Lotus 2004 Eleven Service Notes page 59

Lotus Service Notes
BR.1 - REMOVABLE ROOF
The Lotus Elise has been designed to exploit the pleasures of open top motoring, the better to enjoy
exposure to the natural environment, unencumbered by the restrictions and confinement bestowed by a cock-
pit roof. In order to provide some weather protection to the occupants and vehicle interior, and allow the
continued enjoyment of the car in unfavourable weather conditions, a simple hard or soft top roof may be fitted.
Due to the constantly changing dynamic and wind pressure loadings to which the roof structure is subject
when driving, and the tolerances required to allow for repeated removal and refitting of the roof, complete
weather sealing of the roof cannot be guaranteed, such that some wind noise and minor water leaks are
considered normal for this model. The Elise or Exige should not be subjected to an automatic car wash. Such
machines can induce water leaks caused by high pressure water jets which are not representative of conditions
encountered during normal use. The brushes used may also damage the fabric of the soft top roof.
Exige Hardtop Roof:
The Lotus Exige has been conceived and configured as a sports coupé with a removable roof. The
aerodynamic performance of the bodyshell including the front spoiler, rear aerofoil, roof panel and tailgate
have been tuned to provide the optimum handling balance with the roof scoop on supercharged cars providing
the cooling airflow for the chargecooler.
The roof panel may be removed for better access to the interior for servicing, and the car may be driven
without the roof fitted, but wind buffeting and increased noise levels will be experienced together with a slight
decrease in maximum power on supercharged cars.
Soft Top Roof
A hollow composite roof siderail is used on each side of the car to bridge each top corner of the wind-
screen frame to the roll over bar, and provide a mounting for a weatherstip seal, against which the top edge of
the door glass abuts. The soft top roof canopy is fixed to each siderail, which uses a spigot pin at the front and
rear to engage with a slot in a latch plate on the header rail and roll over bar. A second, spring loaded spigot pin
at each end of the siderails, is arranged to slide into a ramped hole on the latch plates and secure and tension
the soft top via steel cables running through the front and rear of the roof canopy.
Soft Top - Fitting
WARNING: The soft top roof should be fitted only whilst the vehicle is safely parked.
1. From its stowage bag in the rear luggage
compartment, withdraw the roof assembly
and support stays. Lower both door win-
dows, or open both doors.
2. Insert the two, identical, roof support stays,
with the arrows pointing forwards, into the
slots above the rear window, and in the wind-
screen header rail. Note that the slots are
keyed to prevent the stays being fitted the
wrong way round.
3. Lay the soft top roof across the centre of
the roof space with the arrows on the side
rails pointing forwards.
Page 2
FITTING ROOF STAYS
Section BR
Arrows
point forward
Rear end keyway
b332