Correct World Champion badges 1973/4 Europa special

[kram350kram]

Just about to order new "World Champion..." side badging and noticed I have the 5 year badges on my '73/74. Should I not have the 6 year badges as the car was built 6/73?   

[BDA]

You actually should have the 5 year badge (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, and 1972). Lotus won the championship in 1973 but that was after your car was built.

[buzzer]

 I am not sure they are that controlled with the lotus manta of using all stock up first.  In beaulieu there is a JPS no 52 special with the 4 year badge. I don’t know the build date but it’s a 72/73 registration.

[kram350kram]

 After I posted I thought, why not just look up the 1973 F1 championship.  Crowned in October that year, but... could have been wishful thinking, LOL! Thanks

[Bainford]

My car was also built 6/73, and it has the five year badges.

[Lou Drozdowski]

Five year badge on 2943R in 1973 ...
Six year on 3307R today, I like the victor's laurel leaf...Available at R&D

[literarymadness]

My TCS 2758R is a an early 73MY built in 10/72. It would have come with the 1970 (4 World Championships badge).  Lotus won the Championship in October, 1972 and didn't issue the 1972 (5 Championships badge) till a few months later.  So a 1973 TCS should have 1972 badges because the 1973 Championship wasn't won until Oct, 1973 and cars built after that would be classified as a 74MY. A lot of owners and dealers swapped out the badges to reflect the newer championships. You can't have a badge before the actual championship was won at the end of the year. So generally speaking 1969-70 S2s would have (1963,1965,1968 Championships) badges. 1971-72 S2s and 1972 TCs would have (1963,1965,1968,1970) badges. Early 1973MY TCS's would still have the (1970) badges and the later 1973MY TCS's the (1972) badge. Early 1974MY TCS's would still have the (1972) badge and later ones the (1973 badge). Like I said a large number of them were swapped out to reflect the newer years.  When I bought my 1973MY TCS it too had a 1973 badge but how could a car built in Oct, 1972 have 1973 badge when it was built a week before Lotus officially won the 1972 championship.  It must be some Time/Space Continuum thing.

[kram350kram]

Knowing this info from "literarymadness" (thanks) and since the car was sold and titled in 6/74, I could really have either badging; the stock factory 5 year plate as installed or a dealer installed 6 year placard. Makes for good conversation at a club meet. 

[BDA]

I sometimes get comments about my 7 year (1978) badge on my car! There was no way I was going to leave off Mario's championship!

[Nisswa Collision]

My 8/72, #2603R, Had the 4 year but I got talked into the 5 year as a replacement. I wasn't very confidant that the old one was the original one. Now it bothers me a little. Kinda like my decision to fill the extra holes in the rear bumper.

[Dan C 2624R]

Nisswa, 
I was thinking the same thing.  My TC is 2624, a few after you.

I purchased a 5-year badge from RD and now reading this, all my reasoning into getting the 5-year and not the 6-year was off the mark.

Oh well, It's good I'll only have to explain to the members here and not the general public when I finally get the frame off done.

Dan.