1967(?) Elan

[Frank Howard]

Good example of what happens when you attach a gold stripe directly from the low rear fender to the high front one. You wind up with a line across the door that is far from level. The duct tape on the intake box is a nice touch as well.

[billwill]

It looks like it's had the S4 rear light body mouldings grafted into the S3 rear panel but they have been fitted at the wrong angle. Otherwise it's certainly a S3 Shell.

Like wot I said in post #3

So you did Pete

But I said it with so much more style and panache

It certainly makes it look odd from the rear.

Were it mine, they would have to be sorted pronto and the best way would be a nice flat panel with S3 lights

And just WHERE would you get a set of S3 rear lights nowadays?

[Frank Howard]

Good point Bill. I believe S4 lights are easier to find than S3 lights and that may explain why this S3 has S4 lights on it.

[nebogipfel]

And just WHERE would you get a set of S3 rear lights nowadays?

They're still around Bill. I've seen them on Fleabay recently.

I admit they are becoming difficult but I'd personally rather see it with a set of acceptable s/h S3 lights and the correct panel rather than the lash up it is at the moment.

[Elanintheforest]

It's only a few numbers earlier than my S3 of June '67. I bet a lot of folks who have the S2 or S3 have a spare pair of lights tucked away....I certainly do, but one spare pair between two cars!

There was talk of someone re-making the chrome surround, so if anybody needs one, may be worth while checking with the usual suppliers.

Mark

[Allison]

The rear S3 lights come off the Vauxhall Victor where they were mounted vertically. I was able to get a couple of spare sets some years ago via the local Viva owners club. Haven't tracked down the boot lock so mine have the S4 version which are available.

Peter

[elansprint71]

And just WHERE would you get a set of S3 rear lights nowadays?

...just WHERE...?

Well, last Summer I bought two sets, for ?10 each, new/old stock, at a small auto-jumble.

Can't remember when I last saw the S4 units, at any price. Although some Jaguar US-spec ones were kicking around a couple of years ago.

[billwill]

And just WHERE would you get a set of S3 rear lights nowadays?

...just WHERE...?

Well, last Summer I bought two sets, for ?10 each, new/old stock, at a small auto-jumble.

Can't remember when I last saw the S4 units, at any price. Although some Jaguar US-spec ones were kicking around a couple of years ago.

You were lucky. Did you see the prices the S3 lights were fetching on eBay a year or so ago. Well over ?100 maybe ?200.

I think I have a red lens in my spares and a yellow lens, but they don't quite fit together right, and another red lens that I smashed and have re-glued like a 3D jigsaw puzzle. My 'chromes' are pitted, filled with filler & painted to match my bumpers instead of being chrome.

[elanbaby]

Hello,
if you look just at the S4 mould, the original light surroundings look angled as well. Perhaps one could adjust the rear lights?



Apart from that, in my opinion 20.000USD is not very expensive for an Elan in this condition. Even if you like to "re"-convert the rear to S3 lights.

Juergen

[john.p.clegg]

I,m a plus2 man but do you mean these....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REAR-LIGHT-LOTUS- ... _500wt_949

John

[billwill]

I,m a plus2 man but do you mean these....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REAR-LIGHT-LOTUS- ... _500wt_949

John

That's the one. (only one you notice).

But with eBAY's crummy auction algorithm we won't know what people are prepared to pay until the last minute in some 6 days time.

[skelteanema]

Allison,

The S3 light surrounds do come from a Vauxhall Victor FB. I have seen a couple of people state that the light surrounds were mounted vertically on the Vauxhall but I don't think this was the case. I am almost certain they were mounted in the same orientation as the Elan, at least on the Vauxhalls down here in New Zealand.

[Elanintheforest]

Same as the UK spec car. The VX490, a kind of 'GT' version, had some upright bits though!

Mark

[skelteanema]

That VX490 light arrangement looks rather weird, and IMHO rather unattractive. The lens arrangement on the bottom lights are different to the Elan/Vauxhall FB ones, as the indicators take up about half the width, although the chrome surrounds seem the same as the Elan/Vauxhall FB. It looks as though the brake/tail lights have been moved to the upper lights, and the bottom are the indicators and red reflectors

[skelteanema]

You need to keep a look out for the S3 lights, and sometimes check the Vauxhall listings on places like e-bay.

I managed to get a full set of replacement lenses for my S3 for about 2GBP off ebay a few years back as they were advertised as Vauxhall FB parts by someone unaware that they would also fit the Elan.

Similarly I managed to get 2 full sets of lights including chrome surrounds and lenses for ~3gbp here in NZ from our "trademe" auction site (like ebay). They even threw in a Vauxhall number plate light and a couple of other bits which I didn't want or need. The chromes were a bit pitted, but they were OK as replacements should my original ones get damaged. The backplates and lenses were better than my originals so a win there.