Elan S3 DHC - fitting trim and attaching soft-top roof

Elan Discussions
1

In restoring my 1967 Elan S3, I am struggling to figure out the logistics for attaching a few bits of internal trim and the soft-top roof, as it wasn’t on the car when I purchased it and there’s little help in the workshop manual (i.e. I didn’t take it off so am not sure how it attaches back on…)

Does anyone have any photos or guidance for:

(1) whether the edges of the trim pieces which contain the heater side vents (i.e. those pieces which sit next to the crash pad and extend up the windscreen frame) are fitted UNDER the windcsreen and door rubber seals to fix them in place or whether they just sit on top of these seals and are attacxhed to the windcsreen frame in another way?

(2) how / where to attach chrome trim piece along top of windscreen frame - does it go in front or on top of the slightly raised section of the frame and are rivets the way to go?

Thanks.
Eliot

2

Hi Eliot,
Welcome to the world of Elan .

         The trim for the screen side pillars fits under the windscreen rubber and should also be covered by the door seal trim which is a continuous piece which runs along the top of the screen and down round the doors and stops just level with the hood tray. The end should have a little chrome trim to cover. 

       If the screen rubber is in place they are a bitch to fit. Better to remove the screen and rubber then glue the trim (s) to the screen pillars then refit the rubber on top. Quicker and neater that way.

        'Chrome trim piece' This is usually an aluminium strip. Anodized

silver. It is held in place with rivets. Is this the part you mean? The hood front lip slides under this. It sits on top of the raised section. When in place should give a gap for the hood lip of around 3 - 4 mm.

Hope this helps.

Alex B… :sunglasses:

3

Just a thought… The little bit of trim/leathercloth covering the top of the screen frame which wraps around the half round foam rubber to give the finish detail should also be glued in b4 fitting the screen rubber etc.
Does your car have sun visors? If so they need to go in b4 fitting the ally /chrome strip along the top.

Brian Bucklands ‘bible’ covers this in detail by the way…

Alex B… :sunglasses: