S3 Tail Lights

[Esprit2]

An internet impaired Lotus-buddy has a beautifully restored Elan S3 FHC, but early in July it received a love-tap in the rear that crunched it a bit. The body is now repaired and ready to go to paint, but so far all attempts to find replacement S3 oval tail light assemblies have failed.

Both left and right oval lights are required.

If anyone has a tail light for sale, or leads to available lights, your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and Regards,
Tim Engel
Lotus Owners Oftha North (LOON)
USA

[gino1]

Hi Tim,
I have some nice tail lights for you with some slight pitting but with good lenses.
Where are you based in US as I'm visiting in october and may be able to post from there.
Gino
Milano
Italy

[types26/36]

Some here on flee bay but already at ?160......
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290600965494? ... 1438.l2649
.....no connection to me btw

[Esprit2]

Hi Tim,
I have some nice tail lights for you with some slight pitting but with good lenses.
Where are you based in US as I'm visiting in october and may be able to post from there.
Gino
Milano
Italy

Gino,

The car is on the east coast, in Connecticut. It's not mine and I can't make any decisions about the deal, but I'll forward your message and try to facilitate a connection. Stay tuned.

I'll let you negotiate a price with the owner, but do you have an idea of what you're asking for them... a number I can forward?

Thanks & Regards,
Tim

[Esprit2]

Some here on flee bay but already at ?160......
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290600965494? ... 1438.l2649
.....no connection to me btw

Brian,
Thanks for the link, I'll forward it to him.

He looked for weeks and found nothing. Here there have been three responses (one offline) in no time at all. This forum is a great survival resource.

Regards,
Tim Engel

[gherlt]

In the US at present there is one ebay auction (160641792120) going on:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... AES%3A1123

and its 255 USD already ....

[memini55]

Hi Tim,

My post is more for information, I bought a new set a few years back from another Elan.net friend and paid near the $600 range for them. I do have spare set of used ones that I have put up on the self as they are getting hard to find in good condition. I have had the chrome rings re-plated with good results.

FYI and good luck
Mark

[ceejay]

The donor cars that these oval shaped tail lights came from was the 1960s Vauxhall Victor or the Velox,
I had the opportunity to grab two sets many years ago... am kicking myself for not doing so.
The lens are are still available, I paid $60.00AU just for one left hand amber indicator plastic lens
a few months back.

[nigelrbfurness]

There are several on ebay uk at the moment at very reasonable prices - so far!

Nigel

[skelteanema]

As CeeJay has said the donor vehicles are the Vauxhall FB. You just need to keep an eye out for these, and make sure you search the vauxhall listings as well as Lotus as some Vauxhall listers don't realise the Lotus connection. I have manged to find a number of spare lenses and entire rear light setups for my car via e-bay or our local (NZ) Trade Me site. Most were a bargain (a pair of complete assemblies, with somewhat pitted rims and only one cracked lens for ~15GBP). A couple of years ago, I got a full set of lenses from ebay shipped from UK to NZ for 8GBP from a Vauxhall enthusiast, no-one else bid.

You don't need to pay silly money if you have patience and luck.

[Emma-Knight]

900+ bucks - add a few more, buy a nice S3 coupe, take the lights and sell the rest of the car... 7 in Marchal Ampilux very rare headlights sell for $ 600 a pair. And its more than a handmade original Elan steering wheel . Someone must have been carrried away with this. If Vauxhall/Lucas will notice, they can cure their finacial situation wth reproducing these lights on original tools . With all Elan S2 / S3 owners putting one or two pairs in their shelves, just in case...

Anna

[skelteanema]

The fact that rear lights are going for nearly $1000, steering wheels for $500+, side repeater lights for $400 etc shows that our cars are worth more as parts than as a running machines.