Lotus Europa Community

Lotus Europa Forums => Members Cars => Topic started by: cal44 on Wednesday,June 20, 2012, 07:08:01 PM

Title: My rides
Post by: cal44 on Wednesday,June 20, 2012, 07:08:01 PM
Just recently purchased the Europa.  Doing a little fine tuning in order to use all the gears  :o

The Plus 2 was a garage find by the prior owner who then proceeded to spend a bunch of money on it.

(http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k571/cal442/Lotus/IMG_2521.jpg)
(http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k571/cal442/Lotus/IMG_2648.jpg)
(http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k571/cal442/Lotus/IMG_2649.jpg)
(http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k571/cal442/Europa/Completed_Engine_Bay_projectsized.jpg)

Mike
Title: Re: My rides
Post by: Pete Gossett on Wednesday,June 20, 2012, 08:13:48 PM
What year is your Europa? I love the color!

How do the two cars compare?
Title: Re: My rides
Post by: cal44 on Thursday,June 21, 2012, 07:27:24 AM
Pete,

The '73 Europa is Regency Red, paint code #11. 

As too the comparison of the two.  Apples and Oranges so far as I have not had enough windshield time in the Europa due to horrible shifting issues (parts are coming).  This one has great power on Strombergs.  Since I can't afford a vintage Lola coupe or a  GT40, the Europa fits the bill in my budget.  I will say that I have always been taken by the Europa design and since the TC has a bit more room, I made the plunge.  The things fit like a glove and just sitting in them makes me feel I should be in Monte driving some twisties.  Undervalued for pure genius.  I am rather disappointed in myself for wasting time with other marques for the last thirty years.  On the other hand, how would I have known what is more fun.  The fun factor is everything.

The Elan Plus 2 shifts like butter, has tons of room especially leg room, handles great, weighs in at 1900 lbs. This is my second Plus 2, like an idiot I sold my last one two years ago to buy a Sunbeam Tiger (now gone) and regretted it, so when this one came up it was a no brainer.

Look at the June 2012 issue of Classic and Sportscar.
Mike
Title: Re: My rides
Post by: EuropaTC on Thursday,June 21, 2012, 11:03:20 PM
The +2 is a very under-rated car, I can never understand how they are usually half the price of the 2 seater when back in the day they were sold as the "grown up" Elan for a more expensive market sector.   A bit like the later Europas, they were also regarded as high class in their day while I can't ever recall the 2 seater being seen as anything other than a fun sports car. (although a fast one ! )

Brian
Title: Re: My rides
Post by: EuropaTC on Friday,June 22, 2012, 11:45:39 PM
As this is a Europa forum, here's what our car looks like. The quality of the early shots is poor as they are scanned from those quaint old 6"x4" paper things you used to get after sending off a roll of plastic film for something called "developing"  :)   Hopefully the first is one taken on the first ride home, the second taken one winter when the car was our daily driver and we had a slight problem getting into work.  The last shot is digital and so a bit sharper, taken last year after I'd cleaned it !

Title: Re: My rides
Post by: cal44 on Monday,June 25, 2012, 07:40:31 PM
I like it in yellow............come to think of it, they look good in just about any color. 
Title: Re: My rides
Post by: Bainford on Friday,July 27, 2012, 08:30:39 AM
Mike, that is a pair of beautiful Loti you have there. The Europa is looking very tidy in the engine compartment. The +2 is gorgeous as well. When I get tired of crawling in and out of my Europa (something which won't happen soon) I think I will graduate to a +2.