hood fixing

[NickWilmshurst]

Can anyone out there help with the fixing of the hood (roof, not bonnet for
our US cousins!) on an S3 Elan?
There's two "poppers" on the front of the hood (either side of the
windscreen). My question is how are these fixed to the windscreen pillars?
Self tapper? Bolt through?

I'd be grateful for advice. BTW, reson for this question is thatits a new
body and never had a roof before!

Thanks.

Nick Wilmshurst
Consultant
WM-Data BP UK
+44 1753 505650 (office)
+44 772 083 8972 (mobile)

[Arno Church]

Nick W wrote

snip>Can anyone out there help with the fixing of the hood (roof, not bonnet for
our US cousins!) on an S3 Elan?
There's two "poppers" on the front of the hood (either side of the
windscreen). My question is how are these fixed to the windscreen pillars?
Self tapper? Bolt through?
<snip

Good question as I am about to start fixing these poppers , tenaxes etc myself
So while waiting for an answer here are more questions
How are the chrome plated top trim of the windscreen surround as well as the 2 chromed trims on the side rails ( facing the door edge) of the windscreen frame , fixed , self tappers or pop rivets ?
Arno

[Elan45]

The door surround aluminum trims (they are not chrome) are held on w/ 3 or 4 flat head self tappers which are very short, like 1/4" to 3/8" long. It's probably all in the parts book too.

Roger

["Alan Andrea"]

If you have the inner windscreen pillar trims off, I'd recommend using speed nuts (sheet metal clips) on the inside of the vertical trims for security. I believe Lotus used these also (although that's not necessarily an endorsement). I used stainless machine screws and nuts on the "poppers" for the same reason. The nuts make sure the screws won't pull out. The reason for stainless was that the original screws tend to rust and look shabby after some time.

I did this on my S4 and it works fine.

Regards,

Alan Andrea


There's two "poppers" on the front of the hood (either side of the
windscreen). My question is how are these fixed to the windscreen pillars?
Self tapper? Bolt through?

[swwnz]

Use "tenax",fastners you need the ones with a mach.thread to be able to bolt
through the fi.glass ,& put a large washer on the other side ,pop rivets &
self tappers will not do.
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arno Church" <***@***.***>

Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2001 3:13 AM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] hood fixing


Nick W wrote

snip>Can anyone out there help with the fixing of the hood (roof, not
bonnet for
our US cousins!) on an S3 Elan?
There's two "poppers" on the front of the hood (either side of the
windscreen). My question is how are these fixed to the windscreen pillars?
Self tapper? Bolt through?
<snip

Good question as I am about to start fixing these poppers , tenaxes etc
myself
So while waiting for an answer here are more questions
How are the chrome plated top trim of the windscreen surround as well as
the 2 chromed trims on the side rails ( facing the door edge) of the
windscreen frame , fixed , self tappers or pop rivets ?
Arno











reserved.

[NickWilmshurst]

Arno,

I had a look at my hood fixings last night. They were put on by Mick Miller
who knows a thing or two about Elans...

1) the fixings for the alluminium strip on top of the windscreen are pop
riveted with a small nylon washer (about 1/8" thick) between the aluminium
and the fibreglass.

2) the fixings into which the "arms" of the hood frame slot are a self
tapper with three nylon washers under the head...these washers are 1/2",
3/8" and 5/8" in diameter so the "arm" locates on the 3/8" one.

Hope this helps.

Nick

-----Original Message-----
From: Arno Church [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 16:14
To: ***@***.***
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] hood fixing


Nick W wrote

snip>Can anyone out there help with the fixing of the hood (roof, not
bonnet for
our US cousins!) on an S3 Elan?
There's two "poppers" on the front of the hood (either side of the
windscreen). My question is how are these fixed to the windscreen pillars?
Self tapper? Bolt through?
<snip

Good question as I am about to start fixing these poppers , tenaxes etc
myself
So while waiting for an answer here are more questions
How are the chrome plated top trim of the windscreen surround as well as
the 2 chromed trims on the side rails ( facing the door edge) of the
windscreen frame , fixed , self tappers or pop rivets ?
Arno











reserved.

[Elan45]

Arno,

I assume in #2 below you are referring to the "keeper" for the fork at the end of the cantrail to slip onto. Originally, these were not a stack of washers, but a single molded nylon piece, w/ a self-tapper down through its center. I suppose the washer stack is an expedient for a no-longer available part.

Roger



I had a look at my hood fixings last night. They were put on by Mick Miller
who knows a thing or two about Elans...

1) the fixings for the alluminium strip on top of the windscreen are pop
riveted with a small nylon washer (about 1/8" thick) between the aluminium
and the fibreglass.

2) the fixings into which the "arms" of the hood frame slot are a self
tapper with three nylon washers under the head...these washers are 1/2",
3/8" and 5/8" in diameter so the "arm" locates on the 3/8" one.

Hope this helps.

Nick

-----Original Message-----
From: Arno Church [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 16:14
To: ***@***.***
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] hood fixing


Nick W wrote

snip>Can anyone out there help with the fixing of the hood (roof, not
bonnet for
our US cousins!) on an S3 Elan?
There's two "poppers" on the front of the hood (either side of the
windscreen). My question is how are these fixed to the windscreen pillars?
Self tapper? Bolt through?
<snip

Good question as I am about to start fixing these poppers , tenaxes etc
myself
So while waiting for an answer here are more questions
How are the chrome plated top trim of the windscreen surround as well as
the 2 chromed trims on the side rails ( facing the door edge) of the
windscreen frame , fixed , self tappers or pop rivets ?
Arno











reserved.

[TimMullen]

Roger Sieling wrote:

I recently purchased one (a pair actually) of these parts from JAE to replace a
broken one on my Elan... They are still (or maybe again) available.

Tim Mullen

Chantilly, VA
72 Elan Sprint

[TimMullen]

S&M WHITREN wrote:

The snaps on the windshield frame that attach to the front corners of the hood
do not need to be bolted on with large washers to hold it in place. That would
be correct for parts in tension - pulled away from the surface . The snaps,
however, see a shear force - pulling sideways along the surface. A self tapping
screw works just fine to hold the snap - it's main purpose is to keep the snap
from "sliding along" the surface. An unthreaded pin would do just as well,
however, it would fall out when not in use. That's why you need the screw.

And yes, the snap will see a small amount of "tension" due to the "tipping" of
the snap, but this force will be negligible.

Tim Mullen

Chantilly, VA
72 Elan Sprint

[Arno Church]

Thanks Nick,
Amazing that Mick does it with nylon washers. I managed to retrieve the original brass fixings and then had them chrome plated along with all the tenax fasteners that goes around the back of the body where the hood (and hood cover ) clips to.
The self tapper fixing of the hood arm fixing confirms my recollection of how it was fixed when I got the car
Arno

Arno,

I had a look at my hood fixings last night. They were put on by Mick Miller
who knows a thing or two about Elans...

1) the fixings for the alluminium strip on top of the windscreen are pop
riveted with a small nylon washer (about 1/8" thick) between the aluminium
and the fibreglass.

2) the fixings into which the "arms" of the hood frame slot are a self
tapper with three nylon washers under the head...these washers are 1/2",
3/8" and 5/8" in diameter so the "arm" locates on the 3/8" one.

Hope this helps.

Nick

[Arno Church]

Roger , I thought the cant rails disappeared with the S2 , to be replaced by the hood arms Nick mentioned in the S3 and S4. As previously mentioned my S3 definitely had brass "keepers " for the forks
Arno


Arno,

I assume in #2 below you are referring to the "keeper" for the fork at the end of the cantrail to slip onto. Originally, these were not a stack of washers, but a single molded nylon piece, w/ a self-tapper down through its center. I suppose the washer stack is an expedient for a no-longer available part.
Roger

[Elan45]

You are correct in that removeable cant rails went away w/ S2, but I think the hood erection section in the owners manual and the adhesive label that lays in the bottom of the hood tray refers to these arms as "cant rails" again. On S3 -4 they are just not removeable. I have two S3 DHC's and owned another several years ago, and they have all had black nylon "keepers" for the forked ends of the cant rails to clip to.

Roger


Roger , I thought the cant rails disappeared with the S2 , to be replacedby the hood arms Nick mentioned in the S3 and S4. As previously mentioned my S3 definitely had brass "keepers " for the forks
Arno


Arno,

I assume in #2 below you are referring to the "keeper" for the fork at the end of the cantrail to slip onto. Originally, these were not a stack of washers, but a single molded nylon piece, w/ a self-tapper down through its center. I suppose the washer stack is an expedient for a no-longer available part.
Roger

[schwartzd13]

Re: the custom nylon washers for the cantrail fork...
You might try looking at sliding screen door hardware at your local
hardware store (Home Depot, around here) there are many sizes
available...I wound up using some (with a little bit of dremel and bench
grinder work) when I repaired my window lift cable/pulley
nightmare...and I haven't had to go back in there for at least 8 years!
Good luck-
David 69 Elan S4

[TimMullen]

Roger Sieling wrote:

Hmmmm... On my S4, they are "white" nylon.

As for making them, again, they were dirt cheap from JAE, not worth trying to
make them yourself...

Tim Mullen

Chantilly, VA
72 Elan Sprint

[Rob_LaMoreaux]

I bought one of these for my S4 last fall, so they are still available. I believe I got it from Dave Bean.

Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI USA
(734)-971-5583
***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending
adventure.