Question on VIN (export?)

[KiwiPom]

There are two ‘84 excels are in NZ with adjacent VIN numbers, it’s unclear if mine (1626, red) was exported via Japan, or imported directly, and I am trying to establish when it was made. Records show it was first registered in nz in 1986.

If I am reading the parts manual right, the “G” in the 12th position indicates the car is “export” and the number sequence is “different” to domestic cars, but the export sequence seems to be in the 200 to 400 range, and so does not include my car which is no. 1626.

Co-incidentally I noticed a “sister” car no. 1627 is also in nz, it was on an auction site (high priced and didnt sell) which probably indicates my VIN plate has not been tampered with.

Any ideas on my car’s manufacturing date?

[MetBlue]

Suggest you try emailing Andy Graham at Lotus Archive.
Until a year or two ago, you could get a certificate of provenance for about £50 and IMO was a good investment. This would give manufacture date and any other relevant factory info. Unfortunately now, they've bumped the price a lot.
He might just be able to explain your car's reason for being G though without having the provenance pack. Sure we'd all be interested what you find out.
Tony

[KiwiPom]

Another export excel in nz….”G” must be right for cars exported to nz is my guess. Unless someone on here knows why that is I will have to ask the factory as suggested.

[MetBlue]

Just a thought, but could this be Todo with right hand drive export cars ?
Maybe they kept things simple by building all RH drive cars the same, but then letting the VIN plate record the export fact.
I'll fit those cars into the register to see if engine numbers etc follow sequentially the UK cars.
Tony

[MetBlue]

All 3 cars fit perfectly into the register I have as if they were UK cars, for both chassis and engine numbers.

I note from the explanation of the VIN make up, that the 13th character should denote the ENGINE market. All these cars are '1' which is for domestic market. 5 would be for Japan, so that would suggest the car didn't reach NZ via Japan (unless it went somewhere else first). Also a direct Japan export should have J in the 12th place.

[KiwiPom]

Car 1720 is advertised as being new when first registered in nz, in 1985, it has a wide body with old style console and 15” wheels (I think) which all fits with the parts VIN. I went to view it before buying my car no. 1626, but was more money.

I am pretty confident my car was new when it arrived in nz now, which means that the nz government computer records are wrong, it makes a slight difference to me as should reach 40 years old earlier than if it is an ‘86 car, and then be eligible for a cheaper licence cost. Also cars which are “nz new” are more desirable as many cars were “clocked” if they spent a few years in another country before arriving in nz and being sold as used cars.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars ... f=bJqDdB4Y

[supraholic]

This kind of begs a question since I had assumed that all of the "Exports" were left hand drive. We know the export vin sequence and assuming there were no gaps, that would come to 211. But if some were RHD, then the number of LHD would be even smaller. Does anyone know how many LHDs there were?

As to the engine market, I have two reams of paperwork suggesting my Excel was in Switzerland from new to 2011 but I've also got a 1 for the engine market. Everything else makes sense including the export sequence. Since there's USA codes for the engine market on that chart, we know the codes shown are not all specific to Excel but must have covered other Lotus models like the Esprit as well. Perhaps that engine market code only applied if they actually had a different engine for that specific market (likely emissions related) and in the case of the Excel, the export model was just the same as the domestic engine?

[KiwiPom]

This kind of begs a question since I had assumed that all of the "Exports" were left hand drive. We know the export vin sequence and assuming there were no gaps, that would come to 211. But if some were RHD, then the number of LHD would be even smaller. Does anyone know how many LHDs there were?

As to the engine market, I have two reams of paperwork suggesting my Excel was in Switzerland from new to 2011 but I've also got a 1 for the engine market. Everything else makes sense including the export sequence. Since there's USA codes for the engine market on that chart, we know the codes shown are not all specific to Excel but must have covered other Lotus models like the Esprit as well. Perhaps that engine market code only applied if they actually had a different engine for that specific market (likely emissions related) and in the case of the Excel, the export model was just the same as the domestic engine?

Both Japan and Australia drive on the left eg cars would be RHD. NZ imports a lot of used cars from Japan when they are relatively young.

Maybe if a car was destined for a country not in the list (eg NZ) then it was “generically” designated as “G“ if RHD and “H” if LHD, but then why not include the car in the export number sequence!

It also says “hot” so I guess G and H cars had aircon….

[KiwiPom]

Another, ‘87 car no. 2184, in govt database as “nz new”, so I am 99% sure cars shipped to nz have “G” in posn 12 and number sequence as per domestic cars.

[MetBlue]

. This kind of begs a question since I had assumed that all of the "Exports" were left hand drive. We know the export vin sequence and assuming there were no gaps, that would come to 211. But if some were RHD, then the number of LHD would be even smaller.

Another way of looking at it is that there are fewer UK registered cars than I first thought. I assumed that the difference between the first and last domestic S/N's represented UK registrations, but now appears we need to subtract the 40 odd NZ exported cars, plus the Aus direct exports that I think follow the same logic.

Tony

[supraholic]

When I brought mine to Texas where it was 108 F the other day, I changed out the original Otter switch for the "hot climate" one as referenced in the service and repair manual. Just a guess, but maybe that's what "hot" on the chart may be in reference to rather than having air conditioning?

[KiwiPom]

When I brought mine to Texas where it was 108 F the other day, I changed out the original Otter switch for the "hot climate" one as referenced in the service and repair manual. Just a guess, but maybe that's what "hot" on the chart may be in reference to rather than having air conditioning?

Yep, I just checked and my cars “sister” (export “G” car, a silver one) has no signs of aircon, in the bonnet pics.

[type89]

Hi there, has been a few years since I have been on here I have an NZ new 1990 and when I researched this maybe 15 years ago I discovered the the G denotes export to Australia, all did not sell there so a handful were shipped to NZ and sold new here via Torino Motors in Auckland. Mine is built in 87 but by the time it was sold in was registered in 1990, the VIN denotes 1 for the engine (domestic) so there are some NZ new cars.
Hope this helps
Cheers - Tony