Lotus Europa Community

  There is a hole in the lower right side that you can see the input shaft of the gearbox and the release bearing. you can spray with WD-40 the input shaft, release bearing by aiming rearwards, while exercising the clutch pedal. DO NOT SPRAY THE CLUCH DISC.   
  The release bearing shaft outer sleeve hole, through the housing has some play and probably is not your problem.
Dakazman

Pics are always nice 😊

It's a poor shot, but you can get the idea from this old photo taken during a respray...

That looks like the filter used on the Lotus Esprit (not sure which model/s) as well as the Excel etc.?
There's also a K&N version if that takes the fancy.

Europa engine compartments get warm, very warm.  If you are going to make something up, have it draw in cooler air from near the front of the rear wheel well.

Just to show how completely un-co-ordinated DVLA are, with no internal communication, I received an email from DVLA dated 15th May telling me the registration number, I received the V5 document on Saturday 18th May, and I have just been advised by my MP that they received a letter dated 10th May from the DVLA complaints department saying the letter from Lotus was insufficient and I need to send an HMRC NOVA document, which they returned to me with their letter of 15th May.

I shall now telephone the DVLA complaints department to complain that they do not have a clue what is going on.

Lady who wrote letter to my MP is not in the office until Wednesday. Lady who answered the phone in the complaints department "We can only rely on the information given to us by that department". In other words they do not investigate whether the complaint is valid.