Original DHC Hood Tray Trim

[trw99]

The finishing trim that clips over the top edge of the rear of the hood tray on my Sprint is original. In the Parts List it is described as 'Trim, Rear Decking'.

At over 50 years old and being made mostly of cotton (over a steel stretcher), it has rather inevitably shrunk a little. I am quite sure that I wish to retain it, since my car is original and I prefer to repair, not replace, where possible. Besides, it is no longer made in the same way and not with cotton, according to Susan Miller.

Has anyone found a good way to stretch this trim part, gently, without damaging it, by any chance? I'm fairly sure wetting it, stretching it and allowing it to dry will not do the trick. I can live with it as it is but if anyone has a useful trick, please let me know!

Tim

[Gordon Sauer]

Id try woollies, I’m pretty amazed at what they have, Gordon

[Elanman99]

My car is a 1968 S4 DHC and I am pretty sure it did not originally have any finishing strip on the edge of the bodywork. I dont recall seeing any on Sprints either.

As I see it and trim in that position would prevent the hood material sitting flat to the surface.

Ian

[saildrive2001]

My car is a 69 S4 & it definitely had a strip covering the edge of the glass fibre. I got a new piece from MacGregor here in Ontario. He has most of the rubber etc. trim pieces for the Elan. www.macgregorukcarparts.com.
No affiliation to him, I just have bought things from him for my car.

[mark030358]

I still have my original cotton trim edge piece, not sure you can buy like for like replacements.

cheers

[IainP]

My car definitely still has the original trim as per Tim’s photos.
Iain

[Elanintheforest]

Tim, the trim used came from a Mk2 Ford Cortina where it was used to cover the door aperture edges.

In late 1969, Ford changed the trim from cloth covering to a plastic covering, making it a little more robust. The cloth covering would fray quite easily giving a very tatty look!

Obviously Lotus carried on with the original stuff for quite a lot longer, but when I searched to replace mine a few years ago, I couldn't find the cloth replacement, so used the plastic one. It does look pretty much identical as the plastic has the same fabric texture, but obviously it is not original!

I wonder if the later / last Sprints used the plastic covered trim as well?

Mark

[mark030358]

Tim, the trim used came from a Mk2 Ford Cortina where it was used to cover the door aperture edges.

In late 1969, Ford changed the trim from cloth covering to a plastic covering, making it a little more robust. The cloth covering would fray quite easily giving a very tatty look!

Obviously Lotus carried on with the original stuff for quite a lot longer, but when I searched to replace mine a few years ago, I couldn't find the cloth replacement, so used the plastic one. It does look pretty much identical as the plastic has the same fabric texture, but obviously it is not original!

I wonder if the later / last Sprints used the plastic covered trim as well?

Mark

Love that Cortina is that a 1600E?

cheers

[IainP]

Tim

The Mk1 Cortina club might have an answer..
https://mk1cortina.club/index.php/shop- ... ric-detail
Iain

[Elanintheforest]

Tim, the trim used came from a Mk2 Ford Cortina where it was used to cover the door aperture edges.

In late 1969, Ford changed the trim from cloth covering to a plastic covering, making it a little more robust. The cloth covering would fray quite easily giving a very tatty look!

Obviously Lotus carried on with the original stuff for quite a lot longer, but when I searched to replace mine a few years ago, I couldn't find the cloth replacement, so used the plastic one. It does look pretty much identical as the plastic has the same fabric texture, but obviously it is not original!

I wonder if the later / last Sprints used the plastic covered trim as well?

Mark

Love that Cortina is that a 1600E?

cheers

It is Mark, but it's an original RHD 2 door 1600E, one of 28 made, and the only one left on the road!
I found it in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, a few years back, and despite it being a little play-worn, I had to buy it as i'd been looking for one for over 30 years!

I have a small write-up of the story of the car at the bottom of this section on my Lotus Cortina website....

https://www.lotuscortinainfo.com/?page_id=3704

Mark

[trw99]

Thank you all for your replies.

In the end I refitted this original trim part on a warm day and it clipped in just fine. Once the hood went back on the permanent studs at the rear of the hood kept the trim neatly in place with the aid of large penny washers.

I should point out that I did write in my first post that 'I am quite sure that I wish to retain it, since my car is original and I prefer to repair, not replace, where possible. ... I can live with it as it is but if anyone has a useful trick, please let me know!', so I shall not be replacing this part at all.

From the pedantic originalist, Tim.

[mark030358]

Tim, the trim used came from a Mk2 Ford Cortina where it was used to cover the door aperture edges.

In late 1969, Ford changed the trim from cloth covering to a plastic covering, making it a little more robust. The cloth covering would fray quite easily giving a very tatty look!

Obviously Lotus carried on with the original stuff for quite a lot longer, but when I searched to replace mine a few years ago, I couldn't find the cloth replacement, so used the plastic one. It does look pretty much identical as the plastic has the same fabric texture, but obviously it is not original!

I wonder if the later / last Sprints used the plastic covered trim as well?

Mark

Love that Cortina is that a 1600E?

cheers

It is Mark, but it's an original RHD 2 door 1600E, one of 28 made, and the only one left on the road!
I found it in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, a few years back, and despite it being a little play-worn, I had to buy it as i'd been looking for one for over 30 years!

I have a small write-up of the story of the car at the bottom of this section on my Lotus Cortina website....

https://www.lotuscortinainfo.com/?page_id=3704

Mark

What an excellent read that was, thanks for sharing. A good friend of mine had a 4 door 1600E in red and another chap I knew had a Fern Green one. I always thought they were a stunningly good looking saloon back then. One question, some cars had the four clocks on top of the dash and some below... why was that?

thanks
Mark

[Elanintheforest]

The 4 clocks on top were on the Series 1 cars, and the clocks in the dash are Series 2, from October 1968 on. The GT, Lotus and 1600E all had the 4 small clocks.

Mark

[mark030358]

The 4 clocks on top were on the Series 1 cars, and the clocks in the dash are Series 2, from October 1968 on. The GT, Lotus and 1600E all had the 4 small clocks.

Mark

Thanks got the info