Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

In May/June 4 weeks we'll be visiting England and Scotland and during the trip i will pick up some spare parts.
I would like to buy some Sprint Wheel Trims. Sjsportscars don't seem to do them which is a pity because i thought to pick up all the spares on the return to the Plymouth Ferry.
Is Saint Miles still selling spares.
Thanks in advance for info.
Alan

I trust you will be returning the compliment and traveling Elan. This location was just around the corner from you. NB. Car fitted with correct wheel trims that have been on there for close on 50k miles, no corrosion.

Leslie

I really should post some different colours

"Please no waffle/banter from scrumpy drinking land please."

Alan I have some!! Price has gone up.......................D

Hi TBG,
please pm me details
Cheers
Alan

Hi TBG ,
I'll be in your region on 17th June.
So i can call in and looks like we can do business.
I have sent a pm with my email address.
Looks like the sidewinder will be painted. So i hope you agree a painted sidewinder is ok lol
Alan

i see Kevendon are selling them for £53.75 new. The last set i bought 20+ ago from saint Miles didn't fit very well and after about 10 years went rusty.
Strange they were never made in stainless. Or they didn't chrome the wheel rim like on 1970 +2S.
Alan

Kelvedon out of stock. Some I have seen on Ebay and so on are narrower than the originals. D

Hi TBG
i suppose they are out of stock because of Ukraine. Amazing that Ukraine used to supply everything. A good excuse.
Cheers
Alan

I bought a set 25+ years ago, (I think from Matty), never used them and kept them in the bag they arrived in.

I took them out of the bag over the weekend and they have all gone rusty. Not very impressive. If I can't get replacements, I will try to get them re-plated.

They seem to have very sharp edges on the 'teeth' that hold the trim to the wheel. I can't imagine it will do my freshly painted wheels any good. Is there a trick to fitting them without butchering the paintwork on the wheels?

Fear not Andrew. Your friendly NOS carburettor supplier in Cambridgeshire has some NOS correct wheel trims, who also delivers , when the weather improves.

With regard to your rusty items and fitment, the only thing you can do to prevent the trims from scratching freshly painted wheels is to bend each tang in slightly, so that they do not grip the wheel so tightly. The only thing with that, is that if you bend them in to much, they will not be tight enough, and could part company with the wheel at some point.

A thought that has just entered my head. You could try some sort of clear tape stuck to the wheel, and then fit the trims. Obviously the tape would have to be waterproof.

Going back to the trims bought from Matty, clearly they were cheapo crap, that had just been flash chrome plated, and had not gone through the laborious 5 or 6 stage process of proper chrome plating. Having said that, which trims would you have bought, standing at Matty's counter? 'We have these trims for £120 Sir, or we have these trims for £320.' Ca......ching. I don't think they would have sold many of the higher priced ones.

Leslie

The Trims i bought 20 years ago chez Saint Miles went rusty after just a few years. Also they didn't fit well and i lost one while driving never to be seen again.
Has anyone used the 1970 +2S wheels with the chrome Rims. Must be the easiest option.
Alan

If you have the tangs so that the trims don't fall off you are going to damage the paint - fact! I spray the relevant parts with a heavy spray grease to stop corrosion, it does not look pretty but then again with the trims in place you cannot see it. Job done! D