Lotus Elise tail light conversion (fed spec)

[Fubar1764]

Very nice!

[DeeAitch]

Marie, many congratulations on the wedding news!
Light clusters are stunning! How can you fit all this in with the wedding plans? Anyway if you do decide to mould more then I guess we Brits will have to come up with a new centre section to match. Not easy

[Enright]

Opinions?

A helluvalot better than OEM.

Absolutely fantastic looking. Especially against the white.

[Elanlover]

Looks like a factory job. Nicely done. Did you consider painting them white in a similar fashion to the previous arrangement you had?

[lotusgirlmarie]

Eventually they will be painted like my old set. Currently they are only primered. I.ll be testing them on kjeld's car later today to ensure a universal fit on the fed cars. I'll also be starting the other side today. Hopefully I can get all of this done inthe next few weeks before work takes over my life entirely again.

[Capman]

Hi Marie,
I'd consider keeping them black, Ferrari modena-ish. Great design, i take it your full time work is of a creative nature, if not you missed your way.

Capman.

[F1 LOTUS]

Looks pretty good!
I was wondering what you would do with the 'notch' feature?
I think it may look better if it did not finish as abruptly, perhaps 'pull' the feature out to a point? This would also make laminating a tad easier in that area?
Another thing which might be worth investigating (with clay or a pencil sketch) is adding a very subtle feature to break-up the featureless side area, something that parallels the shut line angles

[F1 LOTUS]

Here's a clumsy photoshop job...something more subtle than this though?

[lotusgirlmarie]

I had thought about it but, opted for the clean line. I also looked into having the rear decklid "flow" into the light but found that the centre section would look funny as it does not. I've also considered just scrapping the centre section and building the rear valence as on big piece ala Costas. My thought on that was that I wouldn't have the flexability of changing it between fed and in moulding and it would make a really weak point in the glassfibre. Not saying it can't be done, but I would also have to modify the trunklid to house the plate lights to keep the car legal. I know thatt most people would find that hard + its more intrusive into the cars bodywork. This at least allows the car to be returned to stock easily and quickly. Just my thoughts.

[Doug]

Here's a clumsy photoshop job...something more subtle than this though?

[Doc Fizzix]

[Ekapol]

For the longest time, I worried about what would fit in there to the side once the orange part is gone. Would it be too "plain" on the side, etc. But then I have to agree with Marie's original design.

The photoshop work looks wonderful by itself but imagine having it as part of the whole side view. Marie's design indeed gives it a better "flow"

Still open for something that might come up for the side section. I was thinking about another "notched" on the outside leading the line from the rear side to the rear section, but then it might look like another sudo-eye-brow. Something very subtle that can enhance the siderear section I don't want it to look too busy on that section, rather go with simple and plain line there

[s5tuart]

Let the Koreans keep their lights!!
I'm in for some when they are readyplease..........they are spiffing!
btw. congrats..xx

[F1 LOTUS]

Keeping things simple is usually the best option I agree.
The angled shut line is supposed to compliment the 'chop' or undercut of the rear wing element, sadly this detail is all but lost (see Doc Fizzix pic) due to the eyebrow infill pieces and the big radius between the two straight portions of the shut line. By just getting rid of the eyebrows (as Marie has done) this feature should be already enhanced
From all of the light conversions I've seen so far, the small patch along the side of the car feels slightly bulbous and tends to add to the general blobbiness of the rear end?
You can spend an awful lot of time trying to get these things just right (Lotus didn't manage it!) and my quick stab at it may well not be the answer, I just offered as perhaps inspiration for something more exciting? All credit to LGM in making such a vast improvement in so short time

[lotusgirlmarie]

Kejld and I tested out the lights on his car to see if they fit properly between cars for moulding purposes....... they do. We also briefly discussed about colour/painting options and how we would "finish" the housings. More on this later Big brownie point is that they fit and that I have begun the opposite side's housing. Fun fun fun.

Brian, thank you for your insight. I agree on the blobiness of the rear of the Elan. I found that by painting the housings in a certain way you can optically fool yourself into the car not being as bulbous. I'll post pics once I've done the test. Again thank you for your insight....it was because of this that I came up with the new paint scheme idea.

[PaulN]

Here's a clumsy photoshop job...something more subtle than this though?

Now That looks special!

[F1 LOTUS]

Maybe just a simple round Lotus enamel badge in the center of the 'side' panel would suffice?

[Doc Fizzix]

Maybe just a simple round Lotus enamel badge in the center of the 'side' panel would suffice?

[F1 LOTUS]

...or not

[Doug]