Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Technical Articles and DIY tools and tips => Topic started by: Ernesto on Monday,January 11, 2021, 10:41:23 PM
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Hello,
As a new member of this forum, I presented my ex-Europe S1 in the new-comers section. I have now sold this fine example, but I tought it might be useful to present a special feature that I only saw on my car.
Behind the driver's seat, a device was fitted, enabling a 3-position adjustment of the seat back. I have not been able to determine whether this was an "after-market", private modification, or a special bespoke feature requested by a client.
The mechanism is simple, effective and of professional quality. To me, this device looks like a factory design, and could have been considered for implementation on the S1 as a standard feature, or as an option, but possibly rejected for cost reasons in the end. It still is a mystery for me. Maybe someone has seen this on another S1 ?
(https://nsa40.casimages.com/img/2020/12/31/mini_201231110234358572.jpg) (https://www.casimages.com/i/201231110234358572.jpg.html)
The system is quite smart (please excuse my clumsy wording, english not being my mother tongue) : a simple steel wire formed as a loop can be pulled to move a bracket back and forth (thanks to a spring) and therefore engaged into one of three holes. Depending on which hole is selected, the seat back is blocked more or less upright, enabling shorter people like me to drive more comfortably, with upper body closer to the steering wheel.
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Nice setup but I somehow doubt that Lotus would spend the extra money to make the seats adjustable. Whoever designed the mechanism did a good job though. I'm 5'4" and have a difficult time reaching the pedals with the stock seats. It may be easier to make pedal extensions instead. Supposedly the pedals are suppose to be adjustable. I asked another S1 owner about it and he just laughed.
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I am not much taller.....5'7" .... my seat wouldn't slide and the pedals rusted apart on my TCS...curious to how it works out when I get it back together....was thinking of moving the pedals closer....I don't care if other people can't drive it ;)
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I thought I would be the only one that was too short for an S1! I have extended the mounting plate for the pedals and added extra captive nuts to move the pedals more towards the driver if necessary, but I seem to just fit with the pedals at the most rearward original position.
Serge
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I thought on an S1 (maybe just S1A?) that the seat doesn't normally move and the pedal assembly has to be unbolted and moved for "driver size" adjustment.
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I thought I would be the only one that was too short for an S1! I have extended the mounting plate for the pedals and added extra captive nuts to move the pedals more towards the driver if necessary, but I seem to just fit with the pedals at the most rearward original position.
Serge
You can't be the only one, I'm 5'2"! I've never sat in one with pedals so I don't know yet... I do know that my back is wider than the seat cushion.