Lotus Europa Community

Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: S2V8 on Saturday,March 19, 2016, 02:03:21 PM

Title: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: S2V8 on Saturday,March 19, 2016, 02:03:21 PM
Hi I am a newbie here.

I had an S2 Europa back in the 1980's. Converted to V8 by prior owner Christopher Miller in New England.  He and I traded cars in about 1982.  I rebuilt Chris's tired conversion during my ownership. Around 1990, I sold the car to someone in Colorado that was going to autocross and race it.  Lost track of the car, but am interested to see if it is still around and available.

Will try to post photos in the photo section
Dan
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: jbcollier on Saturday,March 19, 2016, 10:12:51 PM
Check the Europa Registry:

http://www.lotus-europa.com/registry.html
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Sunday,March 20, 2016, 12:28:18 PM
 :Welcome: S2V8!!

I checked out the registry and there were a surprising number of V8 S2s! I loved the pictures of yours on the yahoo group! That must have been a very interesting car! I hope you find it!
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: LotusJoe on Monday,March 21, 2016, 03:44:49 PM
(http://www.lotuseuropa.org/gallery/albums/album13/Lotus_8_22.jpg)

(http://www.lotuseuropa.org/gallery/albums/album13/lotus_8_eng_3.jpg)

Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Monday,March 21, 2016, 08:17:05 PM
Joe, your pictures were broken.
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: LotusJoe on Tuesday,March 22, 2016, 10:12:41 AM
Joe, your pictures were broken.
Weird, I see them fine  :confused: . I'll try a different browser and see what happens..
I just tried windows explorer and you are correct  :-[
Should be all fixed now
 
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Tuesday,March 22, 2016, 10:29:25 AM
Hmm... Nobody else seems to be complaining. I normally use chrome but I tried it in Explorer 11, and Pale Moon 24.6.2. and I still don't get your pictures. When I right click on the place holder for a picture and choose to view in another tab, I get an error (Description: Could not process this request.). The url for the picture (right click, choose 'copy image address) is: https://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/150117/hr/2096929511/name/Lotus+8+-+22.jpg.

I'm running on Winders 7.

I hope this helps.
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: LotusJoe on Tuesday,March 22, 2016, 11:02:56 AM
Hmm... Nobody else seems to be complaining. I normally use chrome but I tried it in Explorer 11, and Pale Moon 24.6.2. and I still don't get your pictures. When I right click on the place holder for a picture and choose to view in another tab, I get an error (Description: Could not process this request.). The url for the picture (right click, choose 'copy image address) is: https://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/150117/hr/2096929511/name/Lotus+8+-+22.jpg (https://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/150117/hr/2096929511/name/Lotus+8+-+22.jpg).

I'm running on Winders 7.

I hope this helps.
I moved the pictures to a different server, so it should be working now.Try refreshing the page. Image address should be on the lotuseuropa server.
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Tuesday,March 22, 2016, 11:17:02 AM
Yes!! Thanks!  :beerchug:
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: Chuck Nukem on Tuesday,March 22, 2016, 11:59:31 AM
What were the specs on that engine as you had it? What kind of suspension/wheel set up were you running in the rear? looks like a blast....
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: EuropatcSPECIAL on Wednesday,March 23, 2016, 07:33:10 AM
 :Welcome: Hi S2V8 Welcome I hope you find what you are looking for :lotus:
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: S2V8 on Wednesday,March 23, 2016, 02:09:45 PM
Uploaded photos to members gallery

Has anyone racing or autocrossing in Colorado seen this car?  The fellow that bought it from me raced it there, then opened the engine up for more displacement as it wasn't fast enough to suit him.

May have changed colors, but flares and wheels (American Racing Vectors, gold anodized) were pretty unique.
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Wednesday,March 23, 2016, 04:26:44 PM
Thanks for the pictures! That is some car! I'll bet it was a rocket! It's interesting that the PO used drum brakes in the rear!
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: Bainford on Tuesday,March 29, 2016, 08:39:56 AM
Welcome to the forum  :Welcome: That's a sexy set of pipes. What was this thing like to drive?
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: S2V8 on Tuesday,March 29, 2016, 08:58:35 AM
It was a lot of fun!  Had to get used to the reversed shift pattern from the Porsche transaxle being turned around. Then first gear was a stump puller and really not needed except to get rolling. 

The car was so low, (like most Europas)I  had trouble with people seeing me in traffic.  One time at a stop light, a dump truck pulled up behind me and stopped. Then, as it was a long light,  he forgot I was there, and "pulled up to the light"(right on top of my rear bumper).  I had only minor damage to the fiberglass above the bumper which his insurance company took care of.  He was really embarrassed.

Handling was classic Europa. Acceleration was very quick once you got into 2nd. First was so steep you could over-rev it in the heat of the moment.
The 215 Buick/Rover V8 in aluminum was very light (some say a trade off for the old Renault engine), so the overall weight and balance of the car didn't change much if at all. With the torque available, you could get the rear end out in corners.

Missing the car. On the Yahoo forum for Europas we may have found a lead to the car.  Lotus enthusiast there spoke to a friend whose Colorado cousin has a car that sounds like it might be my old Europa...stay tuned!
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Tuesday,March 29, 2016, 09:59:50 AM
Good luck, S2V8! I hope you're able to get it back and bring it back to it's former glory if it needs it!
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: 3929R on Friday,July 15, 2016, 07:33:35 AM
Speak of the devil-
"...Europa fitted with a 305 aluminum buick V8 connected to a Porsche 911 5 speed transmission transaxle..."
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/5680397525.html
Title: Re: Looking for my old Europa S2
Post by: BDA on Friday,July 15, 2016, 10:08:25 AM
S2V8 - it looks like it's time to take a trailer to Denver! Good luck!

 :lotus: