Elan side screens

[midmillotus]

I'm a Lotus SevenS2 owner ( for 35 years) in New Zealand looking to replace the Seven with an Elan S1 or S2. In NZ S1/S2 Elans are rare, so am also searching for a project or identity to cover the remains of one I have discovered that has been cannibalised to create a spyder-chassied/Kevlar bodied 26R replica. One of the attractions of the S1-2 is the shape of the sidescreens which offer better rear 3/4 vis. than S3-4's and retract fully into the door. The S3-4 windows leave a frame up! Not my idea of a sports car feature.Presumably this later design came about to improve top-up sealing.
As I may be forced to buy a later car here in NZ. has anyone ever converted the side screens of an S3 or 4 to the earlier shape ? Any hints on location of a project/identity also appreciated.

[gherlt]

A few months an S3 with cut window frame was for sale in the US, tThe fastest (and rudest) way to burn money: the frame costs a fortune (if you get one, there are no new ones) and you reduce the value of the car drastically ....

Somebody tried to install S1 doors to a S3 ? I know windshield and its angle is different, but how much at the doors ?

I also doubt you can adapt the S3/S4 hood to S1/S2 doors ... that leaves you with a car without fold-down hood ...
Or you have a oure sunshine car or you try a hardtop ...

The Elan is a beautiful car, the Seven also. But did you buy the Seven because of the looks or the driving capabilities ?
If it is the later, give the car a chance before planning cutting/canging. ... Driving you wont need to look as much though your side windows as in your Seven

[Elan45]

The reason for the window shape and frame on the S3-4 is because the DHC was a modification of the FHC type 36. The earliest FHC were made while the S2 roadster was still in production. Soon, it made sense to just make a convertible version of the coupe rather than continue w/ the type 26 Elan.

The windscreen on a type 26 is removable where the type 45 is not. The door and doorframe shape is different at the front between type 26 and 45 and the door latches are different too. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but a conversion of a type 45 to a type 26 would not make sense financially, nor would it give you the desired results. I've had my S3 since 1974 and you get used to the window frames. I now have that same S3, a FHC and another S3 DHC that was converted to 26R mechanicals by the original owner in 1970.

Roger

[midmillotus]

Thanks guys for your responses, which are pretty much what I expected, so will drop that line of thought and, should I not find a 26 somewhere, be happy with a 45 when one presents.
The Seven was a trade-in on my first Lotus Cortina, but as luck would have it, it was a car I used to watch racing in the sixties! I promptly rebuilt it and went historic racing with it, but we enjoy it as a road car these days.
Cheers, Rob

[bill308]

Hi Rob,

S1/S2 and 26R bodies are available new from several sources in the UK. It might make sense to buy a complete body with lids, doors, and windscreen and complete it with the remains of an S3 which shares many of the same components like gauges, lamps, chassis, engine, etc. Of course shipping/customs expenses need to be looked at closely.

Bill

[skelteanema]

Hi Rob,
I am a Elan owner in Palmerston North, NZ. I have an S3 dhc.
I don't think there are more than a couple of dozen Elans in New Zealand in total (all series from S1 to Sprint combined). I know when I was looking for my one, there were rarely any on the market, so it is not as if we have a lot of choice here. I had to look for about 3 years until I found my one.
I keep an eye out for Elans on the market and, apart from a damaged race car (which is possibly the one you referred to) I have not seen one on the market for a year or more.
Good luck with your search, I hope you find one that meet your needs.

[midmillotus]

Thanks for responses, and Hi there "skelteanema/skittle" !
Palmy is my home town, did a lot of Lotus motoring from there over the years, maybe we should make contact.
I'm in Nelson now, on 03 9700542 / 021 1875697. There were no Elans in Palmy back then of course, I left there in '96.
As a closure to the thread (maybe), and being "olde schoole" with a preference for the product out of Hornsey or Cheshunt, I am aware of the ancient practice of getting in and out of sports cars by ignoring any doors and simply climbing in over them !!...especially for LeMans style race starts. I have yet to see that accomplished with a type 45........time and tastes move on.