After almost 10 years of ownership, I’ve decided to to the job I planned to do way back then . . . I have used search facility using the above phrase but not found the info required.
I’ve previously been advised the best way is to use a hair dryer around the rim of the lens. But should I just apply to one area and prise the lens off or keep going round the rim until it’s well warned and the lever off?
Much obliged . . .
Speak to SteveE, he’s the expert. Are you replacing or just cleaning? I replaced mine but I think the old ones came off without cracking. You’re welcome to mine if you do have an accident removing…
I am glad you put " of the lens" after the word rim Steve 
Thank you, Mr Fissure.
Thanks, Ben for the offer of replacement lenses. In fact, mine are in remarkably good condition, it’s just that I want to clear out the dirty dried up residue that’s settled.on the surface below the headlights.
I’ll await a few more responses before I PM SteveE but might nip to B&Q for Homestyle bathroom sticky tape which I discovered was the approved solution for replacement when I did my search earlier.
Cheers,
chaps!
Thanks Ben, Dont know about expert!! more likely daft enough to attack one with a screwdriver and see what happens.
Ok so, in my opinion. If the covers and edging tape are in good condition and you are not/don’t want to replace them and just want to clean inside, then leave them well alone and remove the headlamp bowl from inside the arch liner and then carefully clean inside from the inside the wheel arch and then put the lamp back. minimal risk 
If you are replacing the covers then very carefully take an old worn out flat blade screw driver, the sort you have had for years and used for many things like opening paint tins and scraping the weeds out form between the block paving etc so its nice and rounded off and smooth. Wrap a small piece of cloth around the screwdriver near the blade end to leave just a small bit poking out this will help to protect the paint on the clam as its close. Insert the tip of the blade under the edge of the cover and lift gently do not “lever” it up or you will damage the bodywork. Move and repeat all the way round as best as you can to begin to lift the cover off. If you are very lucky they will come off without cracking then you just need to clean them up and refit. Really recommend using the proper fitting strip from Elise parts, I have gone down the route or using tiger seal, silicone sealer, rubber strip and screws and they all leak and look a mess. So just get the proper stuff to do the job. I would suggest though if you are going to be taking them off be prepared to replace them as they usually break and once you have them off you will see how badly stone chipped and cloudy they are and want new ones any way. Also remember the key thing is to not damage the paint and bodywork, unless you are repainting the car you will not want to damage it, the covers are a lot cheaper to replace than repairing a cracked clam.
Disclaimer, don’t shout at me if they don’t come off without cracking they really are a bugger to get off and this has come from removing many many sets
Hope this helps Cheers Steve.
Many thanks, Steve, for taking to time to give such a detailed and amusing reply!
Given my track record as a handyman, the prising off of what appear to be undamaged and almost perfect covers, is not worth the effort or the risk.
I think I will entrust the work you suggest (rear entry . . .ooooh, er, missus) to my youngest who is good on the tools. He can do it after he’s replaced the currently detached Edwards’ front splitter!
No worries mate. Hope you get them sorted OK.
Cheers Steve.
Lol I bust the drivers side when doing mine. Was planning on buying a set from EP.
Heat it up with a hairdryer, find some fishing line and do a sawing motion between the lens and double sided tape…it worked for me
That’s a sound idea
I thought that you used trackdays to remove yours Graeme?
I did Simon but it was getting expensive because I couldn’t always find them 
Just came across an old photo and thought it would illustrate exactly what’s what on the rear entry method.
This is with the nearside wheel liner removed:
Never having taken it out - which combination of screws and wingnuts need undoing?
Just the three of the wingnuts need to be removed and the whole lamp unit and bracket can be taken away from the clam. Just make a note of the position of the spacers and springs, and take a few measurements from the lamp holder to the clam to be able to put it back in a the same position to get the beam alignment correct.
Cheers Steve.
Thanks.
I wasn’t sure from the photo whether that top screw went through the clam or not - clearly if it did, it would make taking the light out from the back a near impossible task!
Given they are plastic wingnuts so no recalcitrant nuts to deal with, it should be a relatively easy job once the wheel liner is off.
Thanks, Steve, and. . . Steve