Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Does anyone have (or know of) a definitive illustration of the label wording & positioning for the various labels applied to a U.K. market Elan dashboard, please?

For which model?

Oh, Elan Sprint !

PM JimE think he has the most original Sprint that jumps to mind, he might be able to help.

Thanks Chris but I can't find JimE in the members list, in order to pm him - can you guide me further, plse?

Belay that please, Chris!

It's the first time I've had cause to read the members listing and I find that I didn't go far enough into it - I have now located JimE and pm'd him, per your suggestion, thanks again!

On a more specific point: I wonder what the intended purpose of the word " BRAKES" is, in its location towards the right of the UK-market dashboard ?

It seems to be positioned just below the combined oil pressure/water temp. gauge but what is it supposed to be guiding the eye towards?

Not on all models, but there's a Sovy device that warns of low fluid level.

It does not tell you that you've left the handbrake on.

Here are some pics from my original Sprint dashboard. Not the best quality but hopefully of help and archive for future reference. The brakes and park labels merely tell you that the handbrake has been applied and the light should come on. On the +2 the light will also come on if the brake fluid falls between a certain level.

A better close up perhaps.

Thank you very much, JimE, these are really helpful pictures, as I come to apply labels to my new-made dash panel.

Some observations, just as the strike me:

- The FAN label is offset to the left, whereas I had expected it to sit squarely above the switch.

- Use of the quite American wording WINDSHIELD is confirmed (!).

- I rather baulk at the word BRAKES appearing, where it seems to have little/no purpose.

It's great to have your very original layout pictures, for my immediate reference and now, perhaps, posterity so - again - big thanks !

(I will post fotos of new dash in near future, as of interest)

JimE wrote:The brakes and park labels merely tell you that the handbrake has been applied and the light should come on. On the +2 the light will also come on if the brake fluid falls between a certain level.

Just another data-point, my federal Plus two has both a BRAKE light and a FAIL light. I haven't had the car in operable condition at all since owning it, but mine does not have the brake fluid level switch and does have a pressure differential switch on a junction piece just downstream of the master cylinder. I've guessed that this is what activates the FAIL light; somebody please correct me if that's not true. That switch is getting binned along with the servos, so if I'm correct about the function of that light then I'll have a light available should I decide that I need a light for something.

Ben,
My 130S had the two servos removed when I bought it. The balance switch was left in place and the lines from it to the servos had been directly connected to the out lines from the servos. When I changed the original master cylinder to the Nissan unit, I ran new lines to the balance switch, and then new lines to the front brakes and the rear brake connection on the right side of the chassis.

Like you mine was a non-runner. When I got the car I had to roll it down a hill to the roll back wrecker. It was then I discovered that the 1" master, without servos was not going to cut it. The brakes needed a huge right leg muscle to get the car to stop. The 11/16" new master, for me has just the right amount of pedal effort.

For Federal models where there was a third rocker switch on the bottom row, the 'fan' label was directly above the rocker switch. For the domestic market, maybe Lotus positioned the label to the left to compliment or give a balanced appearance to the headlamps label on the right. Who knows!

I have five on the bottom row, L-R: Headlamps, Window, Hazard, Window, Fan.