Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: FourLoti on Monday,March 25, 2024, 01:12:01 PM
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Hello:
Nearly one year ago, I joined this group asking for input on an eBay auction non-running TCS that had caught my attention. Turns out the car had already been up for discussion here in the classified section and I was able to get a constructive mix of encouragement and warning regarding buying it sight unseen. But I bought it anyway and fortunately it turned out to be a very solid car that cleaned up very nicely.
With tons of help from many of you, I spent way too many hours over the past year bringing this thing back to life and thought it was time to share some photos. I knew I wasn’t going to get into a full restoration – too old for that now – but I did want to stay true to the fact that it was a real survivor that had never been modified or personalized, and had no missing parts whatsoever. The most recent PO had it for 35 years and parked it for 25 of those, so there was a lot to do. Fortunately, I enjoy the refurbishing process more than actually owning and maintaining old cars – thus the fact that I sold all four previous Lotus cars soon after they were back on the road. Whether or not that happens with this one, is TBD, but after now having put only 100 miles on it, my left knee and arthritic left foot may be the deciding factor! More on that in a subsequent post.
Thanks for viewing,
Ron
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Awesome!
Hope the knee etc. is ok.
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Congratulations!!! That's a big improvement! :beerchug:
I hope your knee and foot don't get in the way of enjoying the fruits of your hard work! You already know these are great drivers cars.
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Nice work and it’s a good looking car. Hope the physical issues don’t stop you from enjoying it.
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Beautiful Job.
Amazing find BTW. Persevering history seems to be a passion of yours. Keeping your dreams is important but taking care of your body comes first. Maybe it can be worked into your therapy sessions.
Besides fiveloti doesn’t sound as good as fourloti.
Dakazman
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Hi Ron
Very nice, what colour is that please?
Many thanks
Berni
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Hi Ron
Very nice, what colour is that please?
Many thanks
Berni
Looks like Lagoon Blue to me, I have two in that colour.
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Fine job on a preservation restoration. Interior looks clean and complete. If you were get into relaminating the IP then you might have to keep moving around the car...endlessly until it is to perfect to drive.
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Great job!
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Yes, Lagoon Blue Metallic, L12. Repainted at some point in the distant past, but they did a great job - considering that most likely back then these cars were not worth enough to deserve a top-level paint job. That said, it's definitely now a “20-footer“ appearance-wise. (after many, many hours of wet sanding a polishing!)
Thanks to all of you for the nice comments and input on the refurbishment work. @S1, you hit it right on the head re: creeping elegance (one thing leading to another.) That’s always been real danger for me (and my wallet,) as I don't seem to know where to stop. Photos attached of my first Lotus project that ended up taking from 1981 to ------ 2007! To complete. Very similar stories with an XK-120 and two different Tigers. So even though it’s been tempting to go deeper into this TCS, I decided the next owner could have that fun and, at times, had to battle with myself not to start doing some cool upgrades that a longer-term owner would like to do. As they say, they’re only original once!
Thanks also for the well wishes re: my physical complaint. I didn’t mean to over dramatize that, but one missing piece of info is that I’ve been driving and restoring sports cars (mainly British) as a hobby for 60 years. I wish that was a typo, but it’s not. I just turned 75, and time has a way of wearing out irreplaceable parts, which in my case is thankfully, (but unfortunately,) limited to my left foot. I don’t consider Europa’s to be just for young people, and have no problem easily jumping in and out (nor with lying on my back under the dash for hours with feet on the firewall, it turns out:) But limping around for hours after even moderate clutch work, is a bit demoralizing.
So, while I now love driving this car (even with 40-year-old tires, 50-year-old mounts and bushings, etc.) I just don’t see myself enjoying it as a long term fun car. This, plus the growing urge to find the next basket case “patient” - and the need to pay some attention to my long-neglected DD sports car, (Tiptronic!) all seem to be moving me toward thoughts re: selling strategy. More later on that – this is already too long.
Many thanks,
Ron
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Bravo, Ron, for bringing another one back to life. In the middle of that myself (including left foot issues due to my honda ending up on the ankle when a 'seasoned' woman broadsided me coming out of a strip mall...) but still can't stay away from Lotus resurrection.
I figure the next curator will pick up where I leave it off, whenever that is in the future. Until then, tweaking, fettling, sitting on the bench in the garage and just looking at it...and stupidly grinning as I proceed down the highway is payback enough.
Good luck with whatever you decide...until then, enjoy the fruits of your exertions!
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I don’t consider Europa’s to be just for young people, and have no problem easily jumping in and out…
And you’re 75 years old! I’m very impressed!
There was a time when I could jump into my car (and I had to because the starter went out and I had to push start it by myself) but that was when I was in college. Those days are over for me… but my Europa days are definitely not over.