Author Topic: Else Europa  (Read 5023 times)

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Offline LotusJoe

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Else Europa
« on: Thursday,May 23, 2013, 10:05:08 AM »
A few pictures of Steve's Else
Joe Irwin
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Offline Steve Jarvis

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #1 on: Thursday,May 23, 2013, 10:43:51 AM »
Found the link!! This is my Else Europa, modified and supplied by J A Else & Sons. Bought in 1979, restored by me in early 90'sUsed all year round, especially for the Dream Rides at the National Classic Car Show at the NEC, raising money for kids in the UK.

Offline 3929R

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #2 on: Thursday,May 23, 2013, 03:51:26 PM »
Great pictures of a great looking car!  Either Steve is really short or the steering wheel is on the right and correct side.  (Oh I hope your in the UK and I didn't just stick my foot in my mouth!)

What does the Else build include?
Mark
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Offline cal44

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #3 on: Thursday,May 23, 2013, 04:46:00 PM »
Steve,
I not familiar with J A Else & Sons.  Could you provide a little education for me.

mike
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Offline EuropaTC

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #4 on: Thursday,May 23, 2013, 10:28:54 PM »
Hi Steve,

Is that Mike Brewer in the top photo looking at your car ? It looks great and doesn't look out of place with all the exotica in the 2nd shot. I remember them at the time but I didn't think there were that many made as the full tune was quite expensive compared to the basic cost of the car from Lotus ? I'm sure you have a rare car there....

Mike - no doubt Steve will be along with the full tale, but for now they were a dealership in Derbyshire who decided to offer a series of upgrades for the S2 Europa.  At the time the S2 looked much faster than it actually went, and in direct comparison with the S3 Elan it was quite slow. They did a 5 stage package depending on how fast you wanted to go (or more accurately, how much money you had  :)  )

I have the Robinshaw/Francis book on the Europa and they have a couple of pages with a fair bit of detail. If there's interest or Steve doesn't have it, I can make a scan as I think the book is now out of print.  But here's a link to the period road test....

http://www.lotus-europa.com/literature/ElseEuropa.pdf

Brian

Offline Bainford

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday,May 28, 2013, 07:58:13 AM »
A very clean and interesting Europa. I, too, have not heard of the Else Europa and am interested in learning more. I love the low angle action shot in the first post. Very cool.
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

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Offline Steve Jarvis

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #6 on: Thursday,April 24, 2014, 06:19:39 AM »
Sorry about the (very) long delay in replying. To answer a few of the questions; Yes it is right hand drive, I'm a bit taller than my passenger in that shot. Also, yes, that is Mike Brewer. I was doing the dream rides (This is a club, Sporting Bears, who's members bring along their interesting cars and, in return for a donation to charity, we take them for a 10 mile drive. All the money raised goes to Children's Charities in the UK. We raised £42,000 in 3 days at last Novembers show.) at the NEC National Classic Car Show (Google Dream Rides Sporting Bears to see some of the cars that we get.) I was invited to take the car onto the Live Stage at the show with Mike doing the chat and Edd China in the background, and yes, he is very tall!
The Else additions to the basic car are; Front spot lights, Cosmic Wheels, wing mirrors, second fuel tank, improved gear linkage, special rocker cover, road /race cam, flowed head, 45 Webber on special inlet manifold, tubular exhaust and a remote oil cooler fed by the scoop in the right rear flank. The car also had a special paint scheme of yellow body, matt black roof and engine cover and a 1" stripe down the side. When I restored the car in the early nineties a re-do of that paint was a step too far back in the past. The only option my car didn't have was the special gear ratios, which were ideal for track but poor on the road. If anyone has the Lotus Europa Gold Portfolio by Brookland Books, there is a reprint of an article from Classic Cars magazine in there about the car. Many thanks for the kind comments about the car.

Offline Lotusnut

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Re: Else Europa
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday,November 02, 2016, 09:47:58 AM »
Hi
Do you still own the J Else Europa ?
Kevin
kwhittle@btconnect.com