ya know -- it just could be that monochrome badges were cheaper to make than the colored ones? as a test for cost some may have been made up and used --- ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Funnell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 8:22 PM Subject: Re: [lotus-cars] Black badges
> > 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 > > > > > > > > Yahoo! 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