Hello. As I have mentionned before, my car has had a change of chassis in 2001 (so one year after it was sold new). I’m trying to pass it through local (belgian) MOT but as the number stamped on the chassis (LR - for Lotus replacement) is different from the registration papers, they are refusing it. After contacting Lotus with a reply saying that they were never obliged by law to issue any kind of document for a chassis replacement (and have no record for this procedure), my local importer told me that the owner at the time chassis was changed must have some kind of certificate. So I’m looking to contact the first owners, M. Houghton and Ms Amanda Houghton from Cheltenham and Dylan Pemberton from Liverpool. After a few phone calls based on a BT database search which were unsuccesfull, I wonder if any of you might have a lead to contact these people. Thank you very much.
Do you have the service book, I would start by contacting the dealer who was working on the vehicle at this time and see if they did the chassis swap and have any details.
I will ask our homologation people at work if there is anything else you can do
You can get details of all previous owners from DVLA at Swansea
Well, there have been 5 previous owners. It has been sold at one point by C. Neil, and from this point I got almost everything. The first 2 owners are the target of this search. Car was sold new by D. Lovett, I’ve contacted them (with the help of a member of this forum), but without success. I’ve got several documents (RAC…) giving some info, apparently the car is clean which mean the chassis number is not an issue for UK MOT. Maybe I should contact Sarah Way at Lotus (she has signed my COC)? Or is there a web site (other than BT) giving more possibilities in finding people in UK ?
If there was a new chassis installed in the car and the chassis number was not stamped as per original, then the log book should have been updated at that point, however sadly just about nobody ever does it (like changing engine number when a new one is installed). Not sure what\how it can be updated retrospectively especially as it has now left the country 
Yes, definitively, I’ve got to start my search from the dealer - Dick Lovett at the time in Cheltenham. From what I’ve read, the Lotus “base” has been now moved to Swindon. Beeing outside of UK does not seems to be a problem, as Andrew Plant (Lotus Aftersales) quoted :
“At the time that specific chassis was produced the regulations did not specify that Lotus cars had to produce replacement chassis with an identical VIN number to the one it was replacing.
Lotus Cars does not have any details of why the vehicle required a chassis I can only suggest you go back to the previous owner of the vehicle to obtain further information. Lotus Cars does not produce any further documentation for the LR range of replacement chassis as at the time there were no regulations requiring us to do so.”
I wonder if any distinguished member of this forum had a similar problem with chassis exchange.
Unfortunately, Lovett Swindon seems to have discarded the archives relative to their - now closed - operation in Cheltenham. So back at square one - Lotus. Will try to contact Sarah Way or Andrew Plant next week - anyone having another useful contact at Hethel ? Thank you.
Did you buy the car from a dealer?
Maybe they could help?
Think I’ve got some info,Jean-Yves,
See your PMs
i bought a s1 elise in november and when i checked the rear chassie the vin number was a Lr number when i asked the previous owner he didnt know about it so i got in touch with Andrew Plant at lotus and he said the same thing and who the chassie was supplyed to and when but why they didnot know,so tryed contacting the dealer who the chassie was supplyed to but they didnot have records going back so long some dealers stamped the vin numbers in them selfs and made a right mess doing it theres a previous post on here about it, Dealers didnt tell dvla because they didnt have to at the time plus the cars might have had to be reregistered and got a Q plate
Yes, I’ve got DVLA and AA reports issued after the chassis was changed, and none mentionned this fact (one of the positive point beeing absence of assurance claim, which confirms a chassis change on warranty, due perhaps to corrosion problems)… My car was first sold by an offical dealer (Lovett), had a chassis change, then was sold by C. Neil, and then by private owners… It’s very odd that through MOT’s they didn’t look at the chassis number…
they would check the chassie number because its part of the mot but they would of checked the one at the front which is stuck on if it was not a lotus garage they might not know the number its there my car was sold previosly by cn and they didnt know them selfs
Talked to Sarah Way (now Steward) today, apparently Lotus can issue a document (seems I’m not the only one with this problem). Will keep you posted.
Yep, Sarah Stewart is a very useful lady!
Great news
Apologies, I’ve mispelled her family name.
Sarah Stewart
Senior Legislation Engineer
LOTUS CARS LIMITED
T +44 (0)1953 608526
F +44 (0)1953 608168
[email protected]
Here’s what Sarah sent me, guess it will be useful to others
Good result! 
Lets hope it has the correct responce from the authorities 
They wouldn’t dare to do otherwise
If not, car will be for sale in UK