Elan S2 replacement engine number

[Tomcat]

Hi!

I am looking at a Lotus Elan S2 with VIN 26/3926 wich should have engine LP2139 but had it replaced by engine LP773.

The auction form says this engine LP773 is an replacement engine from Lotus.

Is that correct or is it taken from another car?

Greatful to recive some help!

[nmauduit]

I'm no expert but from data I have gathered I would think that if genuine a LP77x engine would be off a Nov 1963 S1 car.

[Tomcat]

Ok. But what do You mean with genuine? Is there engines with ”fake” numbers?

[nmauduit]

as I said, I'm no expert...

If important to you you may fin out a lot of clues to identify a part or engine by searching the forum (or getting informed opinions from those in the know), e.g.
https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=21262 regarding engine identification.

I'm sure everything can be found, though faking a 1963 engine to fit into a later car is not the most obvious to me - fwiw Lotus Cortina mk1 were a source of replacement engine for a while, before they became as valuable as elans I suppose... In any case, when some parts are undoubtedly not original (as here) I'm mostly concerned with actual condition rather than an elusive provenance.

[trw99]

It was not unknown in the first two or three years of Elan production for engines to be replaced by the factory under warranty, or indeed bodies. That may have been the case with 26/3926. Having said that, it surprises me that they would have replaced a late 1964 car with the engine from a production run as long ago as one year beforehand.

Fredrik, your best bet is to ask the auction house for their proof about the engine change. I rather doubt the factory have any records on engine or body changes under warranty.

Tim

[nmauduit]

Fredrik, your best bet is to ask the auction house for their proof about the engine change.

This sparked me to do a quick search on "lotus elan 26/3926", first hit was

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/26117/lot/232/1964-lotus-elan-26r-hardtop-coupe-to-fia-specification-chassis-no-263926/

which tells that not only chassis but body were changed in 2017... the percentage of original parts in this car is likely very low (then asking an auction house about proof of originality will probably lead to no answer, for mere ignorance or at best playing the ambiguity - e.g. dropping "26R" here and there with about non 26R VIN car).

[trw99]

Fredrik and I have been exchanging messages about the car he is interested in all morning.

I had already informed him about the GTS sold at Bonhams auction in October 2020.

It seems clear to me that the Elan he is looking at is the genuine 3926 and the racing Elan is the spurious car. The one Fredrik likes has the all important certificate from Andy Graham. I shall now contact Andy to inform him about the spurious car. He may choose to let the FIA know about it too.

Sometimes we do come across duplicate Unit Nos on different Elans, but not too often, fortunately. As values go up, so nefarious individuals become tempted to dabble in misrepresentation. And before anyone writes to say that Lotus were always selling cars under the radar back in the day, there is very little evidence that I have come across to support this. If it happened, it was most likely just one or two cars. If you know better, please show the evidence!

There are a handful of early Elans with duplicate Engine Nos in the extant records and clearly we know about those.

Which leaves the vast majority of us happy and able to enjoy our cars as Lotus intended. Long may that be so.

Tim

[Tomcat]

I am very gratful to recieve Your experienced advices. Important issues for me, and very complicated to manage for a newbie