12 replies to this topic

[thos]

Folks,
I've found a chassis which would appear to be a Lotus 21, should there be a chassis number on this anywhere ? It's in ok shape, some surface rust, but would like to find out more about it's history. I believe only 11 made ?

Tom

[275 GTB-4]

Welcome thos....don't know....but introduce youself (there is a special thread for that) and especially what country you are in so that people can offer help...Cheers, Mick

[David McKinney]

Can't help with your specific inquiry, but can confirm that ten cars were built in 1961, plus another (a replacement chassis) in 1964
Five of these cars were written off in period, and the whereabouts of six are known today (well, in the last 10 years, anyway)
However, my own list has the same number for one of the existing cars (traceable back to 1962) and one of the written-off ones, which leaves a gap for one car not heard of (by me) since 1962...
The other point of course is that one of the pukka existing cars might have been fitted with a replacement chassis at some stage, which would leave a genuine 'spare'

[thos]

Thanks David,
Will see if there's a number anywhere on the chassis and will be in touch.

Tom

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by thos
Folks,
I've found a chassis which would appear to be a Lotus 21, should there be a chassis number on this anywhere ? It's in ok shape, some surface rust, but would like to find out more about it's history. I believe only 11 made ?

Tom

Works cars tend not to have numbers, 'mass-produced' chassis (made by people like Arch Motors) usually had numbers on the rear face of the rear top shock absorber mounting.
But some works cars have numbers in this area as well (on some 18s these were just painted on though!).

There will usually be holes on the instrument panel where the chassis plate would have been fitted (2 or 4 holes in a (roughly) 3" by 1" rectangle), the location and number of holes can help identify which chassis since the location varies slightly.

I don't recall seeing a space frame Lotus single seater with numbers in other areas - 23s had a 2nd number in the cockpit, and some monocoque cars have numbers around the back of the driver's seat.

If it is a 21 and you everneed parts like rear uprights I might be able to help you.

[arttidesco]

Wondering if the chassis number for this car found by thos ever came to light ?

Answers may be credited and used in a forth coming blog.

Thanking you in anticipation of your responses.

PS does anyone know the chassis number of the 21 driven by Dan Collins at the Goodwood Revival a few weeks ago ?

The Classic Team Lotus Website often mentions the Collins car but never the chassis number in it's quarterly reviews.

[Andy Arnold]

Wondering if the chassis number for this car found by thos ever came to light ?

Answers may be credited and used in a forth coming blog.

Thanking you in anticipation of your responses.

PS does anyone know the chassis number of the 21 driven by Dan Collins at the Goodwood Revival a few weeks ago ?

The Classic Team Lotus Website often mentions the Collins car but never the chassis number in it's quarterly reviews.

Dan's car is 933, at the Silverstone classic last year I saw Alex Morton's car and it's chassis plate said 939/952

[arttidesco]

Thanks for the Dan Collins Number Andy.

I thought 952 was the UDT Lotus 19 that became the Rosebud Racing Teams Ferrari powered 19 now Climax powered again and owned by Baron Otto Reetz-Thott ?

Note has been already been made of some of the errors in the linked post 902

[David McKinney]

There was a Lotus 19 #952 and a Lotus 21 #952. The latter was a frame supplied to South Africa to repair 939, hence the two numbers appearing today

[arttidesco]

Thank you David

[RWB]

Thank you David

I think there were (are) Lotus 24s numbered 950 and 951 as well as Lotus 19s with the same numbers. An old fogey can get confused.

[David McKinney]

You can usually tell by looking ;)

[arttidesco]

Thanks to David and Andy for their answers to my Lotus 21 questions