Should I buy a hard-top?
Discussion
Hardtops come up secondhand in the classifieds regularly on here and Seloc (www.seloc.org). It will cost about 100 quid to respray if the colour doesn't match. There are also a couple of 3rd party manufacturers out there.
Things to bear in mind, car is no warmer, quieter or leakproof with it on. However they do look good with them, and are arguably more secure.
I've not bothered with one, as I like to run with the roof off when the suns out in winter. (Warmcoat, gloves and hat).
Things to bear in mind, car is no warmer, quieter or leakproof with it on. However they do look good with them, and are arguably more secure.
I've not bothered with one, as I like to run with the roof off when the suns out in winter. (Warmcoat, gloves and hat).
try www.productionglassfibre.co.uk
they to replica hard tops that are cheaper. - also have removable targa panels if you want some open air driving without the hassle.
this was the design lotus were going to use with the s2 on launch
they to replica hard tops that are cheaper. - also have removable targa panels if you want some open air driving without the hassle.
this was the design lotus were going to use with the s2 on launch
No idea if Lotus hardtops are like the third-party hardtop on my VXT - but if you can get one with a flock / fleece lining then not only will the car be warmer in winter, but it will be more secure, and leak less (though I've had great success with Thompson's Water Seal for bricks, works brilliantly on Lotus and TVR soft tops).
May not apply to Elises but the hardtop - fitted tightly - on my VXT also stiffens the structure, less scuttle shake and less noise - a 450 mile drive in one day was perfectly comfortable in my VXT.
However I also had a B&C unlined carbon fibre hardtop on my old S1 Elise with the cone-filter induction, and it was simply unbearable for more than 30 miles tops without earplugs or a helmet. Resonance city.
So you need to try them out - the VXT hardtop (which I assume the S2 hardtop is similar to) is great, but light-weight-above-all carbon unlined roofs on un-air-conned S1 Elises are IMO purely track slag material - no hope of any distance enjoyable road driving.
Unless you're hardcore, of course
PS. It appears that Lotus hardtops are twice the price of VXT hardtops. I recommend the VXT hardtop since you can get one from eBay for around £500-600.... if it's double the price for the Lotus version then I'd probably be looking for an Exige....
May not apply to Elises but the hardtop - fitted tightly - on my VXT also stiffens the structure, less scuttle shake and less noise - a 450 mile drive in one day was perfectly comfortable in my VXT.
However I also had a B&C unlined carbon fibre hardtop on my old S1 Elise with the cone-filter induction, and it was simply unbearable for more than 30 miles tops without earplugs or a helmet. Resonance city.
So you need to try them out - the VXT hardtop (which I assume the S2 hardtop is similar to) is great, but light-weight-above-all carbon unlined roofs on un-air-conned S1 Elises are IMO purely track slag material - no hope of any distance enjoyable road driving.
Unless you're hardcore, of course
PS. It appears that Lotus hardtops are twice the price of VXT hardtops. I recommend the VXT hardtop since you can get one from eBay for around £500-600.... if it's double the price for the Lotus version then I'd probably be looking for an Exige....
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