So, my forest find Elan has a California license plate but the Lotus VIN plate under the hood is missing. Google sez it should be stamped on the frame adjacent to the left side (driver side in the colonies and passenger side in Blighty) but I don’t see it there. Suggestions?
TIA, Mark
Mark, unfortunately, it is not always there! Some chassis left the factory without the number stamped on the intake side horizontal top rail. However, look again and make sure you clean the rail up as much as possible. I suggest you then take photos of the area with your cell phone, which will thus allow you to blow up the images, sharpen them, alter the contrast etc, the better to see if the number is there. It is not always that clear to see.
It would seem that Mr Google has misled you. The factory stamped the intake side for original chassis. The factory replacement chassis, which had a LR (Lotus Replacement) prefix, were stamped on the exhaust side.
Tim
Hi Mark
On some of the later cars the VIN number was sometimes written on the rear face of the glove box and/or the inside of the doors. Worth a look as I am sure you will be doing a little stripping down of your new toy!!
Mike
Replacement LR xxxx alternatively can be found etched onto the top of the front crossmember.
