Which Elan is this?

[franciscolalas]

Hi,

I'm about to buy an Elan, the seller says it is a S3 but the chassis number is completely different from what I know to be a correct chassis nr!

The chassis number is TW12345 (note that the numbers are not correct for confidentiality purposes). How can I decode this chassis number to know which elan is and the date of manufacture?

Best Regards

Francisco

[garyeanderson]

Hi Francisco
You have supplied us with no useful information to work from. Please post photos or get and give some correct info that you have.

Gary

[franciscolalas]

From what I could notice, the rear lights and seats are not standard and it has the 26R rear fenders. From the dash-top I think it is a S3. It has electric windows.

[franciscolalas]

more pics

[garyeanderson]

Probably the only thing that can be said for sure are that the doors are from a S3. The shell maybe the same but its difficult to tell with the non-standard tail lamps, arches, dashboard. The bonnet pulls on the dashboard would seem to say its an S3 also. The 45/xxxx would help a lot, unless its a converted coupe 36/xxxx

Gary

[franciscolalas]

Thanks a lot Gary.

The Chassis nr is not usual, it's TW*****. Do you know if the cars that came in Kit have the same kind of numbers (36/****) ?

Do you have a picture of the standard S3 dashboard?

Regards

Francsico

[billwill]

It may be (probably is) a replacement chassis.

Lotus replacement numbers begin LR I think.

The original light clusters are probably impossible to get now. So the last renovators substituted cluster with the same functions.

It looks a tidy car, but has had various mods over the years. The dash has 3 more instruments and it looks like it might have S4 window switches compared to the original state of my 1967 S3. The Carb air intake box does not look like an original either.

But remember Lotus had a habit of using whatever they had on hand or available, to build their cars, so there are lots of minor variations even within the same Series Number.


==============
NOTE: I had enormous problems with the registration authorities (now DVLA) when I replaced my chassis in 1978. I declared the new number to them and this triggered all sorts of requests for inspection, need for a new Q-reg number & all sorts of other rubbish. The inspector for my area was on leave & they would not let me drive it unlicenced. I had to take it on a trailer to Greenwich High Street, for them to inspect it!!! They declared the chassis is a subframe, and I went on to get the tax disc etc.

The whole problem re-emerged last year when the automated MOT records came in as the DVLA had not re-instated the original body/chassis number, and I had to write a long letter to DVLA explaining all this.

In a nutshell DO NOT DECLARE a chassis change number to DVLA: it is (now) officially a sub-frame and the IDENTITY of the vehicle is carried by the identity plate on the body (in the engine compartment near the fuses).

[robcall]

Looks to be S3 discussed on the "sprints on ebay" thread.

[garyeanderson]

http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/viewtop ... 41&start=0

see the 9th posting...

[elanfan1]

This is the car that is advertised on ebay and is in the Bournemouth area in a dealership.

I know nothing about it directly but it looks to have been seriously messed with - the rear axle width is much wider than standard. It is a "V" reg so registered 1980ish but purports to be from around 1970 ish if my memory is correct. Seats look federal but these to have been messed with. The words pole and barge come to mind for some reason.

Before you buy or make an offer for this car please get someone local who knows these cars to take a look as you could get seriously burned. For my twopenneth there are nicer cars about for the money that won't need a lot spent on them to make em right.

Buyer beware.

[type36lotus]

The boot lid looks definitely S3 to me. The "T" shape boot release is the same as I had on my S3.

[billwill]

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... arno/32821
They have a theory that it was used as a competion car not a road car between 1973 & 1980.


http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/findac ... nty=Dorset
Click the 1973 car

[elans3]

This car was for sale near Bradford a couple of years ago. I was tempted to view it as its only an hour away from me, but was put off by the 26R arches at the rear only, and the V reg. I spoke to the guy, and from memory he had it a longish time but knew little about it, (something else that put me off viewing it) It needs to be a good deal cheaper in my view.
elans3

[1964 S1]

Geez you guys, if you look closely at the tailights, headrests, center console and gauge placement it's easy to tell it's an S 2 and 1/2.
The air box and modified wheel arches may not be factory original but they certainly don't detract from the value of this extremely rare inbetween series example.

[Vanden Perre]

Hello Francisco,
Here is a picture of the dashbord of a S3.
Olivier.