Lotus Europa Community

Looking at those photos, I can see what you're going to be doing this Bank Holiday.      I think my tools of choice there would be angle grinder, dremel and nut splitters....   

Depending on whether you want an original restoration or a car which looks outwardly original but has more modern components, you could consider newer alternatives for some of those rusty bits.  If you scan around this forum you'll see that a lot of owners modify their Europa, probably more so than the 60s Elan owners, and even then most changes are reversible should these cars ever get to Ferrari prices.

Some things are worth doing anyway, for example the fans in the front for the radiator and blower for the front plenum chamber were never that wonderful and you could fit modern replacements making them more efficient as well as saving time/money on restoring the old ones. Another example, I replaced the rusty steel grille in the wheel arch with a polypropylene one and it's still there 30+ yrs later !   

Brian

Fakebook can be difficult to place ads on as they have no heading for many makes.
No heading for Jensen or Jensen Healey, but they do know Lotus.
So Lotus engine is close enough to advertise as a "Lotus", um yea.
The more clever sellers will follow the misapplication with the correct description.
This seller is not that clever.

  A welcome break from working under the facia getting the instrument lighting correct. With my head buried under the steering wheel my wife announces that my son in law is coming over….
No reason but will be there soon .
  I knew something was up and guessed correctly.
 
  My son in law’s grandfather came over with his new toy, waiting forever for it he received a foundation issue Tesla x pickup.
 It is an amazing vehicle..  I did get to drive it also and now I’ll try to get my wife on board.
He also got a chance to sit in my Lotus, at complete ends of some spectrum he loved the feel the Europa gave him. Barely up to the Tesla’s  tire height.
  It won me over. Buy it!
Dakazman

I have decided to start with the easiest approach.  I normally park in neutral, but I have decided to try parking in 1st gear, and I placed a new piece of cardboard under the trans to see if the leak slows down (or stops).  Thank you all for suggestions I will try them more or less one at a time.

This leads me to think maybe there is a chance this will work.  I had my car in storage they asked if they could put my car in their small showroom for the winter, and of course I said yes, and they never mentioned to me that the trans leaked.  Just maybe they parked the car in gear and the bent rod was in a different spot.  I will keep my fingers crossed. 

Hi Guys,

Not had much time to work on the car lately, but have the seats stripped for blasting now. Hopefully the metal is not too thin anywhere to stand up to it.

Berni