Design similarities

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richardw
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Posts: 2224
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2013 15:06
Model: Elite S2.2 Automatic
Colour: Essex Blue
Year: 1981
Location: Worcestershire

Design similarities

Post by richardw »

I'd like to kick off this topic - looking at similarities of design aspects of the Elite, Eclat and Excel to other vehicles - by looking at this picture of the dash from the Bentley Continental R Coupe of 1992:
Image
It is very similar to the Elite, Eclat and early Excel dash, yet almost 20 years later. Posh or what?

Cheers, Richard
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Pete Boole
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Posts: 3710
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 21:28
Model: Elite
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1974
Location: Nottingham

Re: Design similarities

Post by Pete Boole »

That's lovely isn't it? If the Elite didn't have such a mish-mash of switch-gear it would look much more elegant.

Pete

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MetBlue
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Posts: 1401
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
Colour: Metalic Blue
Year: 1974
Location: Northampton

Re: Design similarities

Post by MetBlue »

Suddenly I'm seeing my Elite dash in a whole new light.
What goes together.... Must come apart.

richardw
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Posts: 2224
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2013 15:06
Model: Elite S2.2 Automatic
Colour: Essex Blue
Year: 1981
Location: Worcestershire

Re: Design similarities

Post by richardw »

Yesterday I came across a Mini Sprite from around 1983. Look at the wheels:

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They look great on the car too:

Image

They are Exacton 5x10" jobs - just like the Elite Turbine wheels! I wonder if Oliver got a royalty?

Cheers, Richard
Image

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Lotus-e-Clan
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Model: Excel SE - EWP/Waterless!
Colour: Not Blue or Green
Year: 1989
Location: Swaledale

Re: Design similarities

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

Those early dashes are FAB. I know Oliver W was a bit miffed about not doing the interior design but I think 'The G-Man' got it right for the era.

Also love the Elite 14 inch wheels. And the deeper rear buckets seats and head rests ..and the glass partition to the boot ...and the black bumpers ..and the SS window trims ...and the twin fuel tank caps ...and the roof spoiler lip ... and the door window swoop ..and the rear quarter swoop

All future resto's would do well to respect the key design-cues, now they are beginning (at last) to be recognised for them.
Peter K

Pete Boole
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Posts: 3710
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 21:28
Model: Elite
Colour: Monaco White
Year: 1974
Location: Nottingham

Re: Design similarities

Post by Pete Boole »

Lotus-e-Clan wrote:
Fri Aug 07, 2020 19:03
All future resto's would do well to respect the key design-cues, now they are beginning (at last) to be recognised for them.
That's one thing I'm not even tempted to change - the appearance of the car, inside and out. Although I'm "fixing" some of the features of the car it will still look like it did when it left the showroom.

Pete

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AndyD
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Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2020 21:10
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Calypso Red
Year: 1986
Location: Sunny Kent

Re: Design similarities

Post by AndyD »

Peter, you are so right :D

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