Lotus Europa Forums > Members Cars
new member - 3673R - Asheville NC
jth-3673R:
Hi folks! A few weeks ago I traded a non-running '99 Miata for a '74 Europa Special (#3673R) - in much need of love! I had bought the Miata in hopes of a quick flip but after solving the obvious issues, it had me stumped. A good friend, who specializes in miatas and subarus at his shop has an uncle looking to find new homes to a few Europas so we worked a trade.
My friend and his dad hauled the car up from FL and dropped it off and picked up the miata... and then the fun began!
As for myself, this is my 3rd Lotus - my first was an '06 Exige that I had for 2 months before a kid decided to use my lane to get around a corner on the mountain and total the car. I had a passenger and the other drive was alone and the cars were the only ones to suffer.
Then a few months after the loss of the first Exige, I managed to get a replacement - another '06 but this time a previous owner had installed a supercharger and tuned to 250 hp.
Before I got into Lotus, I was more an RX-7/rotary. I've had a few of the 3rd and 2nd generation rx7s - still currently have 1 3rd gen with a 3-rotor swap and RE-Amemiya body kit (and previously a v8)
so that's a little about me and previous cars...
jth-3673R:
Now let's talk about the Europa!!! I do have a thread on Lotus Talk about the project, but I may migrate over here to be the main thread, if not, I will hopefully remember to post updates over here very now and then.
Here is a quick rundown of what I knew within a few min of getting the car:
* Needs a chassis - front left lower control arm is dragging on the ground due to rust!
* Needs passenger door - the one it had busted in transit from FL to NC
* was parked running!!!! like 35 yrs ago...
* gas tanks are gone
* transmission does seem to still shift! it is the 5-spd
* driver's seat slider doesn't work, I can't reach the pedals at the moment!
* has 1 mismatched wheel
The plan is a resto-mod, I'm hoping to get a new chassis from Spyder Cars. I've emailed them and has my gf message them on Facebook. I've not received any replies so in the next week or so I plan to call them in hopes of discussing sending them lots of money! I'm really interested in pretty much just getting a rolling chassis with rear disk brakes minus wheels/tires from them, but we shall see what happens when I call.
So now enjoy a few pics from day 1
jth-3673R:
And I've begun the tear down - removing seats with the help of a cutoff wheel and removed the dash this morning.
When I started, I pulled the cushions... and well, I should say a vacuum and cutoff wheels are how I got the seats out
with a little work, the windshield came out - it's not broken, but it's not too pretty either
A little more background on the car I've learned is that yes, it started out as Regency Red but my friend's dad who owned the car before his brother painted it white (sometime before '85) The car was parked because his wife was pregnant (with my friend) and could no longer fit in the car. And he also did a battery relocation to the front.
** The engine and transmission are original to the car!!!
gideon:
:Welcome: jth-3673R
That should keep you out of mischief for at least a week or two. Good luck, and keep us posted.
gideon:
Also - be careful with the windshield. They're expensive to replace in the US now.
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