Elise Spotlight/Driving light covers - History of development





My List of usefull Lotus Links

Robert John Collingridge - Cars - Lotus Elise: A diary of Elise ownership but also stacks of info.
 The Official Lotus cars website: Not sure its worthy of being here at the moment !

Lotus Elise Spotlight/Driving Light covers - History of development

and this is what it's like fitted.

I broke a driving light two weeks after picking up my Elise. I then found out this was a common occurrence with Elise's and another of those 'They all do that sir' items. A new driving light is approx. £103 plus fitting (I was quoted 3 hours labour, as the clamshell had to be removed on mine, as with most Elise's). Somewhat reluctant (some may say tight) to have this as a regular occurrence I tried to make some covers for the driving lights. This was halfway successful in that they did the job but were quite obvious when fitted as I did not have the facilities to make the covers dome shape and had resorted to just having some clear acrylic discs stuck in front of the light. I had resigned myself to having these 'discs' fitted when one of my enquires to plastics manufacturers was eventually passed to somebody who was interested and they called me to see if they could help. To cut a long story a bit shorter we eventually arrived at a good design that fits well and does what it is meant to. When fitted you have to look closely to tell they are fitted at all and if a little care is taken when fitting they will not mist or let water in. I have had a pair on my Elise since July 1999 and they have been through all weathers and my jetwash. The front of my car continues to lose paint from stone chips but at least the spotlights are OK! Now to the point of all this, as much as I like having something no one else has got, I feel that other Elise owners may want to benefit from my labours. I had to get 25 pairs made for the mould to be worth creating and so I took a gamble in that I hoped I could sell some of them. Below is the history of my efforts at getting them into production. Read from the bottom up.

Update, 23/06/00:
Sorry but I've sold out now, see front page for details.

Update, 08/04/00:
Mine are OK, how are you’re lights?

Update, 28/02/00:
There still on and I regularly restock, email me to check if you wish (I like to feel needed!), but its not neccesary.

Update, 16/01/00:
I sold the first 25 quite a while ago and am now regularly restocking as they have proved quite popular. PS There still on !

Update, 13/12/99:
OK. No more updates on wether my covers are still on or not. If they fell off now I would probably conveniently forget to post it on here anyway.

Update, 23/10/99:
Still OK.

Update, 19/09/99:
Covers still in place and all is well.

Update, 25/08/99:
At last I now have a contact address for you. See bottom of page. The price is £45 (cheque only please) for one pair of protective covers, heat resistant silicon fixer, instructions and p+p.

Update, 17/08/99:
OK have seen final production model of covers and they are better quality than my prototypes. Manufacturer just wants to know how many I want. As soon as my PO BOX arrives from the post office I will post it here and then you can all start ordering! Price will include postage to the UK (will find out price to mail abroad on request)and temp resistant silicon for fixing as well as instructions (I am going to spoil you lot).

Update, 07/08/99:
Have added some pictures at last and changed contact details, see below. Hopefully I will have some available for purchase next week.

Update, 29/07/99:
Covers have been in place for three weeks now, have been through all weathers and my jetwash. The front of my car continues to lose paint from stone chips but at least the spotlights are OK !

At last I have some prototypes to try. They are Polycarbonate as when my manufacturer tested others they melted after 15mins. The delay in the manufacture of these was caused as manufacturer refused to make some cheap looking 'discs' and wanted to create 'proper' covers so a re-design was called for. Should be for sale at approx. £45 incl. p+p (in the UK) for a pair. I am currently trying to find some suitable 'adhesive' to fit them. They look the business I think. I will post some pictures soon.

Pete

pete-rowe@clara.co.uk