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
Series 2:
Started at SB1000 and the last was SB2310.- SB1000-2101 built at Cheshunt
- SB2102-2310 built at Hethel
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'
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 type | chassis number | configuration/other |
| Chassis Types Designations |
| CS3 | Caterham Series 3 |
| LCS | Long Cockpit |
| S3B | for Dutch market |
| 5LC | 5 Speed Gearbox, Long Cockpit |
| KS3C | CKD (Completely Knocked Down ie all parts supplied by Caterham) kit-built, standard cockpit |
| KLCC | CKD kit-built, long cockpit |
| KLDC | CKD kit-built, de dion (therefore long cockpit) |
| KS3 | Kit built (not CKD) |
| Configuration |
| 2 | Mark 2 Escort Axle |
| 5 | 5 Speed gearbox (not sure about this one) |
| 13 | 1300 GT |
| 16 | 1600 GT |
| 17 | 1700 Supersprint |
| 17H | 1700 Holbay |
| BDR | Cosworth 16 Valve Engine |
| D | |
| F | Fully Built |
| GS | 100bhp 1600 GT |
| GT | 84bhp 1600GT |
| J | Jubilee |
| JPE | Jonathan Palmer Evolution |
| L | Left Hand Drive or |
| M | Marina |
| ME | Japanese Specification JPE |
| MK | Modified Kent |
| P | Prototype |
| PRI | Prisoner Series |
| R | Right Hand Drive |
| R | Racer |
| RI | Rover K-Series (pre 1992) |
| RJ | Rover K-Series (post 1992) |
| RMJ | Japanese Specification Racer |
| S | RS Axle |
| T | Turbo |
| X | Experimental |
| TC | Big Valve |
| VC | Vegantune VTA Engine |
| VI | Vauxhall Injection |
| VJ | Vauxhall Injection |
| VX | Vauxhall Carburettored |
| VT | Vauxhall Turbo |
| XR | Ford CVH |
| XT | Ford 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
SDKRDKCR8Y0021805 2000 1.8 K
| Posn | Item | Values | Interpretation |
| 1-3 | MID | SDK | Manufacturers' Identification Code for Caterham Cars |
| 4 | Chassis Configuration | L or R | Left or Right Hand Drive |
| 5 | Rear Suspension | D or L | |
| 6 | Build Type | C F K S | CKD (Completeley Knocked Down) not Starter Kit Limited Volume Type Approved Fully Built Kit Built Factory Built |
| 7 | Chassis Type | A C H L O R S 5 | Alternative CKD (Completeley Knocked Down) not Starter Kit HPC Superlight Other Race Chassis Starter Kit SV |
| 8-9 | Engine | BB 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 110 BHP 1600 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 |
| 10 | Chassis Year | M-Y 1-> | M=91, N=92, P=93, Y=2000 1=2001, 2=2002 etc |
| 11-17 | Chassis Number | Chassis Number |
