Thank you very much for the detailed reply!? I currently own 3 Lotus cars and I was interested in venturing into the world of a Lotus sports racer (specifically a 23) but I also wanted to be assured of its provenance.

The factory records list cars by their 23-s-xx number, some of the cards also refer to the AM prefix frame number but none refer only to the AM number. There is no evidence that any cars were supplied by the factory with the AM number as the identity ?There are some gaps in the AM numbers listed in the factory records which suggest that some chassis frames bearing AM numbers were supplied as replacements for damaged chassis, and some were probably also built up into cars outside of the factory using ?a mixture of spare parts also supplied by Lotus, parts taken from damaged cars and parts made by companies other than Lotus.? These latter cars may be considered period replicas but probably not as authentic Lotus 23s.? The black and silver screen printed plate on the dash of the car on sale through BaT does not look like an original plate from Cheshunt, it looks like one someone outside of Lotus has made and stamped AM123.? The AM stamping on the chassis is not to the normal format either, so it is also probably not original.? The chassis itself has some of the additional tubes normally associated with the series 2 or 23B model, but not all of them which is strange if it really is a late model frame made towards the end of 23 production.? The high AM number would suggest a manufacture date of 1965 or 66, certainly not 1962 as stated.? Note that some of the paperwork claims a manufacture date of 1964. This car may be based around the remains of a real Lotus 23 whose identity has been lost, or it may be a collection of ?original and non-original parts which never had an identity. The inclusion of a number of components from a Ford single cam pre-cross flow or cross flow engine in the spares package might suggest the twin-cam engine is not original either. It certainly has a post 1967 cylinder head.? If it’s a Mk9 gearbox as described then that is also not original.

Caveat Emptor….

On 25 Oct 2021, at 18:50, Brian Elkins <brianelkinsut@...> wrote:

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The following Lotus 23B was recently listed on BaT:??

I realize the AM123 indicates the chassis was built by Arch Motors but I'm curious about the lack of the indication of the 23-S-xxx number.

Are there instances of Lotus 23's without the 23-S-xxx number?? Thank you.

Brian

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