URGENT !!!! How are these so different ?

[dsly1]

Other then the obvious color difference, these 2 rear seats look quite different in the texture. That is the Oatmeal looks like it has a flat seat back whereas the black looks ribbed.

Are both of these genuine LOTUS ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lotus-Elan-Plus2- ... dZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1


Thanks

[mikealdren]

I think they are both genuine. Lotus changed the seats several times and the black seats have a sort of basket weave plastic that was common in the late 60s. The oatmeal seats look as though they have 'cloth' inserts that came in a bit later but were never fitted in black (as far as I know).

Another rear seat option was the folding rear seat back that gives a parcel shelf, fitted to early +2S but too expensive and dropped before the 130S

Mike

[kenny]

OK the Oatmeal seats. The "flat panel" in them is in fact an old fashioned style nylon fabric that to be honest looks shabby after a while.
A 1974 + 2 S 130 I was toying with buying at the time I bought my early plus 2 was fitted with these and they had not worn well even though rest of interior was nice.

The other seats are I assume just the standard S Type "All leatherette" seats fitted when the slimmer "baby elan" stlye seats were discontinued in my 1968 car.

Kenny

[dsly1]

so the oatmeal in this case is the one for s130 - fitment wise. ???


Thanks

[mikealdren]

Either could be for an S130, mine has the black basket weave seats, oatmeal was an option. Depends on which colour you like.
Mike

[Dave-M]

I feel I can comment a little here as the Black seats on Ebay are mine.
They came from a 1969 plus 2.
I have in the workshop at present a +2 130/S 5speed and the rear seat is the same other than it does not fold down.
I can't comment on the Oatmeal stuff as I have never had any fitted to any cars I have had.
Regards
Dave-M

[Robbie693]

The oatmeal seats came in all leatherette (called Ambla), which were ribbed horizontally or with cloth inserts, also ribbed but came unstuck from the foam quickly.

Only the black interior had the 'basket weave' effect on the ribs and also on the side of the center console.

[mikealdren]

Dave,
You're spot on . The fold down rear seat came in with the early +2S and was deleted before the 130S, I've been told that it was too expensive to manufacture. My 130S has fixed rear seat backs, my +2S has fold down.

It's a great feature and I'm going to use the fold down rear seats on my Zetec.

Mike

[gerrym]

MY S130 1972 HAS A FOLD DOWN REAR SEAT.
MUST HAVE BEEN LOTUS USING UP OLD STOCK???