Prototypes and Preproduction cars

[Specky]

PP15 for sale

So.....an 89 car that should be a "F" Reg,

was first registered with the DVLA in 1991 and alledgely built in 1990

as is now on a G plate....Keep up at the back

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2725255.htm

TTFN

[Specky]

Just found I.B.1

I had it in my file all the time, I just didn't put the pieces together till now.

IMHO this is not one of the London motorfair cars, they were PP14 and PP15 (I can document that), but I can't say what actually turned up on the day or what happened behind the scenes.

http://www.classic-auctions.com/Auction ... 27477.aspx

Reg Number: G887CLD
Chassis Number: SCC100ZT1LHD16100
Engine Number: TKHD16100
Cc: 1600
Body Colour: Silver Frost
Trim Colour: Black
MOT ExpiryDate: June 2009


Introduced in 1989, the new Elan was designed to "allow 100 percent of its owners to use 90 percent of its performance 90 percent of the time". Built around a multi-piece bonded and riveted backbone chassis with bolt-on GRP bodyshell, it featured all round coil-sprung independent suspension, disc brakes and rack-and-pinion steering. Powered by a 1.6 litre Izuzu-sourced DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine allied to five-speed manual transmission, the M100 (as the model was known internally) exhibited the kind of superlative handling and roadholding characteristics that the world had come to expect from Hethel's chassis alchemists. Available in both normally aspirated and turbocharged guises, the latter version proved a seriously quick car. With some 162bhp and 148lbft of torque at its disposal, the lightweight Lotus was reputedly capable of 138mph and 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds. Put head-to-head against a contemporary Porsche 964 Carrera 4 and Lancia Delta Integrale Evo by CAR magazine in an attempt to find the fastest point-to-point car on the market, the Elan SE acquitted itself with honours. Judged the best handling front-wheel drive car in the world, it still conspired to lose GM (Lotus owners at the time) money on each one sold.

Finished in Silver Frost with black leather upholstery, this particular example is described by the vendor as being in "very good" condition with regard to its engine, gearbox, electrical equipment, chassis, bodywork and wheels / tyres (while, he rates the interior trim and paintwork as "good"). Reportedly a "1989 Motor Show model", 'G887 CLD' is further understood to have been "retained by Lotus for display at Hethel until July 1996" when "Mike Kimberely decided to sell off all the remaining motor show and film models". Purchased by its previous keeper in July 1996 and entering the current ownership during November 1998, the Elan is said to have been "maintained by a Lotus enthusiast" who apparently treated it to "a major service including cambelt change in May 2007". Further benefiting from a Cobra 6422 (Thatcham Category 1) alarm system and upgraded Sony radio / cassette / CD player, 'G887 CLD' is stated to have covered "a genuine 20,000 miles". Riding on alloy wheels, this modern classic is offered for sale with MOT certificate valid until July 2008.

TTFN

[theelanman]

PP15 is on its way up to yorkshire........

[Specky]

I don't like to think of it as PP15..... More as doner parts for I.B.3.

I have come to a weird pondering point though...

(Zante) PP14 is definately F664 DNG, cross ref that with the bible, F664 DNG is chassis 601

PP15 is definately G951 NNG, lodgic says PP15 is Chassis 602, but the bible says chassis 602 is G723 GEX..........Buggeration

So what chassis is it..........I can see myself amending the bible.....

TTFN

[Specky]

PP12 was destined for Isuzu to coincide with the 1989 Toyko motorshow, Lotus took another car over there as well...(PP 13)

My research continues...

Here are a few videos of the 28th Tokyo motorshow, in all honesty quite bad quality. The first video is watchable.

PP12 is the red M100 Elan on the Isuzu stand (Grey leather, red stripe), I guess they forgot to paint the wing mirrors in all the haste.

PP13 is the silver frost Elan on the Lotus stand. (I haven't found any video of this yet, only a photograph).

Please jump straight to time or you'll be as board as I was watching the whole thing...

PP12 on the Isuzu stand at 6:04

a very brief sighting of PP12 at 1:57

PP12 on the Isuzu stand at 8:28

TTFN

[tigerdog]

you'll be as board as I was watching the whole thing...

[Specky]

Here are a couple of Pics from the 28th Tokyo Motorshow 1989.

PP12 Red N/A on the Isuzu stand. (red striped leather)
PP13 Silver Turbo on the Lotus stand





TTFN

[Specky]

Another "Initial Build" has turned up, and it was hiding in plain site...a little intentional play on words...

http://www.lotusm100parts.com

It was Dave Schmid's race car... Who you ask... He's one of the M100's guru from many many years ago, search the old site if you know where it is

He's most probably forgotten more on the Lotus Elan than I currently know

The car has a very interesting history (a RHD N/A in the USA) I'm just looking through my photo archive to see if I have any pictures of it under construction in the factory.

I.B.2

SCC100ZN1LHD16101, the car is know as 6101

According to the bible:- chassis 6101 RHD NA silver G935LVG

Purpose:- MAJOR STRUCTURAL DURABILITY CYCLE... Then a race car!

That's one hell of a life for a car..... And she's still around!

More on the interesting history to come, but I've found another car by pure chance researching this one... And that has my attention

TTFN

[Specky]

So where are we now....

Just providing an update on how I see things at the moment as there are a few corrections:-

All my information has come from the internet over a 15 year period and has been crossed referenced with other media in the public domain.

My updated take on things...

CHPP014 Preproduction 14, (on the stand at the London motorfair, silver) the Zante.
CHPP015 Preproduction 15, (on the floor at the London motorfair, silver)

SCC100ZT1LHD16100 is I.B.1. Silver (Fitted with the doors marked London motor show)
SCC100ZT1LHD16101 is I.B.2. Silver ( N/A, the 5th disney car, now a yellow race car in the US, Dave S's)
SCC100ZT1LHD16102 is I.B.3. (my silver N/A, VIN Number marked as a Turbo)
SCC100ZN1LHD16103 is I.B.4. ( Andy P's red turbo, VIN Number marked as a N/A)
SCC100ZT1LHD16104 is I.B.5. (Benmacs old silver car)

Registrations known to still exist to this day.

CHPP014 Preproduction 14, F644DNG
CHPP015 Preproduction 15, G951NNG
I.B.1 G887CLD
I.B.2 US (was G935LVG when in the UK).
I.B.3 G379JEX
I.B.4 G387JEX
I.B.5 G394KEX

Where I'm going next with my research :-

I.B.6 G389JEX , Rome durability test car, not taxed since the early 90's, in theory the VIN should be 6105
I.B.7 not know to me, in theory the VIN should be 6106
I.B.8 not known to me, in theory the VIN should be 6107
I.B.9 not known to me, in theory the VIN should be 6108

There are two additional cars that I am aware of which have some importance, but are not in the public domain, thus I can not comment.

TTFN

[elnaught]

Hi,

I know own IB5, do you know anything about this car or where I can find out more, I.e. are there any press shots etc?

Leigh

[Specky]

Sorry I missed this post, you have a PM

TTFN

[ex-PP015]

I owned PP015—I believe I was the second owner. It was reputed to be the London Motor Show car at that time.

The car had a yellow leather stripe and a couple of particularities as I recall. As with other early models, it had the plastic cover over the rear number-plate and the "opera-glasses" headlights which had an interlock preventing them from popping-up above a certain speed! When I bought it it had a horrible chequered flag next to the ELAN SE badge on the boot which was very quickly removed.

One of the seats (driver's, I think) had the word LOTUS stamped into the leather, while the other had a plastic insert with the name and possibly the logo. The story was that apparently Lotus Cars had been told by Lotus Shoes that they had the worldwide rights for stamping the name onto leather and so Hethel should desist! Hence the plastic insert. The car had a couple of other unique properties as well, which escape me for the moment; something under the bonnet and there may have been an element of interior illumination which was green instead of red?

The first couple of stamps in the Service Book were done by the factory and, whilst I don't doubt that Lotus looked after the car when it was in their hands, I can attest that they were put there for my benefit by someone at Hethel after the fact...

It had a Cobra alarm which was very sensitive, for which I found a good use. I had an early mobile phone (curse of the job) and when the signal wasn't great I used to park the car where there was some signal and leave the phone inside. When the phone rang, that car alarm went off... Fortunately in those days calls were a fairly rare occurrence!

Things I forgot to mention when selling: it got a number of scratches on the passenger door when a girlfriend drove it too close to some brambles on a Norfolk lane somewhere - in her defence the car did seem very wide and there were no reference-points at the front beyond the base of the windscreen. I also dropped a wheel whilst cleaning it and marked the alloy with lots of tiny imprints from the concrete apron it was standing on. It got very, very wet once or twice when the, ahem, cl!t on the roof which fitted between the side window and the windscreen wasn't exactly in the right place but once I'd worked that out I never had any further problems. If you were driving then there really was no real need for the roof, wet or dry.

I was very fond of the car and in my mind's eye I can still see it disappearing away from me when I had to sell it...

[Kenny sy]

Hi and thanks for the info. As well as fettling I love history which this lovely little car seems to have plenty. I was lucky enough to acquire from a gentleman last October. He had owned and cherished the car for about three years, but when they relocated he had to reluctantly let it go. If it had not been for iPads and Facebook I would never have found it, not that I needed another car but I had to have a look at least. Well what can i say apart from I am so glad I did. These cars are amazing. The car has about 90,000 miles on it now but the condition is fantastic which is a credit to its former owners, which the book shows nine altogether but since its previously had private plates they tell me this could account for one or two. The file the gentleman gave me is stacked with history with old mots and tax dating back to 1995, certificate of provenance,and from 22nd September 1994 the invoice from Norfolk motor company. I would be interested if any one had any more of the cars delightful history particularly how long Lotus held onto this car. Hoping for a good summer and that i will be able to hold on to this car and enjoy it. Will keep you updated little bit more fettling to do.Thanks again for all the info on this cracking forum.

[Specky]

So where are we now....

Just providing an update on how I see things at the moment as there are a few corrections:-

All my information has come from the internet over a 15 year period and has been crossed referenced with other media in the public domain.

My updated take on things...

CHPP014 Preproduction 14, (on the stand at the London motorfair, silver) the Zante.
CHPP015 Preproduction 15, (on the floor at the London motorfair, silver)

SCC100ZT1LHD16100 is I.B.1. Silver (Fitted with the doors marked London motor show)
SCC100ZT1LHD16101 is I.B.2. Silver ( N/A, the 5th disney car, now a yellow race car in the US, Dave S's)
SCC100ZT1LHD16102 is I.B.3. (my silver N/A, VIN Number marked as a Turbo)
SCC100ZN1LHD16103 is I.B.4. ( Andy P's red turbo, VIN Number marked as a N/A)
SCC100ZT1LHD16104 is I.B.5. (Benmacs old silver car)

Registrations known to still exist to this day.

CHPP014 Preproduction 14, F644DNG
CHPP015 Preproduction 15, G951NNG
I.B.1 G887CLD
I.B.2 US (was G935LVG when in the UK).
I.B.3 G379GEX
I.B.4 G387JEX
I.B.5 G394KEX

Where I'm going next with my research :-

I.B.6 G389GEX , Rome durability test car, not taxed since the early 90's, in theory the VIN should be 6105
I.B.7 not know to me, in theory the VIN should be 6106
I.B.8 not known to me, in theory the VIN should be 6107
I.B.9 not known to me, in theory the VIN should be 6108

There are two additional cars that I am aware of which have some importance, but are not in the public domain, thus I can not comment.

TTFN

Good Afternoon all,

It's been a while, but another Elan has turned up

I'm currently researching said car, so what can I tell you that's 100%...Its a Silver Frost Elan M100.

But what else...

It has a Federal VIN, RHD UK body for an SE, first registered in '96 as an S2, with an early chassis ('89) and SE Engine Number for an '89-'90 car, running on a Lotus closed loop system.

Couple this with numerous Pre Production parts all from 1989.

I didn't say my task was easy...

Everything about the car is so right, but also so wrong, but....the wrong is right... Still with me?

e.g. An S2 would have a Ltd Edition Number,(one of the 800), but for those in the know it was more like 803, could this be one of 3 or so that didn't have a Ltd Edition No.....

Anyone from the T&D days know of a silver Elan squirrelled away in the back?

Does anyone know what happened to the 1990 Detroit motor show car which was on display in Cobo Hall, did it come home?

More updates to follow...

TTFN

[ex-PP015]

The file the gentleman gave me is stacked with history with old mots and tax dating back to 1995, certificate of provenance,and from 22nd September 1994 the invoice from Norfolk motor company.

That invoice would presumably have been the car transferring to the third owner. I bought the car from the Norfolk Motor Company and was the second owner after Lotus Cars. I then sold the car back to NMC to fund my studies. During my time the car "lived" in central Norwich before moving out to Ketteringham, a very short stone's throw from Ketteringham Hall.

[Specky]

So here are a few photos to tease you... and make you ponder...

can you spot other '89 traits, the short Bonnet stay and mount, the early Build Clam, smooth wheel arch liners... the clues are there...

Can you spot the oddities, closed loop, either series two or three pop up lights, definitely not either variant of opera lights...

[Rambo]

Hi Dave,

What's that grey thing at the front (RHS) behind the bonnet stay locator ? Wouldn't it prevent the bonnet closing ? It looks a bit like a high wattage security light

And where's the rocker cover ?

And is the header coolant tank different ? Or is it even there ? Something looks a bit odd

Strange that it's closed loop Do you think this might have been fitted some time after the car left Hethel ? I take it this car is a pre-production model ?

[Specky]

Hi Dave

Ello Rambo

What's that grey thing at the front (RHS) behind the bonnet stay locator ? Wouldn't it prevent the bonnet closing ? It looks a bit like a high wattage security light

I'm guessing it's an after market alarm siren, but the bonnet stay locator isn't a bonnet stay locator because it's a preproduction clam. The bonnet stay and locator are right up near the passenger side windscreen. What you've spotted is a hole which was destined to become the new position of the bonnet stay locator....

And where's the rocker cover ?

No idea, but I've requested from the owner whether it's plastic or aluminium, that will assist me in ascertaining the age of the car.

And is the header coolant tank different ? Or is it even there ? Something looks a bit odd

I think it's dropped down a bit, or the Mechanic is working on the coils etc...

Strange that it's closed loop Do you think this might have been fitted some time after the car left Hethel ? I take it this car is a pre-production model ?

Two questions... The cars wiring loom does not conform with any known Lotus Élan markings, but it is Lotus loom and the sensor appear to be correct. The car also has a Fed VIN, V5 registered as '96 S2, so both would require lower emissions... I also know it's an early SE Engine.

So...the Preproduction question... I know where I think it falls, but I'm in discussion with Lotus and the owner. I'll be brave and say... Its DNA lends it self to one of the first 70 or so M100's, but its's history and heritage are much more complex. I'm awaiting more photographs... When you think there were 50 odd mules, then the Preproductions and then the initial builds, all this before the "first car" came off the line.

Personally I'm hoping for the holy grail... Any legacy component from the ABS system

TTFN

[Rambo]

It's a very interesting story Dave and you are obviously the LEC guru on the early years of the M100.

Incidentally, his many mules do you have in your stable these days ?

[Specky]

It's a very interesting story Dave and you are obviously the LEC guru on the early years of the M100.

Incidentally, how many mules do you have in your stable these days ?

Only the one mule, but it does have some ABS parts ,

I really must compile it for the Wiki, but who would read an ABS thread for this car, let alone use it....


TTFN