Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 ... 10
1
Members Cars / Re: 65/0167R
« Last post by RoddyMac on Today at 08:26:23 AM »
Jon,
Congrats on the purchase and nice to see you on this forum.  I haven't visited nor posted on the XI forum in years (sold my Eleven rep just before picking up a Europa). 
2
Garage / Re: Water in Fuel Tanks
« Last post by Fotog on Today at 07:40:14 AM »
It would be great if you could isolate it to one tank, by disconnecting the second one.  It could be a step toward figuring it out.  Is there any way to see the water in the tank?  You could just isolate them and have a look after a big rain storm (conceivably).  I don't know if you could try to run it on only one if you wanted.  Probably.
3
The Paddock / Re: Lotus Europa 16V Gordini
« Last post by BDA on Today at 07:17:15 AM »
That other guy should be disqualified! That is outrageous!

As for your driving, dicing with a car with three times the power says plenty about your driving!
4
Garage / Re: S1/S2 Front Brake Calipers. Were they 12 or 14?
« Last post by jbcollier on Today at 06:38:04 AM »
I'm not that much of an expert on S1s, especially early ones.  Serge Sleurs has chassis # 460002 and had "4-bolt" calipers on his.  Whether original or not, who can say for sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUJuW6Ho2LY
5
The Paddock / Re: Lotus Europa 16V Gordini
« Last post by jbcollier on Today at 06:31:36 AM »
Congratulations!
6
Garage / Re: Water in Fuel Tanks
« Last post by 4129R on Today at 05:26:29 AM »
It rained a lot last night.

Car would not start.

I drained both tanks.

Just over 1 pint of water was at the bottom with nearly 3 gallons of petrol on top.

I therefore deduce that the tank tops must be leaking, despite my 2 hour test. I shall seal the tops against rain penetration. Quite how 1 pint even got through the engine cover and on to the tank tops to leak into the tanks is now a bit of a mystery. It just shows how bad the engine cover leaks through the two air vents. Maybe covering those vents when not in use might help. It should also stop water getting into the area around #1 and #2 spark plugs. We keep learning ......
7
Garage / Re: Removing Stuck Brake Caliper Pistons
« Last post by 4129R on Today at 03:06:08 AM »
I have found a very easy way of getting stuck pistons out of the calipers.

Remove the caliper and both pads.

Make an extension to the brake pipe and connect the caliper on the ground.

Use the foot brake pedal to force one piston out, the second will not come all the way out before the first breaks the fluid seal.

Get an old brake pad (I had one where the lining had become detached through age), make up two ally plate spacers, and fit one new piston in the half of the calliper where the old one came out. Fit the old pad against the new piston, fit the spacers to hold the new piston fully back in the calliper, and use the foot brake pedal to force the second piston out of the calliper.

The overhaul kit was £40 including next day postage (arrived at 4pm the next day) from eBay. Triumph Spitfire Mk 3 and 4. It included the square section O ring for between the two calliper halves.

You need lots of brake fluid to press all 4 pistons out, so make sure you have plenty available before you start.     

8
The Paddock / Re: Lotus Europa 16V Gordini
« Last post by Mecky on Today at 01:53:46 AM »
Hi guys,

this time in Zolder my weekend went completely trouble-free. At least from a technical point of view. From a regulation stand point, I got screwed. The winner of my class used Slick tyres illegally, as his car was built before 1972, as my Europa. I made the technical scrutineer aware of that before the race and complained to the race organizers after the race. Until now, I'm still waiting for the result of my complaint. That's simply unfair and I can't accept being screwed like that.

As long as that process is going on, I will wait with my detailed race review. For the time being, here is a YouTube video of my best lap of this weekend: https://youtu.be/WgStfaQNrS8?feature=shared
My driving is finally starting to look like racing. :pirate:
9
Garage / Re: It's not easy being green - 1971 TC
« Last post by Cheguava on Today at 12:58:09 AM »
Quote from: EuropaTC on Tuesday,May 21, 2024, 09:47:46 PM
I'd suggest you replace both of those steel pipes given the fact it's been standing for so long. I had to replace mine a year or so ago due to a pinhole at the opposite end and although it's not horrendous, it's a fiddle to do with everything in place. You can get stainless tubes or as I did, use copper tubing with plumbing olives soldered on to either end to replicate the swaged portion.

Brian
Thanks Brian, I'll add that to the list, it's probably wise as you say given it's >50 years old and has been sitting so long.
10
Garage / Re: S1/S2 Front Brake Calipers. Were they 12 or 14?
« Last post by EuropaTC on Tuesday,May 21, 2024, 10:25:48 PM »
John is the S1 expert on here, has gathered an impressive amount of data on the S1 so he's the most likely to be able to answer this one.

As for those calipers, they look the same as those fitted to my '68 Elan when I got it and replaced with the later top entry calipers early in my ownership. The '63 Elan S1s apparently had type 12 calipers and it's rumoured the first S2s also had type 12's, changing to side entry 14s before the S3 came out around '66. I was told by a local specialist that the side entry calipers weren't as rigid as the top entry, 4 bolt affairs hence I changed them rather than overhaul the originals. 

Given the first Europa was announced in late '66 making it in development around '65 and sold as a light, cheaper car to replace the 7, they could easily have been using old stock type 12 calipers. Against that, several road tests of the period mention "heavy duty brakes off the latest GT6/Vitesse" which doesn't sound right, but who really knows what went on 50-odd yrs ago ?
Pages: [1] 2 ... 10