Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

this car has oatmeal trim ,the dash crashpad is black,kneepad under dash is black,tops of rear quarter panels are black,should covers that go from front of centre trim over underside of dash be black or oatmeal,thanks whats left of old trim bits seem to be oatmeal but i just want confirmation before i get them trimed

My trim pieces along the bottom edge of the dash are black on my 1973 Plus2S 130/5. All the other trim colours are as you describe. My car is oatmeal interior also

cheers
Rohan

Not sure the knee bolsters/pads were all originally black but the lower dash trim finishers should be.

Given you have black knee pads it would look like a cornetto if you you split it up with oatmeal anyway.....in my humble opinion anyway.

Regards

Steve

Lousy picture size but try this enormous direct link for more interior Lotus shots https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=1973+ ... B768%3B502

Just making sure - as I may have misunderstood your terminology

here is my underdash trim passenger side section





cheers
Rohan

Hi There

My car, also a '73 Plus 2S 130/5, has all its original trim and on it the covers which I believe your speaking of are oatmeal. The rest of the trim is as you describe

Regards
Andy

As said oatmeal, here's a picture showing my passenger foot well with everything fitted.

many thanks for replies and picys,one more part cleared up

mbell wrote:As said oatmeal, here's a picture showing my passenger foot well with everything fitted.

mbell...........everything but the clock

That is the same picture BTW I posted from a google search that came up then with your car.

I changed my clock for a later Kienzle. The solenoid mechanisms are far superior than the ones that have the tail hitting the post to make a circuit as often the tail just acts like a fuse and burns out if left with battery disconected for a while when the tail virtually oxyidises itself to the post.

As regards descriptions the large oatmeal cover under dash/facia is what today is referred to as a knee bolster and previously knee pad. The idea is in a crash, as the body can slide forward leg contact underneath will give the knees 'some' protection from any sharp protruding objects. Interesting when you look at other cars of a similar period how Lotus were ahead of its time. Todays modern cars are now far more substantial and in crash tests for homologation has to minimise joint injury and provide a form of guidance as/if the body were to slide legs first forward. Even the hip height relative to seat/seatbelts is critical. Joint injuries are actually the longest and costliest for rehabilitation. Prior to retiring I used to be responsible for the build of prototype vehicles for crash testing at our UK MIRA (Motot Industry Research Association) testing facility for homologation.

The black under the wooden facia/dash that the map light is fitted to is just trim facia finisher and the top referred to here often as the 'crash pad' is often called the 'facia top roll' in the UK. Facia being the bit under the front bumper in NA if I remeber correctly.

Working with a British car company owned by the American's at the time was much fun especially when trying to commonise part description usage

Regards

Steve

yep, the clock is in a bag in a box under the workbench. The PO removed it for some reason and i haven't had the urge to refit it with the car being off the road. Also won't be that much use with battery on a remote disconnect system...

Interesting commenting re crash protection. i wouldn't though it would help that much. I had to fab a small length of ali to get it not to sag into the footwell! so can't see it offer much protection in a crash.

mbell wrote:yep, the clock is in a bag in a box under the workbench. The PO removed it for some reason and i haven't had the urge to refit it with the car being off the road. Also won't be that much use with battery on a remote disconnect system...

Interesting commenting re crash protection. i wouldn't though it would help that much. I had to fab a small length of ali to get it not to sag into the footwell! so can't see it offer much protection in a crash.

mbell............ there are little devices you can put in circuit to keep clocks and alarms functioning even with battery remotely disconnected.

As for the clock if it is the wagging tail type I always give it a good tap initially to free up hopefully the 'tail' contact and only connect a small 9v PP3 battery across to first get it functioning. Usually as it starts to oscilillate it self cleans the contact of the tail and shaft and then will be OK. Connecting the car 12v battery across it even with a small inline fuse can burn out the fine tail in a millisecond.

As for the Lotus underside knee pads I don't suppose they ever did offer much protection really but the thought was there. However don't under estimate the value of plastic for impact joint protection you only have to look at skaters knee and elbow pads to see how thin they are. Also the top roll of the facia that is affectionately called the crash pad is not much different either. The idea is to prevent contact direct with sharp objects too. Compare the difference with my MGB photo a car of the same era and look at the items exposed like my right knee area on the wiper motor and sharp bolt head of the motor cover.

Modern cars you will find all these areas considerably 'beefed up' and also steel substructures covered with energy absorbing material with more protection for the knees especially with as I said items now referred to as knee bolsters and manufacturers spending millions of pounds like we did on building prototype cars just to crash test. In fact every part that a 125mm ball (represents a childs head) can come in contact with on the interior has to be a minimum radii of 3.2 mm or 5mm depending on the intrusion depth and otherwise covered with energy absorbing material

All the best

Steve