Moving to France

[max-walls]

I'm planning to retire to France in a year or so (Brexit permitting) and would really like bring my elan with me. A little research has thrown up the issue of the Certificate of Conformity - as these didn't exist when the elan was manufactured, I wondered if anyone had any advice on the complexities of registering an m100 elan in France. This is probably not helped by the Elise rear light conversion and the after-market Piper exhaust....

Any cheap solutions for LHD headlamps?

I know this is bound to be difficult as I am feeling FAR too smug after finishing my cambelt change....

It would also be good to hear what the Lotus scene looks like in Normandy.

[GeoffSmith]

Check out Will's thread.

[max-walls]

Check out Will's thread.

Thanks Geoff - that's very helpful. Blimey! Insurance is expensive....

[madbilly]

I just wrote a long reply and my phone lost it! I'll write up on the thread I started all those years ago...

For the CoC I can remove the sensitive parts from mine and send it to you as a proforma, let me know.

[max-walls]

I just wrote a long reply and my phone lost it! I'll write up on the thread I started all those years ago...

For the CoC I can remove the sensitive parts from mine and send it to you as a proforma, let me know.

Many thanks - that would be very helpful. I guess my main area of concern is that my Elan carries a lot of modifications (exhaust, engine chip, brakes, rear lights, seats etc.) and I am worried that these may cause me a problem.

On the up-side, I have got a couple of French dipped-beam units off the Lotus after-sales list for £6 + VAT each

Sorry for your wasted time on the response, but any advice would be much appreciated.

[Giniw]

Instead of the CoC they will deliver another document that should allow the registration of the car. Its cost is around 100€ IIRC.

http://www.lotuscars.com/about-us/contact-us
Archive
CONTACT FOR:
Archive queries relating to build specification, build dates, certificate of provenance and data certificates for cars prior to 1997
EMAIL:
archive@lotuscars.com

As for the modifications, I would say they won't care (nor ask) at all. If it were a LHD car, there would be no verification at all.
As it's an RHD, I can't be sure. My guess is that the Contrôle Technique (the French equivalent of the English MOT) will check the headlamps tuning (so it will need the right pattern, maybe a little black triangle would be OK but I am not sure whether it would be a pass for a CT?), but that's about it. Of course they will also check the pollution, shocks, wheel bearing play and so on but nothing specific. Again, that is just my guess.

Here are the official pages you will need to read and understand (feel free to ask if in doubt) — those two links have been lingering in my notes for far too long since I had read your enquiry, sorry for the delay, I am a bit forgetful sometimes!):
https://www.service-public.fr/particuli ... its/F10519
https://www.service-public.fr/particuli ... oits/F1050

[madbilly]

Please don't apologise for my own cack-handedness! In fact I rewrote pretty much all of it as a reply in the thread I started a while ago so you can read it there.

You can find the sanitised scans of the documents here. Lotus should have the original Word versions from which they can create your documents from. If your car is an S2 I suspect the information will be different. Please tell me know if you see any personal information that I've failed to remove!

They didn't inspect my car, so I don't suppose it's necessary to worry about modifications.

[Giniw]

On the up-side, I have got a couple of French dipped-beam units off the Lotus after-sales list for £6 + VAT each

Really?
Are those the yellow ones?

[madbilly]

Same as mine then! Now I just need yellow main beams

[Giniw]

(Honestly I prefer white lamps, but it would be funny to have the yellow full set )

[max-walls]

Please don't apologise for my own cack-handedness! In fact I rewrote pretty much all of it as a reply in the thread I started a while ago so you can read it there.

You can find the sanitised scans of the documents here. Lotus should have the original Word versions from which they can create your documents from. If your car is an S2 I suspect the information will be different. Please tell me know if you see any personal information that I've failed to remove!

They didn't inspect my car, so I don't suppose it's necessary to worry about modifications.

Many thanks - I didn't spot anything! At least I know what I'm looking for now. I'll drop Lotus an email.

Mine is also a S1, but has S2 wheels fitted (another mod...) Got to be worth a try!

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Here are the part numbers for the France Headlamps:

A100M6091F HEADLAMP-DIP (FRANCE) (SP) £5.98
A100M6092F OBSOLETE (04/04/11) £68.81

I don't see anyone that has the yellow main beams under the Lotus part number.

In the US they are readily available. I am assuming a LHD headlamp is the same as France...

Part number 4412A. By Wagner, they are available from Rock Auto US for $6.92 each
Rock Auto UK should have them too

There are also halogen headlamps available, but I never know which type (H2,H3,H4) are in vogue.

[Giniw]

In the US they are readily available. I am assuming a LHD headlamp is the same as France...

I am not too sure about the dip beams.
Are yours similar to that pattern, too? I have read somewhere it was different in the USA (generally speaking, nothing specific to the Elan).

Code: Select all

          / light
 shadow  / light
________/ light
light light

[Brit-Car-Nut]

What I looked for other than the Lotus supplied, dip beams for France was the main beam unit which I wasn't aware had a special beam pattern. I thought it was just the dip beam that was unique.

[max-walls]

What I looked for other than the Lotus supplied, dip beams for France was the main beam unit which I wasn't aware had a special beam pattern. I thought it was just the dip beam that was unique.

I must admit I thought I only need to worry about the dipped units as well. I will end up with a mix of clear and amber lenses, but I don't think this matters either - unless I'm mistaken?

[Brit-Car-Nut]

The high beam units sold over here are screw terminal type but most suppliers include some connection adapters.

The normal use (over here) is amber high beam/fog and clear white dip beams...

[Giniw]

(Just to be clear: I too think the main beams are the same, with the dip beams being symmetric to the UK ones)

[Brit-Car-Nut]

I anyone wants to see a listing, here is a set on eBay that has the proper connections:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-3-4-AMBER-GLA ... 2514101749

[lotusflasherman]

Same as mine then! Now I just need yellow main beams

No, you don't need them ... Yellow beams haven't been mandatory in France since 1993 due to EU harmonization laws. We bought a Renault Espace in '93 and I thought the best way to convert headlamps for trip to France in 94 was to buy yellow right dipping headlamps from a Renault dealer in Calais as soon as we landed. He told me yellow was 'old hat' and France was going to white to please rest of Europe so I bought white right-dipping units. Used to take me about 10 minutes to swap both while waiting for the ferry. Very rarely see yellow beams in France apart from on very old French cars ...

[Bolsom]

Hi ,

I retired here 14 years ago. I contacted lotus and asked for a CoC - no problem.
I got the yellow outer lights from a chap in Belgium. It has no problems with the
Control Technique (MOT) every two years. It failed the first year on emissions.
But I cured that with a smart device called Everest (which I understand is made
for this purpose)
We went to the Prefecture and filled out their forms. They were very helpful
and it took about an hour. Insurance is about 600 euros, but you might beat this by shopping around.
The roads where we live (Near Limoux) tend to be narrow, which makes overtaking hard work, so
I don't use it as much as I might.

Anyway, good luck with the move, we love it here.

Colin