Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

good morning everybody - here we're all up and movin' !! my car was imported as a DHC (36) BUT the local MOT boys immediately registered the car as a convertabile with a removable hardtop. this document is issued once PER car and will never change................................. S O i bought a dhc body off of LOTUS and added a rollcage. My opinion is logical: this car IS registered as BOTH even though its a DHC by birth and due to this IMHO this car would have to be valued accordingly: DO YOU AGREE and what's the difference in value: DHC original vs a FHC cuttoff?? PS: my chassis 4982 is actually a 26 chassis and not a 36, as you can see. sandy

Sandy
I am confused by your cars history. But then anything is possible with a Lotus

you car is a DHC - i.e. it has the fixed window frames but a soft top ? that was applicable to type 45 cars
however it has a serial number prior to the introduction of the type 45 DHC and type 36 FHC that belongs in the type 26 convertible ( no window frames and soft top)

what are the rest of body features ? do they match a type 26 or type 36/ type 45 ?

cheers
Rohan

Sandy,
Could you post some photos please, to help us understand?

I think Sandy has a Lotus type 36, but when imported into Switzerland the local authorities registered it as a 'convertible with a removable hardtop' so he bought a new dhc body from Lotus.

Sandy's question is this - because the car was registered as a dhc in Switzerland so he put a dhc body on it, can the car be considered and valued as a factory built dhc and not a conversion? Have I got this right?

My views fwiw are:
1st priority Should be to enjoy the car as you want it. It's a dodgy road to look at these cars as investments.
2nd. Any potential purchaser who really cares about the provenance and originality will consult the Lotis archivist - registration documents aren't at all reliable as they can often depart from original state.

So, I guess I'd see what the factory papers say it was (archivist). If they've been lost in the great fire, I guess you have a chance of persuading someone that it was whatever you want it to be.
Paul

I believe he has an S2 rebodied with a DHC S3 shell, and other alterations. It`s these things that would suppress the value (a lot) rather than whether the car is fixed-head or drop-head.
Jim

Chassis 4982 is from September / October 1965, when the S2 (Type 26) and the Coupe (Type 36) were both being made. If your chassis number starts with 36, then it was made as a Coupe. If it starts with a 26, it was made as an S2 Elan, all of which were convertibles.

The convertible S3 (Type 45) didn't come about until June 1966.

There is no such thing as a Type 36 with a Type 26 chassis.

What did you car come out of the factory as, Sandy? Was it 26/4982 or 36/4982?
Mark

thanks gentlemen!! mine is 36/4982 and the body is also s3 - the only difference to a regular s3 are the dashboard switches (not lucas!) everything fitted perfectly when i rebuilt this Gr. 4 car! with awful mods. getting a new body was cheaper!! - the only question i have is: the swiss immatriculated a DHC and changed it to a FHC and never was a DHC when they approved of it. if i were to sell it, then only LOTUS could turn it back into a FHC. For the Swiss this will never get to be a FHC again!! For me it^s the chassis etc.... plus some body work: THATS WHAT WE GET FOR OURV MONEY and all the other bs is of interest to pure investors or dealers who know NOTHING!! sandy

Registration papers are just Bureaucratic Documents, they have no value regards provenance.
Ron.

So your car was originally made as a FHC, but now has a DHC body? Not a cut-off body, but a real DHC?
Since the identity of an Elan is provided by the body, not the chassis, I'm not sure where that leaves you. Seems like you have a Type 45 with a Type 36 plate.
Enjoy it, whatever!

Hi Sandy
I am still trying to get through all the obscure comments

It appears you have an early type 36 FHC car that you have rebodied with something at some time.

What has it been rebodied with?

A type 45 style DHC body of S3 or S4 style or a type 26 S2 convertible body. I have looked for photos of your complete car in your posts but have not found any yet.

The car would be of most value with an early S3 non airflow type 36 body which are relatively rare and value and matches the car unit number. But as you say your not interested in value as an investment and your just interested in driving it so what ever you have is fine. But you asked the question so people are trying to understand what you have to give an answer.


cheers
'Rohan

here's a few pictures which may help - my order at lotus was for a s3 dhc BUT i bought it in 82 or 83!! sandy

Nice looking car Sandy. I prefer a wooden dash but you did a nice job with the carbon fiber.
Chris

I am confused with the various terminologies being used and am questioning my own understanding.

The car in the picture is a convertible, a ragtop, not a coup? I think we all agree, whats confusing me are the FHC and DHC references, to me the first is an abbreviation of "fixed head coupe", fixed solid non removeable fibreglass roof, DHC to me means "drophead coup?" meaning a ragtop convertible which may have an accompanying removeable hardtop but remains a DHC.

Am I missing something? Or misunderstanding more likely?

(So far as I aware) English is not one of the 4 official languages of Switzerland so why it should appear on an official Swiss document is perplexing and the more unimpressive given the (mis)spelling!
The car is a s3 fixed head coupe re-bodied with s3 drop head coupe body