New Dash for '70 Elan S4

PostPost by: collins_dan » Thu Oct 21, 2004 9:26 pm

Where can I get a new wood dash for a '70 Elan S4? The veneer has a
couple of missing bits in addition to overall very cracked
appearance. Also, is there anyway to figure out what the car's
original paint color was? Thanks. Dan
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PostPost by: pamitchell » Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:36 pm

Dan;

Do a Google search for Prestige Autowood in San Jose CA. Randy Keller
is the owner and does great work. I visited his shop and he has
patterns for all Lotus and other English cars.
(no relationship with this company etc.etc...)
Rgds,
Phil

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PostPost by: lotuselan2 » Fri Oct 22, 2004 3:19 am

Dan
I think a Plus 2 dash and an Elan have considerably different dashes. Here
is an idea for you. The Plus 2 dash is 16 or 18" high. Trees are no longer
made in that diameter. However, my dash is SOLID walnut, no veneer at all.
I had a top end lumber yard select planks of 1/2" walnut and glue them side
to side. The glue is as strong as the wood. After glue sat overnight they
planed one side to completely level. I made a 100% template in cardboard of
the dash I wanted; very unoriginal as I moved the radio slot to the glove
box location to put in a modern head unit. Although I have never done any
woodworking I bought hole cutters and a scroll saw (good birthday presents
from your spouse!). I made a gorgeous dash. Holes cut wonderfully. I laid
about 30 coats of clear lacquer on it with fine sanding every few coats.

Result: a dash I am proud of. Looks great.

Your choice, buy or do it yourself.
Ken
'69 +2 with BDR

p.s. originality is not my intention!
'69 Lotus Elan +2 with Cosworth BDR
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PostPost by: Rob_LaMoreaux » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:02 pm




Prestige is very good.

You can replace the veneer yourself like I did. It isn't that hard, since my
veneer was practically falling off. I bought some paper backed veneer and
used good all-weather contact cement and good spar polyurethane all weather
varnish. 5 years later it is still looking great.

You can email the archivist at Lotus with the VIN number and he will tell
you what it is. Also the guy at Sports Car world might have the info in his
archive. See the list archives or LotusElan.Net for the email addresses,
since I can't remember them.


Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI USA
(734)-971-5583
Cell (734)-604-9280
Email: ***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending adventure.
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PostPost by: denicholls2 » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:04 pm

Hi Ken,

You are to be forgiven as an inexperienced woodworker, but
unfortunately your dash is probably not superior to the original.
Particularly where the dash is a potentially a structural element, as
has been argued to death on the Europa site, plywood is superior to
solid hardwood. It is more size and warp-stable with temperature and
humidity variations and has roughly equal strength in both
dimensions, which the original tree definitely does not.

Baltic Birch is the highest quality plywood, and comes with a birch
hardwood surface suitable for staining to mimic many more expensive
woods. Or, walnut or other veneer is easily obtained and applied.
Note that because veneer is "peeled" circumferentially off a spinning
log, it is not constrained by the diameter of the tree (well, not in
the dimensions we're speaking of, at least!)

I hope your dash holds up well Ken, and the jointed construction will
certainly be more warp-stable than a single piece would. You are
fortunate they don't make trees that big; jointed construction is the
norm for furniture panels over 12" not because of the rareness of old-
growth timber but because of stability problems.

The available replacements are indeed beautifully crafted, but the
prices I've heard are well out of proportion to the task of
refinishing the plywood original yourself, and deny you the attendant
benefit of pride in workmanship. In most cases, delaminating veneer
can be accomplished with a dry iron. Re-veneering is a simple task,
and finishing is relatively simple though time-consuming and not for
the impatient. Provided the original plywood is reusable, your
materials cost should be under $20. If the plywood is toast, get
some Baltic Birch, use the original as a pattern, and make a new one
for about double that. While you're at it, make a few more -- seems
people are always looking for them. Baltic Birch comes in 5'x5'
sheets, so one piece makes 4-5 dashes. When I get around to redoing
my Europa's fascia, I'll probably make several and offer them.

-- Doug Nicholls, 54/1822


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PostPost by: grat » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:28 pm

On Thu, Oct 21, 2004 at 09:26:37PM -0000, collins_dan2000 wrote:


Dave Bean sells them, they are new construction made locally
(I assume): marine plywood with walnut veneer. They aren't cheap the
S4/Sprint goes for $435. They also don't seem to have; at least from
the pics, the original silk-screening labeling, just plain wood
finish. I haven't seen one personally so can't speak to looks/fit/etc
only the source.

As others suggest, if you are so inclined making your own
wouldn't be that difficult if your original is intact enough to make
a pattern from. The above construction would be a good method as it
would be more stable and less likely to check/crack with
heat/cold/weather.


http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/lotus_ ... tory.shtml

fj..
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"Don't close your eyes for the crash; you'll miss the best part"
-- Bruce MacInnes, Skip Barber Driving School instructor
1969 S4 45/9297
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PostPost by: dlbarnes1 » Fri Oct 22, 2004 8:32 pm

Prestige Autowood may not have a website. Their phone is (408) 370 3705. Fax is (408) 288 8763.
David - 72 Sprint DHC
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Mitchell
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 3:36 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Re: New Dash for '70 Elan S4



Dan;

Do a Google search for Prestige Autowood in San Jose CA. Randy Keller
is the owner and does great work. I visited his shop and he has
patterns for all Lotus and other English cars.
(no relationship with this company etc.etc...)
Rgds,
Phil

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<collins_dan@h...> wrote:










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PostPost by: tvacc » Fri Oct 22, 2004 8:47 pm

Prestige made a dash for me about 12 years ago.still looking fine.



As I recall.the S4 cars..(like my Sprint) did not have lettered switches.at
least my did not..and the dash was original..



By the way.has anyone seen my Red Elan Sprint on a flat bed..coming from
Kansas City .through Louisville up to Buffalo. I assume the driver is
taking interstate 71. There is also a red MIata on board the flatbed.







Tony V



_____

From: David Barnes [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2004 4:30 PM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] Re: New Dash for '70 Elan S4



Prestige Autowood may not have a website. Their phone is (408) 370 3705. Fax
is (408) 288 8763.
David - 72 Sprint DHC
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Mitchell
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 3:36 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Re: New Dash for '70 Elan S4



Dan;

Do a Google search for Prestige Autowood in San Jose CA. Randy Keller
is the owner and does great work. I visited his shop and he has
patterns for all Lotus and other English cars.
(no relationship with this company etc.etc...)
Rgds,
Phil

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PostPost by: poiuyt » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:29 pm

Prestige Autowood!

I just got off the phone with Randy today - the dash for my 1969 S4
is being shipped as this is written.

I'll post a photo as soon as it arrives and I can get the film
developed.

Steve B.


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PostPost by: poiuyt » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:37 pm

The dash for an Elan S4 is approximately 40 inches wide and 24 high
(the center panel is a structural piece and the dash should be made
from one piece of plywood. It may be moot, but you can only get two
from a 5' X5" piece.

Steve B.

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PostPost by: poiuyt » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:38 pm

Make that 5' X 5'.

Steve B

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PostPost by: niallf » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:58 pm

These people make nice dashes in the UK.

http://www.classical-dash.co.uk/

The site takes a while to load, so give it time.

Cheers,

Niall

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PostPost by: lotuselan2 » Tue Oct 26, 2004 12:42 am

Doug
I have never been a woodworker and this was a first project for the
learning. What I learned was how nice it is to work with a GOOD piece of
wood. It cuts nice, it drills nice, it never wants to split or crack. I
just would not expect the same from plywood, but maybe your birch wood be
better than the run-of-the-sawmill stuff I am used to.

Key element of my execution was putting things where I wanted them, like a
radio hole that will fit a modern radio.

I made one error. I put the key switch on a seam too close to an edge.
That seam split but it was easily repaired with a patch on the back side to
reinforce the seam.

Next one will be better!!
Ken
'69 Lotus Elan +2 with Cosworth BDR
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