Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi, i'm new to the forum. I have a 1967 Elan plus 2 basket case. The car has been dry stored for 30 years, being previously stripped before being stored. I bought the car without a V5 and the vin plate has corroded beyond recognition. I have the engine number and the chassis number which is 0047. I do not have the registration plate for the car. I've sent the chassis and engine numbers to the DVLA to register the car but they cannot do so. I'm afraid they may try to re-register the car on a Q plate. Is there any way I can obtain a vin number or registration number for the car? Any help would be appreciated!

You might be able to get a certificate of provenance from Lotus, given the engine and chassis number. This would have the VIN on it.

Its a shame you went first to the DVLA. Your first port of call should have either been to Club Lotus, Lotus Cars and the archivist, or indeed here.

If I were you, I would contact DVLA pronto, and tell them that you will supply further information re the original registration number once you have carried out some more research, which you are about to do.

Good luck with it and I look forward to reading about your restoration on these pages. Post up some pictures!

Leslie

Hello Butcherman,

I agree with JonB and Leslie:

First contact Lotus Archives with the engine number and chassis number information that you have.
Then end the enquiry with the DVLA (or tell them that you don?t wish to try to register the car before you are issued with a Q registration)
I?m fairly certain that the car would need to be running/tested (MOT) before you can apply to have any registration allocated to it.
(either an age-related number or a Q plate)
Sadly a lot of classics which have been off the road for decades have lost their original registration numbers due to their value to the trade in ?private plates?

With a letter from Lotus Archives, you should be able to register the car once roadworthy, with the DVLA issuing an age-related number.

Mark

Speak to Andy at Lotus.
A body number would help. Look on the fibreglass inside the doors and on the back of the glovebox.
The original grille with the reg number (or impression of it) on might be in the boxes

Welcome Butcherman,

Your car was invoiced by Lotus in September 1967 and I can confirm with you if you have the correct Engine No for that Unit No. Just drop me an email or PM. To be honest the Body No is not much help with regard to what you wish to do, other than to confirm that it matches up with the records at Lotus.

As others have suggested, you should drop a line to Andy Graham, [email protected] who, as the factory archivist, may well be able to tell you which dealer handled the sale of the car when new. That will in turn give you the local licensing office where it was first registered. If it was at one where the records still exist, you may be able to track down the original reg no that way. If the dealership still exists, that could be another avenue to explore.

I'm no DVLA expert, but I understood that Q plates are only issued where the 'chassis' has been changed, making the vehicle in effect a 'new' car for registration purposes. I would imagine it far more likely that DVLA would issue you with an age-related mark.

Your car is one of the earliest +2 Elans. Is the VIN plate a Cheshunt one? (the move to Hethel was in Nov 67). It would have also had some of the 'rare' and unusual early +2 items, like the Corelo rear lights, so I suggest you throw nothing away!

Tim

Tim

Try to take a high resolution photo of the VIN and the enhance the photo using filters you might be surprised what you can see. Otherwise try a 'brass rubbing' to see if the number pops out!

We have had age reflective registrations from the dvla in the past and apart from jumping through hoops it's not really difficult/expensive but as above i'd try hard to get the original id for the car.

Getting an age-related registration number
DVLA can only recognise your vehicle as a reconstructed classic vehicle if it meets certain criteria. It must be:

built from genuine period components from more than one vehicle, all over 25 years old and of the same specification as the original vehicle
a true reflection of the marque
The appropriate vehicle owners? club for the vehicle type (?marque?) must inspect the vehicle and confirm in writing that it:

has been inspected
is a true reflection of the marque
is comprised of genuine period components all over 25 years old
They must also give manufacture dates for the major components.

DVLA will assign an age-related registration number to the vehicle based on the youngest component used.

isnt the VIN for a +2 50/xxxx?

so 50/0047

didn't change to the more modern system until 1/1/1970

Yes, you are correct.

But, and I am being pedantic here, the Unit No for this car is 0047.

Recent article I wrote on VIN systems for Club Lotus News attached for interest.

Tim

Butcherman,
You need the V765 scheme - Do nothing until you have spoken to Alan at Club Lotus - He will tell you exactly what to do, and he is "The Authority" according to the DVLA.

There is no fee for re-registering Historic vehicles - They are exempt .... so don't pay it!

S3FHC wrote:I?m fairly certain that the car would need to be running/tested (MOT) before you can apply to have any registration allocated to it.
(either an age-related number or a Q plate)

No, that s not correct - You can register it and it will say "NOT LICENSED" in the taxation class which means that you can neither tax or SORN it.

trw99 wrote:I'm no DVLA expert, but I understood that Q plates are only issued where the 'chassis' has been changed, making the vehicle in effect a 'new' car for registration purposes. I would imagine it far more likely that DVLA would issue you with an age-related mark.

Q Plates are issued where it is not possible to determine the age of the vehicle, If you can determine the age it will get an age related plate.