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Lotus Europa Race Car Collection

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andyl999:

--- Quote from: Mecky on Tuesday,November 11, 2014, 01:48:49 AM ---Hi Andy,

your car looks really beautiful. I like the way it is modified. You are strongly restricted by the rules, but on the other hand you have real racing upgrades like hanging pedals with balance bar and a hydraulic clutch. The radiator looks great, as well. We would like to see some photos of your engine bay, as well.

Are you allowed to use anything other than the stock brakes? If not, I would like to know, how your brake feels during races and how you chose the master cylindres. My car has very similar data (158 HP, 670 kg) and it was lots of try and error until the brake worked well for the first time. At the begining, we used the stock one-circle brake with booster, but it was rediculously bad. After that, we installed a Porsche 911 tandem master cylindre, because my Dad raced a 911 before and the braking of this car is really great. But this did not work out well with the tiny discs and drums of a Europa. With 0,7" at front and 0,625" at the rear circle the brake began to work well, but you have to push the pedal sooooo hard. After that we changed the front master cylinder to 0,625", which made the pedal "softer", but destroyed the whole balance, as you can see on the attached pictures.
For the next season we are going to keep the front cylindre, but take a smaller one for the rear brakes, as well. AP-racing makes master cylindres down to 0,55". The result should be an equal balance as before, but with a pedal, which can be used without brute force.

Your regulations seem to be even more restrictive than mine, but I am still not allowed to use rear brake discs or wider discs at front. With the braking assembly of a Type 47, it would work out much better, but the FIA says no.

@BDA: The Europa's advantage is certainly a higher cornering speed, but the braking distance is despite the relatively low weight not as great as you would imagine.

--- End quote ---


Yes you are correct there are quite strong rules on how far you can go, plus 33mm choke restriction, the NG3 gearbox has hopeless ratios that I am not allowed to change. I mean Brands Hatch was 4th round Paddock, 3rd Round druids, 3rd round Graham Hill, 4th round Surtees and 3rd around clearways. Did the whole race in 3rd and 4th, that was until I had a misfire 15 mins into the race at 6500 so it was 5th on the straights, I think this was due to heat build-up in the engine compartment so we need to add a grill at the back.

The brakes are standard and had I am not overloaded with family issues at the moment we would be testing before winter to try and improve them. The rear drums are the smaller TC drums not the special drums, however Dan Eagling (Lifetime Racing) has told me that the rears are not working enough, we now need to try some of Richard Winters expensive but good front pads.

More pictures on the next posting........................

andyl999:
OK a request for the engine department:-



This is the original engine which was tuned up by a local tuner who normally tunes stock cars, it spent 1 1/2hrs on the dyno as there were a few problems, it still retains the std crank.

Lifetime racing turned up a smaller diameter alternator pulley and we "piped" in an oil cooler, carbs were the existing Dellorto's.



The exhaust was from Banks Europa, however we didn't want to poke it out the back like a 47 so we modified it to exit in the standard place.

 I must say I am pleasantly surprised by the engine, it's very torquey and suits the wide spread of gearbox ratios.

Now let's get onto the bad news:-



Standard fronts with race pads, no brake feel and awesomely bad retardation, so bad I was arching my back to stop at Graham Hill Bend!



Standard TC with race linings, we could upgrade to the wider TC Special brakes but it's not worth it yet. I am also using the single adjustable AVO shock absorbers, they seem to work well and it's a good place to start without to much brain wringing when it comes to adjustment.

Overall you must remember I normally drive a formula car with slicks and wings,  I have had only one practice , one qualifying and one race, However I am impressed with the Europa as a race/roadcar, now we need to work on the brakes and tyres and oh I also need to loose 10Kg :0)

4129R:
I have just taken the drums off my TCS so if you want wider drums, I am in Norfolk.

Alex.

LotusTC:
Hello Stefan,
Yr S2 changed m'y opinion on thé non TC Europa. I didn t like thé rear high wings but yr car looks nice ans for sure is Weil préparer for racing. Who dix thé body work with thé flared fenders? What are thé suspension adjustments ,castor,camber,toe in..... ?  Thks Roland

Mecky:
The new flares are the rear flares of a Ford Escort Mk1. We did the main job on our own and the painter did the refinement.

The suspension set up is mainly like in the Jensen competition manual. It works out brilliantly. https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjI6tKjuIPOAhVMDZoKHd5gDX8QFggeMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lotus-europa.com%2Fmanuals%2Fmisc%2Fjensen.pdf&usg=AFQjCNF8SJinkU41Dm1OI1L4lurSkHuD_w

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