[Randy Chase]

Anyone figure out anything about this? This is the area, that on the driver side has the light switches and start button. On the passenger side, it looks like a blank cover. With space so limited, this would be very useful for something. Is the cover easy to remove? Anyone try it?

 

[babak]

Is that the space that housed those very same switches for an RHD drive? And now it's just covered up so they wouldn't have to mold another piece?

 

[Stan]

I've had it off...it's retained by two phillips head screws you reach through the little cubby hole under it. Behind it is a space. I used this area so that I could route wiring to the subwoofer. From the cavity you can access a channel in the alloy that leads across the dashpboard. It should be possible to do something with the space, more storage or whatever, maybe a hinged door. It would also need to be lined with something. since there are holes leading elsewhere. Otherwise you'd wind up with stuff rolling around in the dashboard.

 

[babak]

maybe a hinged door.

Could it fit an ipod?

 

[Stan]

>>Could it fit an ipod?<<

Sure...and apparently there is some empty space behind the light switches on the driver's side. Earlier Elises used the two cavities for speakers. I've also seen pics where folks put gages, more switches and so forth in those spots.

 

[Racer X]

I smell a business opportunity for someone clever! A storage bin with a locking cover would be nice. Or maybe just a hidden latch, so it looks like sock car with nothing there.

Ok who has the resources to make it happen?

Greg

 

[steuspeed]

Randy,

It was the old speaker location.

Stewart

 

[Hollywood]

I smell a business opportunity for someone clever! A storage bin with a locking cover would be nice. Or maybe just a hidden latch, so it looks like sock car with nothing there.

Ok who has the resources to make it happen?

Greg

i was going to do this as soon as i get my car. just waiting on the car.

 

[MattG]

I smell a business opportunity for someone clever! A storage bin with a locking cover would be nice. Or maybe just a hidden latch, so it looks like sock car with nothing there.

Ok who has the resources to make it happen?

I'm designing something along those lines once I get my car.

 

[Milan]

wonder why they left the speakers there for the 111r but relocated the speakers on the fed elise...

I have the covers off yesterday and without the speakers there here must be quite abit of space.. surely enough for sungalsses, stereo etc....

 

[tidalwdave]

How would an XM radio work in that spot?

 

[steuspeed]

Visually, I liked the old arrangement with the alcantra covering and four air vents. The speaker grills with the exposed screws and curved stretched wire grilles looked more GT40. Anyone can slap Blaupunkt grilles on their dash, and the labels I saw on the Silver LA car were already curling/peeling off.

Having the speakers fire up into the glass will make it more difficult to audibly locate the speakers. The extra distance and bounce off the glass will cause the sound to be a little less biased towards the left or right depending on which seat you are in. Also, the sun is not going to be very kind to them.

Regardless, the sound system is not what this car is about. Most owners are not raving about the stereo anyway. Upgrading it will be difficult as the cavity for the speaker/s is a main weakness, and that cannot be improved without a significant weight penalty.

The jury is still out on the start button. Cool, or annoying novelty over time? Two switches to start the car sounds like twice the chance it won’t start to me. Not a good idea on an English car.

 

[huggy bear]

what's the height/width of that area? might be able to fit a custom made 6x9 base box

 

[Randy Chase]

what's the height/width of that area? might be able to fit a custom made 6x9 base box

It is not that wide.

 

[mikester]

Pretty small area but as you say, could be a nice little storage area. Or, at a minimum could the panel be fitted with a couple of buttons a la homelink, to operate a garage door opener and a gate etc?

 

[Randy Chase]

Pretty small area but as you say, could be a nice little storage area. Or, at a minimum could the panel be fitted with a couple of buttons a la homelink, to operate a garage door opener and a gate etc?

Hmm.. might be a good idea. Right now, I have to park the car, get out, open the door using my other car...or go in the house and back out the garage door... get back in the car.. drive into garage...get out.

 

[Need4Speed]

Anyone figure out anything about this? This is the area, that on the driver side has the light switches and start button. On the passenger side, it looks like a blank cover. With space so limited, this would be very useful for something. Is the cover easy to remove? Anyone try it?

I asked Nick Adams at the LAAS why not a hinged door here. Said Lotus decided it wasn't worth the cost of developing a reliable mechanism & fitment.

 

[MattG]

I opened up that area today to see how it'd work as a storage space. Unfortunately, there is very, very little room behind the panel. The aluminum extrusion spanning the dash (that also forms the storage tray on either side of the hvac controls) continues through this space. The depth available for storage is not enough to make a locking storage box worthwhile so I won't be pursuing this project after all. The small cubbyhole that Lotus placed there instead actually works great - it has a grippy liner and a lip on the open side to keep things in place.

 

[Randy Chase]

I have an idea for that area. Stay tuned!

 

[ChrisH]

It is a good place for a fold out cupholder.