Lotus Europa Community

Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: JLs67s1 on Monday,December 14, 2015, 12:50:42 PM

Title: New member...
Post by: JLs67s1 on Monday,December 14, 2015, 12:50:42 PM
Hello,
My name is James from San Diego.
When I was a kid, I had a silver Lotus Europa 1/43 scale Matchbox that was my favorite car (even after the rear wheels broke off). When I turned 18, I searched through the local Auto Trader publications for my first car (my dad's Mazda RX-3 wagon, that I shared, went to my younger brother). Well, I found a red 1967 S1 at a National City Miles of Cars dealer for 3K. The owner of dealership would showcase the Europa to attract customers. Getting my dad to co-sign the loan was tough but him being a British immigrant and former MGA owner, he agreed and drove it home for me. I had a blast driving this car! ...until things started happening... bad things. Yes, even the rear wheel broke off, like my Matchbox! (well, not exactly, this was a tie rod, and later, an axle). I had a new desert cooler radiator made but they forgot the inner baffle and it caused a warped head. Octagon Motors tried to fix the shift linkage with a tightly woven mass of metal wire. Distributor failure, lack of Renault parts, lack of good mechanics, and college, left the poor thing garaged... only to become home to a family of possums that enjoyed dining on Lucas spaghetti. So, now, many years later, I'm finding the time to restore her back to health. I'm currently deciding on which 4AGE motor to swap (16v small-port or 20v silver/black-top).

I hope to meet-up with fellow San Diegans owners!
Cheers!
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: LotusJoe on Monday,December 14, 2015, 12:56:24 PM
 :Welcome:
There are several Europa owners in the San Diego area. I'm sure they will chime in shortly. I'm glad to see another S-1 being saved.
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: Bainford on Monday,December 14, 2015, 01:02:52 PM
Welcome to the zoo, James. Your project sounds exciting, all the more so given your personal history with the car. I'm no authority on Toyota lumps, but there are others on board who are familiar with this conversion and can provide some advice. Also, before anyone else says it; we need to see some pictures. We are a visually stimulated bunch around here, and we love photos of other's Europas, or anything Europa or Lotus related. Cheers and good luck  :beerchug:
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: BDA on Monday,December 14, 2015, 01:45:50 PM
 :Welcome:

Are you a member of the lotuseuropa yahoo group? You should join there too. One reason is there was a discussion about somebody starting a run of block - bell housing adapter plates and you might want to get in on it.

Good luck with your project and keep us up to date with your progress (and you better post pictures!!  ;D )!

 :lotus:
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: Grumblebuns on Monday,December 14, 2015, 04:32:54 PM
Another welcome to the forum. As far as I know there are three other Europa owners that I'm aware of in the San Diego area. Whit (AKA Nitwit) in Vista is converting his S1 to a Blacktop. I'm going with a Silvertop for my S2.

As BDA mentioned, you will need an adapter plate to mate the Renault bell housing to the Toyota engine. Contact John Pels on the Yahoo mail list to add you to his list for his next production run.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/lotuseuropa/info

Joji Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca 
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: jbcollier on Monday,December 14, 2015, 07:33:44 PM
S1?  Why not rebuild the stock engine?
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: JLs67s1 on Tuesday,December 15, 2015, 11:52:32 AM
Thanks for the welcome!

>>Are you a member of the lotuseuropa yahoo group?<<

Yes... I started to document my Europa restoration but my Datsun 510 needed attention.

>>you will need an adapter plate to mate the Renault bell housing to the Toyota engine<<

Yes, I had purchased John Pels kit a few years ago.

>>Why not rebuild the stock engine?<<

I will hold on to it, for sure, but it would cost more to rebuild than dropping in a 4AGE motor. I'm also thinking more about reliability and performance for auto crossing, not so much a stock restoration show car.
BUT, I would like to see what others have done to their R16s to achieve performance numbers of a 16v small-port... I could be swayed  ;)
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: EuropatcSPECIAL on Tuesday,December 15, 2015, 12:45:00 PM
 :lotus: Welcome James  :Welcome:
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: jbcollier on Tuesday,December 15, 2015, 02:15:40 PM
An 807 engine out of a Renault 17 goes in pretty easily.  Output HP depends on input $$ but 120 to 140 is moderately easily attained.
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: E Paul on Wednesday,December 16, 2015, 07:26:01 AM
Go with the 20V. I have one in my Seven and it goes like a scared rabbit and sounds amazing.
Paul
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: JLs67s1 on Wednesday,December 16, 2015, 11:41:47 AM
Go with the 20V. I have one in my Seven and it goes like a scared rabbit and sounds amazing.
Paul

Probably more like a scared rabbit on steroids...
I will tally one more vote for the 20v, thanks!
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: Runningwild on Wednesday,December 16, 2015, 06:37:24 PM
I'm also looking at the silver top. E Paul - what mods to the silver top did you make inorder to make the motor work ( wiring-ecu-injection)
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: JLs67s1 on Friday,January 08, 2016, 05:23:21 PM
I'm not having much luck finding the fully-loaded engine weights for the R16 vs. 4AGE 16v, 20v silvertop and 20v blacktop.

One site gave 342 lbs. for the 20v...but which one? The blacktop uses a lighter flywheel and rods.

Appreciate any help,

Thanks!
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: BDA on Friday,January 08, 2016, 06:04:06 PM
I don't know but I wouldn't imaging there would be THAT much difference in them. Would it really make that much difference to be 20 or 30 lbs off?
Title: Re: New member...
Post by: JLs67s1 on Friday,January 08, 2016, 11:34:46 PM
 Probably not a big concern between the 20v motors but I would like to know the R16 697 weight.