Headlining Patterns

[tonyabacus]

Can anyone confirm the pattern used on a 1970 S4 Elan Coupe please. I recall Ford used to use a couple of different patterns, also who is supplying the correct pattern nowadays.
A close up picture of the patern would be appreciated
Tony

[Ray419G]

Tony,

My late 68 S4 FHC originally had "Loadstar" pattern headlining which I believe was fitted to the Mk 1 & Mk 2 Cortina amongst other Fords. I don't know if it was still in use in 1970 however. When I replaced the headlining thirty odd years ago it was unavailable and I had to use an alternative material supplied by Lotus restorer, Peter Day, of Daytune, he reckoned that this alternative, a sort of woven pattern, was also originally used by Lotus. I have attached a photo of the original Loadstar pattern which is still on my sun visors.

Ray

[RAJ2628]

I have tje same model and year car and has the Lodestar pattern.

[nmauduit]

I have two late 68 s4se FHC (one RHD one Fed LHD) and both originally had "confetti" style headliner - a style that was not so easy to source ten years ago, but repros became available later (even if the size of the pattern may be a smidge different) so I suppose this would be easier now.

[tonyabacus]

Thanks guys, somewhere I have an original Loadstar lining from a Mk 1 Cortina, but where now is another matter, but I recalled Ford produced two patterns but not sure which one was used by Lotus. It appears from your responses they used both !

Thanks Ray for tyhe picture, I will check it out in the next couple of days.

I think it may be a copy of Loadstar that is available from some sources today, but does anyone know who may be producing the Confetti style these days?
Thanks
Tony

[nmauduit]

does anyone know who may be producing the Confetti style these days?

my first call would be to Sue Miller, but fwiw about 10 years ago SMS Auto Fabrics (very helpful ! - no affiliation on my part) would offer a pattern pretty similar to the original confetti (iirc they carried 2 patterns, none absolutely identical but one rather close to the original, see https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?uid=4893&f=51&t=39686&start=0 )

[smo17003]

The confetti material is available from Aldridge Trimming. I bought a metre last year and then had a local seamstress make up a new headlining using the old one as a pattern. It's only three hoops sewn into it that the rods go through. You do need an old headlining, preferably in one piece of course, as a pattern. I should have bought an extra half metre as one metre is not enough to also do the extractor vent covers. They also do ready made headlinings, but I've saved over £100 by buying the material and getting one made locally.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254469889799 ... R_yxwd2nZA

https://www.aldridge.co.uk/perforated-5 ... e-300_3541

[stugilmour]

I got a similar Plus 2 Lodestar pre-sewn headliner from Aldridge recently and it looks good. I haven’t installed it yet. Plan is to remove the front and rear glass this winter (while replacing a cracked windshield that I was finally able to source here), and install the headliner with custom rods attached to a Britax Weathershield fabric sunroof.

I also got new carpet and door panels at the same time, which are now installed. I expect the headliner will fit similar to the carpets, which still required considerable trimming to fit. I took my shears to the sharpener before starting!

I found Aldridge to be really responsive. It took a while to aggregate everything for shipping to Canada because they pretty much insisted on sending me samples so I / they could confirm my material selections.

I am really pleased with the results, although I accept that the Aldridge supplied vinyl and carpet materials are slightly different from original. Then again, the carpet on the door panels match the rest of the interior, and the slightly flat dark greyish vinyl complement the aftermarket seats better than the glossy deep black stock vinyl. I got extra vinyl to renew the black material below the C pillar in the Plus 2 and the dash side panels; the only stock vinyl remaining will be my rear seats and the textured ‘parcel shelf’ panel below the rear glass. The textured vinyl is slightly different than stock, but they look fine together.

The Aldridge supplied Lodestar material looks great and matches both my previous headliner attempt (that I originally sourced from Susan Miller) and my original sun visors (which actually cleaned up nicely with just some rattle can vinyl paint). As mentioned, definitely get an extra metre or two for the C pillars.

Just a satisfied customer. Good luck with the project. Really looking forward to finally completing my interior this winter. I know the headliner and glass is going to take quite a while to complete and I don’t want to rush it during the driving season. Certainly encouraged by other folks here that have posted the results of their headliner projects.

[Bill]

I got my liner kit from Sue Miller about 3 years ago - very satisfied,

Bull

[tonyabacus]

Further to my original enquiry I now have a picture of the headlining in my 1970 S4 Coupe, it is neither Lodestar or Confetti, but appears to be the original. I noted Ray spoke about Peter Day suggesting that a weave pattern had also been used by Lotus.

Could mine be that pattern or does anyone else have this pattern fitted to their car, or know where this could be obtained please.
Tony

[nmauduit]

From what I recall of my search more than 10 years ago when some materials were hard to come by, 3 kinds of materials may have been used used originally : "lodestar", "confetti" and "perforated" (moonstone?)...

I'd be interested in learning that other type would have been factory installed.

[tonyabacus]

Thanks for the input nmauduit, my headlining does not seem to correspond with any of those mentioned, although I have seen all three. So I wonder whether Lotus had supply issues around the 1970's and used whatever they could get. I would be interested to know if anyone else has a similar pattern or knows more about possible supply problems.
Tony

[tonyabacus]

Can I bump this request up as I am not getting much luck with responses, most suppliers only seem to keep either confetti or lodestar. Further investigation on the car seems to indicate that the headlining in question appears to be the original

Any help appreciated
Tony

[smo17003]

Hi Tony,

Classic Team Lotus has something called Weave Pattern Substitute https://www.parts.classicteamlotus.co.u ... 1494-p.asp

The packaging label shows that it is ex Paul Matty stock. I guess that "substitute" implies that it replaces an NLA item, so possibly not an exact match.

Mike