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New interior lights

PostPosted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 10:53 pm
by Iyarno
Just wondered if anyone has seen or purchased one of those new interior lights on eBay? It doesn't look exactly like the original but if it fits the standard holes and works well it would seem like a good thing to me. A fair price too. Just search for 'elan interior light'.

Ian

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:53 pm
by AHM
The best price I found was from MGBHive - They are ok but the bases are a bit heavy looking plastic.

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:28 am
by peterexpart
Ian
The Original Lights were made by Sparto, the ones from MGB Hive are not from the same manufacturer.
If you look on ebay under "Sparto" there is someone in Malta selling the Original ones still in the Sparto Packaging I bought three of them, Side Indicators and Dash Light and they are 100% Genuine.
If all you need is the Clear Lens I have a New one spare, let me know

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:50 am
by AHM
Ian,
I see that you have a +2 so not even sure the ones on ebay are correct.

If anyone is looking for a pair of genuine but not quite correct sparto side repeaters - Like the ones in Malta, I have a pair. Yours for ?15. send me a pm.

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:52 am
by peterexpart
The ones from malta are the "correct" Light but without the Aluminium Trim, which can be transferred from your existing lights, providing you have them

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 1:33 pm
by AHM
Makes my side repeaters a bargain at ?15 then!

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:08 pm
by Spyder fan
I believe I'm correct in saying that the interior lights for Elan +2S onwards (1969 onwards) were made by Hella.

They look to be very similar to the ones fitted to type 1 VW Beetles. If you do an Ebay search there are new remade items available for the Beetle either with or without the chrome on plastic edging, and one or two new old stock items that look to be spot on for the original pattern used by Lotus. I was told at the NEC earlier this year that the remade items fit the +2 no problem, I'm just not sure they are totally correct.

Here's a few examples for sale, please have a look and give your opinions.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Interior-Ligh ... 58a741e60d

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Volks ... 20e1562529

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-BEETLE-INT ... 2a363bb1ae

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:41 pm
by AHM
That's interesting Alan.

I had cause to buy some early Beetle lights not for a Beetle or an Elan. But requiring fastidious attention to detail. so this may be useful.... or not!

There are several variants - the differences are in the slider and its surrounding, the mounting spring, pin, 1 or 2 and surrounding - size of cut-out. Chrome surround and opaque lens.

Other differences are that the reproductions do not have hella very finely moulded into the inside of the lens.

The closest match I got was the third on your list.

As mentioned this wasn't for an elan, but the picture of my original one and one that I returned to the seller is below - Both on a picture that accompanied the ad.

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:50 pm
by peterexpart
The point I was making was that the lights from the MGB HIve were not Sparto, I thought their ones were Lucas. The ones I purchased from Malta were Orange Lenses with a Black Rubber base and were the closest to the original fitment provided you transferred the Aluminium Trim from the existing Lights.
And I do agree that if what you were offering were complete with the Trims at ?15 for the Pair they were a good price for Interior Lights, but it would seem only for the Elan not the +2.

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 5:24 pm
by AHM
Hi Peter,

I'm not offering the interior lights! Well not unless someone adds a 0. They are just for reference as the orange ones are on the car.

The light to which I referred at the beginning was like this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INTERIOR-LAMP ... 4d1a773d9f

Which is the only new interior light listed for an elan on ebay. then realised it was for a +2 and that I may be confusing things.

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:40 pm
by Elanintheforest
Ian
Those are not the style of interior light for an early Plus 2, and they are not correct for a 2 seat Elan either. The 2 seat Elan, prior to the S4 had a similar light but without the switch.

The early Elan Plus 2 had a variation on the Cortina / Corsair / Zodiac interior light, with two fitted in the car with side switches, and one or two fitted in the boot with no switches. I believe that the boot lights were not fitted after 1968 or so.

The photo shows the original early Plus 2 lights...one type switched, the other not switched.

Mark

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:01 pm
by Iyarno
Mark, thanks and yes. They are the ones I have, although only the bases. I had one lens but it's crumbled into pieces when I tried to service it.

I've seen expensive replica replacements available from Australia eBay. But really I'm just happy with an sympathetic replacement for the time being (until someone can create a remould in the UK hopefully).

I've ordered one of the replacements from the UK eBay so I'll let you know what it's like. I guess if it's intended for the later Elan +2 it might not fit correctly.

Sorry all, I should have made it clear I was referring to a +2.

Ian

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:34 am
by Elanintheforest
Ian
I think that the Plus 2 Avatar and the '68 Plus 2' sig may have been informative to those who read!!

You can get the lens from the Mk 1 Cortina owners club. I have bought things from there before without being a member, so give it a go.

The lens you need I think is the 'estate car' lens, which doesn't have the switch 'hole'. If I remember correctly, it's the base that is indented to accommodate the switch.

The lens is ?13.83, so not a bad price.

http://www.mk1cortina.co.uk/index.php?p ... t&Itemid=2

Mark

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:04 pm
by Iyarno
Mark.

The estate lens are correct for the rear interior lights, but the light by my mirror has a slot for the switch. See pic attached. Ever seen one like this before? I can't see it on the Cortina site anywhere.

Did you just select "I am already a member" in the checkout process?

Ian

Re: New interior lights

PostPosted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:48 pm
by Si Geen
Ian,

I've just fitted two interior lights the same as the ebay add to my 1973 plus 2 (spyder conversion). The old ones needed to go as they were cracked.

My verdict is that they look great but the plastic on / off slider is not great. I rarely need to touch the lights themselves and the dashboard interior light switch makes operation easy. The location of the mounting holes didn't quite match with the brackets on the car but the're holding fine with just one screw. I was going to replace the festoon bulbs with LED's but haven't got round to it yet.

The cars getting an MOT tomorrow, so I'll post pictures after the weekend.

Si