Chassis identification

[paddy]

I'm trying to work determine the provenance of the chassis on my Elan S1.

It's an early Bourne-bodied car. The identification plate gives a Unit number of 3071 and a chassis number of 26/0087.

I was told when I bought the car that the chassis is not original, and had been replaced by a previous owner, possibly in the 70s. The oldest log book I have access to, from 1984, shows a chassis number of 9086 (as does the current log book). The chassis appears to be a standard Lotus chassis, not galvanised.

If the chassis really is a Lotus replacement, I would have expected it to have an "LR" number, stamped just forward of the nearside engine mount (as per the photo in Robinshaw and Ross, p43). My chassis has no sign of any marking there.

I do have an aluminium plate with the number 9086 stamped on it, attached to the bulkhead, next to the Bourne plate. I was told that this was the identification plate, once attached to the chassis, but was relocated to the bulkhead at the time the car was restored.

So, my questions are:

1) On an original chassis would there have been a separate marking on the chassis (in addition to the main vehicle identification plate) and, if so, where?

2) What might chassis 9086 be? Would this have been a normal production chassis before production of the "LR" series started?

3) Would my aluminium plate be genuine, and where would it have been originally?

Paddy

[cabc26b]

Paddy,

On the S1's I have owned past and present ...

Chassis numbers
The unit number is replicated on by the RH engine mount = 26/XXXX
A second 4 digit sequence number is located on the bottom flange directly below the original number ( it looks to be a sequential number and does not match the number - may be off by 50 or so) can be seen by looking in the right hand fender well if the body on.

Borne tag ids for the body number. replaced by a molded in dymo -

lotus ID plate is on the LH side pedal box fixed with 4 screws - will have etched info, not stamped . will have engine nuber on it.

The archivist at lotus may be able to fill in the blanks or you using you body number.

A photo of the plate you have would aid in responding to you inquiry

hope this helps

George

[twincamman]

I have seen stamped number plates on race Lotus cars ---[ff--7 s and -sedans-]---ed

[ElliottN]

I am not familiar with early Elans but on my S4 the chassis number is on the inlet side rail just under where the steering column crosses the rail (RHD). It was not apparent to my eyes until I (lightly) rubbed back the area with fine wet and dry emery paper.

[rgh0]

I purchased a Lotus replacement chassis for my Elan around 1980. It came as bare metal with no numbers or identification on it. It does not surprise me that you chassis has no number

cheers
Rohan

[billwill]

It's possibly because of all the hassle that the DVLC would cause if you were foolish enough (as I was) to tell the DVLC that you had a new chassis with number xxxxx.

DVLC wanted to reclassify the vehicle & give it a Q registration. It took ages to sort that out, eventually I had to take my Elan on a trailer (as it was not registered & not legal to drive) to the office at Greenwich, where the inspectors looked it over, said things like nice car and finally pronounced that the chassis was not the essential essence of the car, but merely a subframe & that the identity was inherent in the body & its ID plate.


Then instead of taking mine (and earlier similar cases) as the definitive case DVLC had a tendency to do the same thing over & over again with every Elan that had a chassis change. I learned too late that Club Lotus recommended that you do NOT inform DVLC of an elan chassis change.

My case was around 1978 so perhaps by 1980 Ltus had decided not to put numbers on replacement chassis, so that owners would not be tempted to inform DVLC.

[twincamman]

my chassis had a number stamped in front of the shifter area ---26r6106 0701 -[or some such number ]---- and I FOUND that is the ford part number for the chassis ----I wonder how many elans are registered under that number ???----I never did find a chassis number for mine - all the information was marked on the rear fire wall --- ED

[mazlot]

Here is a photograph of the bulkhead of my car, early 200's chassis number, as original as you can get, apart from the horrid paint colour



Chassis number is near the exhaust side engine mount, stamped into chassis. No aluminium plate at all.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

[twincamman]

Jeff --HORRID COLOUR????????ed

[paddy]

Thanks for all the replies.

To summarise, it is possible for my (assumed Lotus replacement) chassis to have a number near the RH engine mount, or near the LH engine mount, or neither. I have a clear view of the LHS and am pretty sure there's nothing there. I don't think there's anything on the RHS but without removing carbs and possibly other parts I can't be completely sure.

It doesn't sound like the stamped plate is original in any sense, and there's no evident connection between the new chassis number in the log book and anything else at all

A question for Bill: was the number for your replacement an "LR" number or just digits?

Thanks again.

Paddy

[twincamman]

well Paddy ---welcome to the mysteries of C. Chapman's lotus car numbering systems and accounting manuals --- -ed

[robcall]

Original-right side
replacement-left side-or not at all!

[alan71]

My Lotus replacement chassis has the LR number on the top of the vacuum reservoir near the crank pulley.

Alan

[billwill]

Thanks for all the replies.

To summarise, it is possible for my (assumed Lotus replacement) chassis to have a number near the RH engine mount, or near the LH engine mount, or neither. I have a clear view of the LHS and am pretty sure there's nothing there. I don't think there's anything on the RHS but without removing carbs and possibly other parts I can't be completely sure.

It doesn't sound like the stamped plate is original in any sense, and there's no evident connection between the new chassis number in the log book and anything else at all

A question for Bill: was the number for your replacement an "LR" number or just digits?

Thanks again.

Paddy

Without going under the bonnet & layers of Hammerite, I'm pretty sure it was LR nnnn

[paddy]

Thanks all again for the replies.

My Lotus replacement chassis has the LR number on the top of the vacuum reservoir near the crank pulley.

Alan

No sign of anything there either

I'm quite prepared to believe that there wasn't any number, I'm just curious where the number in the log book came from. I guess it will remain a mystery.

Paddy