Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I suspect the original engine number has been ground off and a new one stamped in it's place on that block. Normally the engine number was stamped in that location onto a virgin "as cast" surface rather than onto a machined or ground surface as yours appears to be. Perhaps the original block number was ground off and a new one stamped in it's place during the reconditioning process. I believe Ford ground part of the LHS lower casting number off in order to differentiate and easily identify the Lotus blocks bored to 82.5mm from regular Cortina blocks bored to 81mm on the production line. It would have made more sense for Ford and not Lotus to have bored the blocks to 82.5mm.

Thanks for all your input
I checked the head yesterday and it is a big valve head with 2 grooves. I also took a picture of the camshaft number.
The head also has the Z/N stamp which is interesting with 9622 head number (no LP Stamp in head)
Thanks
Chris

Chris-72sprint wrote:Thanks for all your input
I checked the head yesterday and it is a big valve head with 2 grooves. I also took a picture of the camshaft number.
The head also has the Z/N stamp which is interesting with 9622 head number (no LP Stamp in head)
Thanks
Chris

The N / Z stamping and double groove cams suggests its a later big valve head. The later heads would have had a stamping on the rear normally of the format AANN In your case maybe the head stamping is possibly a badly stamped DG22 or similar ? The earlier pre 67 heads normally had the engine number i.e. LPNNNN on the rear. The change appears to have happened around late 67 early 68 when Lotus brought the engine build in house with the move to Hethel

But then again the only thing certain with any Lotus head ID numbers is that they will be inconsistent so anything is possible. Some heads have no stampings, some have an LPNNNN number on the underside face some have dates stamped on them but most do not

cheers
Rohan