So at least some of my asumptions were correct.
Ray
> ----------
> From: Phil Ethier[SMTP:pethier@isd.net]
> Sent: Friday, July 28, 2000 10:25 PM
> To: Pat Kelly; Colbert, Raymond J.
> Cc: autox@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Kit cars in Prepared
>
> From: Pat Kelly <lollipop@ricochet.net>
> To: Colbert, Raymond J. <Raymond.Colbert@alcoa.com>
> Cc: autox@autox.team.net <autox@autox.team.net>; 'Phil Ethier'
> <pethier@isd.net>
> Date: Friday, July 28, 2000 4:42 PM
> Subject: Re: Kit cars in Prepared
>
>
> >some 7s arrived already assembled by the factory. Still are, in fact.
>
> Not THAT factory. Lotus sold the rights to the Seven to Caterham many
> years
> ago.
>
> > The Elan isn't a kit car either...nor most of the Lotuses produced
> >since as the factory went upscale.
> >--Pat K
> >
> >"Colbert, Raymond J." wrote:
> >>
> >> The Europa was the first Lotus not to be considered a kit.
>
> Nonsense. Lotus cars were factory-built. Some of them were available in
> England as a box of parts because of a substantial tax break there. In
> fact, the way the game was played, they were not supposed to sell "kits".
> The idea is that to skip out on the new-car tax, you had to build your own
> car from parts. The factory sold you parts, not a kit. To meet the legal
> hoops, you could not have help from a professional at the local petrol
> station. Also, the manufacturer could not print an instruction book,
> since
> that would make it a "kit". So you would go to the local car-book shop
> and
> pick up a book. The weird part is that after you got the Ministry of
> Transport to sign off on your "home-made car", you could drive it over to
> the Lotus factory and have it inspected again. After the Lotus
> inspection,
> if you put it together right, it was pronounced a Lotus car and you got a
> new-car warranty. I can't remember which models were available this way.
> I'm pretty sure that the Elite was a little too complicated for this sort
> of
> thing, but maybe not.
>
> Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
> 1970 Lotus Europa, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1986 Chev Suburban
> LOON, MAC pethier@isd.net http://www.mnautox.com/
> "If I can do it, it's not art" - Red Green
>
>
>
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