Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hello to all,

After looking at the Master VIN List in the Owner's Registry an old question
came to mind, how many "Just 2" Elans were made? The factory says 12,224 and
Robinshaw & Ross (among others) estimate around 9,000 to 10,000. To ask an
easier question, has anyone owned, seen, heard about an Elan with a serial
number between 26/1200 and 26/3600? If not, we are closer to the answer of the
first question.

Don Butler
45/9469

Hi Donald,

If we could answer that question, the site will be worth the work. The
general consensus is the Robinshaw number. Only time will tell.

jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Lee Butler [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 26, 1999 2:41 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [LotusElan.net] How many?


From: Donald Lee Butler <[email protected]>

Hello to all,

After looking at the Master VIN List in the Owner's Registry an old
question
came to mind, how many "Just 2" Elans were made? The factory says 12,224
and
Robinshaw & Ross (among others) estimate around 9,000 to 10,000. To ask an
easier question, has anyone owned, seen, heard about an Elan with a serial
number between 26/1200 and 26/3600? If not, we are closer to the answer of
the
first question.

Don Butler
45/9469


http://LotusElan.net

Funny you should ask about this. Hopefully no one noticed, but during the
last two weeks, LotusElan.net changed hosting companies. The main reason
for the change was to have access to newer technologies. I am in the
process of rewriting the owners section. One of the options, I have
included is the date range of ownership. This would allow a history by
serial number. Additionally, when you registered, the data would be
available immediately. (instead of waiting for me to type it in - 6 to 8
weeks later). Currently, I am building the web pages. Once these have been
developed, I then can build the database and input forms. Normal
development time 2 weeks. Volunteer time - Hopefully by 1/1/00. Work
actually wants me to show up and do stuff. Can you believe it??

Now, is the time to place your request for your preferences for the Owner's
Registry. How have you used the registry? What changes would you like to
see? Should the information be password protected? Let me know what you
think or what you would like to see with the registry.

jeff

Donald Lee Butler wrote:


Don, I used to wonder about this when I looked at the list of production changes
by year and chassis number. As you've noticed, after a reasonable production pace
of 330 for 1963, suddenly they've gone into high gear with 3,570 in just 11 months
in 1964 followed by a more reasonable 957 for 1965.

As you said, The Original Lotus Elan by Robinshaw & Ross can't believe that any
more than any of us can and, without getting into precisely why this was done,
still indicates a little creative accounting.

I've heard/seen/read that there may have been an advantage at the time, either for
racing homologation, tax reasons or something (too early for the Naderized US
regulations to have been the reason) for (Graham Arnold has been mentioned) them
to add 3,000 to the actual production figures.

Personally, I tend to believe the Robinshaw & Ross estimate of 8,676-9,153 rather
than the 12, 224 officially given but it would be nice to get the actual story or
at least bracket the gap by looking at all the known chassis numbers.

Jeff, this is where a chassis number genealogy (ownership history of each one as
complete as possible) would be interesting. What do you think?

Rod

Hi Jeff

<flower mode>
First of all a BIG THANK YOU for all the work you put into the Elan List. It
is by far the best forum on the Internet I know of concerning the "real"
Elans - high quality information, many different opinions always brought
forward in a constructive way. Your digesting the individual threads into
lotuselan.net makes it into a kind of wishing well for all interested
parties.
</flower mode>

What can be improved in an already excellent instrument like the Owner's
Registry? I found myself searching vehicle information by car type (ok), by
VIN (ok), by year (ok), by owner (ok). In fact, the only missing criterion
for search/sort might be country and/or state. Not much to be desired ...

Best regards
Peter


----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Cocking <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999 2:42 PM
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] How many? and Owner's Registry

I suspect that it is at least 1263 lower than the factory number since
my Elan S4 has a body number of 7922 and a chassis number of 9185.
Anybody else have this much difference between body and chassis? If they
are all about the same difference we could conclude that there were
around 1250 phantom Elans.

Robert D. LaMoreaux
BT Electronics LLC
459 E. cady
Northville, MI 48167
Phone:(248)-449-8284
Fax:(248)-449-2577
Email:[email protected]
Alternate Email:[email protected]

In a message dated 11/29/1999 6:13:47 AM Pacific Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< Now, is the time to place your request for your preferences for the Owner's
Registry. How have you used the registry? What changes would you like to
see? Should the information be password protected? Let me know what you
think or what you would like to see with the registry.

numbers desirable but optional. Original paint color could be included.
I have fairly good records of when each series of chassis numbers was
produced but I find some numbers incorrect. Personally, my Elan Coupe is
chassis # 36/5572. In 1993, Mr. Michael J. Pomfret, Lotus Cars Ltd in Hethel
informed me this was a type 26 as type 36 were not produced until 5811.
However when pointing out that stamped into my chassis is "36/5572," Michael
Pomfret sent me photo copies of factory records (hand written) during the
production of my coupe produced 28 March 66 yet he claims the first type 36
wasn't produced until May 1966. He admits "that type 26 S2's and 36 S3's
were built simultaneously is apparent." This may account for the confusion
in total counts. Will we ever know??
My coupe' was imported into Seattle, Wash in 1966. This coupe', and 2 -
S2's - 26/3882 and 26/5611, have been known by me since 1974. For a while I
hoped I might have the lowest coupe' chassis number (other than the pilot
vehicle - 4510 - built to test capability). No luck, I have found there are
several coupe' chassis numbers lower than mine in the bay area Golden Gate
Lotus Club. I have been told that my Elan Coupe' is one of the first 100
produced.
Jeff - Thanks for your Owner's Registry undertaking.
Cheers,
Bill Root, Walnut Creek, California
[email protected]

I have a copy of the _Lotus Elan Service Parts List_ which was
published by Lotus Cars LTD in 1976. On page 5 there is a list of
the chassis numbers tabulated by model number and date. The
last chassis number listed, 7895, is for March of 1968. No
production numbers are listed for the S4 Sprint, which started in
January of 1971.

--
Michael Robertson
Oceanside CA USA
64 Elan 1600

Bill - where did you find the number stamped into your chassis?
Who did you contact, and How long ago did you get copy of factory
records? Wonder if I can get for mine.
All I ever found on chassis is a big 3.7 in yellow paint on the rear
cross member. All my info is engraved with a vibrating marker on a small
aluminum plate with the lotus logo, sheet metal screwed to the left side
fire wall. My chassis No is 45/6078, unit #6078 M-27 Red. Engine LP
6561. I have had head off - never found head number, but on front of
head in black majic marker is 6078. Where did you find Head and engine
numbers?
Mine was sold to me new from dealer as a 1967, believe built in fall of
1966. I remember reading something in a car mag about Lotus holding
numbers in reserve - I thought because a certain number had to be
manufactured to be classified as a production vehicle. Also something
about they could never build/sell # held in reserve.

I think a lot of the cars were hastily put together with whatever was
around.

The original headlight relay on mine was a Lucas horn relay (they are
designed for short, intermittent duty) It started smoking about 15 min
after lights were turned on, burned out shortly thereafter. Body has
drillings for right hand drive that were filled in with gray epoxy. Have
seen other Elans produced around same time - different radiators,
Transmissions, rear axles, generators, starters, batteries (mine was a
small lawn tractor battery), heaters, even dashboards - mine is of very
high quality, veneered and sanded smooth on both sides, varnished on
front only. no cracks or delaminating after 30+ years, yet another car
made within months of mine had another type of material for the dash that
severely deteriorated within 5 years.
My power window motors are adapted windshield wiper motors that still had
the park switches on them.

on

On Mon, 29 Nov 1999 18:19:31 EST [email protected] writes:

This is all very interesting, but confusing. I at first thought I had an
S2, but then found out that all FHCs are S3s?? Its data plate shows 36/5522
and Unit # 5522. I have never found a number on the chassis itself, where
would I find it? I believe that mine was built in 1966. It was a LHD
"dealer demo" purchased from a dealer (whose name is long forgotten) in
England who peddled Loti to American GIs stationed there. I bought it in
~August of 68, and drove it to Rhein/Main AF Base, near Frankfurt, Germany,
I was there until July of '72 when I took it back to the US with me.
Anyway, I digress. Does your data tell when 36/5522 was built?
Thanks!
Jeff -- I really appreciate and value the work you have put into this
list. It has provided the "kick in the butt" needed for me to get this
incomparable machine back on all fours again.
Stan
36/5522

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected]
<[email protected]>
Date: Monday, November 29, 1999 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] How many? and Owner's Registry

Brian -anything in your records on 45/6078? George

On Tue, 30 Nov 1999 18:18:12 -0800 "Brian Walton" <[email protected]>
writes:

Thanks! I appreciate it!
Stan
36/5522

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Walton <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, November 29, 1999 11:29 PM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] How many? and Owner's Registry

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Walton <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, November 30, 1999 3:59 AM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] How many? and Owner's Registry




Mike B

On Mon, 29 Nov 1999, Stan Aarhus wrote:


I had 26/5538 which was a series 2 drop head; it had a wide triumph
radiator of the type fitted to series 3 cars at the time and was first
registered in April '66, UK reg. OUR 899D; I met someone at a Club Lotus
meeting many years ago who claimed my car had once been a factory car
loaned to Ronnie Petersen - seemed an unlikley tale, can anyone shed any
light? One clue is when I dismantled the engine (all numbers tallied) it
had a linered block and virtually every component appeared to have been
polished - eg. big end caps had all the square edges ground off. The car
was stolen and burnt out in '82 but I still have the engine and box to
this day.

Nigel Furness

Brian Walton wrote:


Now that would be a great addition to the site! I hope it happens.

Rod