Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Took the non-standard door cards off tonight to fit a nice set of NOS door handles (with one key for all four locks on the car rather than four!) and came across the doors marked '0150' in the standard way, only my car is 0168!!

Either the factory fitted doors out of sync. or maybe 0150 is RIP or has other doors.

Does this mean my car is no longer 'matching numbers'?!!!

David

I think that the 150 refers to the body number, not the chassis number. Your body number is on a bit of red dyno tape (painted over) on the top right hand side of the engine bay. Here's my old car which had body number 30 for chassis number 24.
Mark

Of course! Yes, had forgotten that - body number is 150! Perfect

Ok, now I am confused, according to many posts the number on the body is the chassis number?

but you guys are contradicting this info. Who's right?

Keith

The dymo number moulded into the body is rarely if ever the same as the Unit number on the identification plate riveted to the body ( and sometimes stamped on the sub frame / chassis).

The bodies were made and numbered separately from the unit number which was assigned during the assembly process. The doors and lightpods etc sometimes carry the body number written in crayon still which was to enable tracking of the set of body parts through production.

cheers
Rohan

Hi,

Ok I can see why the body is numbered. But that still doesn't answer my query, the opinion on this site is that the body number is also the chassis number. This thread in disputing that opinion. In my case I took the body number being the chassis number as gospel!

This has caused me to doubt the originanility of my car. If Rohans view that the body numbers rarely match the chassis numbers is correct Then i need not have been concerned.
This seems to a be subject that is personal opinion, rather than fact based. Also I have no unit number on my original VIN plate, just an engine and chassis number?

Keith

Keith - for lotus Elans the numbering system changed in 1969/70 to be based around a unit number. Earlier vehicles were not. Can't comment on plus 2s but I believe it's the same. Engine numbers and body numbers may still exist but the unit number became the car's identity( which is why a chassis change should only be viewed as a subframe and not a change in identity).

With regard to the pre-unit numbering scheme, you will have an engine number, body numbers will be hidden in the panels (such as your doors), and you will probably have a chassis number as well - which is the point I dip out and let others with more specific knowledge chime in.

So the key thing is unit numbers are for later cars.

HTH

Richard