Chassis Numbers

Chassis numbers - What do they mean?

This is an attempt to make some kind of sense of the different chassis numbering systems used by Lotus and Caterham Cars.

Lotus Chassis Numbers

The Lotus Chassis numbers are almost quite straightforward:

Series 1:

Chassis Numbers 400-499 built at Hornsey
Chassis Numbers 750-892 built at Cheshunt
The gap in the sequence can be confusing. Numbers 500-553 were Elevens, and numbers 600-615 were Fifteens. Apparently some numbers between 750 and 892 were used for Formula Junior cars

Series 2:

Started at SB1000 and the last was SB2310.
SB1000-2101 built at Cheshunt
SB2102-2310 built at Hethel
Left hand drive vehicles had their own series of chassis numbers: SB1500-1550, SB1750-1799. From SB1800-2310 there was no separate number range, left hand drive cars had an 'L' prefix, sometimes before the SB, sometimes after.

Series 3:

Numbers SB2311 to SB2649. Left hand drive cars had the prefix 'SB' replaced with 'LSB'. These numbers included the 13 Twin-Cam SS cars which were random and had the 'SB' prefix replaced with 'SC'.

Series 4:

Numbers S4/2650 to S4/3315 or maybe more. Left hand drive cars had the 'S4' prefix replaced with either 'LBS4' or 'LS4'

Lotus went on to produce a further 38 Series 4 chassis. When Graham Nearn at Caterham Car Sales and Coachworks obtained the manufacturing rights to the Seven in 1973, these were the first cars that they built

Caterham Chassis Numbers

Caterham Series 4:

Numbers S4/3501 to S4/3538

Caterham Series 3

Now it starts to look a little different, chassis numbers got a little longer, but it was possible to determine the basic specification of the car. The number is broken down into three or four component parts eg:
chassis typechassis numberconfiguration/other
This arrangement continued until approximately 1990

Chassis Types Designations
CS3Caterham Series 3
LCSLong Cockpit
S3Bfor Dutch market
5LC5 Speed Gearbox, Long Cockpit
KS3CCKD (Completely Knocked Down ie all parts supplied by Caterham) kit-built, standard cockpit
KLCCCKD kit-built, long cockpit
KLDCCKD kit-built, de dion (therefore long cockpit)
KS3Kit built (not CKD)

Configuration/Other Designations
2Mark 2 Escort Axle
55 Speed gearbox (not sure about this one)
131300 GT
161600 GT
171700 Supersprint
17H1700 Holbay
BDRCosworth 16 Valve Engine
DDeDionRearAxle
FFully Built
GS100bhp 1600 GT
GT84bhp 1600GT
JJubilee
JPEJonathan Palmer Evolution
LLeft Hand Drive or LiveAxle
MMarina/Ital Axle
MEJapanese Specification JPE
MKModified Kent
PPrototype
PRIPrisoner Series
RRight Hand Drive
RRacer
RIRover K-Series (pre 1992)
RJRover K-Series (post 1992)
RMJJapanese Specification Racer
SRS Axle
TTurbo
XExperimental
TCBig Valve TwinCam
VCVegantune VTA Engine
VIVauxhall Injection
VJVauxhall Injection
VXVauxhall Carburettored
VTVauxhall Turbo
XRFord CVH
XTFord CVH Turbo

Post 1990

Sometime after 1990, European legislation demanded 17 character VIN codes for all cars. Here are some examples:
SDKRDKCR8V0020587 1997 1.8
SDKRDKLR8X0021432 1998 SuperLight with 1.8l engine
SDKRDKCR8Y0021805 2000 1.8 K

PosnItemValuesInterpretation
1-3MIDSDKManufacturers' Identification Code for Caterham Cars
4Chassis ConfigurationL or RLeft or Right Hand Drive
5Rear SuspensionD or LDeDion or Live Axle
6Build TypeC
F
K
S		CKD (Completeley Knocked Down) not Starter Kit
Limited Volume Type Approved Fully Built
Kit Built
Factory Built
7Chassis TypeA
C
H
L
O
R
S
5		Alternative
CKD (Completeley Knocked Down) not Starter Kit
HPC
Superlight
Other
Race Chassis
Starter Kit
SV
8-9EngineBB
C6
C7
C8
FB
GS
GT
MK
NS
RC
RD
RI
RJ
R3
R4
R5
R6
R8
TC
VI
VJ
VT
VX
XC
XS
17		Blackbird
BDR 1600
BDR 1700
BDR 1800
Fireblade
100 BHP 1600 Crossflow
84 BHP 1600 CrossFlow
110 BHP 1600 CrossFlow ('sprint')
Engine Not Supplied
Rover VVC
Rover VHPD
Rover K-Series 1.4l (post1992)
Rover K-Series 1.4l 2002 onwards
R300
R400
R500
Rover 1.6l
Rover 1.8l
Twin Cam
Vauxhall Injection
Vauxhall Injection
Vauxhall Turbo
Vauxhall Carburettored 2.0l
Vauxhall 8-Valve 1.6l
Vauxhall 8-Valve 1.8l
1700cc Super Sprint
10Chassis YearM-Y
1->		M=91, N=92, P=93, Y=2000
1=2001, 2=2002 etc
11-17Chassis Number Chassis Number

with thanks to Jez Coates, Paul Newman, John Passmore and various books and websites I've nicked this info from