Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Howdy fellas,

I am trying too figure out a Vin/I.D number on a Plus 2. Could someone give me a hand?

It is on the plate in the engine compartment.

274211500313N

I the know the N is for Federal but that is it.

Regards,
Mike

Should start with the year, e.g. 70, 71, etc.
70.xx.yy.0001z
xx - Month of Production
yy - Batch Number
z - Car Type Identity:
A - S4 FHC UK Market
B - S4 FHC Export
C - S4 DHC UK Market
D - S4 DHC Export
E - S4 SE FHC UK Market
F - S4 SE FHC Export
G - S4 SE DHC UK Market
H - S4 SE DHC Export
J - S4 FHC Federal (USA)
K - S4 DHC Federal (USA)
L - +2S & +2S/130 UK Market
M - +2S & +2S/130 Export
N - +2S & +2S/130 Federal (USA)

Mike
If its 313N then it must be one if not the last car to go to the US.
The previous highest number we have seen is 310N from Gordon on here
Makes my total of cars built up to 5243!

If your Number was /74/11500313N it would make more sense i.e. 1974 , November , batch No 50

Perhaps Gordon may have a similar number?

Terry

I have a picture sent too me of the plate. I am still trying too post it. The car is for sale but someone installed a regular four banger the seller calls a Kent Crossflow (Ford Pinto?) and it is a four speed.
Mike

Is it this one?

Yes, that is the one.

Mike

The plate is a bit confusing, why don't you email Andy Graham at Lotus
[email protected]

Terry

Terry,

I will write Andy now and report back.

Mike

Batch numbers were only used in 1970 and 1971, so the 50 is not a batch number.

I also doubt the authenticity of that VIN plate. The stamped letters don't look quite right and besides the correct number would read something like 72070313N i.e an eight digit number sequence followed by type letter.

Mike, do you know what the engine number is, taken from the engine itself and not what is on the VIN plate? That could be helpful.

Tim

How about the "dymo" tape in the bonnet edge?

John

John

I am not at all sure the Dymo tag was used after the introduction of the new numbering sytem in Jan 70. I am happy to be corrected.

Tim

My car is missing the big engine bay plate--only has 0306N on door and 0306N on window/dash plate. My Texas title (and on previous title in S. Carolina) only showed 0306N. Door plate shows 07/72 separately which designates year/month of build. I inspected 0311N--its big id plate showed stamped 72080311N, then stamped TYPE 50 in an upper right corner box and then below that in a box, a scribed engine number. And scribed paint color code in bottom most right corner. No batch numbers as part of vin number. And Ross in Denver area I think communicated with me similar numbering system on his +2--no batch numbers I believe. My car and the other (in New Jersey) both came from East Coast dealer who had AC kits installed with high mount Motorola alternator, foremost servo to the nose, and York compressor under alternator with evaporator/fan above passenger footwell area. Gordon Sauer

Here's a copy of 72 plate, perhaps the post 70, 71 style where there was a batch number. Or maybe different on Federal plates than others? Federal cars of course had the emission plate as well, unique to them perhaps? Gordon Sauer

Lotus VIN plates for Federal and other non domestic markets tended to have the full VIN stamped on, the type number stamped on and then the engine number and paint code scribed in. Kit cars for the domestic market tended on the whole to only have the VIN and type number stamped in, sometimes the colour code too. Since the engine assembly was invoiced separately from the body work, by Racing Engines Ltd, the number tended not to be scribed on the plate.

Federal cars had the following plates:

VIN plate in engine compartment: on the +2 located in the engine compartment on the sloping wheel arch close to the brake servos; on the Elan located in the engine compartment on the horizontal surface over the left hand footwell (looking forward from inside the car)
Vehicle Identity No small plate at base of windscreen
Federal conformity plate on inside drivers door jamb, showing the VIN and year/month of manufacture (usually a month or two after the month indicated by the VIN)
Vehicle emission control information plate inside engine compartment by the carb airbox

I understand European spec cars for the German market had:

VIN plate in engine compartment, normal locations as above
Chassis number strip in engine compartment
Manufacturer info plate in engine compartment

Tim

So "normal" location of VIN plate in engine bay is passenger side, behind wiper motor, fully in black vertical area of compartment, not protruding into paint color that runs along the upper edge?--asking as not on mine as noted. Gordon Sauer