Type 54 from Japan.

[dakazman]

 Some nice pictures found on Instagram. Very nice !
Dakazman

[1970EuropaGuy]

Very nice. They love their Europa's in Japan. Fortunately we have a few left.

[BDA]

It's curious to me that Europas seem to be so much more popular in Japan than than seemingly anywhere else. Maybe because they are generally shorter there?

[1970EuropaGuy]

I think many younger people in Japan figure they will never own a house. As an alternative they spend money on cars, many of them very tacky. Body Shop Happy does very nicely executed Type 47 clones.

[Bodzer]

Good morning all,

They have always liked Elans and especially Europas in Japan. Large numbers of them have made their way there over the past few decades. This is partly due to the cutesy smile on the face of all lotus cars. I can’t quite remember the correct term but it is a known phenomenon. Look at the face of all Mazda Mx-5s/Miatas. I suppose the compact size also must have something to do with it too. However, the Europa seemingly holds a special place in the hearts of Japanese of a certain age. There was a Manga character called the Circuit Wolf who drove a Europa. Here it is: https://liveandletdiecast.kinja.com/thursday-by-the-thames-lotus-europa-circuit-wolf-1820285073

Regards,

[JR73]

It's curious to me that Europas seem to be so much more popular in Japan than than seemingly anywhere else. Maybe because they are generally shorter there?

There was a guy here in the UK that literally bought any Europa in whatever condition and exported to Japan - He still advertises in various publications and I suspect that he sourced cars from further afield than the UK to sell into Japan too. The majority went when it was possible to buy a basket case for £500 and a runner for £1500 - £2000 (yes there was a time when they where THAT cheap!) - he was getting much more than that for selling them into Japan. (He did other makes and models too, mostly European manufacturers).

Richard at Banks was featured in a Japanese Lotus magazine whilst I worked there and received a copy for his records, I remember flicking through it (looking at the pics because I can't read Japanese!) and seeing pictures in the same mag of a place that literally had a field full of Europas (I remember counting close to 100 in one pic!!) packed in so tight that you couldn't walk between them, all awaiting restoration/stripping. Its no wonder that we don't spot them very often on our roads now and there are lines of them parked up at Japanese car meets...!

Body Shop Happy do some very nice stuff, i've tried to find a website with enough English on it so that I can both understand and view the products they offer but so far had no success - if anyone has a link it would be much appreciated?!!

Jon

[surfguitar58]

This is partly due to the cutesy smile on the face of all lotus cars. I can’t quite remember the correct term but it is a known phenomenon. Look at the face of all Mazda Mx-5s/Miatas. I suppose the compact size also must have something to do with it too.

Regards,

Bodzer, I think what you are referring to is the “uncanny valley” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

Basically, slightly human-like faces like cartoons and Europas are cute and very relatable and make people happy. On the other hand, robots with lifelike human faces creep people out, getting about the same emotional response as a corpse. The current thinking in the Robotics world is to go cartoony and avoid lifelike human faces.
Tom

[surfguitar58]

I tried Google Translate on the Bodyshop Happy web sight a while back, but the technology isn’t quite there yet. I remember getting phrases like “...the transaxle is a crying place”, so, maybe not such a bad translation after all.
t

[JR73]

I tried Google Translate on the Bodyshop Happy web sight a while back, but the technology isn’t quite there yet. I remember getting phrases like “...the transaxle is a crying place”, so, maybe not such a bad translation after all.
t

I tried it again today and its much the same!!!
I have seen all sorts of interesting looking parts that they have developed but there is very little on their website and the translator doesn't help with what is there....

They appear to have developed quite a few components around the rear suspension/driveshafts/brakes that looks to be fairly direct replacement for original parts with improvements where needed - having a large number of cars over there certainly makes such developments more viable - have seen a few cars with their name on that have full Carbon Fibre body shells for example....

[andy harwood]

I'd not been on their site in quite a while - because of the language problem. But visited today - long enough for google translate to give a $76K + price on the S2 for sale.

[BDA]

Given the discussion on another thread about stub axles, it would be interesting to see what they've come up with and how much it would cost. On the other hand, if they're selling S2s for $76,000, I'm not sure I could afford it!

[JR73]

Given the discussion on another thread about stub axles, it would be interesting to see what they've come up with and how much it would cost. On the other hand, if they're selling S2s for $76,000, I'm not sure I could afford it!

It was that thread I was thinking of tbh, also seem to remember conversations about rear uprights and brake conversions - which might also have 'Happy' solutions?!!

Like I said further up, the cars where being sold into Japan for good money way back when they weren't fetching very much elsewhere so if the asking prices on the website have converted correctly then I doubt they will be making their way back out of Japan anytime soon...

Jon

[BDA]

For those who haven't taken the opportunity to go to their website, I just took a look at their "products" section for Europas. Unfortunately, Chrome would not translate that page (!) but along with some things that looked really neat, there was a rear hub that appears to be of their own design but no stub axles. One might expect them to provide alternate hubs if they also produced alternate stub axles. That seems surprising given the stub axles are a known weak point.

[andy harwood]

Looking at their rear disk conversion photo, it appears it could be a copy of the disk conversion listed on GGLC site. Re-drilled rotors, brackets and calipers. There is no description of the kit, beyond "rear disk conversion".

[JR73]

Looking at their rear disk conversion photo, it appears it could be a copy of the disk conversion listed on GGLC site. Re-drilled rotors, brackets and calipers. There is no description of the kit, beyond "rear disk conversion".

It looks VERY similar to the Banks one too - same caliper, mounting bracket etc..... Same could be said for the adjustable front anti roll bar - but then I suppose in fairness everyone is trying to find a similar solution that fits within the same envelope...