You are talking about two different cars. The blue car, LNK 120C, Unit No 4915 was the prototype Type 36 FHC. More in this thread: lotus-elan-f19/coupe-prototype-the-market-t12292.html
NAH120F was Graham Arnold’s black S3 FHC, which was road tested a couple of times by UK magazines. The registration number was then transferred to one of the early +2 road test cars.
Tim
From 1st Jan to 7th March 1974 the government introduced a 3 day working week to conserve electricity during the coal miners? strike. There were time limits set for working hours but many firms used unusual working practice to keep production going.
If any Sunday dates are in this period it may be an explanation.
Thanks for putting me correct Tim…I must be losing the “plot”…but that’s what I was told about LNK 120C when I saw it in Biggin Hill back then & it was “Black” & was being re-painted back to Medici…I saw all the previous layers of paint as it was being painted. He (the painter) told me the sales director had been driving it earlier in its life (whom I assumed was GA). It has the “flap” in the backboard and was the car pictured with Chapman. I didn’t check the chassis number as I was at work & couldn’t at the time I posted earlier but from memory yes, It was a much younger chassis number so I am sorry for misleading anyone.My early coupe is 36/4970 which I have always believed was the tenth off the production so I am very surprised that if that were the case, production started much earlier than I would have previously understood (as far as chassis numbers go). I have seen very few Coupes with an earlier chassis than mine, do you know of many Tim in you records?
Applologies for moving away from the original topic of th post.
A
Adam, I have records of 6 Unit Nos prior to yours as Type 36 FHC Series 2 Elans.
However, of those only two were invoiced before yours, including LNK 120C. The other four were invoiced after yours.
Tim
I’m 7472 so does anyone know where to get the piece with the vents?
The vent is a separate item and a hole has to be cut into the new corner piece, as previously mentioned the corner piece can be obtained from Paul Matty but dont think vent is available any longer.
They sometimes pop up on ebay but they are usually quite expensive, they are also fitted on S4’s and Sprints.
The small pivoting disc to open and close the air flow can sometimes give problems or even fall out so if you find any vents just check the discs operate ok.
They were also fitted to some Rover cars of the same period, P6 I believe.
Tim
Last Elan produced was in March 1973…
Anomaly continues then.
The Sunday dates I was referring to were all in the earlier years of Elan production, 63-66.
We had never had it so good then.
Apparently.
Tim
I sourced vents from a Rover P5B but I’m not sure the edging is the same. (my car is 36/6612 and came with one broken vent and pipes hanging behind the dash)
I sourced a couple of these vents on eBay some years ago. I don’t know what they came from originally. I was surprised that they arrived with clips to hold them in the trim piece. I’m not sure if Lotus ever bothered to fit the clips, for some reason I think not.
I must get around to fitting the vents to my Elan sometime. The previous owner, who restored the car, fitted new pillar trims without them. And they were not in the box of parts that came with the car.
Has anybody ever drilled the 1 1/4" holes while the pillar trims are in situ? It seems like a fraught exercise, and there would be no chance of fitting the clips…
Nick
If you are still looking for the vents themselves a pair have just popped up on ebay. No connection to me.
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