Front fog/driving light recess body moulding

PostPost by: EPC 394J » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:14 pm

Sorry for the slightly clumsy title!

Hopefully a photo or two will show what I?m after?
c8e74a51-2743-4e88-b1af-d1c4348dee60.jpeg and

3d82f555-dfe4-4031-b57d-74eaa698ea20.jpeg and

I have a 1969 Plus 2 S.

The fog light recesses are clearly not part of the actual fibreglass moulding. They are black plastic, and riveted to the fibreglass.

My question is, is this the result of an accident repair? A non ?S? front being tweaked to look like an ?S? nose? Or is this how a genuine ?69 S front would look out of the factory?

I have tried a search of the forums, but was unsuccessful.

Very many thanks

Andy
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PostPost by: draenog » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:30 pm

Don't know where I read it, but my understanding is that early +2S have a hole cut out and the insert put in. Later, the fibreglass moulds were changed. You don't tend to see it as so many early +2S have had the front replaced at some point (including mine).
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PostPost by: draenog » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:40 pm

You can see it in this image:

Image

From the front cover of the +2S brochure:

http://www.lotuselan.net/wiki/Lotus_%2B2S_Brochure
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PostPost by: Gray » Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:45 pm

Yes, the early plus 2 with driving lamps (probably the early +2S) had the black plastic mouldings, later cars had the recess moulded into the fibreglass, not sure when the changeover was, a lot will have had a new front with the later recess.
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PostPost by: alan.barker » Tue Jun 19, 2018 4:00 pm

The +2S 1969 and 1970 had these plastic mouldings as original. They are fixed in place with self tapping screws.
You need the plastic covers for them because being so low the Lenses will get broken by stones.
They are Lucas square eight with a little clear part to see if you have left them switched on.
Some have plastic backs to them and some are chromed.
Alan.
ps. I prefer to see the mouldings on early cars because it means them haven't had a front shunt :roll:
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PostPost by: Bigbaldybloke » Tue Jun 19, 2018 4:36 pm

My 1967 Plus 2 didn?t have the spot lights when I got it back in 1977, but I obtained two of the glass fibre spot light recess sections, cut out the hole and glassed them in. Simple job over a weekend. Took longer to paint the area and wire them in. I?ve never seen the type of recess you have in your picture.
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PostPost by: EPC 394J » Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:44 pm

Many thanks to all. My car looks exactly like the one in the brochure! I guess it?s the original nose then! :D
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PostPost by: Foxie » Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:57 am

alan.barker wrote: <snip>
You need the plastic covers for them because being so low the Lenses will get broken by stones.
They are Lucas square eight with a little clear part to see if you have left them switched on.


It's true that they are vulnerable. I've replaced mine quite a few times in 33 years of Lotusing, but what's the point of having them if they're covered up ?

And why would they be switched on if they were covered anyway ?

I use mine most the time as daytime running lights, and they're always available on the headlamp flasher stalk. :)

To manyof the big high SUVs on the roads these days, a little low fast Lotus can be very near to be being invisible :o
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PostPost by: alan.barker » Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:47 pm

Do people still keep as original, that's to say one Fog and the other Spot.
I thought because they are low below legal height they must be wired so they can only be switched on when Headlamps are on :wink:
I seem to remember something like that in the distant past :roll:
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PostPost by: Bigbaldybloke » Wed Jun 20, 2018 3:53 pm

Mine are wired such that that can only come on continuous when the headlights are on or if the headlights are not on and the pods are down, they come on if I flash the headlights, it?s quicker than waiting for the pods to come up.
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PostPost by: Gordon Sauer » Wed Jun 20, 2018 6:09 pm

At some point there was a change from the two separate switches below the wood dash that operated the fog and driving light to a single switch in the wood dash that operated two square eight driving lights(+2S/130) Gordon Sauer
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PostPost by: Foxie » Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:30 am

alan.barker wrote:Do people still keep as original, that's to say one Fog and the other Spot.
I thought because they are low below legal height they must be wired so they can only be switched on when Headlamps are on :wink:
I seem to remember something like that in the distant past :roll:
Alan


I have fitted a pair of driving lights, not original, but imho more practical. :)

I think you are correct about the legal requirements, but that was long before the time that daytime lights were recommended or even compulsory.

The spotlamp control goes through the dip switch, but is independent of the pod position, to allow daytime use.

This has also saved my bacon a few times when the (non-failsafe) headlights developed vacuum problems. :shock:
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PostPost by: alan.barker » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:16 am

Me also i was driving down a country lane and suddenly no Headlamps :shock:
I had to find the Spot Light switch very quickly and luckily the covers were not on them :wink:
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PostPost by: JonB » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:21 am

Could you clarify what I should have on my '72 S130/5, please?

The fog lights appear to be original Lucas items but they do not have the same reflector pattern. I found the beam shape is different, too (one night as I encountered some thick fog on the South Downs). Would this be indicative of the "one fog, one spot" setup? Sounds like it, but would like to check.

Edit: Ah, wait a minute:

Lotus Elan+2 Owner's Handbook wrote:Auxiliary lamps ('S' models)
Two auxiliary lamps (driving and fog) are fitted to the car, the switches (47 and 48) for which are located on the lower edge of the facia panel adjacent to the steering column.

Looking at the diagram, these switches are on the black trim piece below the dash on the driver's side, whereas in my car there is one switch behind the gearshift which is connected to both lamps.
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PostPost by: alan.barker » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:53 am

Hi Jon,
your car is correct for a +2S130/5
Alan
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