Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

?What is a cant rail??
This made me smile, I asked the same question when I bought my S2 some years back, being unfamilliar with the S2 details at the time.
They are the fiberglass things the shape of the side window curve that the top snaps onto. They have the pin that goes into the unprotected hole in the bodywork...

They 'cant' hold the top tightly apparently...

Randy, I noticed you mentioned the number plate was missing. On the top front right hand (hand from driver seated position as always with cars) side of the firewall on the engine side you should see a small retangular recess in the moulded fiberglass where a four digit body number should be, may be hard to read. The body number and last four digits of the serial number are not the same but if you contact Lotus Archives they can usually tell you what serial number belonged to that body. As usual records can be sketchy with Lotus. Check the Lotus registry (first) too.

Cheers
Jack

Hi Randy,

I have several hard tops with the same fasteners. To me they look like a fabricated part that Lotus probably made. I can also let you know they do not work to well. Mine look about as rusty as yours and two of three clamps on the car I normally drive snapped at the thin flat portion . I'm looking for some better options but the method that Lotus used to secure the top at the front is poor at best. I see most of the cars in the UK that race, use duct tape to secure the front of the hard top.
Anyways, your car looks great.

Ken

Kansas Randy wrote:Here is a shot in the paint booth. Here in Kansas they are going to call that John Deere green.

And also a shot of the fasteners that hold the top to the windscreen frame. Any idea what parts bin they came out of???

It seems every time I look to see how a hardtop is secured to the screen frame I see yet another different bit of hardware to provide the clamping. Your pic shows an especially nice looking one. My own hardtop has a flimsy sheet metal curve tightened with a wingnut, all of it held together by a layer of rust. On rebuild it will be done in stainless, and I will keep the nice design you have in mind.