The 120 number plate.

Post by: **davidj** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:52 pm

Hi,

What is it about Lotus and the number 120 for uk number plates? I have heard about a disproportionate number of cars in the late sixties with this number. ie

LPW120E
PAH120F
NAH120F
MTO120F
NAH120J

Etc

Even my car is one, EOY120J. Surely this cannot be a coincidence? Does anyone know better?

D.

Post by: **types26/36** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:08 pm

[quote="davidj"]
LPW120E
PAH120F
NAH120F
MTO120F
NAH120J
Etc quote]

and to add to that list KAR120C (The Prisoner's Seven) which I believe was a registration Caterham used on their demonstrators.
I think it was just a attention grabber.........meaning 120mph

Post by: **Elanintheforest** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:33 pm

And LNK 120 C...the prototype S3 Coupe, recently sold into Hong Kong....

Mark

Post by: **trw99** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:41 pm

............for a huge amount of money. It was around ?40k was it not, Mark?

Tim

Post by: **Elanintheforest** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:17 pm

It wasn't too bad a price. It was sold at H&H auctions at Cheltenham Racecourse for ?22k plus bp to a dealer in Devon. It was then up for ?28k in his showroom for a year or so, and on display at the Donnington Lotus do that year (maybe 2006?). It was meant to be Medici Blue, but supposedly was painted a close approximation in a Hyundai colour....maybe why it took a while to sell? It had certainly had a lot of money spent...certainly more than the ?22k achieved at the auction.

Mark

Post by: **trw99** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:41 pm

You're right Mark. I was thinking of a very early S4/Sprint sold by JD Classics in May 2007 for ?48,500 to a Lotus collector. The previous and original owner had had it since first registration on 1st June 1971. It only had 3,200 verified miles on it. Apparently it was always kept in an heated garage and was still like new in 2007.

It had been a special order from the factory as the owner was an Avengers nut. It had a correct BV engine fitted but was in S4 French Blue livery, including the stainless side strips below the doors.

Tim

Post by: **billwill** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 1:57 pm

types26/36 wrote:
davidj wrote:LPW120E
PAH120F
NAH120F
MTO120F
NAH120J
Etc quote]

and to add to that list KAR120C (The Prisoner's Seven) which I believe was a registration Caterham used on their demonstrators.
I think it was just a attention grabber.........meaning 120mph

I just re-watched The Prisoner episode where he escaped and went back to see his London home & car KAR120C

Verbally he said that the engine number was 4610234TZ. Does that sound real or made up ?

Post by: **Elanintheforest** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:28 pm

Here's a rather nice press photo taken outside the sales office in Cheshunt....

Hmm, which one to try out??!!

Mark

Post by: **trw99** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:59 am

"Cars from approximately 1964 to 1970 with a Hertfordshire or Norfolk registration number ending in 120 (LNK 120C, DUR 120B, SAR 120D, NAH 120F, LPW 120E) and RPW 444G, VVF 900G, AVF 444J (Press cars) would have belonged to Lotus Cars (Sales) Ltd as executive cars, press cars etc"

From Graham Arnold's Buyers Guide. Those dates mirror his first stint at Lotus, so he was responsible for the 120 theme, I guess.

Tim

Post by: **ardee_selby** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:42 pm

The Prisoners' Elan was already covered here:

free-parking-f19/the-prisoner-t22583.html

But....was it LVF 120E or LWF 120E? (My DVD says the latter)

Cheers - Richard (pedant mode)

Post by: **Mazzini** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:56 pm

I've just looked at my copy and I'm sure it's LVF 120E. VF would make sense as it's a Norwich/Norfolk registration, it's popped up on other factory cars. WF is from Sheffield/ Yorkshire.

I still reckon it was the same Elan used in the Avengers, but on different plates - Lotus seemed to think nothing of swapping plates on sales or demonstrator cars.

Post by: **ardee_selby** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:23 pm

Mazzini wrote:I've just looked at my copy and I'm sure it's LVF 120E.

Cheers - Richard

Post by: **Mazzini** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:55 pm

ardee_selby wrote:
Mazzini wrote:I've just looked at my copy and I'm sure it's LVF 120E.

The attachment Prisoner.jpg is no longer available

Cheers - Richard

I've never read the blurb only looked at the Elan. I haven't figured out how to take screen captures, the attached photo was taken with the camera on my phone, but I think it's legible. I'll have another go tomorrow.