Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: Jesspo on Thursday,May 07, 2015, 11:06:16 AM
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Hello,
i am a new europa owner since three hours. In the Moment i am not complete sure if i have made the right to buy this car. But the next years will Show me this.
I am located in Germany Solingen, this is near cologne. I made with cars more the 30years. In the past i made much with Opel and have had hot Kadett C's and a Ascona 400. Then in 1990 i stopped with cars and sold all because life changed with the Family, childs and a house. Some years ago my wife and me bought a Cabrio for fun driving, the second cab was then a Lotus Elise SC, now it is replaced by a Porsche Boxster Spyder, but also i get a Kadett C Aero 5 years ago and made a complete restauration which is nearly finished now. My daughter is also very interested in old cars, so we decide to buy a new project a Lotus Europa. We both found it a very interested car. I was thinking to look very slowly if i can get a nice runing car or a nice project, and only one week later i bought my Europa Twin Cam.
The car come from LA and is Standing since 2009, now it is in netherland where i bought it. It needs a complete restauration but i think the base is not bad and the price was good. When i have the car here i will made a list what all is need. I will made a complete Restauration in a high Standard as i made with the Kadett Aero before.
I am sure i will have hundreds of questions during the work on the car.
happy to have contact here in the Forum. I hope my english is not to bad for your eyes.
If someone knows more of the history of my car i will be happy to here this. I found him in the regestry with last info from 2009 where it was in California Burbank.
greetings Frank
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Welcome!
Look here for more info:
http://www.lotus-europa.com/registry.html
http://www.lotus-europa.com/manuals/index.htm
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Hello Frank, and :Welcome:
That sounds an interesting story, and it's nice to see a car moving from the US to Europe for a change. There are a few US owners on here who might possibly know of your car, plus there is also a Yahoo Lotus Europa group with a large US membership as well.
I'll look forward to the restoration story, was it expensive to import the car back to Europe ?
Brian
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Hello Brian,
yes it is an interested Story, i know both the offer of the Company SportscarLa in Lawndale, who sold the car to a european dealer from netherland
http://www.2040-cars.com/Lotus/Super-Seven/1972-lotus-europa-twin-cam-1153321/
I think this must happend around September 2014,
and then i bought it today from the dealer in netherland.
I can not say exactly what it costs to bring him to europe, because i bought it here in europe and have nothing to do with shipping Vat and so on.
I only know that the dealer in europe was not very happy with the discribtion of the car from the USA offer. The car has no 5-Speed in my opinion and the condition is not so good as describe, So ithink he made not a good deal. I hope for me the deal was good.
I hope to here more of the history of my car, i am very interested in this.
jbcollier,
i have looked in the regestry but howw can i made a update to my car?
greetings Frank
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Hi Jesspo.
What is the chassis number?
It should be something like 72102500R or 73053500R.
Alex in Norfolk, (the birthplace of all things Lotus).
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Hi Alex,
Chassis number is 72042220R. I write to Dan to made the Change in the Europa registry
In the Moment i am searching to find the engine and gear number. I am not sure if the gear is a Typ 365 as the offer said but i thin it is a type 352.
greetings Frank
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I expect your gearbox is a 4 speed box.
If you need any help getting bits for your TC, most parts are easily found quite cheaply.
On this forum, if you have a problem, just ask, and there will be a Europa owner who has solved that problem before.
We are all here to help each other keep Europas on the roads of the World.
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Frank, Welcome...It's good to see another Europa owner in the group.ld
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:Welcome: Frank!
Your car doesn't look too bad from the pictures but the dealer being upset if he was told it was in better shape than it was. If you're serious about doing a restoration, it should make a nice project. I think you have a very good starting point.
If you really want a 5 speed, Richard at Banks (http://www.banks-europa.co.uk/index.php) can set you up with an NG-3 kit.
This forum is a great source of help. I would advise you to also join the lotuseuropa yahoo group.
Keep us informed with your plans and progress and if you run into any problems or have questions, we'll be glad to try to help you.
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:Welcome:
Welcome Frank, good choice of car you will enjoy every minute of your ownership. Please keep us posted with progress, pictures of how the work is progressing
all the best
Stuart
:pirate: :lotus: :pirate:
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:Welcome:
Too bad the LA dealer's ad was wrong about the transmission, owner history, and who knows what else. Regardless it is a great looking car!
The Registry lists Jose Soriano as a previous owner- jose@soriano.com Have you tried sending an email to see if the address is still good?
If not, he owns/owned an Elise, a Vespa, and vintage BMW motorcycles- http://modernvespa.com/forum/topic23031 You could try contacting him there. Or he has also posted on Lotus talk- http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f101/q-current-elise-owners-546/
Or try sending him a message through FaceBook- https://www.facebook.com/jose.soriano.904/photos
From the Registry:
As invoiced:
Vin Number: 74/2220R
Date Built: 4/1972
Date Invoiced: 5/1/1972
Engine #: S26359
Transmission #: ?
Original color: L13 - Pistachio Lime Green
Condition:
Current color: Yellow with Black Stripes
Condition: Getting there! Motor and transmission rebuilt by previous owner. Overall car in decent shape. Things I have done since purchasing about a year ago: Installed new carpet. Seats and door panels reupholstered in black. Dash veneer redone. New fiberglass crash pad covered in vinyl. New headliner. Installed front spoiler (original style). Purchased and re-finished a set of twin cam wheels. Rebuilt alternator. New Nippondenso starter. Added cobra style black stripes.
Photos
(http://lotus-europa.com/vinpics/2220r/1.jpg)
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Hi Alex,
Chassis number is 72042220R. I write to Dan to made the Change in the Europa registry
In the Moment i am searching to find the engine and gear number. I am not sure if the gear is a Typ 365 as the offer said but i thin it is a type 352.
greetings Frank
I'm not sure when the type 352 was introduced but my 72 TC, #2069R, has a type 336 transmission.
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I hope to here more of the history of my car, i am very interested in this.
If you really want to know the details of the car as supplied new, it is possible to buy a "certificate of provenance" from Lotus Cars via their website. The man that does (or at least did) this service is a chap called Andy Graham who is/was the archivist with Lotus. I got to know of him via Lotuselan.net before this became an official deal and he was very helpful in tracing some details for my Elan, including the original dealership which sold the car back in 1968.
Brian
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Hello everyone,
Thanks for the nice replays.
Yes i have write an email to Jose, but till now i did get no answer. I will try the other ways, i think he can explain much about the history.
And yes i am sure i have hundrets of questions about the working and about getting parts.
In the Moment i will wait that the car is here, maybe next week and then i will have a very careful look on it to see how i will start and what all is missing. As not all Historie is complete correct i think to build in as i like it, that means with a 5-speed, a weber head and the european look ( no side marks ). The original colour L13 pistaziengreen are the favourit for me and my daughter.
Do you think it is a shame to build it this way? or is it much more interested to build it in original way means as US Version with the 4-speed and the Stromberg head?
As i read in the post from 2009 from Jose, the car has a rebuild engine and gearbox, i hope this is true. When i look into the head on the oilcap it Looks very clean, so it can be right.
And yes i will made a Restauration Story. Here are the Story from Restauration of my Kadett C Aero, sorry but it is in german.
http://www.iphpbb.com/board/viewtopic.php?nxu=03449989nx16963&t=1417&highlight=a706
greetings Frank
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:Welcome: Welcome aboard, Frank. That is a good looking Europa project. There is no harm at all in building your Europa the way you like it. Unlike some type of cars, Lotus enthusiasts seem to accept modification much more readily than enthusiasts of some other cars. Perhaps it is the nature of the car itself, built as it was with a racing heritage. These cars benefited from modifications from when they were new, and that feeling seems to continue. Most Europa owners have made at least a few modifications or improvements to make the car more reliable and usable in todays driving environment. Others modify their cars heavily for track or auto-cross use, which is ok too since that is what these cars were built for.
Good luck and have fun
Cheers
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My feeling is you should build it to suit you.
A little story - Mine is pretty highly modified. I have a BDA engine, an NG-3 trans, rear disc and front vented discs, twin link rear suspension, cloth interior, 15" modular wheels, a bubble in the roof and some other things. Some pictures here: http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f221/hi-nc-89399/
For the last US Lotus meet, I made an extra effort to polish and pretty it up for the "people's choice" awards (people voted for their favorite example of different Lotus categories). There were between 6 and 12 Europas there and they were all very nice. Some were pretty original. All of them were much more original than mine. It seemed to me that none of them got as much attention as mine got. So when the awards were given out, I was disappointed that I got a third place. Then I figured that whatever "they" were looking for, apparently I didn't have enough of it for a first place, and that was fine with me since I didn't build the car for them, I built it for me. It seems that more people are more interested in "original" Europas than I thought. While there are things I wish I had done differently, I'm happy with it.
The moral of the story is to make yourself happy. It's your car and your money. There's no wrong answer as long as you're satisfied in the end.
Good luck and keep us informed about your progress.
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The moral of the story is to make yourself happy. It's your car and your money. There's no wrong answer as long as you're satisfied in the end.
^^^ this, 100%. You will always find someone who disagrees with what you've done, so do what pleases you.
If you stay original there will be those who say "but the handbrake always was lousy, the headlights were off a mini (or whatever), etc ". If you modify it you will get "Original was good enough to be a supercar in it's day so that's good enough" or "Colin Chapman was always right" (and by inference, you're wrong).
My take a has always been to try and keep the car looking like a Europa because it was the styling which attracted me to the car in the first place. But I have no problem at all with engineering upgrades under the skin. Some work out fine, some not so good and I might revert backwards, but the point is that I get pleasure out of working out the changes or the results of the modifications.
It's my toy to play with.....
Brian
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I think you are all right. Originality on this car is not the most importent. More importent is the car to build which my daughter and i am like. I think i will do it this way.
Thanks for your comments.
greetings Frank
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First question,
when i will Change form the 4-speed gearbox to the 365 5-speed box what all must be changed? I am not sure how good my Chassis is, can i put the 5-speed in my Chassis? or must be done any modifications?
greetings Frank
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Depends, there two different 4 speed trannies (336 & 352) and three different rear cross members (336 only, 352 only & 352/365). It's all pictured in the parts manual which you can find here:
http://www.lotus-europa.com/manuals/index.htm
If you have a 352, you should be able to use the same linkage if you fit a 365.
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First question,
when i will Change form the 4-speed gearbox to the 365 5-speed box what all must be changed? I am not sure how good my Chassis is, can i put the 5-speed in my Chassis? or must be done any modifications?
greetings Frank
Frank,
Take a look at Dave Syers website on Renault gearboxes. According to Dave, the 352 and 365 look very similar but have slightly different rear cases and may have different rear mounts but have the same bell housing and shift linkage.
In regards to a 365 gearbox, I'll be swapping out the engine and gearbox out of 3923R later on this summer to try to get it back on the road after a 20 year slumber. Contact me in around 6 months if you still need a 365.
The flip side of going original or modifying a car to your tastes is in selling the car in the future. It's a lot easier to sell an original car than one that has been heavily and irreversibly modified. Even though you may think that you will never sell your Europa, you never know what the future holds.
Joji Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca
Joji Tokumoto
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Ok, i am not sure what is in my car. as all go ok i will collect the car next tuesday and them i can made Pictures. In the Moment i have only this Picture. And i think this is a 352 gearbox
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Joji makes a good point about selling the car in the future. Depending on the modification, it could limit who and how much someone might pay. I wouldn't think changing a 4 speed to a 5 speed falls into that category, though I'm sure there is someone out there who might complain.
The 365 should be an easier swap than an NG-3 so if you can relieve Joji of his, that would be good. The NG-3 is a bit newer and as such parts should be easier to get should you need them, but they're both old. I wouldn't want to teach someone how to drive a manual transmission on either one of them!
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Forgot the link to Dave Syers website.
http://www.syer.net/donor_cars.htm
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Frank, I am curious, is your daughter a child, teenager, or an adult?
How much will she be helping on this project? Will she be driving it?
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Hi Mark,
she is 20years old and very interested in cars and for a Girl she knows a lot about cars. She has helped a bit on the Kadett restaturation 5 years ago. Also she was very sad that i sold my elise two years ago. Now she was with me on thursday to have a look on the Europa and she is very happy that i bought him. I think she will help a bit on the Restauration. In the Moment she is waiting to drive the Kadett the first time ( there are someting to do before) but i think after the Lotus is fish she is very interested to drive it.
greetings Frank
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I don't have a 352 for comparison but here are some pictures of a 365. There should also be a round aluminum ID tag on the rear cover.
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Thanks for the Pictures, mine Looks definitv diffrent so i am think it is a 352 box. There is no metal plate on the rear cover.
Can you tell me where i can found the gearbox and the engine number. The dealer is US said the car is matching numbers :confused:, but he also told it is a 5-speed 8)
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Hello Frank,
Welcome to the forum. :)
Your gearbox is a 4 speed 352, this means that the swap to a 5 speed 365 will be fairly easy. I did it to my own car, so it must have been. ;D
The 5 speed was an option at the time for the US cars, so both types would be original equipment, though of course the strict originality question depends on the actual car.
You will need to do the following:
- Replace the rectangular bracket that bolts between the rear frame and the gearbox with the type of bracket on Grumblebun's picture.
- Replace the part of the shift tube that runs from the UJ at the clutch house and to the back, since the 5 speed is a little longer. If I remember correctly, it must be 12mm longer, mine was done with a hacksaw and then a welded in piece.
- Check that your 352-box has the larger diameter control shaft on the rear, since they came with two different sizes (13 or 15 mm) and the 365 only with the larger.
- Oh, and to make it perfect: A gearshifter knob with the 'O/D' text next to 3rd gear.
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so i catch up the car today and it now stands safe in my garage ;)
on the way we made a quick stop on a cleaning hall to blow up the dirty from the last years. On the coming weekend i will have a look on the car how good it is and then we will beginning very soon with the restauration. In the moment i am not sure to made it quick ready to drive and to drive sometimes this summer or if i started directly with the great job of a body of restauration. i think after next Weekend i am clear with this.
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Make sure you keep it in a garage. When it rains, they leak water into the footwell and onto the seat.
When you need help with "how do I.......?", this is the best place to ask for heaps of replies.
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It looks great and I know it feels good to finally get it home! Now the fun begins! Let us know if we can help!
:lotus:
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Thanks, and i am sure i Need a lot of help.
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Hi again,
Apart from the obvious windscreen problem, the rest of the body looks in very reasonable condition, door fit good, etc. I think if I were you I'd take this summer as an opportunity to get it up and running which will give you a good idea of what needs doing mechanically. If the car has been standing for a while then I'd be tempted to overhaul the brakes/steering/tyres and then get some miles in to see how the rest of the mechanicals look and feel.
Because you've not had one before the driving experience, even though the car might not be 100%, will be a novelty. You get to drive it in the summer weather plus it gives you the chance to make lists and decide the order of restoration in terms of your budget. And of course the benefit of the repairs you do will be immediately noticeable and probably give more job satisfaction.
That car looks a very good start to me though, you've done well.
Brian
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I really have to agree with Brian on getting the car running first. Drive it, get use to the car , then decide if you really want to change anything. So many projects have started with owners having grandiose plans for their car, getting in over their heads, eventually losing interest and finally passing the car on to some one else.
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Mh, normaly i agree with you, but on my car the following must be done to drive
complete break System overhauling, with new tubes
windshield glued in
fuel cells cleaning because of some rust in it
water System cleaning
i do not know the conditions of all waterlines and tubes
new tires
electric on the Dashboard is complete disambled
carburates cleaning
left lower Suspension arm must be replaced
and some other things
so the most importent is the break System i will not drive with any old parts there. The car stands for more then 7 years. Overall also on the second careful look it is not bad, but to get it to concurs Status it is a Long way.
greetings Frank
iam not sure what i will do
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That's a good list. Of course most of them are what you would expect to have to take care of for any car that's been standing for so long.
The fuel tanks were designed poorly. It would be best to get a pair of aluminum tanks but at the very least, you might consider adding something to keep water from from collecting on the top of the tank. The worst part is that you have to jack the car about three feet (one meter) off the floor to get them out (unless you have access to a pit.
Another thing you'll really enjoy is working behind the dash! ;)
If you take the motor out, you might consider getting a 'cassette' water pump. The stock water pump is part of the front engine cover but the cassette pump system is a pump with a modified cover. The pump bolts on to the cover so if you have to change the pump, it's cheaper and easier. Taking off the front cover requires taking the head off. I'm pretty sure they are available on your side of the pond, but I know you can get them from Dave Bean in the US http://www.davebean.com (209-754-5802).
Good luck and keep those updates coming!
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You may find that everything made of rubber has perished. Engine mountings, heater hose under the dashboard, radiator hoses, rubber on suspension joints.
All worth checking.
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I decide to made the car complete. But before i will begin to disamble the car i have a closer look on the cracks in the paint. There are many cracks in the paint over the complete car and i hope they are only in the new paint. So i take of some part of the black stripes on the Roof and the paint under them, but i am disapointed to see that the cracks are going under the paint in the Body structure. I am afraid now that there are so many of them around the complete car, is this normal? I have no experience in reparing gfk so this is a great challenge for me and i can not evalued how much this will made on more costs. In the Moment i am thinking of selling this car and looking for a better one. Otherwise i get him cheap 8 in my opinion) and there is nothing to nearly this price i paid for it. All other cars which are offered much more expensive and not in better condition. And all the cars for much more Money are not even much better and they need also a lot of work.
So the question is , are this many cracks a great Problem? and do you think it is unusal and is it better to look for an other car ?
greetings Frank
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Stress cracks are common on these cars, it is not unusual, (mine has them too).
I wouldn't go looking for another car because of them, they can be fixed relatively easy, all part of the fun of any fiberglass car...
Actually, your car is in great shape compared to some of the cars members have started with!!!
I would keep it, don't let those spider cracks discourage you.
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I second blaster's comments. They are part of the fun of a Europa. Fiberglass is really easy to work with. It's very forgivable - mistakes are never catastrophic. Find a supplier for cheap paint brushes, polyester resin, mat, and veil or gauze (very light weight mat). Don't bother with cloth - especially anywhere that will show.
The idea is to either sand out the cracks (grind them out if they are deep). Fill them in with a mixture of chopped up mat and resin and cover the whole area with gauze. You can also get micro balloons to mix with resin to make a filler.
A random orbital sander is a must.
Good luck!
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Hi,
thanks for your comments, i am a bit anxious with this cracks. When this is not an unusual thing, i agree to you it will be not easy to find a better base then this car. Most of them are expensive and the work to do is near the same.
So i will roll up my sleeves and will begin with the work. I calculate 2-3years till it is ready. But i have time, i have two other fun cars for driving.
greetings Frank
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Hi Frank, you should see the body and paint on my S2. It may be even worse than what yours looks like. Stress cracks take a lot of work to repair but they are repairable. Personally, on a project car, body work would be the last item that I would tackle.
On my project S2, it took me several years, but the mechanical work is complete enough that I've driven it several hundred miles. I'm at the point now where I have to decide what to do about the body and paint. With a car in road worthy condition, I've broadened my options on where to go with this car. I can start on the body restoration myself or sell it as a running Europa and let some one else finish up the restoration. My point is not to be concerned about the paint at this time.
Your car, from what I can tell, appears to a good one for restoration. Get it up and running first. I've attached a picture of what my S2 looks like now. The picture does not show how bad the paint is.
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The paint on my brown TCS looks like a giraffes skin.
I think that cracked paint is a lot easier to repair than metal-worm (rust).
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Fine stress cracks are type of patina. They are desirable and beautiful and can only be achieved with age and use, just like the patina on an antique piece of fine furniture! At least that is what I tell myself about the cracks on my car with its original paint. (I hope that didn't get lost in the translation!)
Here is a picture of your Europa's younger sister Elise, (same past owner, same paint and graphics)
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I am in the middle of body work on my 74 TCS. I have removed (3) coats of primer and (3) coats of color with a DA sander - did not find any evidence of gelcoat - if it was there, it was clear. Like many, I had a lot of stress cracks in the old paint finish. After removing all of the primer and color down to bare fiberglass, all of the stress cracks disappeared. I have been told that wiping over the stress crack area on bare fiberglass would show up the stress cracks - I tried this and still no stress cracks. My car had been repainted (same color) twice before I bought it in 1978 and I think the paint prep work was probably not the greatest and the paint was applied too thick and not enough time was given for the primer to thoroughly dry (like a month) before the color was applied. Thus far, I have applied black epoxy primer and then high build polyester primer/filler. I've also done panel fitting to get the panel gaps between panels even (4.5mm gap) and the adjacent panels meeting in the same plane. I'm working with PPG paints and primers. I'm doing block sanding now. I plan on using PPG single stage urethane color - no clear after applying the color. My belief is that most, if not all, of the stress cracks are in the paint itself and not the underlying fiberglass body structure.
Tom
74 TCS - 4605R
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Hello,
after the Weekend work the Body is loosen and most of the Body parts are disambled. What me much confused are the Fitting of the front and rear Hoods. It is hard to explain, but the part of the Body before the windscren, means there where the wiper sits are not straight it goes from the scren to the Hood upward. so the diffrence between fron Hood and Body is around 8mm in the lock area. Is this normal? is it possible the the Body is bent there?
Also the back Hood fits very bad on the left side and on the rear lock area. Maybe the Hood is also bent? That there is a bit room for adjusting is clear but it will never look good as some other cars i see on Pictures.
I tried to make some Pictures please tell me your opinion and if this normal or how this can be fixed.
greetings Frank
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This is not unusual. I think it's a combination of poor quality control and thin section fiberglass (I always wondered why Corvettes had such thick fiberglass body panels. Now I know.). The pads the boot rests on can be adjusted and that may help you get a better fit. There is also some adjustment available by moving the boot on the hinges by loosening the nuts on the long end of the hinge. The only adjustment to to the bonnet is to raise or lower the latch under the cowl in front of the windshield. I doubt that will help but you can try.
It's just one of those endearing qualities of an early Lotus! Actually, I think it may be more an issue with the TCs than other models (lucky us, right?). I could be wrong but I think Elan and even S2 panels generally fit better. Maybe someone confirm or debunk my assessment.
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The 1972 TC that I own has an engine cover which is a very poor fit. Too wide. It has been lined with silver to stop getting too hot, and the weight of this lining is probably distorting the fibreglass.
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Also, replacing the foam seals/strips that are attached to the underside of the bonnet and the boot changed the fitment of both decks on mine. I would think you could adjust the deck somewhat by adjusting the foam thickness, though the foam is placed about the middle of the decks. As a side note, it is really easy to cut foam with an electric kitchen knife.
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Hi Mark
In the moment there is nothing of seals or strips on my car only the blank hoods. I agree a bit is to get with adjusting but not much.
But if this a normal think on a twin cam i am not happy with this but i will live with it. Let me see what the body shop says what he can do.
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I am in the process of adjusting the panel fits and gaps on my 74 TCS now. What I am doing is very time consuming. For the bonnet (front cover), I cut a wide plastic body filler paddle to the contour that I wanted and applied body filler (with the bonnet locked in place) to the bonnet to get the approximate contour. I then sanded the filler with 80 grit, then 180 grit to get the contour correct. I needed to re-add filler about six times to get the contour smooth. The bonnet was only about 1/8" lower than the adjacent fenders, so the body filler was not too thick. The engine cover was worse - it looked like the photos you have attached to your post. I did not want the body filler to be too thick, so I added 3/4 ounce matt fiberglass to build the engine cover up so that the body filler would only be 1/8" or less thick. I can post some photos if you would like to see my progress. For the engine cover contour, I used a 12" wide drywall blade to create the new contour letting about 1/4" on the blade run on the rear fender while to rest of the blade ran on the engine cover. Again, it took about 6 applications of body filler to get the contour the way I wanted it. Not an easy process. The boys in England were not too good at panel fits and gaps.
Tom - 4605R
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Looking at your photos again, I think your bonnet latch needs adjustment to get the rear end of the bonnet (at the windshield) lower. You can lower the latch hole on the body or you can remove the movable latch piece and bend it upward to lower the bonnet. I moved the latch hole.
Tom - 4605R
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i have found the same body droop in front of the windscreen.
this does not seem to be common.
i believe the fascia supports that area- lifts the center of the "dash" and levels that out.
might experiment and see if some upward movement can be had at those two fasteners bottom/center of the fascia.
my fascia was broken, and windscreen popped out when i got the car, so this is just guesswork.
'course i have only dummied a cracked screen in place, so far, but it seems to fit o k.
i will know better in about a month- expect to put a real windscreen in.
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The seals are pieces of open cell foam adhered to the bottom of the deck lids. Here is a picture of the front one from the photo gallery (not my car). In front, some owners have added foam seals to the other three sides of the plenum in an attempt to increase airflow into the cockpit.
The back seal is in roughly the same place but over the front of the trunk box. In back there may have also been a second piece of foam across the back of the deck.
Any or all of these pieces of foam can raise the deck heights.
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Mark,
Nice bonnet support - where did you get it? I have seen a similar support at Coleman Racing Products - http://www.colemanracing.com/Hood-Support-P3656.aspx
I don't remember that my 74 TCS bonnet and engine cover fits were as bad when I bought the car in 1978 as they are now. I think the English fiberglass, as thin as it is, changes shape with time.
Tom
74 TCS - 4605R
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Hi Mark
On my body and hoods are no seals in the moment. The body man will look next week what he can do.
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Tom, it is a nice looking bonnet support but it is not my car.
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hello,
i think this post will some People surprise and some astonish. I changed my mind and will not restore this Lotus. Instead of this i will sell it in parts, So if there are interest let me know.
And here is the reason for the changing: today i bought an original europe Twin Cam Special. Ok it was and diffrent price range and the car needs also a bit work, but the overall condition and the originality makes this decision.
So in the Moment i am the owner of two Europa's. It is Chassis number 73021171Q, most is original but in the Moment it is painted black as JPS but the correct colour is lagoon blue. Later i will repaint it in the original colour. I will try to make the car as original as possible. I get the new one in three weeks then i will tell more Details.
greetings Frank
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Frank,
Good luck with your new Europa and selling off the parts of the first one! At least you're still going to have a Europa!
I don't know what the 'Q' is for in your serial number. I would guess it has something to do with the market? Does anybody know?
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The Q designation was for European export...similar to the federal export R...concerning emissions status...ld
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Yes that is correct, the car was delivered in the netherlands and is LHD. I am located in Germany, so this is better for me and i was looking for a original LHD Special.
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Thanks, guys! That's what I was thinking.
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hi BDA
yes i hope to get for the car near the price i have paid that i lost not to much money. But i also like to get it away in the next weeks because i need the room for the new one. Overall the car is not bad and if someone will build a Europa and him it is not so importent the originality or he likes the US Version he will be happy with this car.
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Good luck with your new Europa. I think you will find it easier to sell the car in its entirety in stead of in parts. There isn't that much demand for parts as far as I can see.
I saw what the car was priced at when you bought it in the Netherlands and it was a good price, you'll be able to sell it quite quickly at that price.
Serge
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Hi Serge,
i bought it not to the Price which was offered, i paid less for it. so there is some space in the Price for me.
Otherwise i think you are right it is easier to sell complete but this car has some good parts that i Need for my new one. So if i found someone for the Chassis and Body this is a better choice for me
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Congratulations on the new one. I look forward to pictures of it!
It is a bit sad to see any Europa parted out, especially if it is in half decent condition.
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Hi Mark,
i sold the car today complete not in parts. So it will not partet out. It will come back on the street.
Today i signed the contract for my black Europa Special. The Lotus dealer will made some work on it and after my Holiday in 3 weeks i will bring him to my home.
here are two pics from the Dealers Showroom from today.
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Ale looks amazing!
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She's a beauty, alright! She is a she, isn't she? ;D
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That's a very nice looking Europa, Mr Jesspo. Congratulations.
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Thanks,
yes she looks quite good on the Pictures. The car is an original Special but was delivered in lagoon blue. I think in some years i will repaint she to the correct colour.
The car is restored in the late 90's and only 7500km driven till today. So the only things to do in the Moment are new tires and replacement of all liquieds.
greetings Frank
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Looks great!
Another Europa leaving the Netherlands, at this rate there won't be many left!
Serge
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So she is now in Germany, full checked and german registrated.
there some things to do but Overall she runs well and has no great Problems. Here are the first pics
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Very nice indeed. Not much wrong with that one.
What is the chassis number?
Just seen it. 73021171Q
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Very nice car! I especially like the Dellortos. Having new Lockheed boosters is good, too. I think you got a good one! I hope you got a good price!
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Hi BDA
it was not cheap, but i think it was a fair Price. In europe the Prices are higher then in the US. But i specally looked for an original european car. This car was delivered to netherlands in Februar 1973 and is still matching numbers. It was restored in 1998 by an netherland Lotus dealer.
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Hi Frank
The new europa came from vanderkooi sportscars??
Congratulations for your choice. However before buying my Europa from Germany I optioned the two yellow europas in Netherland where you bought your first Europa.
Let me know
Edo
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Hi Edo
Yes it is the car from vanderkooi. It is not perfect but in good condition and i thinl i can fix the rest of issues.
When i bought the yellow one, the dealer has only this car. He told me the other car was sold to belgium.
When you bought yours in germany please tell me more about your car.
Greetings Frank
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Hi Frank
I think you have an amazing Europa now, congratulations!
I found my car last August in Germany and I decided to purchase it because was a good one.
German owner bought it from England in 2012 but he tell me that was a wrong purchase for him (because he didn't like drive the car)so he left it parked for 2 years.
The car is in good condition (needs also lot of works) but I'm on the road only from April 2015 because Italian bureaucracy is too bad....
This week I start to change front suspension and overhaul all rusty parts such as wishbones and anti roll bar.
In which part of Germany are you from? I come from Varese (Italy) about 10 minutes to Switzerland so I'm not to far from Germany!
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Hi Ed
I am living near cologne so this is far away from you.
Your car looks good but for me RHD was not an option. So the market was very limited. I want an original EU car and was looking for a original special. This are very hard to find. So i think my car was more expensive as yours but for me it was the best what i can get. I hope in the future this are the Europa with the best prices so the more invest is o.k..
On my car are also several things to do. one of the main things is the oil leaking of engine and gearbox, i will fix this next winter. From the suspension and chassis is my car great and nothing to do. the car was restored 17 years ago by vanderkooi but has only run then 3years and 7thousend km.
Greetings Frank
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Hi Frank
yes, I think Lotus Europa special with 365 gearbox is the most valued Europa suc as the first serires S1/A.
Also my Europa lost too oil from gearbox and engine and i'm going to overhaul both next winter.
However I hope to go with the Europa to AVD oldtimer the next year so if it's possible we can meet.
Mfg
Edo
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Hi Edo,
Nürburg Ring is not far for , around 120km. But the OGP is a very great Meeting and it is very hard to park there, so if i drive to the OGP i will not come with the Lotus.
I think there are other Meetings in Germany which are more interested, like the Jim Clark Revival at the Hockenheim Ring, or the Historic Trophy at Nürburg Ring. They are a bit smaller and you can order a package with a park ticket in a Club area. Maybe we can sort something out for next year.
I will drive with my Europa to the Schloss Dyk classics this year, but this is also very near to my home.
http://www.schloss-dyck-classic-days.de/
There is also an arrangement for parking form the german Lotus Classic Club.
greetings Frank
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I have done most of the work in the last weeks on the Europa as:
replacing the four tires
replacing the old shocks and springs to new Protech Shocks
new bushes in the the steering rack
cleaning the carburators and changing the speed membrans
adjusting the carburators
replacing ignition wires and cap, adjusting ignition
new bush with selfmade parts in the gear linkage ( great improvment of shifting )
many many hours spending on polishing the car, but now it looks very great from the paint
and some other smaller things
now the handling and driving is much better, i the overall looking is come to an other Level. I am driving more then 1000km till i have it and as more i drive the car as more fun it makes for me. I was on some odl car Meetings with the car the last weeks and many people are interested in this car.
Here are some updated pictures
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She's a beauty, Jesspo! Get used to the attention!! :lotus:
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Nice work, Frank. Your Europa is gorgeous. I agree that the more you drive it, the more enjoyable is becomes. When I first bought mine I wasn't sure that I had made the right decision. But the more I drove the more fun is was.... and still is. I find the longer drives are the most fun, which is helped by the fact that the car keeps working better and better until about 100 miles into a run, at which point it is running at its peak.... and the grins get bigger. Have fun. Cheers :beerchug:
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I all agree with you.
i am back some minutes ago from a drive with the TC. The first time i drive the engine higher then 4500U/min, and whau if you increase the shift Point to 5500U/min on the engine the car goes very good.
my car has stand most of the last 13 years, so i am very careful to give the engine time to come to his top Level again.
But i am very happy with the car. It has not the power then my Porsche spyder, but the driving is very special and makes much fun.
greetings Frank
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:coolpic:
It looks great, Frank. I understand why it got so much attention at the car meeting you visited.
What tires did you buy for it? (always good with another data point, especially from other european owners).
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Hi Peter,
tires are a piont i am not really happy with this.
I like to make the Europa as much as i can to original condítion, so i decide to put on the front 175/70HR13 and rear 185/70HR13 tires. This is the original tire size for the TC alu rims. But i Germany it is impossible to get this size in HR till 210km/h from a well known tire company. You only can get China tires. So i ordered a set from Nankang. I have no experience with them, but after driving them around 400km now, it look likes they are not bad in dry conditions. I will not drive in rainy weather or i am very careful.
So in the Moment i have no other option in this size of tires but they feel not bad in the moment. I drive them a bit sporty today and the car makes nothing funny things. For me the Europa is a historic car and i must not win a race with him so the tires are good enough for the Moment.
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The original car was fitted with Dunlop SP Sport tyres, with the sizes you already have.
The 175/70/13 was only fitted to the Lotus Europa and the Triumph Dolomite Sprint, both of which I owned in 1978.
I doubt any Europa has the correct size and aspect ratio tyre fitted of any good well known make.
The HR was rated up to 130 MPH, with the SR rated to 113 MPH.
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I would like to keep the original 175/185 70/R13 tires too, and have been told by others to look at Continental Conti Eco 3 tyres. These are only available in T (190kph) speed rating, but I think this might be OK in Denmark as long as one doesn't exceed it. But there could be a problem in Germany, even for me visiting Germany, so it's probably better to find tires with the H rating (210 kph).
The Nankang CX668 gets good reviews, so definitely a tyre I will consider. They seem to be OK in the rain too. Please update the rest of us, when you get some more kilometers on them. :)
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Hi Peter
I will give an update about the tires. But i do not drive so much km with the Europa because i have two other hobby cars and time is limited.
Next weekend i am three days at the Schloss Dyk classic meeting and there will be some km driving.
Greetings Frank