Author Topic: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection  (Read 26993 times)

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Offline Runningwild

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #30 on: Monday,November 10, 2014, 07:13:05 PM »
Andy. The car looks fantastic. I'm trying to do the same type of pedal box in my 67 S2. Do you have any more info on that set up. Model and manufacturer?  How did you reinforce the attachment points?  Thanks  tom

Offline Mecky

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #31 on: Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 01:48:49 AM »
Hi Andy,

your car looks really beautiful. I like the way it is modified. You are strongly restricted by the rules, but on the other hand you have real racing upgrades like hanging pedals with balance bar and a hydraulic clutch. The radiator looks great, as well. We would like to see some photos of your engine bay, as well.

Are you allowed to use anything other than the stock brakes? If not, I would like to know, how your brake feels during races and how you chose the master cylindres. My car has very similar data (158 HP, 670 kg) and it was lots of try and error until the brake worked well for the first time. At the begining, we used the stock one-circle brake with booster, but it was rediculously bad. After that, we installed a Porsche 911 tandem master cylindre, because my Dad raced a 911 before and the braking of this car is really great. But this did not work out well with the tiny discs and drums of a Europa. With 0,7" at front and 0,625" at the rear circle the brake began to work well, but you have to push the pedal sooooo hard. After that we changed the front master cylinder to 0,625", which made the pedal "softer", but destroyed the whole balance, as you can see on the attached pictures.
For the next season we are going to keep the front cylindre, but take a smaller one for the rear brakes, as well. AP-racing makes master cylindres down to 0,55". The result should be an equal balance as before, but with a pedal, which can be used without brute force.

Your regulations seem to be even more restrictive than mine, but I am still not allowed to use rear brake discs or wider discs at front. With the braking assembly of a Type 47, it would work out much better, but the FIA says no.

@BDA: The Europa's advantage is certainly a higher cornering speed, but the braking distance is despite the relatively low weight not as great as you would imagine.


Offline andyl999

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #32 on: Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 02:29:39 AM »
Blimey, you were lucky to get away with that moment at Paddock Hill bend at the start of lap 2.

As you say, she is quick down the Brabham start finish straight.

The 308 takes a lousy racing line into Druids leaving the door wide open.

Please stick a Go Pro in yours so we can see you playing.

Yes 4129R it was good thing I had a spare pair of underpants on me, I normally drive a Clubman's car which has 8" front and 10" rears so Paddock is almost flat, so I was trying to calibrate my grip, although I am wondering if the Yokohama 008's have a sharp breakaway characteristics? BTW we have to use road legal tyres and the car has an MOT and taxed.

Yes the Ferrari did not want to get down and dirty, I don't blame him.

Go Pro's we have had a lot of problems with them turning off mid race, I now have a VBOX which is a combined datalogger and 2 camera system (I would highly recommend them). However this was my 1st race in the Europa and we had booked testing on the Friday, the 1st 3 sessions the car got as far as the 3rd bend and stopped, we discovered a problem with the distributor, so I only had 30 mins of driving before the raceday and putting the Vbox on the Europa fell off the list :0(

Offline andyl999

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #33 on: Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 02:33:49 AM »
Certainly the weight helps. I think larger engines generally end up being faster. I've never raced or auto crossed my car but I would expect the Europa's biggest advantage would be in the corners and shorter braking distances. As I say, it seems like yours is pretty strong.  :beerchug:

BDA it's a mixture of power to weight/frontal area/grip/balance large engines don't by themselves seem to work that well on a racetrack, we had TVR's and Datsun 260Z and it's capable of beating them.

Unfortunately the brakes are hopeless at the moment, we have to use standard brakes and we have a lot of work to do in that area.

Offline andyl999

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #34 on: Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 02:35:30 AM »
Andy. The car looks fantastic. I'm trying to do the same type of pedal box in my 67 S2. Do you have any more info on that set up. Model and manufacturer?  How did you reinforce the attachment points?  Thanks  tom

Tom I will look up the OBP model number for you and when it stops raining here I can take some more pictures.

Offline andyl999

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #35 on: Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 02:46:28 AM »
Hi Andy,

your car looks really beautiful. I like the way it is modified. You are strongly restricted by the rules, but on the other hand you have real racing upgrades like hanging pedals with balance bar and a hydraulic clutch. The radiator looks great, as well. We would like to see some photos of your engine bay, as well.

Are you allowed to use anything other than the stock brakes? If not, I would like to know, how your brake feels during races and how you chose the master cylindres. My car has very similar data (158 HP, 670 kg) and it was lots of try and error until the brake worked well for the first time. At the begining, we used the stock one-circle brake with booster, but it was rediculously bad. After that, we installed a Porsche 911 tandem master cylindre, because my Dad raced a 911 before and the braking of this car is really great. But this did not work out well with the tiny discs and drums of a Europa. With 0,7" at front and 0,625" at the rear circle the brake began to work well, but you have to push the pedal sooooo hard. After that we changed the front master cylinder to 0,625", which made the pedal "softer", but destroyed the whole balance, as you can see on the attached pictures.
For the next season we are going to keep the front cylindre, but take a smaller one for the rear brakes, as well. AP-racing makes master cylindres down to 0,55". The result should be an equal balance as before, but with a pedal, which can be used without brute force.

Your regulations seem to be even more restrictive than mine, but I am still not allowed to use rear brake discs or wider discs at front. With the braking assembly of a Type 47, it would work out much better, but the FIA says no.

@BDA: The Europa's advantage is certainly a higher cornering speed, but the braking distance is despite the relatively low weight not as great as you would imagine.


Yes you are correct there are quite strong rules on how far you can go, plus 33mm choke restriction, the NG3 gearbox has hopeless ratios that I am not allowed to change. I mean Brands Hatch was 4th round Paddock, 3rd Round druids, 3rd round Graham Hill, 4th round Surtees and 3rd around clearways. Did the whole race in 3rd and 4th, that was until I had a misfire 15 mins into the race at 6500 so it was 5th on the straights, I think this was due to heat build-up in the engine compartment so we need to add a grill at the back.

The brakes are standard and had I am not overloaded with family issues at the moment we would be testing before winter to try and improve them. The rear drums are the smaller TC drums not the special drums, however Dan Eagling (Lifetime Racing) has told me that the rears are not working enough, we now need to try some of Richard Winters expensive but good front pads.

More pictures on the next posting........................

Offline andyl999

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #36 on: Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 03:21:21 AM »
OK a request for the engine department:-



This is the original engine which was tuned up by a local tuner who normally tunes stock cars, it spent 1 1/2hrs on the dyno as there were a few problems, it still retains the std crank.

Lifetime racing turned up a smaller diameter alternator pulley and we "piped" in an oil cooler, carbs were the existing Dellorto's.



The exhaust was from Banks Europa, however we didn't want to poke it out the back like a 47 so we modified it to exit in the standard place.

 I must say I am pleasantly surprised by the engine, it's very torquey and suits the wide spread of gearbox ratios.

Now let's get onto the bad news:-



Standard fronts with race pads, no brake feel and awesomely bad retardation, so bad I was arching my back to stop at Graham Hill Bend!



Standard TC with race linings, we could upgrade to the wider TC Special brakes but it's not worth it yet. I am also using the single adjustable AVO shock absorbers, they seem to work well and it's a good place to start without to much brain wringing when it comes to adjustment.

Overall you must remember I normally drive a formula car with slicks and wings,  I have had only one practice , one qualifying and one race, However I am impressed with the Europa as a race/roadcar, now we need to work on the brakes and tyres and oh I also need to loose 10Kg :0)

Offline 4129R

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #37 on: Tuesday,April 14, 2015, 02:37:37 PM »
I have just taken the drums off my TCS so if you want wider drums, I am in Norfolk.

Alex.

Offline LotusTC

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #38 on: Tuesday,July 19, 2016, 03:26:35 PM »
Hello Stefan,
Yr S2 changed m'y opinion on thé non TC Europa. I didn t like thé rear high wings but yr car looks nice ans for sure is Weil préparer for racing. Who dix thé body work with thé flared fenders? What are thé suspension adjustments ,castor,camber,toe in..... ?  Thks Roland

Offline Mecky

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #39 on: Wednesday,July 20, 2016, 06:49:12 PM »
The new flares are the rear flares of a Ford Escort Mk1. We did the main job on our own and the painter did the refinement.

The suspension set up is mainly like in the Jensen competition manual. It works out brilliantly. https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjI6tKjuIPOAhVMDZoKHd5gDX8QFggeMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lotus-europa.com%2Fmanuals%2Fmisc%2Fjensen.pdf&usg=AFQjCNF8SJinkU41Dm1OI1L4lurSkHuD_w

Offline BDA

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #40 on: Wednesday,July 20, 2016, 07:12:31 PM »
Your car keeps getting better and better! Good luck on the track!

 :lotus:

Offline SwiftDB4

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #41 on: Thursday,July 21, 2016, 03:09:48 PM »
I have no idea what your vintage restrictions are, but I found use of a 47 style snorkel with Weber airbox very beneficial for hp increase.

Offline StephenH

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #42 on: Thursday,July 21, 2016, 11:49:28 PM »
I found use of a 47 style snorkel with Weber airbox very beneficial for hp increase.

I'm not interested in the vertical snorkel so much, but interested in how your airbox arrangement might be constructed.
On my S2 I have only a single fuel tank and think building an airbox into the R/H buttress with a NACA style duct might be worthwhile.

Any pictures?
Stephen
54/1690 1969 S2

Offline SwiftDB4

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #43 on: Thursday,July 28, 2016, 03:36:10 PM »
Attached are pictures of the airboxes for my Zetec twin Weber engine. Box with foam on top meets the snorkel on the deck lid. Box with a horizontal tube inlet is similar to what you suggested. After my original black S1 photo in previous post I added 47 style side NACA ducts and repainted the car. NACA ducts didn't work nearly as well. In fact NACA ducting was inferior to no airbox at all with just sock filters on airhorns. Power loss was very obvious especially above 5000rpm. If you read Carroll Smith's book 'Tune to Win' he details limitations of NACA ducts especially if they are further back on car body. Airflow pulls away from the body farther back you go. Snorkels look strange, but are the most effective in ram air for the carbs.
« Last Edit: Thursday,July 28, 2016, 03:58:58 PM by SwiftDB4 »

Offline StephenH

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Re: Lotus Europa Race Car Collection
« Reply #44 on: Saturday,July 30, 2016, 01:05:16 AM »
Thanks, might have to throw some pitot tubes around the car and find some high pressure points.
One for an airbox and one for the oil cooler.
Stephen
54/1690 1969 S2