Author Topic: Proud daddy of a '73  (Read 1971 times)

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Offline Lespaul166

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Proud daddy of a '73
« on: Saturday,October 17, 2015, 07:53:24 PM »
Hey everyone! New Europa owner here, just giving everyone a quick intro.

21 years old from south eastern Michigan, been around cars my whole life, namely classic Pontiacs. Started out with a 1972 Pontiac LeMans that was on the road to becoming a retro drag car lovingly named "The Green Manalishi". Unfortunately after a mishap the entire car was reduced to a twisted pile of metal (To put into perspective, there is no reason that i should have survived). Kind of bummed out after that, and after getting the insurance check, jumped on the first classic I saw, buying a '70 Lotus Elan. Wasn't a horribly big fan of the car, but its kind of like dating the first girl who shows interest in you after a bad breakup, amirite? Well anyways a friend of ours had been talking about buying the nicest original '73 Europa he'd ever seen and whatnot. K, whatever, doesnt concern me too much. Well I ended up down at his storage place to pick up some parts for the elan, and stumbled upon the aforementioned Europa, and it was love at first sight. Up until that moment I had never seen a better looking car. We talked, did some trading, and I lost the Elan in favor of this beautiful machine known as the "Europa".

The real kicker is the odometer, which you'll see in the attached pics.

That whole ramble went on quite a bit longer than it probably had

Point is Im planning on doing a full bore restoration, and going in a similar route to Manalishi, giving the car vintage lotus racing graphics.

And in all her glory


http://imgur.com/a/k0hz2

Offline BDA

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #1 on: Saturday,October 17, 2015, 09:00:58 PM »
 :Welcome: Lespaul166!

That looks like a great start for a great project! That is the lowest mileage Europa I've heard of and I thought mine was "young " when I started restoring it at 10,000 miles!

Just remember to keep us up to date on your progress and let us know if you have any questions.

Good luck!

Offline Lespaul166

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #2 on: Saturday,October 17, 2015, 09:26:44 PM »
Thanks! Original owner car, purchased in 73, put under a tarp outside in 77, put on a trailer September 15, and arrived here October 15. Not a very exciting story I'm afraid, but thats the price you have to pay for such a low mileage car. I guess its up to me to write this cars story, and with any luck, it'll be a helluva story.

Offline blasterdad

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #3 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 07:33:29 AM »
Sweet!
Nice find!!! I'm over by Kzoo myself, often go over by Ypsi on business, would love to meet up someday and "talk Lotus".
WELCOME!

Offline Grumblebuns

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #4 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 07:52:23 AM »
Welcome, it's amazing that these cars are still being found and coming out of the wood work. Any story of why it was parked so early in it's life.

Joji Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca

Offline Lespaul166

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #5 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 08:44:43 AM »
As far as I know the guy was an old rich dude who ran his lotus for a few years, threw it outside, bought a new car, ran that, sold it, etc.

Always had a thing for the Lotus, and apparantly at some point was going to drive it again, and got as far as removing the plug wires and spark plugs before stopping, and letting it sit again.

Offline 3929R

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #6 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 09:21:31 AM »
 :Welcome:  You've got a great Europa to restore. I wonder what has crawled or fallen into the open plug holes?

It kind of amazes me that the cars like the Europa and LeMans were contemporaneous. Seems like they both have 4 wheels, 2 doors, and not much else in common. Personally I prefer small and agile sporty cars, but I've never driven a muscle car. Of course if you have a "mishap" in a Eruopa.... well I like to think they are safer than motorcycles, maybe?
Mark
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Offline Lespaul166

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #7 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 11:41:46 AM »
I really grew up around muscle cars, and my "The kids out cold and if we move him upstairs hell wake up and lose his head" bed when i was a toddler was in the back of a Corvette body. I was never a HUGE muscle car fan (I love some, like others) but this car was cheap, loud, and had some oomph to it, so i ended up with the LeMans. Through sheer depression, extreme anxiety, and a lack of anyone to talk to, I just became really distracted and would just mentally shut down at random points. Well I was driving back from college orientation, had a depression related mental shutdown, and next thing i knew i was coming to with my firewall bulging, steering wheel broken off, dash smashed, windshield blown out, and the front half of my car a mangled mess (and to add insult to injury, the shattered remains of my "Bridge of Sighs" 8 track at my feet). Ive since switched to a less trying college from a waste of a degree into an automotive technician field. Never been happier, and never had a mental shutdown like that again. The Europa is a toy as well, not a daily driver.

As to the Spark Plug holes, the guy was a machinist, so he made special steel plugs that screwed into the plug holes, so nothing outside of the earwig my dad flicked in there taking one out.

Offline andy harwood

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #8 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 04:26:42 PM »
:Welcome:
Seems (to me at least) having a Europa is a satisfying and frustrating exercise at the same time. Not to mention waking up sore from assuming the Lotus positions, of which it seems that there are many.
I'm sure you'll have great enjoyment from your Europa, and the restoration.
And thanks for the Robin Trower mention. Not thought about Bridge of Sighs in years, much less heard it.

Andyh

Offline BDA

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #9 on: Sunday,October 18, 2015, 05:56:48 PM »
LesPaul166, that must have been a horrible moment, but out of that terror, you lived and got involved with something you enjoy more so overall, it seems it was a net positive!

I wouldn't worry about your Robin Trower 8 track tape. Install a radio that can read an micro SD card and put all your music on it! Just make sure you have Bridge of Sighs on it! You certainly don't want to lose that!

Offline EuropatcSPECIAL

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #10 on: Wednesday,October 28, 2015, 04:50:36 PM »
 :Welcome:   hello Les Paul, nice looking car and a great workshop , lucky man
all the best with it
Stuart      :lotus:
« Last Edit: Wednesday,October 28, 2015, 05:40:21 PM by LotusJoe »

Offline analogmike

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #11 on: Friday,November 06, 2015, 09:22:28 AM »
Fantastic find! Hope the frame is OK after being outside for so long.

Good to see a young guitar and vintage sports car enthusiast, and Trower at that, maybe there is hope in this world of autotune, traction control, and software tuning of cars.

Regards, mike ~^v^~ aNaLoG.MaN ~^v^~ guitar effects

Regards, mike

'73 911RS, '08 911 GT3 cup, '01 Viper GTS, '74 Lotus Europa Special, '15 Audi S3, '06 MiniCooperS, '04 TowRig

Offline CCM911

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Re: Proud daddy of a '73
« Reply #12 on: Wednesday,November 18, 2015, 10:30:47 AM »
Nice ride!  Now just remember, this Lotus is a lightweight car, so take it easy with it.  Not all that metal like your old car.  You'll have a good old time with the new ride.  I just got mine, and have started down the same path as you.

Have a fun!