Hoods again

[rodlittle]

Ive just bought a new hood from Don for my S1 and although it is possible to fit it, I'm not convinced that it is correct at the front edge where it fits into the slot in the screen surround. What Don have supplied is a built in or rather several built in strips of steel which can be pushed into the slot, but they are a fairly loose fit and when you tension the hood the tension pulls the very front edge of the hood up so that it sticks up into the air stream, It looks wrong and I have no confidence that the wind wont just get under it and pull it out of the slot. Goodbye hood!!
Does anyone know how lotus originally fixed the front of the hood into the slot? I'm sure i've seen it mentioned before on the forum but I cant find the thread.
Thanks
rod

[TurbineHeli]

I need a new top for my S1 as well so I'll be very interested in this topic.
How is it supposed to attach at the rear. I don't seem to have the steel piece that fits into the top.
Could you supply a pic and dimensions of this piece?

Thanks,

AMA

[rodlittle]

Sure I can get you a pic and dims but not for a few days.
rod

[Mazzini]

Hi Rod,

I have an original hood from my S2, I'm reasonably sure it's the same as an S1 hood. If you think it's worthwhile I can take some detailed photos of the front of the hood up against a rule. The shell is at O1 at the moment so I can't take any measurements of that. Attached is a photo that shows a factory hood fit.

All the best,

Mazzini

[Quart Meg Miles]

Rod,
The original insert was a 7/8" x 3/16" ridged rubber strip (mine has broken in the middle and torn the hood with rough handling). With the hood material wrapped over it (and in my non-original hood it looks as though it is stitched into it too) it is a comfortable tight fit in the frame and doesn't stick up at all. If you want a close look perhaps we'd better have that pint!

Exposed rubber strip

Flush fit

AMA,
The rear has a joggled steel strip 3/4" x 1/8" about 38?" long inserted in the material which has cutouts to align with the catches on the rear bodywork. I actually have a spare one or you can make it by measuring up the picture (or I could measure the strip).

[Mazzini]

Meg, I think that covers it

Happy New Year!

[rodlittle]

Thanks for the picture Meg thats how I thought I remembered it should be, Ill post some pictures of my new one later today.

I agree the pint would be a good idea, but Im not too well at the moment so maybe in a month or so
Also thanks Maz I can see the front of your hood doesnt appear to stick up at all
rod

[rodlittle]

Heres the picture of my new hood front

You can see how the front edge is pulled up

And here are the pics of the rear hood fixing for turbineheli

As you can see its made from a strip of 3/4" x 1/8" steel, im sure your local blacksmith can oblige, bending that strip on the flat would need some heat.
The overall length of mine is 38 1/4" and the offset at each end is 2"
rod

[cabc26b]

Hi Rod,

Have you installed the snaps at the top of the a-pillar/windshield frame ? these will place the leading edge under tension and make it lie flat.

see below -

George

[garyeanderson]

here are two pictures of the S2 top. the snaps and front edge are visible. I think this is from 26/4045 and is probably the original. Tough to say for certain at this point though.

Gary

flat plastic filler strip along the front is loose due to the stitching that has failed.

[rodlittle]

Hi George
no I havent fitted them yet but I cant see them affecting the middle part of the front edge, There would need to be a very high tension between them to do that and I dont think one could stretch the hood enough to achieve it or for that matter for the snap fasteners to cope with it. Im sure there must be a way of remaking the front edge so that it doesnt pull up under tension, Ill talk to Don hoods after the new year and if they dont have a solution I will have to figure out my own.
rod

[Ross Robbins]

Rod,

When I got my replacement top (hood) I found that the flexible plastic piece in the front flap which is designed to fit into the windshield header slot, was too thin in height and too wide in front to back dimension. The result was as you note that the front of the hood would stand proud and finally pull out with the wind. I had a mess when towing once. The snaps held the top in place at the sides and the center came out as I was going about 75, resulting in the center half ripping back to the first crossbar while a quarter of the width remained attached to each side by the aforementioned snap.

I had the top stitched up with reinforcing material at the rips so it didn't look too bad and the trimmer managed to cut the plastic strip in half lengthwise and double it up then restitch the flap. Now it fits tightly into the slot and the top looks like the correct ones pictured. If you need me to I can put the top on the car and take photos but I think you get the gist of it in words, no?

[Quart Meg Miles]

Rod,
Sorry, didn't notice your pictures earlier. It looks to me as though they fiinished off the hood with a beaded edge and then stuck/stitched the strip below and behind it, so by design the front bead is going to flap up in the air. They haven't understood that the hood material is supposed to wrap over and round the strip. They may also have made the strip too thin overal so it doesn't push-fit into the slot even with the hood material around it. BTW I'm sure my hood will stay on without the end snaps, it is so tight I have to hammer it into the slot with the palm of my hand.

Ross,
Sounds like yours had a similar problem without a bead across the front. Nasty rip-up. At least you've got a good tailor on the job over there, mine retired a few years ago and I'm still looking for one.

[cabc26b]

Hi Rod,

Yes and no , the whole hood is designed to be under tension and i find that the ones that you have to pull over the snaps hold up ( stay on ) better at speed.

I put them up by inserting the front strip in first followed by the snaps either side , then I pull the back edge with metal strip over the clips if you did not have the snaps it would pull out of the slot for sure. I then pull the hood onto the tenax and snaps ( tension left to right . The last step is to put the hood bow with slots into place for the final bit of tension ( top to bottom) .

Plastic strips I have are 7/8" wide tad more than 3/16" thick. I have attached another picture of the circa 71 hood , this time the on the red car as well as what i believe to be a earlier hood.

[rodlittle]

Ross
The strips on my new hood are steel, I cant see what size of course without taking the stitching apart but they feel quite thin and they are in several sections too rather than one length, and yes they are too thin to fit tightly in the slot.

and Meg Yes I think youre right they havent understood how the front edge is supposed to be with the top rolled over the filler strips.
Cabc26 looking at your picture of the front edge of the hood it agrees exactly with Megs description.

Im surprised because Don must have made quite a few elan hoods by now, can I be the only person who doesnt think they are correct.
I will call them after the new year and see what they have to say, if it comes to it I can modify the hood myself but I am trying to avoid that.
rod