Lotus Europa Forums > Members Cars

Looking for our old JPS.

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4129R:

--- Quote from: HealeyBN7 on Wednesday,December 27, 2017, 08:31:49 PM ---Check out this link and read the comments near the bottom after looking at the cool photos.  Some folks are suggesting the car is owned by a Lotus enthusiast that is still active on an Elan forum.

--- End quote ---

Unless Richard is bikenut, which is my guess.

bikenut:
Hi I am not Richard,my name is Phil Alexander. If you look at the post on that link,the last comment was by soulsaver,the same as the name i saw on here,also I think MMO 597L on Elan.net is the same person(soulsaver). If you look on here at soulsavers posts you will see a black Europa bearing the reg number MMO597L. I think he either owns or used to own it.I have trawled the forums and the internet but cannot trace him.All i know is he did mention he lived in the north west of UK.He was last active on here in Jan 2016.It could be that MMO 597L was destroyed and someone has used its ID to build another car,but I doubt it.Also I can see one slight detail in the pics from soulsaver that makes me even more sure that it is the original car.We bought the car new,It was registered 5th Jan 73,the number plate law changed on 1st Jan 73. Cars had to have white and yellow plates front and rear,my dad didn't want those so had the black number plate on the rear and the silver figures in the front grill,this was illegal but he was adamant not to have the new coloured plates on it.The car in soulsavers post also has MMO 597L in the front grill.Here is a pic of my siblings and mother around mid 74 in our back garden,I was taking the photo.

EuropaTC:
Hi Phil,

Have you tried the conventional Lotus clubs, like Club Lotus and the Lotus Drivers clubs ? Both clubs have been around for years and pre internet most enthusiasts were in one or the other (LDC was originally the Midland Drivers Club (?) -  or something like that).  Club Lotus would be my first guess, Graham Arnold did quite a few articles on the Europa in the late 70s/80s and it wouldn't surprise me to hear they have records of cars/members going back to then.

There are some local branches/offshoots that might work as well, if you've got an idea about the north of England than there's NyLoc (North Yorkshire) and there used to be one around Cheshire as well, CLOG or something.  Although most of the clubs these days seem to be about the modern cars very often folks have an Elise plus an Elan or other old Lotus tucked away, so you might hit lucky. Worth a shot anyway ?

Brian

bikenut:
Hi Brian,actually i had not even thought about the clubs,in this age of internet I often forget the old ways.I will see what comes up on here then maybe I will write a email to Andy Graham at Lotus and see if he can help,if not I will try the clubs as you suggest.Many thanks to you and everyone else for your help.Im sure the car is alive and well,I think it has been taxed but the dvla record is incorrect,i saw that soulsaver said the car has never had a problem with dvla taxing it and he signed off as Ed,which is the person using the name MMO597L on Elan.net forums. So I know his name is ED,he lives north uk and has a Europa Special with our reg number.his pics are on here a year ago,so the car must be around still. I am determined to find it.I need to know it survived,my dad died 2011 so its a sentimental search by me.

EuropaTC:
Hi again...

Since writing my previous post another idea cropped up, maybe the magazines could help ?  Classic & Sportscar often have a "where are they now ?" feature and I suppose the other mags run similar features from time to time. It's not as good as a dedicated club but you never know.

As you have an old photo that gives a bit of an angle to the story, especially with the film connection so I'd think you have a good chance of making it into print.  It might be worth throwing an email at them and asking if they could run a few lines in their next "Newsround" feature in the mag. 

http://www.classicandsportscar.com/news

Andy Graham is a friendly and helpful guy, I was in touch with him via the Lotuselan.net forums about my Elan a few years ago.  I think he has more on Elans than Europas but it's worth a shot, nothing to lose is there ?

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