Looking for a specific car please help

[mrkrapez]

Hello,

I am trying to track down my fathers old Elan Plus 2 130/5, when he owned it in approx. 1978 it was repainted in a kind of metalflake light green with silver roof, the odd thing about it was that it had a tow bar for some crazy reason. I do not want to put the full reg on here as I see most of you blank out your reg on the photos (which I have been trolling through to try and find the car on there) so the reg with bits missing is JPW ***L. I have looked through DVLA and the car is apparently sorn. When he owned it we were based in South London.

Many thanks for any help anyone can provide me.

Best Regards

Tim Krapez

[elanfan1]

Hi Tim and welcome to the site. The car isn't yours so I'd not worry about posting up the plate. I think the reason that reg details are often taken out of photos is to stop them being used as fake for sale ads on fleabay.

There are potentially 999 cars with that reg no.

[theelanman]

as you've found its SORN....did it tell you if the MoT was still valid?
that could give you a date it was last on the road

[mrkrapez]

Hi, thanks for the reply. The full plate is JPW 283L, the DVLA site just says there is a sorn in place. I really would like to buy and restore it if required.... I just need to track it down.

[elanfan1]

I have had success in the past asking he DVLA to forward a letter to the owner. Firstly get in touch with a named person there, say you want to contact the owner and why. Ask if you can forward them a letter in an open but stamped letter - keep it simple ask if they will contact you as family used to own the car and if you're lucky they will pass it on. They have kept Data Protection rules so really ought to help.

[mrkrapez]

Hi All,

I am still trying to find this car. The DVLA has not been of any help, the car is still SORN and it is driving me mad! Can any body think of any other way I could try and find out? I have tried some Lotus dealers but have not come up with anything. Would there be a main Lotus number to call that may hold information on different cars?

Many thanks.

Tim

[trw99]

JPW 283L was first registered on Friday 1st of December 1972 at the Norwich licence office. It had two previous owners before the current keeper acquired it.

In November 1980 the registered owner changed, presumably when the first owner sold it to your father. It would appear that he then sold it to the current owner in August 1985. However, that appears not to chime with your recollection of 1978?

You could ask Club Lotus if they have any record of the registration against a current or former member, likewise Andy Graham, the Lotus Archivist. Do you by any chance happen to know the VIN for the car? It will most likely be in the range 72060760L to 72111060L. That's only 300 cars, so it narrows it down for you - a bit.

Tim

[mrkrapez]

Hi there, I have contacted Club Lotus (just now) and they have found it, it is registered to a Mr Field in Kent, that is all I know at this point. They have kindly forwarded my details to him, I don't suppose he is a member on here?

My father sold it in circa 1980, so I think my father must have been the second owner.

[Spyder fan]

There is no recent MOT history for this car, you can check any UK vehicle here https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk just put in the reg number. For instance put in SKK992G which is my own +2 and you will see the last 10 years MOT history.

So it would appear that the car has been off the road for some time, it's reported as SORN as you already know.

Hopefully your enquiry via Club Lotus will bear fruit and the owner will consider parting with the vehicle to a good home.

[Quart Meg Miles]

I don't suppose he is a member on here?

I have a record of over 400 names of posters here but Field is not among them. Which doesn't mean that he isn't, many of them are just Christian names.