KIA ELAN REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY

[Fumello]

Is there someone on the Internet who sell it? I am against Elan esthetic mods but i really like it, what do you think?

[Richard_A_Clifton]

[quote author=Fumello link=board=xref;num=1074683016;start=0#0 date=01/21/04 at 03:03:35]... I am against Elan esthetic mods ...[/quote]<br>Wa-hey!!<br><br>[quote author=Fumello link=board=xref;num=1074683016;start=0#0 date=01/21/04 at 03:03:35]... but i really like it ...[/quote]<br>Arrgh!<br><br>[quote author=Fumello link=board=xref;num=1074683016;start=0#0 date=01/21/04 at 03:03:35]... what do you think?[/quote]<br>Need you ask?<br><br><br>

[Fumello]

???

[Fumello]

I think we are not of the same opinon abour these light clusters....  :-/

[Doug]

Yes, Fumello, Richard is a Lotus Purist!<br>But he does drive the dickens out of them too . . . <br><br>We have had no luck with sourcing Kia parts for the Elan--language barrier and thousands of miles of ocean between us all . . .

[Richard_A_Clifton]

Doug.  It's not just a case of being a purist.  I don't mind at all if people want to upgrade turbos, suspension, engine or whatever.  What I worry about is the fact that some people who have a 'new' Elan also have the 'Hot Hatch' mentality, adding all sorts of hideous appendages to what is a perfect, classic Lotus design.<br>You don't find many (any?) owners of Esprits, Elises, Excels, Cortinas even, adding any of this junk!  You might find a few whacky paint schemes and a few Escort Twincams and Elan S4s with wide wheel arches but that is about it.  Why do you think that is?<br>In my opinion, anyone that makes changes to the styling of the car might make it different but they are unlikely to make it better and 99 times out of 100 will make it a sight worse.<br>Leave the body kits to the Sunny and Corsa kiddies.<br><br>If the last sentence doesn't translate too well around the world, just leave out the words 'Sunny and Corsa'.

[westonben]

I agree with the points above, but I think one area which makes the car show it's age are the rear lights.  If there was a simple replacement to make then I would go for it, however, this is unlikely to happen.<br><br>I'll stick with the Renault lights

[stevo]

lotus carlton had a massive body kit and 8x18's. esprit 300 sport rolled out of hethel with a dirty big carbon wing. esprit v8 gt has monster wheels and wing and bolt on style arches.<br>corsas with body kits are sh1te but you have to go with the times mate, the after market parts industry for the elise must be worth millions.<br><br>try not to think moddified, thihk personalised. <br><br>the gold leaf racing colours(type49?) on the classic elan are hardly dull either.

[Richard_A_Clifton]

[quote author=stevo link=board=xref;num=1074683016;start=0#7 date=01/22/04 at 07:48:28]lotus carlton had a massive body kit and 8x18's. esprit 300 sport rolled out of hethel with a dirty big carbon wing. esprit v8 gt has monster wheels and wing and bolt on style arches.<br>corsas with body kits are sh1te but you have to go with the times mate, the after market parts industry for the elise must be worth millions.<br><br>try not to think moddified, thihk personalised. <br><br>the gold leaf racing colours(type49?) on the classic elan are hardly dull either.[/quote]<br><br>None of which are what I am talking about.  I'm talking about the ill-conceived, badly designed and poorly executed add-ons such as those in the pictures that Doug put a link to.<br>The designers at the factory are employed by Lotus because they have a good eye and can produce a car that the company can be proud of (with the possible exception of the Esprit with the wing on sticks halfway up the back window).  The people that produce the side-skirts, poxy front-ends and other after-market add-on atrocities should be put against a wall and shot.<br><br>One thing that amuses me here is that when it was announced that Lotus were selling all their Elan gear to Kia for them to produce their own, cheaper, lower powered version, many (if not most) Elan owners were aghast, thinking that in the future people would confuse their prized Lotus for a crap Kia.  And here we are just a few years later with people wanting to make their prized Lotus look like a crap Kia.  What's gone wrong?<br><br><br><br><br>

[DeeAitch]

I still get some - usually TreVoR - nobs asking me how my Kia is going >:(<br>Still, apart from the engine / box, wheels and some trim it was essentially the same so it can't be entirely crap. <br>I for one wish Kia had re engineered the hood seals, then they would be our best friends. Bet we would ALL be keen on fitting that one ;D<br>Oh and (heresy) I think their "Elan" logo is an improvement!

[Doug]

[quote author=Richard link=board=xref;num=1074683016;start=0#8 date=01/22/04 at 08:55:55]I'm talking about the ill-conceived, badly designed and poorly executed add-ons such as those in the pictures that Doug put a link to.[/quote]<br> ::)  ::) uh, luckily those parts are across the Pacific from me and a huge language barrier away . . . or you might see a BRG heretic Elan driving around California  :o <br><br>got to go put some more power stickers on my car . . .  ::)  :P<br>

[Andy]

My...my, such a heated discussion.  Let me add a little fuel to the flames.  FOR SALE: 1 set of OEM Kia tailights to the open market.  FYI:  Since the Kia Elan is rare beyond S. Korea and is no longer being produced, confusion between the two shouldn't be an issue.  Reason I updated mine is due to the expense of replacing the OEM Lotus parts.  Afterthought: "Hey, it looks better too!"

[Sy V]

They certainly look better. They're not original Lotus but As far as I'm concerned they are an acceptable enhancement.<br>Smith, please check your IMs.

[Fumello]

It was not my intention to create all these rumours... Anyway i asked Kia Italia to provide me this Kia Elan spare part; this was their answer.<br><br>[glow=red,2,300]Hey guy, which Kia car is that???   [/glow]<br><br>No comments

[Richard_A_Clifton]

Fumello, it's not a problem.  These things are what make life interesting.  It wouldn't be much fun if everyone had the same opinion about everything.<br>It's just that I'm right and they're wrong!

[Fumello]

Modest !!!<br><br>

[Kjeld]

Oh stop.... Come on boys, the tail light assembly Lotus chose for this car is a joke. I would make the claim the instrument cluster (is it really from a Chevy Cavalier?) is almost as bad. I would forgive a lot if they were original designs. But this stuff was scabbed on from other cars, and usually from cheap cars (hello GM) a that. If this is easy (unlike a new instrument cluster) why not swap out the Renault tail lights?<br><br>So tell me, do the Kia tail lights bolt in?

[Jeff]

But this stuff was scabbed on from other cars, and usually from cheap cars

<br><br>though it does have side lamps from a mclaren f1  ;D

[DeeAitch]

Didn't Lotus girl Marie make her own? Any pictures?<br>IIRC the Kia units are slightly larger and need some bodywork fettling to get them in - cue Richard

[Mike_H]

Try this link , I think these are pictures of Lotus girl Marie's rear lights<br>http://www.geocities.com/m_flagiello/<br><br>Mike.