Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

As you know i've just finished restoring my S2 Elan and am in the process of choosing the wing mirrors.
I would like to know if anyone has gone down the route of putting some clamp-on wing morrors and fixing them to the window frame upright ?
I don't really want to drill unecessary holes in the bodywork unless I really have to.

Gino
Milano
Italy

Evening Gino,

I have the same thoughts as I don't want to drill holes in my car's bodywork (when I finally get to that point)
To be honest, I just don't think mirrors look good on an Elan but at least clamp-on type mirrors would be the least damaging!

Mark

Hi Gino - there is a picture of a yellow Elan with a wing mirror on the window frame in my post here:

lotus-talk-f50/new-year-day-2016-brooklands-t36347.html

Not sure of the type of mirror you're thinking of, but thought I'd pass along this example.

Rich

I have the clamp on mirrors on both sides of my S2. I think they look and work fine. Will try and find a pic if You really want to see

Hi,
Thanks for the pictures Rich they look the type i'm after.
Geoff if you could post a picture of your S2 mirrors ?

Thanks
Gino

Just a little word of warning, my friends series 3 has had a clamp on mirror fitted at some time & it has left nasty marks & dents in the window frame which have proved impossible to completely remove. It's quite unsightly & the only way we can think of to hide them, is to fit another mirror, which he doesn't really want.
If you go for them, be careful when tightening them up ! I'll try to get a photo today & post it later.

Photos as requested





I take the point about being aware of the possible damage to the frame, but I used a sliver of hard plastic between the screws and the frame which seems to avoid any damage. I found that I had to cut out a thin slice of the weather strip inside the frame, just where the mirror bracket fits, so that the window is not made any harder to slide.

here a whole selection.....rectangles, circles.....etc etc

http://www.holden.co.uk/displayProducts ... on+Mirrors

I have one for my Sprint which I am unable to fit as it's just too tight between the outside of the window glass and the inside of the frame.

I haven't had the nerve to start cutting away weather shield felt.

Regards
Richard

Thanks to all of you.
Your suggestions on this matter have now helped me understand what I need to do.

Gino
Milano
Italy

I have noticed markings on the frame from the set screws on a friends car. I think I would try to slide a thin piece of aluminum or brass between the screws and the frame. This would prevent the screws from marking the frame and should allow sufficient clamping force to keep the mirror in place.

Hopefully the pics will show the damage to my friends window frame, it actually looks a lot worse in real life. We don't know what sort of gorilla tightened it up originally, but an example of the damage that can be easily done, but not so easy to rectify.

wow..that looks like some serious damage which will be difficult to remove.
Gino

Has anyone tried a wide angle mirror that clips onto the interior mirror? If so, which make or brand do they recommend?

Hi

I have a clamp on mirror in fact it is pictured on the link from an earlier post to the Brooklands New Year gathering - mine is the yellow 69 SE

I bought the mirror from Classic Car Accessories and it is the CME190 'Overtaker clamp on oblong'.

I have attached a photo and you will note that this comes with both a rubber pad and a stainless steel 'spreader' plate so there is absolutely no damage caused to the door frame.

A couple of cautions in that the quality of the mirror is not brilliant and there are signs of the silvering breaking down around the edge and also they do need clamping on tight and I found that the Allen headed screws provided are not man enough for the job so I replaced them with better quality set screws. I also had to bend the brackets to get the right viewing angle

Hope that helps

John