Wow - ?460 for original nose badge...

[dunclentdr]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331974008726? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Anyone with an original badge should make sure it is tightly fixed on...

David

[M.J.S]

[Elanintheforest]

That's ?60 more than I paid for my Elan! OK, that was in 1976.

But it's not even an early one if it's enamel. Pre (mid) 1965 cars had painted badges, and they go for a lot more!

Mark

[whittlei]

Ridiculous...... you'll be telling me next that a bloke on benefits has spent ?20K he hasn't got to still look nothing like David Beckham

Question - is a black badge worth more than a green /yellow one.......???

[trw99]

Yours for ?94.21: https://paulmattysportscars.co.uk/produ ... ck-silver/

Tim

[Grizzly]

I have to admit i bid one up to ?200 because the purist in me hates that the Yellow on the newer badges is so obviously wrong. The reproductions weren't about at the time but even now the repro badges are acceptable in colour but the quality of the enamel isn't as good for ?100 (don't know how long it would last)

Thing is i could imagine a perfect 70's nose badge could be worth a fair bit because it's so easy to damage (over-tighten one and it will chip as i found out )

[SimonH]

Thing is i could imagine a perfect 70's nose badge could be worth a fair bit because it's so easy to damage (over-tighten one and it will chip as i found out )

The way the line used to do it for the later Esprit and Excel was to use a rubber rawl nut backwards. You can only tighten them up by hand and will never be able to break the stud off when fitting. Removing it is a different matter when its corroded.
The M100 Elan badges used a nyloc and a washer but put a small rubber grommet on the thread between the nut and the bonnet to the same effect.

[Grizzly]

Simon, I didn't snap the stud off, what happened with mine was the enamel separated from the badge backing Strangely i was using Nylon nuts and only the Yellow was damaged. I wasn't expecting it as i thought the nut would strip before the badge was damaged...... Guess Not.

It was odd just the Yellow had separated from the backing, it was almost like it wasn't stuck properly and the slightest to flex from the backing caused it to fail. Still winds me up thinking about it, it had sat in a box in perfect condition since the 80's (original badge too) five minutes with me and it's damaged just wasn't expecting it to be so fragile.

[nigelrbfurness]

Quite. That is remarkable. I should imagine we will see a flurry of these on ebay now as people dig them out from their various hiding places. I must have three or four, including a slightly damaged black one... better update my house insurance

Of course, these high prices do depend on someone being willing to pay them...

Nigel F.

[Grizzly]

Of course, these high prices do depend on someone being willing to pay them...

Exactly, it's being in the right place at the right time. For example http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-CAR-BAD ... true&rt=nc Not perfect but is the difference worth ?310?..... i admit that is on the lower scale for an Original badge but it's not rare to see them go for ?200 (or i wasn't before this sale).

[elanfan1]

Chris if you still have that badge it might be worth trying a repair - I don't know if this will work or not but I vividly remember being in metalwork in school and the teacher heating up old copper pennies from the underside and putting an enamel powder on the top using various colours and mixing it. It would bubble up and then set. Once cooled we'd have brightly coloured pennies that we were oddly fascinated by. If the enamel will melt again could that refix it to the base?

[Chancer]

My Caterham came with a Lotus nose badge, probably bought from someone like Bell & Colville in 1986, there were lots of reciepts from people like that for Elan parts, I bought the Elan and the 7 as a job lot.

I think I know where I squiirelled away the badge, how can I tell if it is an original and/or what it is worth, till today I had thought is was maybe a tenners worth!

I am guessing that there are more than one "original" badge according to the year and also reproduction badges.

[Grizzly]

Steve. I would have given it a go but the guys that recon our badges for work gave me a relatively sane price to have it re-chromed and re-enamelled, so it's been with them for nearly two months now they assure me the colours will be correct but i'm not holding my breath.

[Grizzly]

My Caterham came with a Lotus nose badge, probably bought from someone like Bell & Colville in 1986, there were lots of reciepts from people like that for Elan parts, I bought the Elan and the 7 as a job lot.

I think I know where I squiirelled away the badge, how can I tell if it is an original and/or what it is worth, till today I had thought is was maybe a tenners worth!

I am guessing that there are more than one "original" badge according to the year and also reproduction badges.

Have a look on this page lotus-chassis-f36/lotus-nose-badges-t23515.html

The nose badge is another one of those things that was subtly changed over the years and for a purist i can imagine getting the correct one from the correct time period would be worth money.

[Chancer]

I have just dug out the Elan keyring, it has a leather fob with a small enamel Lotus badge, on the rear there is raised lettering saying "MELSOM PRODUCTS LIMITED BIRMINGHAM"

Embossed into the leather are the words "KEYFLIX Reg'd Made in England" I think it dates from the 70's, possibly original to the car in 1971 or could have been bought as an accessory later on.

Back in the days of wife swapping partys where you would throw your car keys into a basket, if you didnt have a keyfob of a desirable make you were not going to be a happy chappy

Having a Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious keyfob was probably worse than just a bare bunch of keys