Warning

[brian wilson]

I recently purchased a replica fibre glass dash crash pad from Paul Matty for my 1968 Plus 2 at 110.00 pounds UK.

What a shocker, it does not fit and will need much trimming.

Whilst the moulding and vinyl covering is reasonable, it appears to have been moulded from an old foam one as overall everything is too large. even the two demist vents, will only fit ok upside down (which indicates a crude mould off an original)

I can not comment on the Elan version only this piece.

[kevin]

Brian, Unfortunately I have to concur. I bought my +2 crashpad from Christopher Neils and have had terrible problems trying to fit it. To cap it all, the little warmth that we have had this summer has caused the glue to melt, leaving the vinyl covering baggy in places and short in others.


Kevin

[bvt]

Whilst I sympathise with badly fitting parts... What price would people pay???

I can get Crash pads remade and foam filled as per originals...
I costed doing S3/S4 Elan ones and i would have to invest about ?5000
Sooooo even at ?250 each.... that would take... 20 just to reach the set up costs and I estimate about 50+ to break even...

I can get lots of stuff remade as per original spec but.. who would stand out that sort of cash!!

[cdraper]

Has anybody asked Miles Wilkins - Fiberglass Services. He has a lot of original Lotus tooling and is making a set - the two large panels and the three pieces that screw to the dash board - of under dash trim - at what seemd a reasonable price. (told him to charge credit card and forgot the amount)!!! My crash pad was repaired with fibreglass and covered by a trimmer in real leather - very smart!!!

[bengalcharlie]

Hi all,

Have to agree. I did also buy a crashpad for my plus 2 from paul matty and a RVS manifold years ago.
The crashpad did not fit at all, I had to glass extensions in the corners and the vents are too big and in the wrong place and the vinyl covering was badly attached too.
In the end I glassed extensions in the corners and had the top recovered by my upholsterer.
Same story for the manifold, it did not fit at all, I had to cut it into pieces and left it there ever since.
Why is it so difficult to find aftermarket parts for english cars that actually fit????
just make them right in the first place!