Buying a 2nd Hand Roof - Anything to look out for

[schew111r]

I'm buying a second hand short style roof for a S2 Elise (Post 2003 type roof) and have a couple of questions please?

1) Anything I should check in particular when I see the roof/get the roof
2) I take it I should fit it to the car there and then to check it fits/all the fixings etc are there
3) I've been told the short style rooves are pretty much generic, so I take it there shouldn't be any probs?
4) Fair price seems to be around £700?

Cheers for the advice in advance

Steve

[sp60]

I presume your talking about a hard top roof for that price.
Yes I would definately try it out on your car first to make sure all the fittings
are there and that it is a snug fit. There are a few fittings for the hard top
so make sure they are all there:

1x Roof itself complete with 2x bolts and fittings for the rear attachment to the chassis
2x 'L' shaped fixers with bolts to hold the front edges of the roof into the windscreen
1x Long plastic section with 3x bolts that fit to the front underneath roof edge/windscreen
2x rectangular covers with 1 bolt each to mask the rear fixings.

There should also be a storage cover for the hardtop .
AFAIK all short roof hard tops are interchangeable.
I have a hard top form a 2002 model on my 2003 car and it fits fine (well, as good as you can expect from a lotus roof )

[schew111r]

Oops - yes its a hardtop from a 2005 car.
Cheers

[cuzza]

Make sure it's a good colour match too.

[buggs]

I recently bought a hard top for my car. Had been looking for one for a while. So I snapped it up, I could not really afford it. (girl friend not to happy, i a am supposed to be saving for a house)Put it on there and then, so making sure it all fitted and it had all the parts. It looks great. Well worth it.

[bing]

I'm thinking of getting one too, I've seen a few second hand ones floating about but not in the colour I need, I'm thinking about buying one (second hand) and getting a Lotus Approved Body Shop to re-spray it to match the colour of my car!!!

[sneakypete]

I have a Hard Top (short roof from a 52) that would not fit a 04 model. So watch out. The problem was the rear bracket was slightly different in design (seems Lotus altered it and didn't tell anyone).

So a word of warning.

[sp60]

Hmmm, wonder if that is why mine creaks around so much.
The rear brackets do fit into the locators, but the plastic covers won't fit on properly.
Just didn't bother with them as I thought i had just fitted it wrong

WRT to colour, I've got a cobalt blue hard top an a magnetic blue car.
You can tell the difference, but it's too slight for me to bother getting it sprayed up.
Hopefully won't have to use it too much anyway!

[sneakypete]

The difference is :

- on the 52 it was a 'hooked' opening for the hook to fit into

- on the 04 it was very similar but more of a 'slot' - so closed up more so the wider hook would not fit properly.

vague I know but the best I can do as a description for now.

[sp60]

Ah, ok, that'll be why it doesn't fit quite right then!
Oh well it's close enough!
I'll see if a magnetic blue one comes up for sale then think about switching it!

cheers for the info

[schew111r]

I've obtained the roof and it fits fine - or at least seems to. The only thing is the 2 casings to cover the rear fitments velcro on rather than have a bolt. Have I been sold a 2002 roof or did lotus do away with the bolt and stick to covers that velcro and snap on over the fitments.

Your advice would be appreciated.

Tah

Steve

[bing]

Mate where did you get it from and how much (if you don't mind me asking), also did you have to get it re-sprayed????

As you can tell I'm on the hunt for one ASAP!!!

[schew111r]

Bing, your e-mail isn't working.

try e-mailing me on mine.

Tah

Steve

[bing]

Steve i seem to be having major probs with my emails for some reason, I'll drop you mail later mate...

thanks