Some questions

[MartijnElanS4]

Hi all,

In rebuilding my Sprint I came across a picture of these seatbelts.
Does anybody know where to get those?

Also; I got new side wing indicators but they are much bigger than the originals. The original ones are not as wide and tall. I looked and I think the original ones are Sparto or Lucas AAU3296A. Is that correct?

[512BB]

'In rebuilding my Sprint I came across a picture of these seatbelts.
Does anybody know where to get those?'

I believe I am correct in saying that you posted a picture of your car painted in Colorado Orange, and it appeared to be quite a nice job, so why would you want to fit such ghastly seat belts as the ones you show? Surely you want to keep it as original as possible.

'Also; I got new side wing indicators but they are much bigger than the originals. The original ones are not as wide and tall. I looked and I think the original ones are Sparto or Lucas AAU3296A. Is that correct?

The original wing repeaters were in the main Sparto. Some very late cars may have been fitted with a Lucas repeater but I am not sure of any Lucas part number. The ebay ad that you show is NOT a Sparto item, despite what the seller claims. It is a look alikey that is not correct in many aspects.

Leslie

[alanr]

Any style or fitment of Seat belts you can either get refurbished up made up to suit with all appropriate Lotus logo's etc by FDTS Ltd in West Byfleet.
Speak to Sue Taylor the boss who is very helpful and they will supply and make up whatever you wish.
http://fdts-seatbelts.co.uk/

Alan

[512BB]

Hmm, I have just come across where you said this Martijn, 'I recently bought a 1971 Elan from my uncle who got it from new! I am completly refurbishing the car to make it as it left the factory'

Have you changed your mind so soon? If you do indeed want to make it like it left the factory, you should get in touch with me, and maybe fit original new old stock front and rear suspension............and Sparto's and seat belts!

Leslie

[MartijnElanS4]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. I will look in to the belts.

We are rebuilding the car and re using as much as possible to keep it authentic. However a lot is being done like all bushings, brakes, conrods, suspension, shock absorbers, new dash and roof just to name some things.

A few upgrades are done like replacing the donuts and stainless headers because of dents in the original ones. I taped the headers for a bit of heat management.

As far as the seatbelts: those going over the shoulder look comfortable and offer more support.

As I intend to keep the car my primary goal is to have a nice car but not a concours contender.

[Andy8421]

Martijn,

As Leslie points out, Lotus fitted Sparto repeaters on most of the Sprints.

In period, Sparto products generally produced after-market tat. I worked in a motor shop after school in the 70s, and we had any number of Sparto products - reversing lights, interior lights, repeaters, indicators all for sale in blister packs hanging on a rack. None of them were any good.

Leslie is the expert, but as far as I can see it seems that Sparto produced differing levels of quality (bad and terrible) in the same form factor at different price points. The repeaters fitted to the Elan were also available in the same shape in clear plastic as interior or reversing lights.

The main differences in the repeaters used on the Elan and various other Sparto products seem to be separate brass fixing screws for the plastic cover and the metal base vs a single combined screw, separate aluminium trim ring vs silver paint on the plastic cover. I have a cheapo Sparto interior light in an original Sparto blister pack that has the silver trim painted on to the cover and has a combined screw.

As much as was possible given what was available from Sparto, Lotus seem to have fitted the best version repeater - that is the metal base is screwed to the car separately with self tappers, and then the yellow plastic cover and aluminium trim ring is held in place with metalthread screws that screw into the metal base. This design has the advantage of not falling off the car when the cover is removed to replace the bulb.

If the gentleman on eBay is selling a genuine Sparto repeater (and given that my nasty genuine Sparto interior light is the same design - it could be) then it isn't the same design as the one fitted to the Elan. The picture below shows the correct collection bits for the Elan (the original gasket was a combined gasket / grommet).

Andy.

sparto.jpeg (119.02 KiB) Viewed 1654 times

[512BB]

For correctness, your picture and text are not accurate Andrew. Original Sparto wing repeaters that were fitted to Elans back in the day had dome top steel screws, not brass. Why would Sparto have fitted brass screws to an aluminium bezel? I know they were cheap items in period, but they would have looked totally wrong.

Secondly, original rubber bases were moulded for the job and had a grommet like opening / hole for the wireing to pass through.

The ebay sellers repeaters are also larger than the original items. See all pictures which show the ebay sellers item and a NOS original item.

Of course, if you want the correct item Andrew, you know where to find me.

Leslie