Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Has anyone managed to repair the original black/white vinyl sun visors?

It seems the wire frame in my has come detached internal (lots of metallic rattling ) and the foam has completely disintegrated in them. So I want to open them up, fix the frame, replace the foam and close them back up. Which sounds easy but as they seam "welded" I'll have to cut them open and then find away to seal them back up. My plan is to cut them at the hinge end and slide everything in/out so hopefully only a minimal amount of cutting needed.

Would be interested to hear people's experience and if they had good (or bad) method for sealing them back up. E.g, a glue or method to reweld them that worked.

Thanks,

Mark

Sun visors - what sort of limp wristed bit of kit is that? S3 SE never had 'em!!

TBG wrote:Sun visors - what sort of limp wristed bit of kit is that? S3 SE never had 'em!!

It's one of those luxury items us +2 drivers get to enjoy while strengthening our already strong wrists from the extra steering effort caused by the extra weight.

Following, needing the same.

I’ve never come across someone who has repaired them successfully.

This may help.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=42190&start=

Regards
Richard

Thanks, sounds like it's going to be a figure it out as I go job. Probably followed by making some custom sun visors...

Will report back on my efforts here.

Mine were also rusted inside and the foam turned to powder. Plus the mirror was tarnished. I did some kind of repair and will post pics later. I'm not too convinced I've done a good enough job, but they seem to be very expensive when they occasionally come up on eBay.
Are they also from another car?
Ned

the easiest way: get the foam and a pair of leather ones you can get on fleabay for a decent price. you´ll never make that plastic cover look nice enough, imo sandy i have a pair ready but haven´t made the final steps

I had mine re-covered and seam welded professionally by Aldridge Trimming a couple of years ago. £110 well spent!

NedK wrote: they seem to be very expensive when they occasionally come up on eBay. Are they also from another car?
Ned

Ned, No they are new, Vince Haydon has tooled them up... his listings are here https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/vojihay/m.html?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEFSXS%3AMESOI&_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2654, there appear to be none available at the moment.

Lotusian wrote:I had mine re-covered and seam welded professionally by Aldridge Trimming a couple of years ago. £110 well spent!

That's good to know... Aldridge do good work...

pharriso wrote:

NedK wrote: they seem to be very expensive when they occasionally come up on eBay. Are they also from another car?
Ned

Ned, No they are new, Vince Haydon has tooled them up... his listings are here https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/vojihay/m.html?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEFSXS%3AMESOI&_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2654, there appear to be none available at the moment.

Thanks for that. They are very visible things and I don't want to be driving along thinking.. wish I'd done them properly!

Well I opened one up yesterday. The main arm was slightly bent and caused moving the visor to be stiff, which I think caused some minor opening of the hinge piece which let the wire rattle around. I clamped it back up and add a couple of blobs of weld. Then cleaned the frame up and gave it a bast of paint.

Need to pick up some foam and then see about sealing the cover back up. Which is likely to be the tricky part. Plan just try to glue the edge I cut back together.

I wasn't ware Alridge could do them but not that surprised, just not that convenient for me.

I had seen new ones from sale (Kelsport I think) but they were ~270 GBP each which is way more than I am prepped to pay at this point.

Mark, where did you make the cut?

I’ve got an ORIGINAL pair of black both sides Sprint sun visors if of interest. They will be expensive though, just saying.