Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Members Cars => Topic started by: 1973JPS on Monday,April 09, 2018, 05:10:11 AM
-
Hi Everyone
I'm new to the Community and wanted to find out if there are any members in Ireland / N. Ireland as My brother and I are starting to restore a 1973 JPS that has been in the family for 41 years and it would be great to have local contacts / enthusiasts to chat and discuss things with
-
:Welcome: 1973JPS!
I just checked our map (https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=1771685) and unless an Irish member hasn't added himself to the map, you're the first! While you're thinking about it, why don't you add yourself? There's a thread about the map at the top of Members Cars.
Having your JPS in the family for forty one years is really interesting! We'd love to learn more about that!
Don't be a stranger!
-
Welcome to the forum! I think Bodzer is in somewhere in Ireland.
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1891.0 (http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1891.0)
-
Hi! I am indeed in Ireland. Just South of Wicklow town. Mine is an S2 that was just mated with its motor over the weekend. I know of one other down south. I do know that there is a superb JPS Europa up near you. Bushmills I think. The owner brought it down to the Car show in Dublin about 4 or 5 years ago. I’ll send you a photo if you pm me your email. There are quite a few +2s here. Not so many Elans or Europas. I believe it was because the +2 was classed as a saloon so the insurance was cheaper! Both my +2s came from the North. One from the Diamond and the other from near Antrim.
Regards,
Pete
-
Welcome to the forum. I think you have found the right place to discuss/show-off your project and assist with the inevitable issues. If you get a chance to post a photo or two of your JPS, we'd love to see them. Cheers :beerchug:
-
This was way back in 1979 when we started to restore her.
-
Full chassis strip down and rebuild...1979
-
Some of these photos are reversed....old technology in 1979
-
1st trip out into sunlight in 39 years
-
Just a bit dusty ....lol...well it would be after 39 years.......
-
:Welcome:
Nice restoration 1973JPS! Looking forward to seeing regular updates on the completion process.
-
You've made a beautiful start! :beerchug: Keep up the great work! And post lots of pictures of your progress! ;D
-
Welcome on board. Looking good so far too!
As a JPS does it have a little dashboard plaque
-
Welcome on board. Looking good so far too!
As a JPS does it have a little dashboard plaque
Unfortunately not.....the previous owner ...way back in 1977 said he would post it on but we never received it.
On another disappointing note when I phoned Andy Graham in Lotus to ask about a Providence Cert he informed me that there never was a 100 limited edition run of JPS Europas and that the plaque was a marketing ploy and there were over 150 JPS's actually sold.
We were always under the impression that the "82" stamped on the chassis plate ment it was no:82, but we're really looking forward to putting her back on the road.
-
That’s disappointing. And yes there seemed to be no control or central records on what cars they were put on.
-
I've just received this email from Lotus on the subject ....... maybe of some interest to others as well
Dear Richard,
Unfortunately without documentation, the full truth cannot be provided and this is why there is so much confusion. I have asked two retired colleagues about these badges, one says they were nothing to do with Lotus and another says there were, so as you can see, even ex-employees have mixed memories/knowledge so it is no wonder members of the public have conflicting ideas too.
I have not seen any evidence to support these were fitted by production. Based on numbers provided by customers, the numbers are far too random to be production fitted, and so I personally believe these were supplied by sales and marketing or distributors for the US cars.
Any documentation I have seen shows 100 for USA, so why some US customers have plaques showing 1** numbers again is a mystery.
In Europe the early cars appear to have oatmeal trim while the US market cars had black trim. Again without factory build records showing trim I cannot confirm.
Remember many people also claim that these were a limited edition, but this is not true, a black Europa Special was available from launch until the end.
Andy Graham
Aftersales Administrator and Archivist
LOTUS AFTERSALES
Part of the GEELY HOLDING GROUP
Units 6 & 7 John Hyrne Way, Longwater Business Park, Costessey, Norwich, Norfolk NR5 0AF England
T: +44(0) 1603 732178 | E: agraham@lotuscars.com
-
Interesting info. This is a link to an article on lotus-europa.com about JPS Europas (http://www.lotus-europa.com/jps.html). I think Andy's email is another point of information about a subject that seems to be mostly conjecture.
-
Wow thats amazing ,you have owned it 41 years???? Looking forward to following your progress on it.I am still looking for my Dads JPS he bought new in Jan 73,reg number MMO597L.The car was on here with pics in 2016 so I know it still exists.All i remember about the dash plaque was that it was on the dash when the car was delivered to our house by the dealer.The dealer told us there were only 100 JPS made,I think ours was around 061 to 069,I thought for years it was 063 but some one else has that number.Its all a mystery,maybe as Lotus say there were no limited editions and the badges were a marketing ploy.But it worked on me because as a kid i loved to look at that dash badge as we drove along in her.I can even remember the new smell of the interior and the sound of that wonderful engine behind me.Happy memories.
-
Interesting info. This is a link to an article on lotus-europa.com about JPS Europas (http://www.lotus-europa.com/jps.html). I think Andy's email is another point of information about a subject that seems to be mostly conjecture.
Yes BDA its another interesting addition to the speculation.
-
Wow thats amazing ,you have owned it 41 years???? Looking forward to following your progress on it.I am still looking for my Dads JPS he bought new in Jan 73,reg number MMO597L.The car was on here with pics in 2016 so I know it still exists.All i remember about the dash plaque was that it was on the dash when the car was delivered to our house by the dealer.The dealer told us there were only 100 JPS made,I think ours was around 061 to 069,I thought for years it was 063 but some one else has that number.Its all a mystery,maybe as Lotus say there were no limited editions and the badges were a marketing ploy.But it worked on me because as a kid i loved to look at that dash badge as we drove along in her.I can even remember the new smell of the interior and the sound of that wonderful engine behind me.Happy memories.
Hi Bikenut....its either amazing or a bloody disgrace that's its taken sooooo long to get round to restoring not only our car but our passion as well.
The "100 myth" was probably true but when sales took off due to the fantastic combination of JPS colors I think the temptation to continue building them took over.
I just received our Certificate of Provenance and it quite clearly states that there were 250 built for the UK market so who knows how many others were built for export.
-
I just received our Certificate of Provenance and it quite clearly states that there were 250 built for the UK market so who knows how many others were built for export.
I think it states that there were 250 black Europa Specials built for the UK but it makes no mention of the John Player Specials (JPS). Presumably this is because it is not known how many of those black cars had a numbered JPS badge adhered to the dash. I think all JPS are black but not all black Europa Specials are JPS.
-
:Welcome:
Wow, 41 years in the same family, original owner?? Those are very rare.
Welcome again,
Dakazman