Plus 2 Headlining

[danielbargh]

Can anyone let me know or send me a picture of how the headlining rods connect to the body on a Plus 2. The previous owner stripped out the fastenings, headlining and the rods, I have the rods but I don't know what fixings are used to connect the rods to the body above the doors.

Thanks

Daniel

[rdssdi]

There are clips made of formed wire that attach inside the roof. You will see holes in the top of the door opening for the sheet metal attaching screws. The wire clips are held down with flat nuts that attach to these screws. A small section of wire protrudes which the headliner tubes fit onto.

I found these clips from a person parting out an Elan +2. I could not find them anywhere. It is possible they were used elsewhere. Possibly another person could help out with that information.

Bob

[archigator]

Does anyone have a source for the correct headliner fabric itself?

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint
Miami, Florida

[PWTrusty]

I was looking last year for the same material for my 72 +2. Found a material that was so very similar at Joann's which is a national fabric and sewing store. They had several bolts of auto head liner materils. While it was exposed I installed a bit of insulation from JC Whitney that reduced the road rumble and with the aluminum skin improved the radiate heat .

I am now looking for an L Block to build a fresh Weber engine. Anyone got such ?

Phil in Tenn
[email protected]

[Elanintheforest]

Matty and Sue Miller have both sorts for the Plus 2...Confetti for the early cars and perforated for the later ones.
Mark

[rdssdi]

My upholstery man said that the original non perforated headliner material used on my 1969 +2 looked like a Ford headlining material of that period. Of interest the material on the rear panels that I assumed was to match the headlining was different. It was perforated and he said it looked like a later (1970) Ford headliner material.

The door panels that were on the car were also different. One side had heat formed seams on the "basket weave" vinyl. While the other had stitched seams. there were other minor differences.
Bob
1969 +2

[Jason1]

Hi

Yes my early +2 has Ford Cortina MK1 headling which was called LODESTAR. You can buy it on Ebay if the usual suppiers no longer sell it.

Ebay Item number: 250215760656

Jason

[Elanintheforest]

I'm trying hard to find out when Lode Star ended and Confetti started...and so far no luck. My '67 coupe (May) which hasn't been restored has Confetti...little circles with lines going through. I had a 66 Cortina GT until a couple of months ago and that had Load Star.

I'll bet they changed when the Mk 2 Cortina came out...Oct '66, but maybe both were used by Lotus?

Either way, I guess that both are original and both are certainly obtainable at the usual suspects.

Mark

[denicholls2]

Because the Elan list seems much more sensitive to originality than the Europa list, I'll spare you my complete solution to the headliner problem (involving about $25 worth of materials obtained at Wal-Mart and Auto-Zone.)

However, the first step is one all can benefit from.

1. Obtain some of the thin underlayment foam used for laminate flooring. Home Despot has this in rolls, or bug somebody you know who works with this stuff for a couple of yards. A whole roll is about $30, which may blow your $25 budget if you're like me. A roll should be good for about 30 Elans, I suppose you could sell on the remnants.

2. Apply contact adhesive (using expensive spray or much cheaper brush-on) to ceiling and one side of foam. I used Permatex spray, but it costs much more than and isn't as strong as the brush-on. Took me two cans for the tiny Europa ceiling, which I found irksome. The sole advantage of the spray-on is that being less adhesive, it is removable without serious chemicals.

3. Repeat step 2 after allowing to dry to the touch.

4. Stick the two together and trim to fit properly.

The difference in interior noise will surprise you. Then finish as your conscience dictates.