Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I have a customer asking if I have any S3 / S4 or Sprint Hardtop Installation Hardwate? Although I manufacture exact S1 / S2 Hardtop Installation Hardware I have no idea what the Installation Hardware even looks like tor the S3 / S4 or Sprint. Does anyone have a pic of the S3 / S4 or Sprint Installation Hardware? Is available to purchase it anywhere?

As always, thank you to everyone on this forum and stay healthy all?

Frank Filicicchia

Www.FamousFranks.com

I ordered 2 S3-4 hardtops from Lenham in probably 1976. They were supposed to be air-freighted to Columbus, but I think they were only flown into the US and then trucked across Pennsylvania. Anyway, the big box was pretty torn up. So I ordered replacement hardware from Lenham. What I got were these special little "J" hooks. Since one of the HTs went to a business friend and he had already moved it on, I was left w/ a spare hook. The other 2 went w/ the HT I then sold in 1978 when I bought my FHC. The HT has a rim under the front edge which is supposed to slip into the slot where the normal soft top goes when the hood is erected, but I could never get the HT to mate w/ the windscreen frame of my S3-SS. I'll dig around and try to find the "J" hook I kept. The "J" hook goes through a bracket on the inside of the HT and is then fastened to the folded up top bows in their tray.

I want to retain this hook because I now have a 3rd Elan, another S3 that was converted to 26R in 1968 and I may want a HT for it

Roger

Elan45 wrote:I ordered 2 S3-4 hardtops from Lenham in probably 1976. They were supposed to be air-freighted to Columbus, but I think they were only flown into the US and then trucked across Pennsylvania. Anyway, the big box was pretty torn up. So I ordered replacement hardware from Lenham. What I got were these special little "J" hooks. Since one of the HTs went to a business friend and he had already moved it on, I was left w/ a spare hook. The other 2 went w/ the HT I then sold in 1978 when I bought my FHC. The HT has a rim under the front edge which is supposed to slip into the slot where the normal soft top goes when the hood is erected, but I could never get the HT to mate w/ the windscreen frame of my S3-SS. I'll dig around and try to find the "J" hook I kept. The "J" hook goes through a bracket on the inside of the HT and is then fastened to the folded up top bows in their tray.

I want to retain this hook because I now have a 3rd Elan, another S3 that was converted to 26R in 1968 and I may want a HT for it

Roger

thank you for the description : if you locate it, a couple detail photos (edit: of known original parts) would be of help to some people here I'm sure...

Available from Kelvedon at £45+vat

https://kelvedonlotus.co.uk/product/har ... tting-kit/

Kelvedon having a laugh?????? £45 plus vat for something I could knock up in half an hour for well under a fiver!!

Don’t just talk about it do it then!

Old bean - I don't have a hardtop - just a bald head that I like to have out in the breeze/gale.............!!

Elanfan1,

Thank you for the great picture! If possible, can there be a side picture ? And maybe some measurements such as thread size, length, width, etc. I’ll try to fav some up for the states side folks.

Many thanks,
Good job,
Stay healthy my friend,
Frank

Should read “Fab some up!”

That photo was lifted I didn’t take it myself so can’t help with anything you ask sorry. Have you checked with suppliers stateside that they don’t stock them? I can well imagine Kelvedon supplying them as wholesalers to other retailers (or maybe the other way around). If not I guess you could buy a pair in as patterns at least you won’t have to pay the VAT

elanfan1 wrote:That photo was lifted I didn’t take it myself so can’t help with anything you ask sorry. Have you checked with suppliers stateside that they don’t stock them? I can well imagine Kelvedon supplying them as wholesalers to other retailers (or maybe the other way around). If not I guess you could buy a pair in as patterns at least you won’t have to pay the VAT

That's a good idea and knock some up. Sell them for a Tenner and make a Fiver , a nice little earner
Alan