Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

....that have been cranially removed to make DHC's?

Are they all waiting to be made into hardtops, or junked? But, is it possible to convert the extranious material into a hard top? Anyone done it? Seen it done?

Cheers - rd

They're carefully stowed away in case they change their minds

Sorry that it has taken me so long to respond (I've be carefully checking the archives and got carried away).

In answer to your questions:

1) Possibly.
2) Perhaps.
3) Apparently not.
4) Never.

You can't make the old roof section into a hard top, it physically isn't big enough to cover the hood tray area that's formed when said roof is removed........... I know because I asked for it to be made into a hard top when it was removed and got a sort of a blank look from Mick at SMS, who then drew me a picture

I asked for the rear screen, drip rails, side vents etc to be returned with the car, but haven't seen them. No doubt they have it all safe in case I want to return the car to it's original state

Do you feel loved now? In an English manly non sexual way?

Check the Archives


Is that a copyright infringement

GrUmPyBoDgEr wrote:Check the Archives


Is that a copyright infringement

Here's why it can't be done- if you scroll up to Spyder's kermit green machine above... on the FHC the rear window comes right down to the level of the rear deck, during the conversion that little "upstand" or flange around the rear has to be added. This is to facilitate the positioning of the Tenax fasteners for the hood. Any hard top would somehow have to fit over these and it ain't going to happen without a serious amount of work.

If you want me to take some photos tomorrow, I can show what I'm talking about.

Spyder fan wrote: Do you feel loved now? In an English manly non sexual way?

Eh? Who dear? Me dear? No dear!

I really think that the cut-off roof section would have merit as a basis for a hardtop for S3-4 DHC. Yes, I'll admit that the rim for the bottom of the rear window has been cut away and even more detrimental is the area at the front of the top above the windscreen would have been cut so as to allow the top of the windscreen frame to stay intact. No one said it would be easy but some day I'd like to give it a try.

I've owned one of the hardtops for the S3-4 and found the fit to be terrible, which I suppose was one reason I sold it back in '78 to buy a FHC to go with my existing DHC.

Roger

Elan45 wrote:I really think that the cut-off roof section would have merit as a basis for a hardtop for S3-4 DHC. Yes, I'll admit that the rim for the bottom of the rear window has been cut away and even more detrimental is the area at the front of the top above the windscreen would have been cut so as to allow the top of the windscreen frame to stay intact. No one said it would be easy but some day I'd like to give it a try.

I've owned one of the hardtops for the S3-4 and found the fit to be terrible, which I suppose was one reason I sold it back in '78 to buy a FHC to go with my existing DHC.

Roger

The top of the windscreen frame does not stay intact, the screen pillars are cut about the half-way point and a new screen rail (windscreen frame) is fitted. This has to be done because the FHC does not come with the slot to fit the front of the canvas hood! Photos on request.

The rear screen would also be too big to allow any fibreglass underneath it on the detachable roof....the bottom of the screen attaches to a small lip on the rear tonneau / top of rear wing.

I do think that making a Targa top would be fairly easy, although a Webasto roof would have the same effect, and they are fab on a Coupe! But in the end, I had to go down the same route as Roger, and buy the Coupe a new chum....here they are united for the first time in 7 years!

Mark

Elanintheforest wrote:The rear screen would also be too big to allow any fibreglass underneath it on the detachable roof....the bottom of the screen attaches to a small lip on the rear tonneau / top of rear wing.

I do think that making a Targa top would be fairly easy, although a Webasto roof would have the same effect, and they are fab on a Coupe! But in the end, I had to go down the same route as Roger, and buy the Coupe a new chum....here they are united for the first time in 7 years!

Mark

You have been busy!

You wouldn't recognise the S4 now Louis. The S3 is up and running, and I told Carol that it must be shaken down and on the road properly for next year...the 50th. With the two cars together she had the great idea that I could also get the S4 running for her, and we could go to events in convoy!! It's only been off the road for quarter of a century...

Still, a new chassis, rebuild the suspension, brakes, steering and engine and she's a go-er. The S4 Louis, the S4.

Mark

But the Lenham hardtop used the same back window as the Elan FHC. I know, because when the I picked up the top at customs, the back window had separated out of the top. At the time, there were two other FHCs in Columbus and I sold the hardtop to the owner of one of them (he also owned a S3 DHC and a S2 roadster) so I was able to check the window by laying it onto his FHC. I left 3 days later for Arkansas to retrieve my FHC, which I drove for the next 8 years while I restored my DHC onto a new galvi frame.

Roger

I remember the Lenham top did not want to engage into the slot above the windscreen and at the back simply sat onto the rear deck just behind the Tenex fasteners and was supposed to be retained with two little "J" hooks that hooked onto the top bows, went up through a steel bracket molded into the inside of the top and finally held by a wing nut. I think I still have one of the extra "J" hooks which I can't believe would have held at anything above 15 MPH.

Roger

Elanintheforest wrote:You wouldn't recognise the S4 now Louis. The S3 is up and running, and I told Carol that it must be shaken down and on the road properly for next year...the 50th. With the two cars together she had the great idea that I could also get the S4 running for her, and we could go to events in convoy!! It's only been off the road for quarter of a century...

Still, a new chassis, rebuild the suspension, brakes, steering and engine and she's a go-er. The S4 Louis, the S4.

Mark

But where will the sheep go? I'm going to have a crack at the yellow peril this winter, that said work is fairly hectic and I won't really be home much till Christmas. Anyway, I'm glad to see things are progressing.