1963 S1 Elan soft top stowage system

[nomad]

Lincoln, looks like a quicker better system than factory!

Kurt

26/3754

[Mazzini]

Kurt

The rubber strap (a piece of upholstery seat webbing) does NOT go between the 2 hinge locations.

Reference Garys photo above - install as follows;
-the starboard end of the webbing is fastened to the boot stay spring holder which is held by the bolts thru the body to the fixed portion of the boot hinge.
-the port side end then is fastened by the bolts that fasten the top hold down clip for the back of the convertable top.

The strap then lies at an angle going foreward from right to left. The cant rails are then stored by sliding the tops of the rails from the left side of the boot under the strap - they just kind of hang there and dont rattle around much.

It took me a while to figure that out when I picked up my car from the ship in Vancouver 49 years ago - the top was up!

Bill

Bill,

It's been awhile. Hope all is well.

I don't get what you mean about the cant rails, any chance of a photo?

Thanks

[Emma-Knight]

I found an old rim tape cut open perfectly did the job. Compared to the remaining bits of the original, it has the same propperties - rubber with woven internals. It has the correct width. Thinking in small companie production requirements, it could have been the way to go.
It would be interesting to see, how the furniture strap looks in comparison.

Anna

[Mazzini]

Hello Anna,

I'll take a picture of the strap. If I recall correctly it matched the remains of the original. What I don't understand is how the cant rails fit under the strap - how are they stowed? A photo of that would be appreciated.

[Quart Meg Miles]

Hello Anna,

I'll take a picture of the strap. If I recall correctly it matched the remains of the original. What I don't understand is how the cant rails fit under the strap - how are they stowed? A photo of that would be appreciated.

No photo Mazz as my strap rotted off some years ago. I never used it but here are the instructions for fitting and removing the hood. Item 15. under remove tells you what you need to know about stowing the cant rails.

I thought my rubber strap had been between the hinge bolts but it seems I was wrong. I'm also intrigued by Lincoln62's arrangement on his heavy number-plate frame as he seems to have non-standard lamp covers.

I will try folding my hood as described, long-ways, and see if it does actually fit between the lamp covers. As mine are S1 types there should be enough space but I don't fancy squashing the hood behind the central strut; currently I fit the cant rails there (which don't have rain gutters on them) which look as though they were supposed to be there.