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Chassis numbers

To: par-olof.hakansson@telelogic.se
Subject: Chassis numbers
From: sean murray <snmurray@iol.ie>
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 02:22:42 +0100
Par Olof,

Nice to see the list coming together.   It is seems pretty obvious when one
sees the various cars listed with their chassis numbers that the first four
figures of the chassis number (from 1970 on) appears  to refer to the year
and month of manufacture,  i.e. my chassis number is 7005100255L  which
would indicate that the car was built  in May 1970,  (and was probably No.
255 built that year ?)

Also John Bolster's book  "The Lotus Elan and Europa",   Appendix E,   has a
list of chassis numbers,   indicating that there was a new system introduced
in 1970.  He says that the suffix  "L" indicates "Plus 2"  type.  What then
is the significance of "M" ,   and "N" ?

What do you think?.  I will probably drop a note on this to Graham Arnold at
Club Lotus.  When I bought my car the original papers were missing,  so it
was re-registered as a 1971 car,  in line with the original UK  reg. no.(
DWP 984J).    UK vehicle registration office in Swansea had deleted their
files on cars of that time,  so I never traced the original owner.  (Does
anyone recognise this number ?)  I believe original owner was a lady in the
Manchester area.    In Ireland cars are eligible for "classic"  road tax
(=A330!!!) at 30 years of age,  so I would like to be in a position to
officially verify the age of the car as  1970.


Sean Murray
Wexford=20
Ireland



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