Lotus Europa Community

Shims are good. This is the last piece in the system that I never looked at closely. Every other part is new and in spec. I suspect that this was worn all along and the other things were just normal maintenance. The wheels have done this since I have had it.

Why do you say it is so serious - because the housing are hard to get and expensive? As far as the play, it seems on par with a worn bushing as far as safety/performance goes.

I am reviving this because I have found another "play" point that we have not talked about here concerning rear suspension play. Over the past couple years I have replaced my u-joints, radius arm bushings, lower links, and hub bearings. I still have some play when I try on move the rear wheel/tire. So, the last culprit I have found is the bottom hole in the rear aluminum bearing housing - it is worn and that is where I still have play.

Question - has anyone successfully bored out that hole (the one that the 1/2" bolt goes thu for the shock and lower link) and bushed it? Seems like there is meat there.

Letter dated 15th May from DVLA arrived today 17th May telling me the registration number and to go to a Registered Number Plate Supplier (RPNS) to get the plates. 

"A vehicle registration certificate (V5C) will be sent to you in the next 4 weeks."

I go to Halfords, the biggest UK car parts sellers to the public, and they say the cannot make up the number plates without proof of the registration number from a list of a number of DVLA forms. The letter informing me of the registration number does not have a V number on it, so cannot be used as proof to make up the number plates. "Have you got the old V5?" "No, I have imported the car and it has taken me 8 months to get this letter, and I am not going to wait another 4 weeks to get the V5C". "Sorry we cannot make the number plates without one of these forms ...........".

Luckily I was able to convince Motor Parts Direct that the letter from the DVLA was sufficient evidence, and they made up the number plates.

8 months of bureaucracy and sheer repetitive stupidity. Common sense died long ago, it seems.   

Berni,  I made some seats for my home made Can Am car which I modelled after the S2 Europa seats.  It was allot of fun sculpting the foam.  I had to change the width, back angle and thigh support angle which is why I did not end up using the Europa pans.  I used three different durometers to dial in the comfort level.  I used a band saw with widely spaced teeth for the main cuts.  An ellectric meat knife to rough in some parts.  Pneumatic die grinder with coarse discs.  Hand block sander with 36 grit paper to finese.  Took me about a week of vacation time to do the foam.

Hi

Wow that looks like fantastic work. Hopefully the saying "if he can do it I can do it also" is true.

All the best

Berni

  I think I’m done with the honey-do’s.😂🙏🙏🙏
  But then there are my daughters list.
   While waiting for some new instrument light socket bases and some bulbs I knocked out o few jobs. The canopy to block the morning sun.. done then making something to hold thes antique mirrors to the wall. I cut some plywood and will glue the mirrors to but first attaching a wire hanger wire.  Then is another project, she acquired an all electric Vespa that has a battery problem, so her,” Dad can fix it ,” idea came out .🥱 So I need to go pick it up and fix.
 Then I got to be a grandfather and read stories to my granddaughter. Fun time.