[Steve W]

As I'm sure all owners are now aware, the soft top tends to slide around in the trunk of the car, and given the vunerable nature of the lights, this is not a good thing.

I've made a strap using 2" velco which has a very sticky (industrial strength) backing to it. You can pick this up in Home Depot for about 20 bucks for 20ft of both the hooks and wool sides.

I used about 3ft of the hooks for the base, on the back of that at both ends I stuck about 8" of wool (note, when you use the glue side back to back, you will not get it apart.) then also on the back I stuck about 14" of hooks next to one of the woll pieces, leaving about 6" of sticky back clear of anything.

I stuck the 6" of sticky back to inside of the rear clam in the center, with the long tail down. This means that in addition to the stick on the clam there is also hooks sticking to the carpet.

When I use this I put the top all the way up behind the battery, so it does rest against the inside rear light, then pull the strap fairly tight. This way the top can't slide or roll.

The velcro sticky back has held through everything I've done to it so far, including 80-0 ABS test. I'm sure if you try hard enough it will come off the clam.

 

[Steve W]

more.

 

[Steve W]

With the top

 

[Steve W]

The top is over to the battery side

 

[Steve W]

Battery end...

 

[Need4Speed]

Nice implementation.

I just started using Velcro tiewraps on my scuba gear; they're awesome. What would we do without Velcro.

 

[CAErven]

Better idea than mine - I had planned on filling the trunk up with styrofoam packing popcorn around the top - but this would be a lot neater and keep popcorn from flying down the highway when I attain high speeds. Thanks!

 

[zvezdah1]

Great idea Steve.
Chris

 

[Need4Speed]

Better idea than mine - I had planned on filling the trunk up with styrofoam packing popcorn around the top - but this would be a lot neater and keep popcorn from flying down the highway when I attain high speeds. Thanks!

I think I will go the Velcro way too, out of consideration for the Trunk Monkey. He'd just get tired holding that bag all day long, not to mention the tire iron to whack would-be thieves.

 

[MJC123]

....although the trunk monkey would alleviate the need to re-align the headlights - as long as he's at least 100 lb's

 

[Thomas Praetzel]

Great idea! Why can't Lotus come up with some of the simple stuff as well as the high end engineering. Those light housings are definitely an accident waiting to happen. I'm going to either fabricate enclosures for the housings, to protect the wiring, or maybe just hot-glue some plastic containers over the housings. I've been through the Lucas nightmare once before, don't need it again.
JN called yesterday, my car is on the water, should be here in a month. Maybe you are better off going with a small dealership for your car, as I put my money down in December, and I would assume that the Honolulu dealership is the smallest in the country.

Aloha,
Thomas Praetzel

 

[eletourneau]

JN called yesterday, my car is on the water, should be here in a month. Maybe you are better off going with a small dealership for your car, as I put my money down in December, and I would assume that the Honolulu dealership is the smallest in the country.

Aloha,
Thomas Praetzel

Don't get too excited. My car was on the water in June and it has been sitting at the port ever since. I may get it next week, but no firm commitment.

 

[pinmagic]

I like your system, but I worry about having the weight up against the light. I also worry that the Velcro strap (or the light) could distort the soft top.

I have an alternative. In my system, the soft top is held up against the front wall of the trunk -- the wall that separates the engine bay from the trunk. It isn't pressing up against the lights at all, and, because the weight of the top is more evenly distributed over the restraining system, I think it has less chance of distorting the top.

I've used it for a few days, and it seems to work ok, but decide for yourself.

To use my system, you'll need to buy 2 pair of bookends (cause you need a total of 3 bookends). I got some nice, quality metal bookends (powdercoated black) by Rubbermaid. They're about $8 a pair from Wal-Mart. Staples has them under a different brand name for more $$$. They also have others that would work well.

Then, get some small, round Velcro dots with sticky backs.

On each bookend, put Velco dots (the HOOK part, not the loop part) on the 4 corners of the TALLER side, so that when you lay it down on the carpeted trunk floor, it sticks to it. Do that for all 3 bookends. (You could use the bookends in their normal position, but then they stand up taller than you need.)

To use the bookends, roll up the top and put it in the storage bag. Place the storage bag in the trunk so it's up against the wall, just behind the engine compartment., (There's a hump there, but you can get it pretty close.) And make sure it's all the way to the left, up against the battery box. Lift the left end slightly, and slide a bookend underneath, Velcro down, then press it to the carpet. Put another in the center. Use the 3rd one at the end of rolled up top, to keep it from sliding sideways.

If you've done it right, the roof is held in place by:
- engine compartment on front side
- battery box on left end
- 2 bookends on back side
- 1 bookend on right end

You can drop the roof bars in between the rolled up top and the engine wall. They tend to stay there just fine.

The soft top lifts right out over the bookends -- no need to remove them when you want to use the soft top. When you need trunk space, just lift out the bookends. To make it easier to store them, use some round tabs of Velcro (the LOOP side) on the tops of the bookends. That way, they stack, and you can just sit them anywhere in the trunk, in 1 neat stack.

Some thoughts:

- I used nice epoxycoated metal bookends. You can use something lighter, if the weight worries you.

- The ones I used are nice cause they're flat. Avoid something with a shape that could damage the soft top.

- Use basic Velcro, NOT industrial strength. That heavy duty stuff will rip up the carpet, I suspect. In any event, when you lift out the bookends, do it carefully to minimize impact on the carpet.

Pics to follow this weekend. Let me know what you think.

 

[Mr.C]

First of all hi to everybody on here!
I figured that now since the rainy season started here in the Pacific Northwest, it would be a good time to start posting a little more since I can't spend evrery free minute driving anymore...

I thought a little about the soft top storage, and after some trips to the hardware store this is what I came up with:

I found two 8x1 inch straight stand-off bracket with holes on both ends.
I bent both ends up a little so you can later get a hook into them.


I also found some 2x4 inch industrial strength velcro, which I put on the underside of the bracket (the one with the hooks).
I stuck it on the bracket on one end, then took a sharp knife and cut along the side of the bracket. The piece I cut off then went on the other end of the bracket.
View attachment 42118


Then I took the tape with the wool and put it on top of the bracket.
This will provide a nice soft cusion for the top to rest on.


I took a drill and open the holes on both ends of the bracket again.

I took two of the very small rubber bungees from Home Depot and attached one side to the bracket. I bent the hook on one side so it can't come off. This way you don't have to play around with the hooks on both ends when trying to tie down the top.


Now just find your favorite spot in the trunk, stick the brackets to the carpet and you're done...



I haven't tried it yet, but I think I will move the brackets to the engine side of the trunk.
I'm a little concerned that the whole carpet including the top will go flying forwards when braking hard...:wallbang:

Steve

 

[JnC]

Or get a Bootie from Sector111 and put it in the undivided compartment.

 

[Mr.C]

I agree. The bootie is a good option for about 10 times as much.
C'mon - I'm an engineer! Comming up with own ideas it much more fun than just buying something...rotfl

 

[Opel]

In my Opel Speedster, there is just enough room to fit the rolled up top (in its bag) on a shelf behind the seats. You have to move the driver's seat all the way forward to slide it in, but once in there is it secure and takes little room, and also doesn't limit seat travel. Is this not an option in the Elise?

 

[habendanio]

I use a strap similar and in combination with plastic deviders that have velcro on the bottom. These deviders are sold at walmart. Helps to keep everything from moving around when going through the twisties.

 

[Lotus-Lover]

In my Opel Speedster, there is just enough room to fit the rolled up top (in its bag) on a shelf behind the seats. You have to move the driver's seat all the way forward to slide it in, but once in there is it secure and takes little room, and also doesn't limit seat travel. Is this not an option in the Elise?

this is an option but i dont think many people have used it yet. Ik my dad and i havent tried it. Theres a short video of how to do it in one of the stickys. "Links to Elise videos"
All you have to do is fold up the top al the way, push out the front drivers seat, unfold the soft top once so that the 2 big ends are flatter, and you should be able to slide it in behind the passenger/driver seat, unless you have someting uber big in the mesh pocket sticking out.

 

[blondie]

Gee, Steve, as an official Sector 111 driver, should you be promoting alternatives to their products? -poke- Protecting the clam and securing the soft top are two of its major selling points.

Don't let Shineil hear you talking like that.

Q