VIN number

[Elanintheforest]

Your's may not have been #1055. That was built in 1959, and invoiced to Jay Chamberlain, the distributor in California. It now lives in Oregon.

Mark

[robcall]

No details of 50/1055 on sportscarworld list.
I've read on this site that some early plus 2's were dealer imported unpainted to Australia.

[Elanintheforest]

Ooops, sorry. I thought you meant Elite 1055

Mark

[c42]

Hi Everyone
I am new here and trying to find out some information about a +2 that I am about to try and save from a sorry end.

The chassis number is 72100985L; am I correct in thinking that it was made in October 1972?

The V5 just describes the car as a Lotus saloon - how can I find out what model it actually is?

Thanks in anticipation
John

[robcall]

See http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/car_type_by_vin.shtml
The 'L' designates your car as a UK plus 2

[c42]

Thanks for the link.
John

[CBUEB1771]

Mine is '72 +2S130 and both plates (driver door and window) show 0306N, never the model number. I have other plate (engine compartment) but have not stamped it yet--original one missing so not sure if 50 on those.

I tried to find an answer in this thread but did not so I will attempt to answer Gordon's question. "0306N" completely specifies the vehicle including model identification. "N" specifies a Federal +2S according to the Lotus work shop manual and therefore "N" is a subset of Type 50, Elan +2. The plates at the base of my windscreen and on the driver's side door jamb are similar with the truncated, but unique, number, "0170N" in my case. The full plate in the engine compartment of a 1970 or later Elan or +2 has a spot in the upper right corner for model type, "TYPE 50" is stamped on mine. Forgive me for rehashing but the full number for a post-1970 Elan or +2 is "XXYYZZAAAAB" in which XX and YY are the year and month of manufacture, respectively, ZZ is the batch number, AAAA is the chassis number within the model range and B is the model range. My +2 is 7108110170N, or the 170th Federal (US market) +2S, manufactured in August 1971, Batch #11. The manufacturing date and batch number are perhaps useful but do not further specify the vehicle's identity (yes, I know that Chunky may well have sold more than one vehicle with the same chassis number). Now, regarding "N" vehicles and the 130S designation. I am pretty sure that all "N" series were Big Valve with Stromberg carbs. I don't think that "130" ever applied to a US "N" +2S. I think that "130" applied to Big Valve Dellorto (maybe Weber as well for the UK and European markets).

[Gordon Sauer]

You raise an interesting question, while I think you can make up to longer number that includes date of manufacture, from the information on the car, no where in my tiltle, old paperwork or anything is the longer number used--that I believe is becuase, as indicated in several sources, Lotus actually switched to the longer number system, but prior to that, the cars were only officially designated by the type and then the chassis number and were not registered according to the "about to be" newer numbering system--probably had something to do with Federal regs that Lotus was appeasing, like putting on the vin tag in the window (had to be viewable from outside the car), starting in 1972 maybe? Gordon Sauer

[Gordon Sauer]

Oh, and about the 130--that's part of the badging on the Federal cars. Gordon Sauer

[Fraggle]

No details of 50/1055 on sportscarworld list.
I've read on this site that some early plus 2's were dealer imported unpainted to Australia

Cool. I was hoping to keep my car original, but if its true that it may have been imported unpainted then i can change my car from that god awful yellow colour, and it could still be considered an original colour.

[robcall]

Mine is '72 +2S130 and both plates (driver door and window) show 0306N, never the model number. I have other plate (engine compartment) but have not stamped it yet--original one missing so not sure if 50 on those.

I tried to find an answer in this thread but did not so I will attempt to answer Gordon's question. "0306N" completely specifies the vehicle including model identification. "N" specifies a Federal +2S according to the Lotus work shop manual and therefore "N" is a subset of Type 50, Elan +2. The plates at the base of my windscreen and on the driver's side door jamb are similar with the truncated, but unique, number, "0170N" in my case. The full plate in the engine compartment of a 1970 or later Elan or +2 has a spot in the upper right corner for model type, "TYPE 50" is stamped on mine. Forgive me for rehashing but the full number for a post-1970 Elan or +2 is "XXYYZZAAAAB" in which XX and YY are the year and month of manufacture, respectively, ZZ is the batch number, AAAA is the chassis number within the model range and B is the model range. My +2 is 7108110170N, or the 170th Federal (US market) +2S, manufactured in August 1971, Batch #11. The manufacturing date and batch number are perhaps useful but do not further specify the vehicle's identity (yes, I know that Chunky may well have sold more than one vehicle with the same chassis number). Now, regarding "N" vehicles and the 130S designation. I am pretty sure that all "N" series were Big Valve with Stromberg carbs. I don't think that "130" ever applied to a US "N" +2S. I think that "130" applied to Big Valve Dellorto (maybe Weber as well for the UK and European markets).

On top of all that-batch numbers were only used in 1970 and 1971