Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

This started last year after an electrical repair. A different shop was unable to fix it this year. Ideas?

Not sure what car or where it is positioned in your case.
The early +2 has the ignition switch in the dash panel. There is a small metal plate, with a D shaped cut out, behind the dash. This has a single screw through it to prevent switch rotation. Described as a lock plate, but not shown, in the parts manual (BH, #10).. if yours is a similar car.
Adrian

My car is a1968 S4 Elan. The original dash board had a D shaped hole for the ignition switch. The replacement dash also has a D shaped hole, but the wrong size. I made a thin steel plate with a D shaped hole that fits the ignition switch, and screwed it to the back of the dash.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins

wotsisname wrote:Not sure what car or where it is positioned in your case.
The early +2 has the ignition switch in the dash panel. There is a small metal plate, with a D shaped cut out, behind the dash. This has a single screw through it to prevent switch rotation. Described as a lock plate, but not shown, in the parts manual (BH, #10).. if yours is a similar car.
Adrian

Well now that's interesting. Someone must have lost that plate as mine didn't have it. What it did have is a couple of 'washers' made of what appears to be sandpaper, of maybe 100-120 grit. It does the trick, since only a very small amount of turning force on the key is required to engage the start-contacts.

I think those washers are for the door locks on the +2S.. I guess a similar situation arises.. luckily my lock is built into the handle.

Yes, I've got the sandpaper washers as well. Don't know if they're OE on my S4 but they work well enough.

You could, of course, make a wooden slice off a circle to make the D shape and then glue that slice into your round hole.

billwill wrote:You could, of course, make a wooden slice off a circle to make the D shape and then glue that slice into your round hole.

That's a really great idea. I started to wonder why I didn't think of that, but then I *am* a dumbass- just ask my brother!

I guess the problem is getting to the back of the switch to screw anything to the rear of the dash whilst its all insitu.

You might try making a plastic washer with a d shape cut out that will fit between the dash and the switch at the rear. Once made apply some adhesive to the face of the washer which attaching to the dash and fit it onto the switch.

Replace the switch in the correct position behind the dash and tighten it up and then wait for the adhesive to set, final tweaking to tighten can then be done.
Tony

Mine has a small square plate with a D shaped hole in it and the four corners of the plate bent 90 degrees to form 4 small spikes that dig into the wood of the rear of the dash and stop it moving.