I have a 1966 S3 FHC RHD SE that I purchased from Steve Frey from Viejo CA a few years ago and have restored. Steve purchased the car in the late 1970’s, I believe from the east coast as there were a bunch of East coast Lotus club stickers on the windows.
The VIN number the car came with is a bit irregular. It’s 45/5932 even though it’s a FHC. It came without a chassis plate so I only have the VIN fron the California title to reference. The Lotus registry has a (unregistered) car in the records with car number 5932 and engine number 6296 (which is correct for this car) but their records are missing a 36 or 45 designation. According to the correct designations for the configurations of the Elans the VIN should be 36/5932 for FHC but the title lists it as 45/5932 for DHC.
I’m hoping someone can shed light on the car other than just factory irregularity, which is fine but I’m wondering if this car was rebodied at some point–it has suffered damage in it’s past.
Is there anyone who may have any insight or knowledge of any history on this car? I know this is a complete shot-in-the-dark. I’m in contact with Andy Grahamm at Lotus Cars so I’ve gotten that ball rolling.
I know this car from when Steve Frey owned it. It was one of his favorites. Steve lived near me and we would sometimes see this Elan around town. Best memory was driving home from Dillon Beach around 1982 from a GGLC event. It was over an hour of twisting narrow roads from the ocean back to town under a full moon. Steve and his date would always show up at functions dressed to the nines, sometimes in a tux.
The VIN plate you show is not original. The factory used a different style to scribe the numbers. VIN plates are readily available from Elan suppliers and I suspect, in your cars case, a PO has replaced a lost VIN plate and erroneously inserted 45 before the Unit No, which as you say corresponds correctly with the Engine No, as it left the factory in June 1966.
Not all POs of our cars were cognisant of the correct 36/45 FHC/DHC designations back in the old days!
Thanks for you input, I appreciate it. Yes, I’m the one who put the replacement chassis plate on the car. I now see I didn’t actually say that in my post–sorry about that. I copied the VIN number that is on the current Colorado title that was on the California title from the late 1970’s so it’s pretty well established. VIN numbers are pretty difficult to change at this point so if I go through the difficulty of changing it I’d really like to see if I can find the story of why it starts with a 45 and not the correct 36.
That’s really helpful information. I think 1980 would’ve been right after he purchased the car. I say that from the “titled” date listed when he titled it in California.
Thanks-
