Right then better start my '77 S1 project...

[CharlieCroker]

Massive thanks to #slammedia for their feature and stunning photos. http://slammedia.net/hanging-with-the-elite-luke-gilberts-1977-lotus-elite/

[Simon350S]

Nice work on the carpets..... Just those pesky rear 1/4's to sort out now!

[johnpwalsh]

Just read the article Charlie and is testament to what have done so far. Well done.

[CharlieCroker]

Just a quick post today, to say thank you to Rex who supplied me with two stainless steel seat lever finishers for free all the way from Thailand, and don't they look great!

Thanks again Rex, greatly appreciated :-D

[Guest saraphee]

My pleasure, I had 4 of them made to fit both sides of the front seats, but found that, when fitted to the side by the tunnel, they restricted the movement of the seat and the seat belt holder more than a little.

Glad you could put them to good use - I think they look better in your car than in mine.

I say this with a grimace as I have changed all my crappy plastic and cheap chrome bits to polished stainless, fabricated here.

Now paint the lever handles and varnish yer knobs!

[CharlieCroker]

So were they hand made, bloody good fit if they were? Yes, definitely nned to varnish those lever knobs, been meaning to do them, but so many little jobs to do before I can get around to those!

[dixi4uk]

My pleasure, I had 4 of them made to fit both sides of the front seats, but found that, when fitted to the side by the tunnel, they restricted the movement of the seat and the seat belt holder more than a little.

Glad you could put them to good use - I think they look better in your car than in mine.

I say this with a grimace as I have changed all my crappy plastic and cheap chrome bits to polished stainless, fab ricated here.

Now paint the lever handles and varnish yer knobs!

So guys varnish your knobs. ooo 'er missus as Frankie Howerd would say.

 

On a more serious note I must say the stainless finisher looks very impressive much better than the original which are flimsey and break easily. I will not be using my original front seats so if someone is short of a pair of the plastic variety finishers PM me.

[Guest saraphee]

If anyone would like to upgrade to stainless please let me know and I'll get them costed again as it's a few years since mine were done.

Take about a week to fabricate and who knows how long to ship!

[CharlieCroker]

Can you get the surround piece that goes around the center switch panel? Mine is currently missing. 

[Guest saraphee]

Sorry Charlie,

It seems that is a chunk of pressed/extruded alloy (such a long time since I saw one I can't be sure)

I doubt that the skills of the artisans I know would stretch to reproducing it in Stainless.

I dealt with the problem via my friend eBay and bought a metres' length of abs slivered door trim.

Easy to ben around if immersed in hot water and applied in an ambient temperature of 34C!!

[CharlieCroker]

Right, on to these bloody rear quarters. They've proved to be living hell but I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel. I must have prefitted these 100 times to get the fit I want and after shaving, filing and refilling I'm now at a stage to recover. Still waiting for some adhesive to arrive but they should be complete in the next week or two. Some fugly photos before the glory shots.

[esprit s2]

I'm confused to why you are doing this mate? Have you not got Elite rear quarters?

[CharlieCroker]

No, I've had to combine crap elite rear quarters with good eclat rear quarters, been a mission but slowly coming together, once it's done you'll see. ;-)

[CharlieCroker]

So onto the rollbar cover, they start off all shitty.

Scrape off all the glue.

Cut and glue the material.

Start to shape the piece.

Cut off the excess.

Press it down all flat.

Test fit.

Job done :-)

[dixi4uk]

You make it look so easy. I wish it was.

[CharlieCroker]

I don't know if any of you noticed, but I've cut that stanchion off of the main rear panel. It's made life so much easier being able to handle the part around all angles. I had tried to cover the whole rear panel in one but that is practically impossible. Just the rear quarters to go now and the interior wil be complete, barring a few finishing touches.

[esprit s2]

Looks brilliant buddy!

[Benco]

It's really good, can't wait to see more!

[Dunc]

. Phase 3 - V8 power. All depends on time and money, for now phase 1 is more than sufficient. All the best Charlie :-)

Those suggesting a turbo 4 clearly aren't man enough to handle an 8....

You know it makes sense "VRoooOOOOMMM!"

[Loose Cannon]

Just catching up with this thread and must say I love your choice of carpet. The Elite interiors, especially S1s, are all about textures and mixtures you just wouldn't get these days. The original shag carpets are impossible to replace it seems, and when modern cropped carpet is used they always look a bit apologetic. That corded stuff looks brill, and practical too in a VW camper kind of way!

The headcloth again is a welcome change from the standard beige/NHS surgical stocking/prosthetic limb "beige"

[dixi4uk]

They always say 'in the eye of the beholder......' 

 

I am, so undecided on the carpet and headling colour mix to eventually fit with ivory leather seating when my make over nears completion.

 

I have considered the grey headlining as per Charlies car, also black leather or leatherette (may be too dark) and pale beige.

with and without foam backing to smooth the sharp edges.

 

I did find a ready cut carpet set from one of the well known suppliers that was a close match in colour and texture to original mid brown. But at over £300 it is way over my budget at this time.

Charlies ribbed effect carpet is a novel and practical solution not sure it is for me though.

 

Headling wise I just hate that 'NHS surgical stocking' colour too.

[esprit s2]

Bugger. ;-)

[CharlieCroker]

Like Adrian says it is all in the eye of the beholder. Me personally I wanted a simple neutral interior so that the exterior would 'pop' so to speak, so I had in mind the cream/beige from the off, I was beside myself when I sourced that original cream interior. Guess what, I've just complete done of the rear quarter panels and they are looking good, slight custom touch involved! I'll post a few photos tomorrow once installed. As far as headliner goes, textured all the way baby, that bloody original foam stuff is horrid, (sorry Paul^). We are lucky though, being a 70's Lotus wedge you kinda have license to mix and match, so make it personal chaps, the more variety the better! 

[CharlieCroker]

[br][br][br][br][br][br][br][br][br][br][br][br]These are the glory shots, I've got a whole heap of production photos as well and I'll post those later. What do you reckon then, likey or no likey? There's a long a lengthy explanation as to why I went down this ribbed route and I'll post that later with the production photos. Me personally I'm over the moon with them, the fit and finish is where I like to be, and the ribs are retrotastic and match in well with the seats. They ain't be easy by a long shot, I had 5msq vinyl when I started and I literally have only enough left to complete the right side, no mistakes! I made so many balls up along the way, mockups, templates, all sorts of shithas gone into these, anyway hope you like them, just the other side to do now! [br][br][br][br]

[Simon350S]

Wow nice one!