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europa vin locations


flatusman

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i am looking at a 68 Europa that has been apart for paint work.  the vin plate was removed and can't be found.  many cars have a second vin# stamped in the frame or elsewhere (other than the normal under the bonnet location).  do early Europa's have a second vin stamped or plated anywhere other than the usual front bulkhead?

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There should be something stamped on the rear RHS part of the chassis in this area.
You will need to scrape a bit to get the paint and rust off to see it.
The number can also be found moulded into the body engine cover opening lip near the left hand side hinge. This can be very hard to find if the car has been painted a few times although a lot of people usually miss this area.
The number can also usually be found hand written inside the doors, on the centre tunnel of the body and sometimes on the bottom of the dashboard - the bit that's behind where the window switches are.
The number is usually just the short version i.e. the 651 or 0651 from 54/0651.
Are you in the UK? The V5C log book will have it on there, but I'm guessing you are elsewhere.
Here's a list of known cars and chassis numbers:
http://www.lotus-europa.com/regs2.html

Capture.PNG.b672ebecfbc873c963bbcff9bca69132.PNG

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I don't think it will be an actual VIN as we know them today because it Is too old.  It will be the chassis number of the format that Nick used above.

S4 Elan, Elan +2S, Federal-spec, World Championship Edition S2 Esprit #42, S1 Elise, Excel SE

 

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At 68 it's a unit number as described above, not a vin. Vin numbers came in sometime in 1970 I think.

If it's still got it's 68 chassis then there is a good chance it has nothing stamped on it. My understanding is they only started stamping the chassis (officially a sub frame btw) on a regular basis in 1969 when the federal type 65 was introduced. If it has a genuine Lotus replacement chassis then there will be a LRxxx number etched into the chassis usually on the left hand leg, but that won't help you much. If it's a non Lotus chassis (and there are quite a few about) there is probably nothing either.

The body number moulded into the body engine cover lip as described by Nick should be there. But even when new most were illegible, it's only the imprint of a Dymo label stuck on the mould prior to lay up and the quality depends on the care when laying up in that area. I've only ever been able to read the odd digit, during restorations many people sand/fill it out anyway.

Nick I've seen all sorts of numbers and names hand written in random locations of Lotus bodyshells of this period, but never seen hand written unit numbers anywhere on the dozen or so bare bodyshells I've seen (europas & elans). So although they might be there don't be surprised if not.

If it still has the original engine and/or gearbox then Lotus archives should be able to match those numbers to a unit number.

Sorry this is not more positive, but I wish you luck

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Yes Jim, I couldn't find any hand written numbers anywhere for my 1970 Europa S2. I could see the moulded one in the body though which was good.
You've probably seen the attached photos before but for others here's an example of bare bodies with numbers on them in different places. The one inside on the centre tunnel is the one that obviously would be easiest to see years later.
I wonder how the sad one in the rain faired, mind you they all probably were weathered in the rain.
 

1967 Factory 2s Europas - Elans 2327 - 2262.jpg

196904-22Ptw Elan bodies Hethel.jpg

Elan S4 2957 Body and S4 Sevens at factory.jpg

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I always assumed, naively perhaps, that the hand written numbers on the outside of the car were removed prior to paint.

I also read many years ago that all the bodyshells were deliberately left outside for a few weeks prior to paint. Seemingly to stabilise and cure fully. Why that didn't result in all the bodies micro blistering I don't know. Micro blistering seemed far less of a problem then than it is now.

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