chrome Kingsborne wires

[Doug]

well, when you have 15 year old wires that have fired BILLIONS of times in their 75K miles, it's definitely worth changing for sake of wear.

If you have an Elan that was perfectly stored and has only a thousand mines on it, then there;s probably no big reason to change them. If you upgrade the boost or turbo then it would be wise for sake of age of the wires and to get some 8.5mm or so which are a bit larger than the OEs.

[desmondsee]

Hello Nitroman,

Came to this tread rather late but i am keen to obtain a set of chrome wires.
I sent Kindsborne an email but never did get a response. Wonder if you are able to help?

Grateful.

[nitroman]

Will be installing their new "mylar chrome" covered wires on this car as it still has the original wires & plugs I put on the car in 2003 some 48,000 miles ago! Most of the electrodes were corroded and I damaged one when I pulled it out of the rubber-boot to clean it. It has a good connection now & the idle-fluctuation has been eliminated so I have a good connection, but still; time for a change.

Apparently the old chrome covers were real chrome (metal) and although they did not short the wires they did sometimes give an electrical path for "static" charges to create a light show with... so they have gone to a polyester-based chrome "look" cover.

When I receive the wires I'll post another pic and you can see what you think. They don't even show the "chrome" cover as an option on their web-page anymore.

BTW the "interim" owner overheated the car & had a new head & valves installed for me. He said the shop had the car over a year & I believe him cuz the boot was full of parts they never put back on & half the hose-clamps were missing their, well, metal clamps! A few slow coolant & vacuum leaks I had to find & fix & the timing was just 32-degrees off! But I got the car back for over a thousand dollars less than I sold it for!

Now I have to decide If I want to convert it into a "Club Sprint" which was a limited edition cosmetic version sold only in Australia, were these were all made. There they refer to the CS as the Batmobile car. Really, I'm not just making that up to entertain you! You can still order all the parts to do the conversion from down under for $695-USD + $170-Australian for shipping... I just enquired 2 days ago. Includes front & rear fascias (rear has 4-round lights just like the Korean-Elan for a BIG change in looks. But not covered-over. Old-school like a Ferrari.), high-spoiler & double-bubble behind the seats, all parts bolt right on so you just paint them. This version was never sold in the USA as all the parts were just fibreglass & never met the crash-standards in this country.

[ailwyn]

Hi,

If you are going to organise another group buy I'd be in

Thanks

Ailwyn

[paulwatkins]

1. Ailwyn
2. paulwatkins
3. ....


Thats if you are actually going to offer another group buy Pretty please!

Paul

[nitroman]

Yeah sure I can do that. They are down to only 4-base colours now (red, blue, yellow & black) and have 3-optional coverings in various colours & types. The previously explained new chrome "look" open to judge once I receive them, VividWrap & FireBraid, which can both be seen starting on page 101 of this document http://www.kingsborne.com/html/kingsborne_catalog.pdf

So everyone at some point needs to specify:
1) base-colour
2) wire size 7, 8, 9, or 10mm
3) cover-type (if any)
4) cover-colour (if applicable)

I got access to Warren last night who is the President and the original 35-years old-now company creator who left the UK for the sunny climes of California. He put in a request to Ford for the drawings for the Aussie-Capri wires (called the OZ-Capri to separate it from earlier Ford Capris) so he can make-up my set. I'm the dude who supplied him with the Elan M100 factory wire-set 5-years ago which all sets he has made since are based on! I might have to do the same thing again although he said Ford usually gets back to him within an hour and he was surprised 4-hours had gone by without a word... and for me to call him back 'post-noon' today. I might end-up sending him my OZ wires so he has a pattern after I holiday with my new-ride for Turkey-day as Ford-USA has for the most part forgotten this car. They sure did give me a dirty-look when I came to the dealer with their 4-wheel alignment coupon after I installed lowering-springs! Ah, popularity: something I know nothing about. I'm not feeling the love here in "the city too busy to hate." When it comes to stangers it is really "the city to busy to care." There are a few good eggs here but you have to get to know them first. You want hospitality? Go to Florida.

Also, things cost more here and people expect to be paid for any special services rendered instead of getting a simple hand-shake & smile and "thanks mate" (I'm spending too much time talking to Australians now). Corporate recruiters lie about things like this! Money buys politeness here, in the public realm.

[paulwatkins]

base colour - yellow
wire size - as per previous orders (were they 8mm?)
cover type - chrome braid

Many thanks, Paul

[dapinky]

I'm sure that it is probably mentioned somewhere in the thread, but I'm in too much of a hurry to read properly......... are these leads copper or carbon core and is the insulation silicone or 'plastic'?

Am I being thick, or do I need to read the catalogue?

Yours lazily,

[nitroman]

They will be however the original Lotus factory wires were which I supplied him. I know as he was asking me the same question about copper vs. carbon core on my Capri, which Ford is still ignoring him on. The insulation is silicone, that I do know.

Yes, MOST of the original order was for 8mm wires but he said all covers are now available on all sizes of wire, whereas last time the 7mm were not available with covers. But now, through the ever persistent push of the yearnings of man, they are! As the OE Lotus wires are 7mm and I know that cramming the 8's into the holders is nigh unto impossible in about half the locations (especially in the "open"-bay area where looks count the most) it does make the 7's something to consider.

I forget who bought the 100 additional 8mm wire-separators but I think he had about 1/3 left. Anyway, I can negotiate the inclusion of like 8-separators to be included in each wire set for $4 extra... enough to keep even the most anal person grinning large. The separators will be the right size for whatever wire-set you buy, and black-plastic.

Time to kick the tires & light the fires, I'm outa here.

[nitroman]

I am removing my wires (Capri) & mailing them to California this Monday. Once again I am providing the genetic material to create life itself!!!!!! (at 50% off for the 1st set made!) Too bad I haven't gotten that discount on my daughter.

Please get your M100 requests in by Sunday the 27th of November at the VERY LATEST, as that is a fairly close approximation of when this shipment will sail. So far only two people are in:
1. Ailwyn
2. paulwatkins

Thanks, Matt

Oh, if anyone wants me to contact Warren & have him email me a picture of a wire section with the new non-chrome/chrome-look covering let me know as I am going on faith it will look the part.

[ailwyn]

Matt,

I'm definitely in, but a picture to help decide on which finish would be good.

Thanks

Ailwyn

[nitroman]

I spoke with Warren to ask for a picture and now he tells me the cover material is still exactly the same. The difference is that now he covers 1.5" at the end of each strand with a non-conductive material placed OVER the chrome to keep any electricity from arching (i.e., making the "jump") to the conductive-chrome.

Forgot to get a price but will do so next week. Don't want to bug him again so soon plus am leaving on holiday. The price will vary anyway depending on the number ordered. At 11-sets we got a pretty good discount last time.

[nitroman]

Still waiting to get my (Capri) wires before placing an order for anyone else so yous' all can see what they truly look like.

[*LUCA*]

Hi, I'm Luca from Italy. I need a new wires set for my M100 so....can somebody help me?
Thank you!

[Paul.P]

Luca, Nitroman sorted out last batch of the Kingsborne Wires from USA, might be worth sending him a PM. You should be able to order direct, but ive never been able to get it to go through ?

[*LUCA*]

FANTASTIC!!! I've received a very quickly answer from Gary of Kingsborne. He can send me e new red kit for 70 $ (shipping to Italy included). It's a googd price??

[paulwatkins]

Nitroman,
Could you please remove me from the list please?

The necessity to get these was accelerated when my new leads fell apart in my hands when I recently removed them! Luckily I had kept my old set......just in case!

I have contacted Kingsborne directly, and they will be sending me a set of yellow/chrome braid leads asap.

As Luca mentioned, it's $70 including delivery. And they were very quick to respond to my email enquiry.