Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Thanks for the responses so far. May I check a couple of things:

1. I'm not sure what 'left to right parking wipers' means.....and when was the change.

2. "The exterior Door handles had integral lock for early cars & the interior release was a chrome lever rather than the recessed type of later cars"....any idea when this change happened?

The chassis numbers would place mine as a UK Plus 2S, but it's definitely not an S and definitely not domestic, although the range of years is correct (Oct 69 according to the doorjamb plate).

Re the door lock mechanism - the door moulding changed at chassis 0929, as did the door locks. From 0929 the door handles changed to the BL type rectangular plastic flap type inside, and had seperate door handles and locks. Prior to then the the external door handles had the locks incorporated in them (below the push buttons) and the interior was operated by a chromed lever.
HTHs
Matt

...and re the wipers, there were RHD configuration and LHD configuration wipers, which 'parked' on different sides. The drivers wiper would sweep across the screen and end up vertical against thee RHS screen pillar in a RHD car, and the LHS screen pillar in a LHD car. So they parked in opposite ways depending on whether the car was LHD or RHD. So there was no specific changeover point, it all depended on the original build spec. There are of course LHD cars with RHD parking wipers and vice versa.....
Again, HTHs!
Matt

Excellent reference point, thank you for taking the time to put this together.

Peter

There is also the change in door handles on the early cars. Integral handle and lock, which changed to the seperate handle and lock somewhere along the line. Early 1000's would be my guess, it should be in the parts manual.

Good job on the sheet!

Peter, do you have a copy of Robinshaw & Ross ?Authentic Lotus Elan & Plus 2 - 1962 to 1974? to hand to assist with your most excellent chart? Although the Appendix E does not break the running changes down by model, it at least provides the VIN for each running change. If you don?t have the book I am sure one of us could scan the relevant three Appendix E pages of Plus 2 Milestones for you.

Not sure what is meant by chrome rims in the chart. My Federal Plus 2 came with black steel wheels with chrome ?embelishers?. Not sure if this is different from chrome rims?

Nice job! Fun little project!

Stu

there were a ton of non S Fed plus twos built in 1969 ending at about chassis 2400

I believe the early type inside door handles were Vauxhall Viva.

gus wrote:there were a ton of non S Fed plus twos built in 1969 ending at about chassis 2400

That seems to be the bunch that mine came from.

trw99 wrote:Sorry Mike, Chapman beat you to it.

His car was the first 130/5 I am aware of, 72090866L, which was dispatched on 23 Oct 72. There will have been a couple of development cars as well as one or two at the Earls Court Motor Show. I also believe that to be the time the warning lights moved to where the fuse box had previously been.

Tim

Hi Tim,
I did say the first car sold....... Out of interest, are any earlier cars still in existence?

Typical Lotus, nothing is exactly as you think.
Mine is a 1972 Federal from May and there are a few discrepancies.
4 warning lamps, not 3, Steel Rims, not alloys, rear screen heater is horizontal and black valve cover not red.
Good job, thanks

Typical Lotus, nothing is exactly as you think.
Mine is a 1972 Federal from May and there are a few discrepancies.
4 warning lamps, not 3, Steel Rims, not alloys, rear screen heater is horizontal and black valve cover not red.
Good job, thanks

stugilmour wrote:Peter, do you have a copy of Robinshaw & Ross ?Authentic Lotus Elan & Plus 2 - 1962 to 1974? to hand to assist with your most excellent chart?
Stu

Hi Stu, thanks for the input, I don't have a copy of this and would welcome the relevant pages if anyone is able to scan them.

Great work making up this chart. Added comments in several blank blocks in the 70-71 +2S federal column as originally found on my car in this range.