Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

This was for a pre 63 badge right?

Hi,
I did some research on original manufacturers of the nose badges for Lotus years ago, IIRC the name Fattorini was suggested, they are still in business and may have original tooling etc. Has anyone else tried to track down or know the original suppliers?
Ron.

They still produce for Lotus it seems http://www.fattorini.co.uk/Automotive_badges.aspx

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

David

Mine clearly was but look at the damage. It is bent along the vertical as well as the glass damage.

This was done in the era when 'kids' were nicking VW badges.

Why? Who knows......

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!

When I bought my mid 65 S2 (nearly 30 years ago) it had one of these, only there was no paint left on it - just the plain alloy metal showing. So as I restored the car over the next few years, I removed it & bought a replacement (from PMS I recall) & bolted the original to some dexion type shelving in the garage. Then I moved house about 10 years ago, but left the shelving behind - with the badge still attached!

Wonder if it's still there???!!!

Edit - in light of the post from Tim below it must have been an enamel badge, but all the enamel must have been lost? I had assumed that it was painted, but clearly not.

Mike Causer, who used to post on here in the early days, carried out some research on the nose badges and published it on his web site.

Here is a shortened version, concentrating only on our era cars and earlier. The font changed later on and a lot of reproduction badges, claimed to be suitable for the Elan, have this incorrect font.

Tim

And also in the light of that post it would seem that the badge on ebay is a 'painted' pre 63 badge in VERY good condition!

I'm afraid that Mikes write up is not accurate in a couple of places.

First, I think we have proven on here (a few times!) that the black badges were fitted to Elans prior to Jim Clark's death, so they are not the 'Jim Clark Commemorative badge'

Second, painted badges were fitted to all (Type 14) Elites, as well as S1 and S2 Elans, and Lotus Cortinas, up to mid '65. Lotus Cortinas of course need three of the painted badges, which these days would be heading up to ?2000 for a mint trio!

Mark

Elanintheforest wrote:I'm afraid that Mikes write up is not accurate in a couple of places.

First, I think we have proven on here (a few times!) that the black badges were fitted to Elans prior to Jim Clark's death, so they are not the 'Jim Clark Commemorative badge'

Second, painted badges were fitted to all (Type 14) Elites, as well as S1 and S2 Elans, and Lotus Cortinas, up to mid '65. Lotus Cortinas of course need three of the painted badges, which these days would be heading up to ?2000 for a mint trio!

Mark

So what do you think this ebay badge is Mark?

I can't tell for sure if it's an enamel badge (as described) or a painted one, but I suspect enamel.

The painted badges were a little darker yellow when new, but some seemed to have faded to a very pale yellow after a few years on a car. The enamel badges of course stayed the same, and that's what the one on ebay looks like. But it could be a re-painted painted one!

I had a long chat with Miles Wilkins about this stuff a few years back, and took a few badges down to try and get a definitive answer, He disappeared and came back with a new-old-stock painted badge still in it's original wrapper, which he'd found in the bottom of a box. It looked quite different to a painted badge that had been on a car, and quite different to an enamel badge.It also seems likely that there was more than one colour yellow used on the painted badges.

I had taken the painted badge from my Elite down to compare (see photo) and it was very similar to the NOS painted badge, but obviously a bit tarnished.

Mark

Just to go off on another bunny trail there's a funny story re"The script monogram in the centre is A C B C, which stands for Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman"

When the logo was created, Colin Chapman's original partners Michael and Nigel Allen were led to believe that the letters stood for Colin Chapman and the Allen Brothers.

Yet another Chapman trick!

I think he might be correct on the font chronology: thin lettering then bolder lettering, then serifs.

A few years ago I was simultaneously bidding for two 'new old stock' ones still in the Lotus bags. The guy had bought them for a Cortina he never got round to restoring. I ended up winning both of them by mistake, can't remember how much but it wasn't ?460. The guy graciously agreed to cancel one sale and re-list it. I wish he hadn't now!

I too cracked the original enameled nose badge by overtightening on my '71 Sprint, a black badge. I've had it in a drawer for over 20 years, thinking one day I'll have it restored. Has anybody used these guys for enameled badge restoration? Quality? Any idea of the estimated restoration cost?

http://www.emblemagic.com/services.htm

Thanks,

Gary
'71 Sprint FHC
Miami, Florida

Would anyone have an idea for someone in the UK who could restore an early "painted" badge for me?
Many thanks