Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: S2Zetec54 on Wednesday,February 03, 2021, 11:50:07 AM
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Hi All
Thank you for letting me join. I live in Uk...in the West Country
I have a S2 54 with a 2l Zetec and an ng3 gearbox with cable shift. Throttle bodies mega squirt ecu. Looks super standard from the outside
I had an S2 many years ago but family commitments required that I moved her on.....so this is my second chance Europa....I have had her for 3/4 years I think
Things to do:
Would like a 14” original steering wheel
Would love to have a set of original steel wheels in the garage (currently GKN alloys)
Would love to have a 1647 TX in the garage so I can rebuild and eventually fit
Tempted by Richard Banks rear disc conversion.....hand brake solution extra weight of Zetec etc...
I think that’s it....hope you are all fit and well
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:Welcome: S2Zetec54!!
Your car sound very interesting! I'm sure I'm not the only one who would want to see pictures! Here are two methods of resizing your pictures for the forum:
1. http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1379.0
2. https://youtu.be/O_55eg00H-w
Lastly, don't be a stranger!! :D
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Steering wheels are available new from:
https://jacobengineering.co.uk/index.php/steering-wheels-2/
and:
https://kelvedonlotus.co.uk/product/steering-wheel-2/
Steel wheels are not too hard to come by but they are not very strong. They bend easily and have a tendency to crack as well. Stock engine? No problem. Hopped up? I'd stick with what you have.
France has the most crossflow engines. You're not that far. Ask a French lister to keep an eye out. Capacity is not that important as you will be most likely fitting higher compression pistons at a minimum.
Banks has great brake packages. Get both the front and the rear so your brakes stay properly balanced.
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Thank you to both of you.
I will post pictures and that’s a good idea about France ref the Renault engine...and I didn’t know that the steels where weak.
I called my wheels GKN's .....I have always known them by that but I may be wrong...either way they are twin cam alloys
And yes the Jacob engineering website have beautiful steering wheels don't they......I assume the original would be dished in black.....but doesn’t the 47 one look stunning
Photos to follow
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:Welcome:
Roughly whereabouts are you in the West Country?
Another vote for some pictures!
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First try
Ok so it's on it's side
I am near Gloucester
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And hopefully the engine
Nice chap in Cheltenham stuck it on his rolling road and told me it had 160 bhp
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I think those were made by Dunlop. Not sure though. Someone will chime in.
Not my favourites. Plenty strong but they are not positively located. They "centre" on the extra thick mounting nuts, not a great system. If you are vibration free, no worries. If not, a couple of points:
Before installing, locate them first with two steel wheel tapered nuts. Then fit and tighten the proper nuts.
The wheel centre is not machined! To balance the wheels properly, get it machined or use a bolt-on balancer adapter (using above technique).
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Wow, very nice!
My vote is, "It's not broke, don't fix it!" Europas are much more fun to drive than just stare at disassembled in the garage (says a man who has done both).
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Thanks for that......no skill on my part but they seem to be quite well balanced but that sounds like a good tip
Thanks very much....I have done the boxes of bit all around the house thing when I rebuilt my last one over three house moves....
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Nice car! Welcome!
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Oooh that looks nice!
Simpson make very nice exhausts, would be a shame to take that off so I too would say leave the Zetec in so you have something to bolt the exhaust to (!) and enjoy using it!
Any other mods?
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Pretty car! I wouldn't change a thing but you have to have it the way you want.
I'd reiterate what JB said about Banks' rear disc kit. I have it and really like it. I also have their vented front disc kit.
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Thanks both,
It has the Banks twin link rear conversion on it. I have already replaced the recommended master brake cylinder in Prep for the rear conversion and I'm grateful for the advice to do the fronts as well to retain balance
It has a remote mocal filter and I have just added an additional sandwich plate to run a Mocal capillary oil temp and pressure unit in place of the original Lucas oil pressure gauge
Ally rad and firewall.....and twin ally fuel tanks
Usual marginal cooling so am researching installing an EWP either as a first replacement or just to assist. Trying to be imaginative with how I would hide the controller to keep the dash as original as poss.
13 inch steering wheel which is to small for me.....would prefer 14” so my elbow can wedge against the door when running straight ahead on long journeys
Best run so far when I really learned most about her was a brisk trip to Lincolnshire for the hell of it to view another car in between Lock Downs.....she was glorious
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Pretty car! I wouldn't change a thing but you have to have it the way you want.
I'd reiterate what JB said about Banks' rear disc kit. I have it and really like it. I also have their vented front disc kit.
Thanks BDA....I'll start saving....she has a remote servo but my original type 65 didn’t have one...which I kind of liked
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:Welcome: I will vouch for what JB said about the importance of balance. I just put the Banks Vented Disc kits in the front and the Banks Rear Disc kits in the back. I am very satisfied with the results. The front and rear kits when combined are very balanced together.
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I'm pretty sure the stock steering wheel is 15". I replaced mine with a 14" wheel from Moto-Lita. It has a thicker rim and actually works out to the same size as the stock wheel, so, very close to the windshield. If you wear lots of bling on your fingers, might want to stick with the 13" wheel ;-)
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Brakes, as most things, is a pretty big topic with lots of options. Some forego boosters and utilize a smaller diameter M/C. Some are happy with the standard brakes. I would remind you that vented brakes in and of themselves do not increase braking power. Their advantage is in heat transfer so in that case, you are taking care of the possibility that you might apply your brakes often and heavily as in a track day or going down steep hills.
For the record, I have Banks' vented front disc kit, Banks' rear disc kit, the standard diameter M/C, and dual Lockheed boosters. I don't track or autocross my car but I figured I should upgrade my brakes since my BDA motor was dyno'ed at almost 180 hp at the flywheel.
We've discussed brakes here before so it might be helpful to do a search to see what people have said. Another good source of information is Lotus Central (http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/). This page has links to a lot of topics and modifications that might be interesting to you - not just brakes.
Lastly, I don't want you to think I'm trying to put you off. We're happy to entertain questions even if they've been asked a few times before! :)
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Thanks BDA....great link to some extraordinary resources thank you
Ha! JB....Definitely no extras on my hands...even keep the nails short to save weight! Interesting it was originally as big as that...will prob go for a Jacob one when funds allow.....they are not a million miles away so will swing by when the lock down is over
Thank you literallymadness....and I love the colour of your twin cam...Colorado Orange?
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Thanks S2Zetec54! Yes it's Colorado orange.
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Nice.....that might be the next colour for me
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S2 , you got a beauty there!
:Welcome:
I hope we see more pics soon.
Dakazman
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First try
Ok so it's on it's side
The pic is fine here in Australia. ;D
The car looks brilliant . . welcome.
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:Welcome:
Mark
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Thanks both
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Welcome S2...The car looks great.
I love the shot with the tractor in the backdrop. Looks like you car can fit under it!
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Welcome S2. That is a beautiful Europa. I love that it looks mainly original, but with a hot lump. A nice tidy installation of the Zetec. 160 hp at the wheels must be quite a stout runner. Nice. :beerchug:
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Thanks Trevor thanks Lou
Yes she is terribly fast and terribly loud.....and I love it. As you will all know.....despite being effectively hi viz in colour other drivers just don't seem to see me...and that’s with lights on.....I drive it like a motorcyclist and assume everyone else is...well you know the rest of it
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:Welcome:
The car looks lovely, I do love a nice set of headers :)
I have a set of steel wheels that I may sell at some point but it won't be just yet as I haven't decided what I'm going to run on yet
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Welcome to the site S2. Very nice Europa you have.
I'm always tempted when I see a field Sprayer, like in your picture, going down the road!
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:) ....thanks. I was parked up in a place called Caffeine and Machine which is quite fun and often have unusual display. Up in the Midlands. I am always amazed how small low and narrow she is compared to modern cars. Even the Audi A2 on the far right towers above her