Coco ChanElf - almost 'finished' :)

Coco is a vision of loveliness!

You must be very pleased!

Graham

Coco_ChanElf wrote:David, I managed to get hold of a copy and to see Bernard's Elf pictured. It's nice. Quite a few modifications to the interior - it'll be interesting to see in the flesh. I dropped a message via their website to the magazine asking them to pass Bernard my phone number, if he gets in touch perhaps we could have a little meetup? If I can get in touch with Taz in Leixlip we could have 4 together. Could be fun!!
Ali

Hi Ali
What constitutes a Chapter of Elfs ?
Could we four get the permission of the Administrator to declare ourselves to be " The Irish Chapter of the Elf / Hornet Register " ?
Just wondering out loud !
David2010.

David, I'd be delighted to have an EHR Eire Chapter (sounds like a Hells Angels gang!). I don't know from whom we would need permission. It might be handy, though!

I tried to contact Taz by the way, no reply. Not sure if he's still active on the site?

Ali

Graham, thanks for your kind words, high praise indeed since your Elf's interior is so gorgeous! I am thrilled with it all, it's such a pleasure to go out in her now, as opposed to before when the smell was so bad inside by the time you got to the first corner you'd want to hang your head out the window like a dog!

Hey David, have you seen the new Ireland Members Forum?

Please post something in there about your car, I'm awful lonely in there at the moment!
Thanks Tony for all your help setting it up!!

Welcome to administration and well done on your first post !

Tony

Thanks!

I can't get over how gorgeous Coco is. Would it bother you if she had an evil twin sister in California? I'm really liking the black/red combo.

Where did you get the headliner btw?

Hi bobafet1.
Coco is actually a very dark brown, faun brown I think it's called, but it does look black in certain lights. I have seen a Hornet in genuine black, and it was gorgeous too, but looked a bit like an old police car, so the dark brown is good I think.
I'd be flattered if you copied it! Make sure you post pics!
I got my headlining second hand but believe it was originally purchased from Newton Commercial.
http://www.newtoncomm.co.uk/cars/classic-mini/model-26/roof-accessories/410-products-410/
good luck!
Ali

She's really coming along nicely, especially that interior - oh so lovely in red.

Thanks Jared, I took ages trying to get the shade of carpet and leather just right and I'm really pleased with it. Cardinal Red is no longer available but from what I can tell this is a good stab at it.
I am delighted with it, anyway!

Coco_ChanElf wrote:I finally managed to score a MK III Steering Wheel Centre on eBay, but not before buying a MK I / II in error first.

I thought it might be useful to others to post a photo of them side by side, in case anyone else wonders what the difference is.

Anyway, can't wait to pop it in and finish off the lovely new steering wheel. Might be a while til I can do that though!



The smaller of the two, is the MK I / II horn push type. The larger one is the MK III non-push type.



Edit - to add the 'wrong' one is now already promised to an EHR member.

First of all. Congrats about the car. Very nice! I think my car is originally also this brown colour I still don't know for painting it red or his original brown.

But question. I'm looking for the bigger non push centre. Anybody?

That car's looking really nice. I love red interiors, they are so striking. Did they have the two tone wood finish on the dash, or is that your own touch?

Elf dashboards usually had walnut veneer like that with the tree trunk long grain running across the dash and then the burr (from the root of the tree) on the glove box doors. Before I had it reveneered it followed the same pattern but was sort of honey coloured (but very water marked and faded in places). Once reveneered the difference between the grains was accentuated because the walnut they had to hand was leftover from a Bentley which I believe has that browner tone. I was a bit dubious when I first saw them but they really grew on me and they suit Coco so well.

I might be mistaken, but I don't think the original dashboards were walnut. Mine certainly wasn't. I'm fairly certain it was made of Elm wood. Perhaps there was more than one option on type of wood, or it was according to the car's age.

I wouldn't be surprised because a lot of the ones I've seen looked a lot more pale with less patterning than mine had. Chapman and Cliff told me mine was the original dash, when they examined it, it had stamps on the back.
The veneer is has now is in a different league of course. Sadly I don't seem to have any good 'before' pics. But it was definitely lighter, thinner wood in a different shade altogether.

I got another reply from another of Coco's previous owners!
See all here:
https://elf-hornet.forumotion.com/t1669-tracing-the-history-of-coco

Hi, do you know the name of the colors on your Elf? Perhaps with codes etc. for the painter. My car has originally the same colors and i'm thinking to paint it that way. thanks. Dirk

Hi Dirk,
Sorry I didn't see this before and reply! For posterity, if it's too late for you, I think the colours are Fawn Brown and Old English White.