Author Topic: What does your Europa look like *today* ?  (Read 109846 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline BDA

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 9,506
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #270 on: Monday,February 02, 2015, 05:23:31 AM »
He needs to do something about his website. If nothing else, pull it down since it doesn't even give the correct phone number! Dave Bean's almost as bad because it hasn't been updated in a long time, but at least there are pictures on it, some interesting text, and the correct phone number!

Is that Dave at sportscarworld dot com?

Offline 3929R

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
  • Posts: 603
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #271 on: Sunday,February 08, 2015, 07:03:44 PM »
It's February in Utah. My Europa should be snug in the garage til spring and I should be enjoying skiing "the greatest snow on earth". But we are having the warmest winter on record. It's nearly 30 degrees F above average! Instead of ski boots I'm wearing shorts, tee shirt, and flip flops! It was about 70F / 20C. Nothing like a drive to cure my winter time blues.

While out and about I picked my son up from school. One of his class mates said, "my grandpa in Idaho has a red Lotus Europa." I checked the registry and found a highly modified red TCS in Idaho. Crazy. I know the kids dad and will ask for details next time I see him.......

Cheers!
Mark
Mark
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Offline BDA

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 9,506
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #272 on: Sunday,February 08, 2015, 07:54:00 PM »
It sounds like perfect Lotus driving weather! Cool that you probably found your son's friend's dad! I suspect you'll have other opportunities to ski later this winter.

Offline Chuck Nukem

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Mar 2013
  • Location: Denton TX
  • Posts: 1,076
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #273 on: Sunday,February 15, 2015, 04:35:59 PM »
Letting it sit is torment
Hey Chuck,

How is the progress? With the body disconnected from the frame, how is the frame, engine, suspension work going? It's not the hot Dallas summer so you should be making good progress!! Have you been in contact with Sports Car World? Are they still in business? I tried calling them from the number on their website but that number didn't work...

I have not been working on the green car sadly! I get the pleasure of looking at it every time I open the garage though...Work has me moving around an awful lot. I drove to Chicago last Sunday, and am flying to Maryland tomorrow morning. Less time than I would like to work on the cars.

I have been doing a real ass load of sanding. I am removing as many of the stress cracks out of the body as I can right now. I have nothing but respect for anyone who has undertaken this affair. It has been utter punishment! I did not realize how many of them there actually were! I have probably ground 1/8" off of half the car, built it back up, and then sanded it smooth again. Lots of them are in fun places like the line that runs down the rear half of the car, near the door jamb, any small creases or hinge locations, and other typical impact sites. I haven't decided which circle of hell this punishment is destined for when I write "Lotus Inferno" But surely it is near the center.

As far as I know, Dave left SCW. They are still running...I went to a nice Christmas party out there. What part do you need? I run by there periodically.

Here is a shot after removing her ungainly US mandated hole. I got a set of Lucas l734 turn signals to bring it to euro spec. The side rear signals are not going to be used so I sealed those holes as well.

Offline StephenH

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Joined: May 2013
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
  • Posts: 250
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #274 on: Tuesday,April 14, 2015, 06:14:25 PM »
Hiding in the grass..... stalking V8 prey...
« Last Edit: Wednesday,April 15, 2015, 02:21:30 AM by StephenH »
Stephen
54/1690 1969 S2

Offline TheKid#9

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Nashville, TN
  • Posts: 219
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #275 on: Sunday,April 19, 2015, 07:19:26 PM »
Picture was taken a few weeks back at local Cars and Coffee event. My parents and I are in the background. That's my dads Maserati he's had for a few months now,  next to the Europa and our Elise is kinda in the picture as well.

Offline BDA

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 9,506
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #276 on: Sunday,April 19, 2015, 08:13:17 PM »
Hey Kid!

It's great to hear from you! Your car looks great, as does the rest of your fleet! Did you find out what was wrong with your engine? How's school going?

Offline Serge

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Joined: Aug 2012
  • Location: Belgium
  • Posts: 378
  • http://sleurs-motorsport.com
    • Sleurs Motorsport
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #277 on: Monday,April 20, 2015, 01:18:07 AM »
Milestone! First time on four wheels in 3.5 years!

Now I'm mocking up the cooling system. Replacing the steel tubes with aluminium ones.

Serge

Offline BDA

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 9,506
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #278 on: Monday,April 20, 2015, 07:11:01 AM »
Congratulations on your milestone, Serge!!  :beerchug:

Offline TheKid#9

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Nashville, TN
  • Posts: 219
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #279 on: Monday,April 20, 2015, 02:13:59 PM »
Hey Kid!

It's great to hear from you! Your car looks great, as does the rest of your fleet! Did you find out what was wrong with your engine? How's school going?

Thanks for the kind words. Doing well, I've got finals coming up soon, but I'll be out for summer in about two weeks. Not sure when we will get to the engine, probably this summer or next winter. Just not enough time as we are doing fiberglass work on our M100 and we will finish that until get to other projects. We only drive the Europa to an event or show from time to time no long distance drives until we figure the knock in the engine. Hopefully we will be able to get all three Lotus cars on the road at the same time once again very soon. I drive the Elise as much as I can since my dad has his maserati it seems like he finally gave it to me, well when I graduate he will for sure give it to me but for now its still his. Hope you and all the other Europa guys are doing well.

Offline BDA

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 9,506
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #280 on: Monday,April 20, 2015, 04:54:47 PM »
Kid,

It sounds like the knock isn't that bad, but I'd be really careful. I went to Road Atlanta with a guy who was racing his Improved Touring Camaro with a brand new engine. He drove a handful of very slow laps to break it in and while doing that, he put a rod through the block! Hopefully, he doesn't use that engine builder anymore!

Good luck with that motor, your studies, and the M100! Driving an Elise for the time being can't be that bad, though!

Offline 3929R

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
  • Posts: 603
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #281 on: Wednesday,April 22, 2015, 06:54:29 AM »
Looking good Serge!!!

Kid, Which of the three draws more attention at shows and meets?
Mark
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Offline TheKid#9

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Nashville, TN
  • Posts: 219
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #282 on: Wednesday,April 22, 2015, 09:33:01 AM »
Looking good Serge!!!

Kid, Which of the three draws more attention at shows and meets?

Each one of our Lotus cars gets attention in a different way. Hands down the Europa gets more attention at shows and on the road! No matter where I go people always ask me about the Europa. As for the Elise, people ask me about it here and there but most people know what it is if they talk to me. As for the M100 no one knows what it is so they look at it and just question it but when I tell them it's a Lotus with an Izuzu engine they are shocked. A few people think the M100 is a Ferrari because it's red with pop up headlights, that was the style back in the 90s. All get different attention, kids are attracted to the Elise. As for the Europa and M100 people just have no clue what it is or have never seen one in person so most of the time they are shocked.

Really hope to get the M100 on the road again. Last time I drove it I remembered a guy driving a GT3 and I passed him because he was trying to turn on to the road I was going on and he just looked confuse and no clue what it was. I had my top down too and he quickly followed me. Caught up, obviously haha, and we chatted a bit after he flagged me down. He never seen one before and he told me when he saw me he had to do a double take beacuase he didn't know if it was an M100 or a Ferrari either.

As for the Maserati, people don't know what that one is either because those are very rare and not to many around where we live. Haven't been asked anything in the Maserati. My dad probably has but I don't drive that one as much as the Lotus cars. Lotus is more fun, in the Maserati I feel like a million dollars... In the Lotus I feel like a kid.

All get attention but the Europa wins and it's the car I always choose to drive. Long post but worth it. Back to studying. I miss talking cars as you can tell haha

Offline Bainford

  • Twin Cam 3682R
  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Nova Scotia
  • Posts: 1,641
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #283 on: Tuesday,April 28, 2015, 08:45:04 AM »
Thanks for the update, Chris. Glad to hear things are going well. Cheers
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

Trevor

Offline exarkun1178

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 217
Re: What does your Europa look like *today* ?
« Reply #284 on: Thursday,April 30, 2015, 03:22:11 PM »
My car today, running, out side my house... first time in over three years... :blowup: