Thanks guys! It truly was a special day. I can't wait to have one on the road...so much so that I got another one....
I have kept this from you all for quite a few weeks now...a precaution so that I don't become increasingly accountable for my inevitable delays that postpone my drink from that glorious chalice. Number 6 came with a twist. I was not looking for another car....I promise! Never the less this one came on to my radar, and after talking with the previous owner the temptations began. Mike the owner was full of hilarious Europa anecdotes, his first car was a Europa! He bought it sight unseen for $500 in the early 80s through a fuzzy black and white classified ad in a specialist magazine. If that sounds cheap its because the front end had been totally smashed in. Undeterred as 19 year old men are, he flew from TX to NY one way to see the car. The owner of this beauty had mentioned over the phone that he had a replacement nose for the car. Mike said that once he saw the car he was so committed to this course that he convinced the owner to let him live at his house for a week while he saber sawed the car to pieces in his driveway and bonded the new nose on!! He drove that car back to TX!!!
He bought my newest car as a project 10 years ago to rekindle the love affair, but life got in the way...(all too familiar) We actually purchased our project cars the same month of 2013. We got to similar states in our respective restorations except that he was wise enough to leave the car as a runner....with that said I am happy to announce that I now have a RUNNING Europa! After all these years I finally learned the lesson....buy a project that someone else has done all the hard work on
This is where the story gets even more interesting. I mentioned that my friend with the black JPS had passed away in October of last year. Dave used to work the parts department at Sports Car World. This is where I met him shortly after buying my project. On one of my first parts purchases he took me for a ride in that black car, and that remained the only running Europa I'd ever seen let alone sat in. When I checked the vin on the knowledgebase it turns out this little car used to belong to him! Small world!!
I am looking forward to having this thing driving soon, hence my post about ordering a batch of windshields
It only lacks a few little bits before I drop it back on four wheels and fire it off for the maiden voyage.
I've redone the interior and the dash (seats and door cards had been upholstered by PO)
Replaced bushings, motor mounts, shocks, brakes, tie rods, etc...
Currently sorting through some wiring issues.
