[slacy]

When ordering the hardtop, is it possible to specify that it be painted black, instead of body colored?

I think there are a lot of colors that would look really stunning with a black top, esp. Saffron, Ardent.

I can cobble together some Photoshops if people are interested.

Steve

 

[smoseley]

I'm certain you can get the hardtop painted whatever color you want. If not from Lotus, you can order the top at any time unpainted. That would probably be the best bet, anyway, since the Elise black is metallic, and wouldn't look so hot with the solid ardent / saffron colors.

 

[Patricko]

How about a carbon fibre top:clap:

 

[MikeAR303]

How about a carbon fibre top:clap:

I'm with you... a clearcoated CF hardtop would be ideal.

 

[Modern Wedgie]

How about a carbon fibre top:clap:

Let the blinging begin!

 

[MikeAR303]

Let the blinging begin!

Weight savings != bling

 

[majorbonr]

you can buy carbon fiber "like" tape at the tuner shops and stick it all across your hardtop for that 'carbon fiber look'

 

[Modern Wedgie]

Weight savings != bling

Clear coated CF hood so everyone else can see that it is CF, even though it clashes with the car color = bling

As far as weight savings goes, that part isnt bling.

 

[MikeAR303]

Clear coated CF hood so everyone else can see that it is CF, even though it clashes with the car color = bling

As far as weight savings goes, that part isnt bling.

Color + clear coat = more weight than just clear coat

Just kidding... it is kind of bling when you put it that way.

 

[Patricko]

Let the blinging begin!

MW, how is saving weight blinging

 

[Patricko]

Clear coated CF hood so everyone else can see that it is CF, even though it clashes with the car color = bling

As far as weight savings goes, that part isnt bling.

If clear coated CF is bling then the Enzo is as blinged out as it gets:huh:

 

[Patricko]

Clear coated CF hood so everyone else can see that it is CF, even though it clashes with the car color = bling

I think that the black CF complements the black accents on the Elise. If I need the fab 5 to play me a visit just say so:bow:

 

[MickOpalak]

MW, how is saving weight blinging

Saving weight is not blinging, but adding 'racy' bits without any real benefit is. A CF hardtop is definitely going to be much more expensive than the factory one and would probably save you about 2 lbs over fiberglass. Wasted money for no gain in performance. But, you'd be able to show off to all your high school friends that your have a CF hardtop. That's bling bling.

 

[ex-M3]

I want one of these seats! Does not matter what you do with it, its gorgeous.

 

[Ridgemanron]

I want one of these seats! Does not matter what you do with it, its gorgeous.

Heard somewhere that the Enzo seat would cost $20,000 to replace.
A brake job, $10,000. P.S. - But you do get a great cup of free Cappucino while waiting in the service dep't..

 

[waelsie]

You guys will find that the aftermarket will give you far more than Lotus. See photo of my Carbon Fibre hard top below. It really sets the car off, IMHO....
Giles.

 

[Arno]

One small side-note...

The Lotus hardtop on the S2 and Fed-Elise sits 'between' the roll-bar cover and the windscreen.

So with a black HT on (for instance) a yellow car you don't get a complet black roof, but always a yellow band on the rear of the roof, which is the rollbar cover. (just as with the softtop)

Third-party HT's (especially gull-wing types) usually replace the rollbar cover too, so you get a uniform color.

The picture above shows an S1 HT which always required you to remove the roll-bar cover to install it. S1 hardtops are also much bigger in size than the factory S2 hardtops.

On the S1 this was no problem as the cover was meant to be easily removable (so you could take out the rear window too), but on the S2 and Fed-Elise the cover is not really meant to be removable (as the rear window is now glued in place), so it's much harder to take off/replace.

Bye, Arno.

 

[waelsie]

Correction Arno, I do not have to remove my roll bar cover. This roof is the Bell & Colvill one which is different from and way better than the "official Lotus one". A) The roll bar cover does not need to be removed, B) it has side gutters to deflect rain away when entering, and C) it has a much better/faster fitting system. First it has two pins which fit into the same holes on the front windscreen where the side cant rails normally fit, and second it is held down by a clip which locates on the rear "block" which normally holds the side cant rail in place. This means it is much faster to fit and remove (just slide into place at the front), and a couple of allen bolts keep it in place on the rear clip. Almost as quick to put on as the soft top. No big plate and 3 allen bolts across the front like on the Lotus one, and a smoother line across the front above the windscreen meaning less wind noise. Also has an internal lining which makes it very quiet (??!!) and professional looking inside.
This is what I mean by aftermarket equipment often being better than the standard Lotus item........
Giles.