Did Lotus play fast and loose with model years? For example my Plus 2 was built in early 68 according to the serial number (877). Yet it was registered as a 69 when first sold in Ontario Canada. If this is typical, then the black badge could be on cars registered as 68, 69, or 70.
I hope the Jim Clark memorial meaning is the true reason for the black badge. Note that after Chapman died there were some variations on the traditional Lotus badge, including some black versions. David put the car away for winter yesterday ----- Original Message ----- From: "B Philbrick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 7:32 PM Subject: RE: [lotus-cars] Black badges > > Phil - The Elite 503's from the factory had the black > badge. - Bruce. > > > --- "Mitchell, Philip S" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> >> Mike, >> >> My JPS Esprits have black/gold badges. My '86 Esprit >> hci has a black badge. >> >> My Europa TCs, JPS Europa and 61 FF have >> green/yellow badges. I don't >> remember what my Elite 503 has. >> >> Phil Mitchell >> Maryland >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Mike Causer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 10:06 AM >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Subject: [lotus-cars] Black badges >> >> >> >> There are a number of different stories about the >> black badges fitted to >> Lotus, generally disagreeing with each other. So, >> to fill a rainy >> afternoon I decided to see if there is any usable >> evidence of the use of >> different coloured badges. Time travelling back to >> look at the >> production lines proved too difficult, but there is >> a form of time >> travel available in the collected books of magazine >> road tests, mainly >> published by Brooklands Books -- and conveniently to >> hand following >> another investigation ;-) >> >> Now we have to make some assumptions, but I think >> quite reasonable ones. >> First, a car supplied by Lotus for a magazine to >> test will have the >> badging used in production at the time it was made >> and registered. (We >> know their engines weren't always standard, but >> that's a different >> concern.) There is a caveat here, an importer >> might decide to change >> badging to fit their own preference, but at the time >> in question Lotus >> had different importers for the East and West coasts >> of the USA, so any >> switches probably won't be consistent. >> >> Another possibility is that Lotus themselves >> switched badges to reflect >> the current production, but this isn't borne out out >> by the tests wich >> invariably show that any individual car has the same >> badge all through >> its active life of up to a year. >> >> Is the frequency of published tests enough to give a >> good picture of >> production? From 1962 to 1982 I've found 160 tests, >> and 8 a year would >> seem to be adequate. Only tests of "new" cars are >> taken into account, >> those that have been modified by dealers (eg BRM, >> Else, B&C) are not >> taken into account, nor are articles about used >> cars. >> >> >> Let's clear one other problem area -- the very first >> black badge was >> made specially for Sales Director Graham Arnold, and >> fitted to his >> personal car which also had non-standard black >> paintwork and >> non-standard red leather interior. Plus a >> well-tweaked engine of >> course... >> >> >> >> OK, now for my findings..... >> >> 62 - mid 68 everywhere yellow/green >> mid 68 - mid 71 UK & AUS black/silver, USA >> mainly yellow/green >> mid 71 - 74 everywhere mainly >> yellow/green >> 74 - 83 everywhere black/silver for >> Elite/Eclat/Esprit >> >> Yes, most of the tests of USA-spec cars in the USA >> had yellow/green badges >> while the rest of the world had black/silver for >> three years. And, >> *all* Elite/Eclat/Excel/Esprit had black/silver >> badges, not one had >> yellow/green. >> >> Does this account for the perception in the USA that >> black badged cars >> are rare, while the UK thinks they're pretty common? >> >> >> >> Let the cries of "Burn the heretic!" begin ;-) >> >> >> Mike >> -- >> Mike Causer Email - >> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> GPG KeyID 1C2DDA07 WWW - >> http://www.mikecauser.com >> Flood the fen again! - Wicken Fen enlargement - >> http://www.wicken.org.uk >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. > www.yahoo.com > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotus-cars/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
