What is my correct VIN

[Sparkrite]

I am trying to register my federal tcs in the UK and the DVLA have refused as they said there was a discrepancy with the VIN. My original and unmolested car has the vin on the door end plate as 3776R, also on the plate on top of the dash is stamped the  same 3776R, however on the "fluids " plate fixed to the body in the front compartment its printed "unit no" then stamped 307 3776R. To further complicate things Andy Graham at lotus archives said it is 7307 3776R.

[SilverBeast]

Andy Graham is right. It should be stamped as he stated. It was manufactured in month July of 1973.  A lot of the US states seem to have used the short number as Lotus only seem to have put the long number on the plate in the luggage compartment.
My UK Special uses the YYMMxxxxP format  and that is the VIN number on the Registration Document. I suggest all you can do is explain this to the DVLA. Do you have the US registration document to see what was on that?

[BDA]

Being a Yank, I don't know what the laws and documentary procedures are in the UK.

When I was closing in on putting my car on the road I went to get my car re-registered since it had been off the road for more than 20 years and was titled and previously registered and retitled in another state. When I went to the Department of Motor Vehicles, I told them the VIN was 3635R because I didn't know or had forgotten about the first numbers (7306 - denoting the year and month of manufacture). They didn't know any better so my registration and title says that is my VIN. It isn't actually and I would suspect that the Brit equivalent of the DMV might know that. On the other hand, when your car is identified "on the road", the plaque under the windshield will be how they do it and as you stated, that only has the last 5 characters of the VIN. On a "normal" car, the whole number would be there.

I'd ask the bureaucrat who deals with licensing what you should do.

[4129R]

The shell will have the 3635R printed on the ally plate displayed in the left side of the windscreen, the VIN plate in the front plenum chamber should have 73063635R embossed on it, the shell roof above the seats inside and both doors should have paint or crayon markings 3635R on them or scratched into the fibreglass, which you can only see when the trim is removed, the left door should have a plate with 3635R embossed on it, US documents will usually have just 3635R on them but UK documents would normally have the full 73063635R.

The only other markings are the engine block number close to where the fuel pump and distributor are, and the chassis number embossed close to where the coil is located.

I know of no other identification marks relevant.

[Sparkrite]

Why is it that the plates on the dash top and door end clearly state vehicle identification number, whereas the plate in the compartment under the front bonnet states unit number. Surely there is some distinction between the two.

[jbcollier]

I've heard it can be a real nightmare registering imported cars in the UK.  Talk to Club Lotus.  They can provide letters certifying VINs on Lotus cars.

[SilverBeast]

My UK car doesnt have the plates on the door, pr the dash only the one in the front luggage compartment.

[4129R]

Why is it that the plates on the dash top and door end clearly state vehicle identification number, whereas the plate in the compartment under the front bonnet states unit number. Surely there is some distinction between the two.

The 3635R is the shell number with R being US export. Q is other export countries, and P UK only market.

The 73063635 appears to be the full VIN number being made in 73 in the 06th month with shell number 3635.

I have had no problem registering a 2520R a 72 and 4129R a 74 US import model to date. They have the full 8 number R as the chassis frame VIN number.

[pboedker]

You say the car is "original and unmolested", but could the plate in the front compartment be a newer replacement made by a previous owner? Or could the missing '7' digit indeed be there, but obscured by the field frame or just have been too weakly punched?

[Sparkrite]

Well Peter that was a spot on diagnosis.  The missing '7' digit is indeed there , but obscured by the the word "no" and has been too weakly punched. It was easily missed by me.

[pboedker]

 Glad to hear!

[rjbaren]

When my body and chassis were separated I found the  four digit number in my case 3525, stamped on the chassis.

[Jim Hansen]

OK, I know that my lotus was built in July of 1973, "73073862R" But I don't know if it is a late 1973 or early 1974 model.  Or is the no difference?  It seems that the dealer told it was a 1974 Model. Any idea when the change takes place?  I know that American Cars are sold in the next calendar year starting in September of the previous year. So the manufacture must be earlier than that.   Do the Brits do a similar thing?
JLHhttps://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/Smileys/default/dead_horse.gif

[4129R]

Your car was made in 73 = 1973, 07 = July, chassis number 3862.

[Fotog]

My understanding is that they (Lotus) did not use the idea of a "model year" as we're accustomed to in the US.  So if it was manufactured at any time in 1973, it should be considered as a 1973 car. 

Maybe my August 1972 built car was first sold from a dealer in 1973 because the title says it's a 1973 car.  But it's not.

Vince