Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

As previously posted on here I have removed the roll bar from the car and putting a small number of minor items right with the car that have been done incorrectly.

Looking at refitting the hood frame cover as the PO put that the wrong way round and had the aluminium trim strip sitting on the outside of the cover.

My main question is the hood frame seems to sit quite high to the point that we’re the arms for the windscreen swivel they poke up though the cover. Any ideas what’s wrong I don’t remember this on my first Elan but that is over 20 years ago.

Thanks

Mike

A lot of hoods do that, many people detach the hood and put in the boot. Maybe add some duct tape on the inside to help protect it from damage..

Your hood frame looks like it is twisted, it’s not sitting in the bottom of the hood tray. Think it’s worth taking it out and straightening it as best you can. It’s got to help.

That looks ok to me.

My Sprint photos attached

elanfan1 wrote:A lot of hoods fo that, many people detach the hood and put in the boot. Maybe add some dictate on the inside to help protect it from damage..

Your hood frame looks like it is twisted, it’s not sitting in the bottom of the hood tray. Think it’s worth taking it out and straightening it as best you can. It’s got to help.

It’s perhaps the photo the frame fits perfectly when up just proud when it’s folded down perhaps that’s just how they are as in the other photo

My hood frame was distorted quite badly, It leaned over to one side a little, it had been brazed on one side and would not lie flat in the tray. It worked quite well when raised but was not right. It leaned in too much at the sides and was too high in the middle.
As I have not been able to use the car recently, I thought now was the time to sort it out.
I made a jig to mount in the Workmate to simulate the fixing holes, and a template of the shape of the main frame member, so that I could simulate the conditions with it out of the car.
Hours I spent on it ! Hours ! I tell you.
It is now a bit better, It lies flat in the tray but with one leg that pops up in the air sometimes which shows as a lump on the cover. If I correct that it causes some other problem.

You were expecting a success story at first weren`t you.
It is a pig of a thing!
Once the frame is damaged you have as much chance of making it fit correctly as you have trying to put a cat in a box.
However it is certainly improved and I have held the wayward leg down by making a loose cover from shaped and laminated artists Greyboard , a sort of 1mm thick card, which fits over it and spreads the load on the cover so as not to show a lump.
It looks quite good when it`s up!
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

Hi Mike,
Agree with Richard Cox, all looks fine. Don’t forget, that the hood, when originally fitted, was permanently attached to the car by the 7 rearmost tenax fasteners. When stowing the hood, as per the instructions, the hood is first folded, then the hood rails are folded down on top of the folded hood, then the last fold is made on top of the lot. The whole thing sits proud of the top of the car. At least mine does.
If you fit the hood cover without the hood fitted (empty hood tray) then the joint you indicate would definitely show through the cover.
Some photos of my S4 included.
Cheers,
Colin

Mike, have you fitted the rubber trim around the rear (as shown in the photos above)? I know it’s not huge but that will add a few millimetres to the height of your short tonneau and will make the protrusions of the hoodframe a little less obvious.

elanfan1 wrote:Mike, have you fitted the rubber trim around the rear (as shown in the photos above)? I know it’s not huge but that will add a few millimetres to the height of your short tonneau and will make the protrusions of the hoodframe a little less obvious.

Hi sorry I’ve been in the middle of a couple of non Lotus Restos but can again get back to it. I certainly think the rubber trim will be a top tip.

Now for another bit of advice on the same topic. I bought a cover from Sue Miller. The previous one was from Paul Matty and was damaged by the fitting previously mentioned when he fixed the aluminium strip over the covering. Question is what is the correct method for refitting? I presume that the forward edge of the cover goes over and under the aluminium surround and then punch the holes for the centax fittings ?