Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

My crashpad has seen better days. The portions over the instruments and glove box door are like drooping eye lids. It would appear that sun and heat has caused these portions to sag. I know replacement pads are available, but the ones I have seen are hard plastic or fiberglass. Mine has been, or was covered with a soft absorbing material. Not sure what was original on a 72 S 130. Would appreciate any help in this area.

Hi Rob,

The late S-130 had the crashpad covered with vinyl leatherette and was stitched along the front edge rather than being left bare as in the earlier models. This style is often adopted for the earlier cars because, as you say, the repro pads aren't the same. I'm not sure when exactly the change happened but my previous Plus 2, a late '73 car, certainly had that as original.

Here's a pic of my current car with the stitched trim, a '72 model, but with a restored interior.

Robbie

My plus 2 still has the original crash pad (72 S130) and there is no stitching on the front edge, I thought the stitching was done on aftermarket covers as the material cannot be shaped properly in one piece?

@Robbie - is that an Oatmeal interior that's been coloured black with vinyl paint?

My 72 build +2S130 is stitched and there are a couple places in the UK that are making nice vinyl coverings with the stitching and I believe the one I used was under "topgaiters". Gordon Sauer

...So it looks like the changeover to the covered crash pad happened at some point during 1972 then...

@Jon - I think you asked me before(?) but no - it was fully re-trimmed in the early nineties with new vinyl and leather, although I believe it was oatmeal originally. I understand the vinyl paints do work very well though.

Robbie

Robbie693 wrote:@Jon - I think you asked me before(?)

Yes, probably! I know I asked someone about it... as their black vinyl seemed to have the same deep grain pattern as the Oatmeal.

Just a thought that maybe the changeover coincided with the changeover on the center console? As my door cards and the center console have the same stitching to highlight the edges so thought maybe that was all part of it too? Gordon Sauer

My first +2 was an L plate JPS with Oatmeal trim. It had the later two piece (short) centre console. The crash pad was defiantly not stitched on my old car.

I hope that helps.

Peter

Mine is like Peters. More like a wrap. The material is not like the rest of the vinyl, just a mild roughness. At some point in the cars life, if must have been left out in the desert with the windows up. All of the plastic and foam bits have sagged, cracked, or turned to dust. It definitely is going to require a new crash pad. The outer cover is still in pretty good shape and it may be possible to remove it from the existing pad, glue down some new foam and then try applying the original covering. The dash will be replaced, and at that time I will take on the crash pad. Just laying plans a bit in advance.