Changing the frame

[JohnLClark]

After reading other posts about other peoples attempts to save wrecked Elises, I have a few questions.

1. When a damaged Elise has a frame replaced, how is the car titled by the state?

2. What is the actual cost of the replacement frame and how would somebody order one? Contact the local dealer or do they have to deal with the factory?

3. Has anybody actually done this in the US? Can they give some details about the swap? What was the most easy and the most difficult jobs that you had to do to fix the car?

[mikelr]

1- I would imagine it would considered "salvage"

2- Not sure on th price of a new chassis but you would go through a dealer to purchase one.

3- You may find that you will need more than just a new chassis to do the job, there are many parts that are bonded to the frame that might not survive the dissassembly process. i.e, side pods, front crash structure, windshield suround.

Seems like for the price I see wrecked Elise/Exiges go for it would be cheaper to just buy a reasonably priced "non wrecked" car.
Buy the time you fix a salvaged car, the price tag will be the same and in the end you have a salvage title car that is worth less than your investment.

[Aedo]

Originally Posted by mikelr

1- I would imagine it would considered "salvage"

2- Not sure on th price of a new chassis but you would go through a dealer to purchase one.

3- You may find that you will need more than just a new chassis to do the job, there are many parts that are bonded to the frame that might not survive the dissassembly process. i.e, side pods, front crash structure, windshield suround.

Seems like for the price I see wrecked Elise/Exiges go for it would be cheaper to just buy a reasonably priced "non wrecked" car.
Buy the time you fix a salvaged car, the price tag will be the same and in the end you have a salvage title car that is worth less than your investment.

According to the manual a new "chassis partial assembly" come complete with the bonded on front crash structure (since it cannot be removed intact and as such a new one will always be needed during a chassis exchange) as well as the windscreen surround (not sure on the sills) so that is not such a big issue.

Sadly I think if you want to do it to save money you need a very very cheap donor.

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by mikelr

1- I would imagine it would considered "salvage"

I shouldn't be just because of the new chassis. The chassis is a replaceable part, and should even have the original VIN. Now, if the insurance company totaled the car (and you bought the car after that), then that's pretty much automatically "salvaged". But if you damaged your own chassis, and replaced it without an insurance company totaling it, it's just a car repair - no different than replacing a fender on a regular car.

2- Not sure on th price of a new chassis but you would go through a dealer to purchase one.

Someone posted that the price was in the neighborhood of $7,000 (I thought it was lower). You would most likely order it from a dealer, but you probably could order it through several of the old time Lotus vendors - in the US or the UK.

3- You may find that you will need more than just a new chassis to do the job, there are many parts that are bonded to the frame that might not survive the disassembly process. i.e, side pods, front crash structure, windshield surround.

The chassis is compete with the front crash structure, side sill, pipes (coolant, oil, heater, etc.) through the side sills, and windshield surround. Everything that is bonded onto the chassis comes with the new one. Everything that you bolt on, comes from the old car.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

What they said, except 3. This is only cost effective if your donor vehicle is very intact (other than the chassis), even if you're doing the labor yourself. You can get an intact Elise for about $20k more than the bare chassis, and it's hard to get a mostly-intact Elise with a tweaked chassis for under 20k. This is why I've only known this process to be done once, on an almost new Exige.

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

Someone posted that the price was in the neighborhood of $7,000 (I thought it was lower). You would most likely order it from a dealer, but you probably could order it through several of the old time Lotus vendors - in the US or the UK.

A Lotus dealer told me that they did a chassis swap last year and the price was $11,500 for the chassis plus loads of labor.

I would think the chassis can only be purchased from a USA Lotus dealer as you have to give the VIN to buy a chassis and they will know it is a USA car...

[evilfij]

Swapping frames does not impact the title in most states, but some require you to have the vehicle inspected and have the VIN stamped on the new frame.

[ChrisB]

Originally Posted by evilfij

Swapping frames does not impact the title in most states, but some require you to have the vehicle inspected and have the VIN stamped on the new frame.

Lotus supplies the old VIN for the new frame, but you have to cut out the VIN from the old frame and give it to them. The only frame replacement I've seen, or heard of, in the US was done at a dealer, so I don't know how they handle the VIN exchange if you want to do it yourself.