Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Does any one know who built the " Chinese eye " body's for Lotus? Apologies to my politically correct friends ....ed

I was told the Chineese eye bodies were made my Shapecraft ////.?ed

Wrong again ED
Shapecraft made alloy roof for Surbiton Motors. Road cars without the side windows, race cars with side windows.

See pic of 26-R-4 att'd.

Chinese eye (S2 26R style bodies) were manufactured at the Lotus factory.

I didnt say I believed it ..I just said I was told

So that means Chapman would have spent thousands of dollars on new molds for say 35 cars? Doesn't sound like him..but I did note the later number 40s shapecraft series 2 cars have the same front end head light treatment for the headlights and the Martin Stretton gold car also has the same front end as does shapecraft coup number 77 driven by Malcom Ricketts listed as a 1963 # 7895 ,,,,,found info on the net 'under shape craft lotus ' //ED

Wait a minute Ed, #7895 would be a very late, possibly last produced S3, probably late 1967 but possibly early 1968.

I doubt Chapman would have plopped for new molds for such an insignificant change as lamp opening shape. I would imagine that the existing 26R mold would have been modified. After all, who would want last years shape on their current production racecar?

Roger

hi roger .. I'm just reporting what was posted on " shape raft lotus ?lan "from the net . I like the body shape swell I would buy one to day .....oops I did .... Ed

Loops. C. seems to be at a premium today

Suppose shape craft built bodies in bulk and not on an.as needed one off basis so the body's may have. Just been in stock ....just an assumption . That's the most efficient way to use manpower and supplies in a business......ed

Ed,

I think that much of this discussion stems from someone, many years ago misleading you by saying your car appeared to be a Shapecraft.

My Elan is the only one that had the nose section modified by Shapecraft; all later Shapecrafts had the alloy roof but retained the Lotus nose, either normal road car or 26R. The modified nose on my car was made of aluminium, not fibreglass and the Perspex light covers were similar in shape to the 26R Perspex covers, not like the later 26R elliptical covers. ?BonsaiChris?, who worked for Surbiton Motors at the time, stated in one of his posts that the Shapecraft company at that time worked on alloy and stainless. As far as I am aware Shapecraft did not make anything in fibreglass.

Ian

THANKS That is the first concrete bit if info Ive had ?I aked Mitty lotus in an e mail?.so who built the bodys ???? well the thought from the web was shapecraft bent a piece of aluminium on a buck to make a hard top to glass on a fiber glass cody ????more questions ..ed

twincamman wrote:THANKS That is the first concrete bit if info Ive had ?I aked Mitty lotus in an e mail?.so who built the bodys ????ED

Does this FINALLY mean you accept your car is NOT a Shapecraft? Like you've been told many times before but chose not to believe?

Can guys please stop picking on Ed! He is asking perfectly reasonable questions in a perfectly reasonable manner. I am interested in hearing everyone's answers, not some very unattractive bullying behavior that I associated with children on playgrounds, not adult in a car forum. Thank you. Dan

Listen Dan ed has brought a lot of this on himself he has upset a lot of people over the years and caused some good folk to leave. He has been told many times politely that the car he has is not what he purports it to be yet he with no evidence goes on an on that he's right and everyone else is wrong. He takes delight in causing issues and baiting others. If you are not familiar go back and read the various threads where he was banned for a while.
Bullying it is not, it is trying to educate someone who is being deliberately obtuse.

I block that guy Dan ?.....he hasnt produced a positive thought since Ive been here ed