Introducing 3940R

[berni29]

Hello There

As previously mentioned I had my first Europa project arrive today and here she is. I look forwards to being a productive member of the group!

The car is a Fedral August 1973 TCS R3940 in L20 (indigo blue) and has allegedly covered 36k miles. It already on the registry, and is now in the UK having perviously resided in California and New Mexico.

I paid 10k STG for the car, here in the UK which is as I understand it at the top end for what such a car as this should cost. I invite comments on this as I like to know whats what with values even though it does not actually matter and I will not be selling until I am too old to drive it.

I am fortunate in having a family member who has a metal finishing business and can blast and powdercoat as well as chemically chrome to a very high standard indeed. He has done a couple of my +2 chassis and other metal parts with zinc primer and zinc powdercoat. Needless to say although the Europa frame looks very good indeed he will be getting it at some point along with all the suspension parts that can be blasted/coated.

My brother also has one of those really powerful Chinese laser cleaning/welding machines. He will be lasering all the parts that are not suitable for blasting such as assembled engines, gearboxes and so on. You can see it in action here (plenty of videos)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hquBgrZFAdA

I myself are very handy with a spanner as you have to be with this type of project.

Here are some pictures. Comments on originality appreciated. The car has a tiny electric fuel pump. I think I will probably be going back to the mechanical one as I would rather keep the car original without being pedantic about it.

Pictures below!

[BDA]

Congratulations on your new baby!! 

It looks like a good platform for nice project! Please keep us updated with your work on it.

[Cheguava]

That looks like it will make a very nice car. No idea about originality or price (given I've just bought one I probably should but the market for Europas seems riddled with contradictions to the unfamiliar, ie me).

Was there a federal requirement for a second windscreen wiper, or did the single one not cover the Left side of the screen as well? 

Good luck with it!  It sounds like you have both skills and a support network to get this back on the road and looking fab.

[BDA]

I don’t know if there was a regulation for two wipers on federal cars (I think it’s likely) but I don’t think I’ve seen a one-wiper federal car.

[jbcollier]

Welcome!  Congrats on the purchase.

Federal regulations required a certain percentage of the windshield be covered by the wipers.  A Europa requires two blades to meet this regulation and only cars built to federal specs had two wipers -- except maybe the Swiss as well?  All other cars had a single wiper right to the end of production.

The single wiper works well for the driver, less so for the passenger.  I have no issues and have driven in the rain quite a bit.

[Bainford]

Congratulations on your new project. A good foundation for a fine Europa. Now the work begins. Cheers 

[pboedker]

Congratulations on your purchase! The car of course needs some work but looks to be close to original.

I have 3904R, so very close to yours, a california car that was imported to Germany around 1990 in good shape. Then sold to a Lotus enthusiast who rebuilt the engine to UK Stromberg specs and otherwise just kept it good looked after. He sold it to me in 2000, I believe to fund his completing of a Type 47 restoration.

Re. your car:
The engine intake has been modified to an upper balance tube, which it should. I would keep that instead of the original federal engine-choking-mechanism. People in general dislike the Strombergs, but if you change the needle and spring to UK specs they're actually reliable and perfectly adequate for the engine.
Distributor should be changed to 40953 (if I remember correctly), since it has a better advance curve fitting for the Strombergs.
Your windscreen trim is not the original, and there are various new solutions to that to be found on this forum.
If you will be doing glasfiber work, move the passenger mirror rearwards a bit until it is visible from the driver position. And you might consider filling the front side indicator holes and go for the smaller non-federal blinker.
It has an ash tray.

It looks to be a great project. 

[berni29]

Hello Peter

I'm so pleased you have got in touch. We are close cousins indeed haha. Thank you for the suggestions about the car, all very useful information. I am compiling a list of to do's and will add your items to the list.

With your car I notice that the front ride height looks pretty much where I would want mine to be. How did you achieve that?

All the best

Berni

[pboedker]

Hello Berni,

the front ride height is as it was when I bought it, so the PO is responsible for that. I can't remember what dampers it has in the front but they have adjustable perches.

When I powder-coated and restored the front A-arms some years ago, I just cleaned the springs and dampers before reassembly.
The rears on the other hand, I've replaced with new dampers and springs from SJS, the old ones were sagging and not adjustable.

[dakazman]

  Congratulations on your purchase.
 I enjoyed the pics, keep posting your journey.
Dakazman