DVLA and Replacement Chassis

[types26/36]

On a baby Elan,Tony

Whats a baby Elan??? .......have I stumbled into a "new mothers forum" by mistake?
Maybe Jeff should incorporate a category where the mothers can share their experiences

[tonycharente]

On a baby Elan,Tony

Whats a baby Elan???

It's a bit like putting "The Royal County of Berkshire" as your location... Are there any others then?

[types26/36]

It's a bit like putting "The Royal County of Berkshire" as your location.

Not really ....at least Berkshire has a REASON to be called "Royal"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkshire

[types26/36]

[ Are there any others then?

Oh and to answer your other question ....Yes
http://www.virtualvermont.com/towns/ber ... html#about

[Craig Elliott]

As per the previous posts, the "chassis number" on a + 2 is stamped on the metal plate that is fixed on the inner wing. This is the number that the DVLA will be interested in and the number that should be on the V5 registration doc in the UK. The number on the sub frame isn't relevant. It the same with the 2 seat Elan.

C

[tonycharente]

It's a bit like putting "The Royal County of Berkshire" as your location.

Not really ....at least Berkshire has a REASON to be called "Royal"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkshire

I actually lived in Berkshire for seventeen years before escaping back to France. I have some very fond memories. The M4 on a Monday morning or Friday evening, Slough Trading Estate, Chalvey... Oh I wish I was back...

[types26/36]

I have some very fond memories. The M4 on a Monday morning or Friday evening, Slough Trading Estate, Chalvey... Oh I wish I was back...

Ah yes.....but that only for the people who go out to work!....I'm not even from Berkshire...originally from "up north" but lived in South Africa for 30 years....I've also done a bit of escaping in my time...but we digress

[tonycharente]

:lol:

As per the previous posts, the "chassis number" on a + 2 is stamped on the metal plate that is fixed on the inner wing. This is the number that the DVLA will be interested in and the number that should be on the V5 registration doc in the UK. The number on the sub frame isn't relevant. It the same with the 2 seat Elan.

C

Hello Craig,
Yes I understand that the numbers on the sub-frame are not relevant - in the UK - and I know about Lotus's helpful letter etc., but elsewhere in the world, and in my case in France, it's the numbers on what the rest of the world still believes to be the car's chassis that count. The French version of the MOT checks both the numbers on the plate AND the numbers on the chassis / sub-frame. And under the new rules, if they can't find the correct number on BOTH, the MOT is cancelled there and then... So people here with rusted/painted original chassis, with Lotus replacement chassis or with Spider replacement chassis (or sub-frame in each case if you prefer) have no choice but to get that number stamped on such that it is readable. Or car off road...

Which (after a detour via Royal Berkshire...) brings me back to my question please:

On a sometimes-quite-wrongly-called-by-some-people-Baby-Elan-in-order-to-distinguish-it-from-the-plus-two-Elan-the-M100-Elan-and-soon-to-be-released-New-Elan, is the chassis number stamped on the left or the right (facing forward) arm of the "Y" of the chassis (i.e. exhaust side or carbs side)?

And on a Plus 2?

Thanks to all,
Tony

[Elanintheforest]

It's the exhaust side on both cars Tony, and a new chassis from Lotus is stamped in the same place as LR (Lotus Replacement).

Mark

[garyeanderson]

Must be an off side near side thing as all of the chassis I have seen or have pictures of are on the RHS as looking from the drivers seat forward. I think thats the intake side unless it's got a Pinto or duratec engine in it.

Gary

[fatboyoz]

Tony,
The photos that Gary has posted are correct. My car is the same and I replicated the number on the new Lotus replacement chassis. Just as well too. I imported my Elan from Hong Kong Many years ago, but only got it back on the road in 2010. When it came time to have it inspected by the local vehicle registration organisation, they weren't interested in the data plate on the body, they wanted to see the number on the chassis and they wanted to see the number on the engine. Mark is correct in saying there is a LR number on the L/H side. This number, if pointed out, will only alert someone that you have a replacement chassis and could cause problems. Better to ignore that number and ensure that the correct number is stamped and visible as per Gary's photos.
Colin.

quote="garyeanderson"]Must be an off side near side thing as all of the chassis I have seen or have pictures of are on the RHS as looking from the drivers seat forward. I think thats the intake side unless it's got a Pinto or duratec engine in it.

Gary[/quote]

[Elanintheforest]

Odd! Just re-checked the fleet, and out of the 9 cars, 6 have chassis numbers, and they are all on the exhaust side!

Here's one I sold last year...also on the exhaust side.

So in answer to the original question....it can be anywhere on the top flange of the chassis that can be seen under the bonnet!!

Now somebody will find one on the underside of the chassis next to the gearbox!!
Mark

[andyelan]

Hi Everyone

Regarding the issue of vehical identity (vin) plate vs stamping, I think that strictly speaking, here in the uk too, the "chassis" needs to be stamped. The problem with the identity plate, from a legal point of view, is that it's not perminantly attached to the car (self tapping screws of pop rivets don't count). This makes it all to easy to remove the plate from one car and attached to a different one so disguising it's true identity which is exactly what the law is trying to prevent.

Regards
Andy

[tonycharente]

Thanks to all for the help on the "which side of the Y" question - especially all the photos. So it's very clear then - either side!

Thanks again,
Tony

[garyeanderson]

Hi Mark

This is the great thing about this forum. Just when you think you know or understand how things were built or assembled someone come along and says "mine is not like that, heres a picture". 36/6292 is a bit of an odd one being on the engine mount flange so that could be "an after thought" The others are factory stamped. I have other photos too, just thought that 4 was enough to point out that I wasn't blowing smoke out my ass. So maybe these got stamped once there was an order and Lotus Knew that it was to be RHD or LHD and stamped them opposite the driver for some rational. The S1 up to a certain point in production, the chassis numbers didn't match the unit number so these were all probably stamped when the chassis was built or recieved. Maybe it was a domestic/export thing where the stamping was done so that it could be viewed from the "curb", I don't know but its good to learn things here and I appreciate that.

Gary