The Zetec 'Ropacane

[Chuck Nukem]

Alright guys here it goes...My first Lotus...
My name is Charles...and I have a problem
I have never driven one of these.
In fact I had never even seen one of these in person until I drove 800 miles to pick this one up in Mississippi! My folks don't know I have it! I am keeping it at a friends house until I finish restoring my 1966 chevy pickup...

I have wanted a car like this for longer than I'd care to admit...and I finally got the guts to pull the trigger.

As for its condition...It has weathered its fair share of hurricanes and suffered even more neglect, but all in all it is a complete 1972 Europa Special, Big valve engine, and 5 speed tranny (minus the coveted JPS badge!)

I am going to swap a zetec in to this beast and my ambition is to have it running by the end of the year. (edit for 2016...HA HA HA HA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAZfGXkOb4) (edit for 2020...Ha hA ha AAhHha Haha H! A!)

(edit for 2019...My odyssey...I have been lost in a sea of projects for 6 years now....I just want to return home)


I'm glad to be here!

[Chuck Nukem]

36,000 original miles!

First update.
I know I posted this in the other thread, but for the sake of continuity I will re-post it here!

I snagged a 56k mile non vct 2.0L zetec out of a ford contour for $300 bucks last weekend. The engine came with the wiring harness, cats, intake, etc...

Today I grabbed a M.T. ECU and ignition coil off ebay.

I am looking to grab the correct flywheel this weekend. I also have a lead on a Triumph Spitfire that someone is parting out locally. I may try to grab his front end to replace mine...Mine is more of an amorphous rust crystal than a font end.

[EuropaTC]

A word of warning on the Spitfire parts...  not everything is usable.

Most of the wearing components - bearings, rod ends, etc will be usable as will the vertical uprights, hubs, brake calipers, rotors and steering arms.  But the service components are easily available and cheap, so s/h isn't usually worthwhile.  I'm not sure about the steering rack, the toe links (?) at the ends of the rack (inside the bellows) might be different lengths ? 

The wishbone arms are different and I think the lower ones are unique to the Europa. And they were the bits that rusted first on mine !

Brian

[Bainford]

You're a brave man, Chuck. Your support group is standing by

[Chuck Nukem]

I will grab a keg for the support team 

No real updates this week...Been studying for finals. My M.T. ECU came in this week. I would really like to figure out a way to get this motor to run with some R1 throttle bodies (and velocity stacks  ) If not I will fab up a plenum that utilizes the stock T.B. and MAF. The Europa might be changing locations in a month or so... Can't wait to get started on this thing!!!

If anyone out there has any experience running Motorcycle carbs/TBs, or any non stock intake on the stock ECU don't hesitate to share your wisdom!

[Chuck Nukem]

Well guys not much progress in the way of the Europa so far. I did manage to get a rear deck lid off ebaby. I have made a lot of progress with my '66 chevy pickup. Almost all the welding needed has been tended to. The frame has been sandblasted, primed, and painted. The springs, spindles, steering setup, and diff are on it...so now it is a matter of time until the body is reassembled. Then its off to the body shop for my first crack at painting.

I have tentative plans to sort out the Europa frame next month, provided that the truck is done.

I will have to take a pic of the truck's pedals next to the Europa's. They are literally 10x the size of little lolo's.

How is my support team holding up?

[cal44]

I'm here Chuck Nukem..........the best action hero name ever.

mike

[Chuck Nukem]

Some news from my end  . As of today I have started the disassembly to separate the body from the frame!! Everything short of the steering column, radiator, and master cylinder has been removed in preparation for the lift. Hopefully I will have this finished next Sunday...and then we can all see what remains of that frame after katrina, ike, and the others had their way with it. I am still optimistic about its condition. 

I also repaired the hole in the hood, and have started to mend the driver's side fender...I was told that a tree had fallen on the car at some point...Pics to follow within the next week or so....

I am very excited to finally be at this stage!!

I am going to order a ST 170 intake manifold and a set of gsxr TB's to start tinkering with in the coming weeks...

Only two more months of school remain for me!!!!!!!! I can taste the freedom

[3929R]

...Pics to follow within the next week or so....

Well???

[Roger]

What is that engine hanging from the crane? With and without transmission?

[LotusJoe]

What is that engine hanging from the crane? With and without transmission?

That is a Zetec engine

[Roger]

What is that engine hanging from the crane? With and without transmission?

That is a Zetec engine

That's what I thought. But the car is supposed to have a Big Valve Twink according to the owner. Is he swapping Zetec for Zetec? It certainly looks like it.

[Chuck Nukem]

I do have the original twin cam engine...but I do not have main caps, con rods, or pistons for it. Those were regrettably absent from the pile of parts when I purchased the car. It needs quite a bit of work and will be done at some point in the future.

That shot of the zetec with the tranny was just for fun when I picked up the new engine. For the money, I could not beat the zetec swap.

As for the frame separation situation, my friends bailed out last weekend!!! I will try again this sunday...

How is everyone out there doing??

[Chuck Nukem]

Roger you are a local!! (Edit...I thought your Location said "Richardson"...Texas is a big place) How funny! We will have to get together sometime so I can see what a working Europa looks like!

On the plus side, I do have to go to Houston at some point to tend to some bureaucratic rituals which can not be performed with out me present. Maybe then I can see a working one in the flesh...(If yours is working that is! )

[Roger]

Chuck, it's working OK, and you'd be welcome.
I thought the pic was the engine coming out of the car, hence my query!