[Born_Fast]

Hi guys, I'm in trouble again and hope for your expertise to help me out.

During my ongoing interior upgrade I wanted to install a carbon footroom divider / front tunnel and noticed that the one in my Elise SC looks different than the ones found on most other Elises.

Not only is my front tunnel lower than the "common" ones, its frontend leads into a rectangular aluminium box which also seems unique to this kind of tunnel.

Below you find a picture of the tunnel I have in my car and here's a link to the one I want to install instead: http://www.elise-shop.com/images/large/CFFRTNL_LRG.jpg

Now it seems in order to install the regular shaped front tunnel I would have to remove that rectangular box at the frontend. Can this part be simply taken out or does it serve any purpose? (I wonder why it's there in the first place).

Also can anyone enlighten me why there are different shapes of front tunnels in cars of the same year? It seems that other Elise SCs also have the higher "regular" front tunnels while mine has the low version. Maybe it is because my car was RHD and got converted to LHD, while true LHD Elises have the higher front tunnel?

Thanks for all helpful comments!! :up:

 

[Dylan]

Yes, it is because it was originally a RHD car. It is the support for the footrest in RHD cars, and should be removable. You won't need it if you replace the divider with the OEM LHD divider, or an aftermarket divider. Do you have a footrest on the other side? That piece is bonded to the chassis

 

[Born_Fast]

Thanks Dylan, I already removed the footrest from the passenger side and won't reinstall it. So that box is just the footrest holder and can be thrown out if i have no footrest? Sweet!

From what i could see it seems like it's bolted onto the chassis. What would be the best way to get it out? Drill those bolts out?

 

[Dylan]

See the picture of the part and fastener. DeRoure Ltd - The most comprehensive Lotus parts site on the web. - Part Diagrams.

Appears it is pop-riveted, so drilling out the rivets should allow it to be removed. Caution. Not sure where the rivets go, so drill slowly and try to prevent the backs from falling in to chassis. Not because it would likely cause any damage, but they would never be found/removed, and will rattle around forever.

 

[Born_Fast]

Ok i will try that tomorrow!

Any idea how I can possibly keep the back of the rivets from falling into the chassis?

I mean no matter if i cut off or drill off the frontend, the back will most likely fall down the instant the front gets removed. And as it seems these rivets lead into a closed area of the chassis from which they can not be removed.

 

[Gunpilot]

Your just screwed if it's blind on the back side of the rivets.

 

[Dylan]

Please see the linked post by the inimitable Sir Lotus on improved AC for the Elise. He describes how to prevent the rivets that hold the cover plate for the footwell air intake from falling into the chassis. I'm assuming this would work on all rivets. Improved Ac (I clicked on the link within the forum on LT and it took me to the scribd link, don't know why.)

 

[Senna's Dad]

I have a brand new CF divider like yours if you are interested.