Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Neat job on the fig light conversion - they will probably provide more useful light than the originals!

That is a neat solution for +2.

Went out for a quick blat this evening and now convinced that Covid affects eyesight .... Either that or Lotus equipped mine with a cloaking device I wasn't aware of
So DRL have just been bumped up the to do list

It does -Dominic Cummings told us that

Remind me not too get close to Barnard Castle

Hi Mel,
In regard to daytime running lights (DRL), here is what I have done on my S4 and has worked well for several years.
First I replaced the single contact indicator housings with the same type, but with double contact from Holden Vintage and Classic.
https://www.holden.co.uk/p/lucas_l691_t ... le_contac1
These were then wired to the already existing indicator feed, as well as an ignition switched feed. Can’t remember where I got the feed from, perhaps the coil wire?
At this point I wanted something that was brighter than just incandescent bulbs. So, fitted some amber, LED, flat plate, front, Harley Davidson motorcycle indicators. These have 48, amber, super bright, wide angle LEDs.
These I got from Custom Dynamics, GEN200- A-1157E3-T. These are no longer available from CD, but can be found on EBay.
These items, when the fibrous base is trimmed, fit neatly into the front section of the amber indicator lens and are then glued into position.
The LED unit has an imbedded chip. With the ignition on, all of the amber LEDs are on, when an indicator signal is sensed, the chip turns all of the LEDs off, when the indicator signal stops, the LEDs are on bright again, and so on. They are very bright.
An LED blinker unit is required to drive these items.
This has also maintained the original look of the front of the Elan.
Have included a photo of the present config’.


In light of the ever increasing crazies on the road, I have decided to revisit my front indicators and try something different.
Custom Dynamics has a new product:
https://www.customdynamics.com/solid-am ... ts?cat=804
This product has 48 surface mount, double colour, LEDs. Either all white ON or all amber ON.
So, the whites are on as a DRL and turn off when the amber are on for turn signal.
I have ordered two clear 1691 lenses, as well as two amber 1691 lenses from Holden Vintage and Classic. I am going to try both of these coloured lenses with the new product from Custom Dynamics and see which colour is more conspicuous.
Cheers,
Colin.

Cheers Colin

The later mod you mention eg White DRL that flash amber possibly a better bet as you can't have amber light other than from an indicator (being an indicator) facing forward with UK lighting regs.
My plan is a set of ancillary slim but bright LED units sitting just behind the grill
Only time you can have a yellow or amber light from a position light is if it forms part of a headlamp unit.
White light front / red light rear and never the twain shall meet

DRL fitted behind grill, linked to side lamps at the moment but have got a dimming unit coming so will wire through that eventually.
Cheapo LED from the bay of E
ditched the brackets they came with and fitted with something I had in stock bolted through the back of the case (stripped the lamps) so they can hang from the horizontal mount using the grill securing clips
LED appear fairly bright.. Let's see if we can be seen by the SUV brigade

jabingb wrote:Mel,
How about a pix of your pride and joy?

Here you go

Ahhh - a lovely S3 - enough to make those S4 boys weep!!

Also interesting to see the very dim sidelights. Enclosed a picture to show the difference between LED and standard!! If you look closely you can just see the LED driving lights behind the grill.

Nice work guys

Cheers Mark / TBG - another lovely S3

Looks like LED bulbs might be next on the shopping list poss front and rear.

TBG, have you any recommendations 're supplier & bulb types ID for
side/ stop - tail & indicators? Head / main??
Are they just a straight swap for the bayonet fittings or did you have to modify the lamp holders?

Belated congratulations on getting her back on the road.

tdskip wrote:Belated congratulations on getting her back on the road.

Cheers . Just got the wonderful job of keeping it there now

You can normally get straight swap led bulbs - trawl Ebay.

for me an elan is a street legal race car; IF you invest some real money. otherwise we degrade these beasts to the triumph, mg or sunbeam level -----------where 155/80/13 tyres are more than suffcient! coiln would write signed for letters to most of you! so thats why im not that active - its good enough having a wife getting old sandy