Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

The lamp to body gaskets on the S4 rear lamp units are a real pain to fit successfully; you get one end on and then it comes off when you try and stretch on the other end. I've tried new gaskets and the old ones, no success with either. Any tips from others that have fitted rear lamps? I've considered using superglue but it seems a bit drastic.

Cheers

Mike

Mike,

I bought my rear lights from Sue Miller years ago. When I came to fit them 2021 I found that the gasket between the chrome plated metal and the body was far too large. I bought two more from Sue, which were a little small. I fitted the gaskets loose but found I needed another pair of hands to hold the gasket in place and tighten the screws, my wife helped me and we slowly worked our way round the light fitting holding the gasket in the right place and tightening one screw at a time until the gasket was secure.

I found the gasket between the plastic lens and the chrome plated metal more difficult. As I am sure you realise, both surfaces are curved so getting the right size of gasket was a trial and error process with my local gasket cutting company. We eventually got there.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins

I struggled with the body to chrome gaskets as well. Just a bit small but worked my way around while applying a bit of pressure by hand then tightened the screws while maintaining pressure.

Richard, I could be wrong, but believe the lens to chrome gasket was in a strip with a small gap between the ends at the bottom to allow water to drain. My rather crusty originals had a gap, but were in rough shape so it may have been a split. Common spot on both lenses though.

Buy an S3 and your gasket problems are over - and it is much better looking!!! D

TBG wrote:Buy an S3 and your gasket problems are over - and it is much better looking!!! D

Except for the rear lamps - IMHO

Mike, are you serious? Beautiful sleek Vauxhall lights as opposed to upside down Jaguar monoliths!! D

TBG wrote:Mike, are you serious? Beautiful sleek Vauxhall lights as opposed to upside down Jaguar monoliths!! D

I'm serious - they look like an afterthought to me, but looking at the back end's of 60's British cars there was little else to choose from. Most rear lamps were blended in to the vestiges of 50's "fins" it would seem.

A set of round lamps from a Ferrari Dino would look quite nice.

I agree with that. Have to go looking as I am off to the Italian lakes shortly. D

Scott,

You are sort of correct, Sue Miller tells me that she can now only obtain a strip of foam rubber. However, the 1960’s Lucas original was a moulded rubber one piece item with a reduced thickness area rather than a gap.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins