inc VAT), but that's just the fabric bit, not the seals. Non-black is £75 extra. 3 week lead time if what you want isn't on the shelf. They suggested Krych Trimming in Bristol could fit it locally for me but when I spoke to them they had no experience of the Elan.

Fitting options include The Hood Guys who I think have done a few Elans, £260+VAT for just the roof, £340+VAT for the Trim Tech kit. The chap I spoke to said he was happy with the Trim Tech kit quality wise but didn't have enough experience with the aftermarket ones yet. Book in 2-3 weeks ahead.

Don Trimming would fit the Trim-Tech kit for over £300, against just fitting their roof for £230+VAT.

I also found Diane in Malvern (07900924400 - I can't find a website for her but she's posted here before, username "weet") who will make a hood and fit it (not seals) for ~£500 and Coburn Hoods in Swindon would do the same but for over £900.

FYI the Lotus Specialists/Dealers I spoke to said the hoods and seals were obsolete and could no longer be sourced! A couple (Neil Garner and Malmesbury Specialist Cars) did recommend Prestige in Cirencester but I've not spoken to them yet, Paul Matty's recommended Aldridge Trimming but their website was all about Jags, and Dick Lovett and Williams Autos I'm afraid to say weren't much use. I dare say you'll all find bodywork repair centres locally who will be happy to have a crack at it too at your expense!

However, I only contacted places nearby to Cheltenham. For completeness I also tried Frank Rouse (ceased trading), Philip Savage (doesn't do roofs), Trim-tec (note the different spelling - just hung up on me) and Auston's Trim (number not recognised).

I hope that's all of use to someone, and if you'd like to split a Trim-Tech kit, taking the black roof whilst I take the seals etc then please let me know

Cheers,
Will

[Eltel1st]

Hi All,
Following on from Will, I have just been looking around for prices, availability etc and when I tried to call M100 Hoods both office and mobile numbers were not available so it looks like the choice just got smaller. I thought they had purchased all of the remaining stocks of seals ? I wonder if they had run out of them or are they sitting in a workshop waiting to be liquidated ?

Terry

[jHamshaw]

Re M100hoods.co.uk - Mark only does this as a sideline to other businesses - be persistent and you'll get hold of him, or try email.

When we last spoke (at Donington) he said he may have some news regarding hood seal re-manufacture very soon too...

[Fredjohn]

If anyone needs help with, or someone to drop in to, Trim Technologies, I only live a few miles away, and can easily get there during work hours.

Just drop me a pm

[Rusty Wishbone]

... and when I tried to call M100 Hoods both office and mobile numbers were not available so it looks like the choice just got smaller. I thought they had purchased all of the remaining stocks of seals ? I wonder if they had run out of them or are they sitting in a workshop waiting to be liquidated ?

I've spoken to Mark at M100 Hoods a couple of times in the last couple of months - his phone was picked up first time on both occasions. While I haven't actually used his services at this point, I found him to be very helpful. I suggest you keep trying.

[madbilly]

My car went in to have the new roof done by Diane at Malvern on Sunday, I'm optimistic of an excellent outcome, she'll even do a bit of tarting up of the frame for me. I have to say I didn't speak to Mark at M100hoods as his prices were out of my budget anyway.

If anyone wants a new roof but isn't bothered about the new seals please let me know as I'll happily split a trim technology kit with you.

Although I'll need to know ASAP so I can get the new seals to Diane in time for her to fit them with the new roof.

[Nippy]

Now that has just got interesting, Diane always seemed to be an after thought to you without doing the seals!! But now, you say she is doing the seals as well and I live in Ledbury!! PLease let me know how everything went. I would be happy to buy the whole thing from Trim Technology and get her to fit it if she does a good job. At a decent price.

[madbilly]

Well, no actually Diane just made me a new roof using my old one as a pattern and fitted it. I didn't get the seals in the end as my credit card wouldn't stretch to buying two roofs and using only one, and buying the trimtech kit seems to be the only way to get the seals atm.

In terms of the job, well it's a new roof so much better than the old one. It's black and she did the stitching in mustard yellow to match the seat stripes which is cool, looks good. She did have some trouble with it, my roof B post had rusted into pretty much nothing so she had to improvise a repair and fitting and there were various rusted screws, rivets, etc. she did spray the pillar black again but unfortuantely got a bit of overspray on the tonneau cover which I've yet to try and get off or see if there is any further overspray She couldn't get 2" elastic so used some super strong 3" stuff which will probably last longer than the car! She also put extra material where they commonly rub through but forgot to extend the drain channels to make them like an S2 roof, which is a shame. Fitting wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped though, it looks slightly off centre (overlaps more one side than the other, but it can't be more than 1cm difference), and unfortunately she got some glue on the bodywork which I've yet to try and get off. The front also looks quite proud of the header seal which I don't remember it being before, but it could be that as the header seal had to be partially sacrificed to remove the old hood perhaps it's just a bit smaller! The B post seals are also a bit worse for wear because the old hood was glued to them, but she's tried to prevent any further wear by making the material fold to the back of the seals to create internal drain channels, I've yet to see how this works in practice. My previous aligning of the intermediate seals and sikaflexing will need to be redone as there are gaps there again.

Basically, if I had the money I would have got a Trimtech kit and paid someone to fit it and I'd have new seals etc but my roof frame would still be gradually rotting away, so it still wouldn't be a perfect solution and for much less money I've definitely got a new roof!

I'm still interested in seals though if anyone wants to split a kit!

[Nippy]

Hi thank you for that. I think I will give Diane a miss! Trim Technology is based in Coventry I believe and so is a company called STCS Soft-tops. I spoke to the bloke there a while ago when I was looking at replacing the rear plastic window only and he was very helpful, his cost would be about £240 for doing that. But in our chat he did mention that he had done a few Elans and I will now ask him if I get Trim Technology to deliver whether he would do the hood and seal replacement and at what cost. As said before the bloke in Suffolk is horrendously expensive (but there again you did mention about his possible 'seals' news). In reality replacing the hood and seals is a ridiculous cost for something that has always been pretty useless and poorly designed and as the years go by will fall apart all over again. A simple Mazda type hood would have been much better all round!! (By the way have just had my Hi Spec economy front brakes kit (ordered through PNM Lotus Specialists, delivered promptly) done and they are brilliant!! The car now stops, quickly. Wonderful, I will do a separate topic under Brakes later).

[B_land]

Hi Nippy
I'm thinking the same and Coventry is not too far for me and I'd be grateful if you could confirm the cost for fitting the hood.
Thanks
B

[madbilly]

The Hood Guys sound like they've got lots of experience with the Trim Tech kit and I think they're in the west midlands somewhere and are who I would have gone to if I could afford the full kit.