Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: trw99 on Thursday,December 20, 2018, 02:27:06 AM
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Hello to all Europa fans! Glad to have found this forum and to see many friends from LotusElan.net over here too.
I am a dedicated Elan enthusiast but know that much of our shared interest in Lotus twin cam engined (Renault too, of course) sports cars crosses Types. I have my own dedicated web site to the Elan Sprint and write a regular column on the Elan in the Club Lotus News magazine. I also help Andy Graham at the factory to build up the records on Elans, particularly of those cars, the records for which were lost in a flood at Hethel in the late 1970s.
When I was a lad growing up in Leicestershire in the 1960s, a friend's elder brother ran a Series 2 Europa, sold after a couple of years for a newer Twin Cam. I never got a ride in either and it was not until I was stationed in Germany that I finally got to sit in a JPS Special Europa. I found it familiar yet somewhat cramped compared to the Sprint I had. Since then I have avoided the Europa in preference for the Elan and Plus 2!
I therefore hope I can make the occasional contribution to this forum. To that end, I am currently researching the Spence BRM Elans for a future magazine article and wanted to ask if anyone on here has ever come across the Spence BRM Europa, which was road tested in June 1970 by Doug Blain, editor of Car magazine. The photo below is from the Chris Harvey book. If anyone has a copy of the whole road test I’d much appreciate sight of it.
Of course at this time the Europa version was the Series 2 and Mike Spence Developments Ltd breathed on the Renault engine. (The Spence BRM Elan had wonderfully tuned Twin Cams direct from BRM’s Bourne base at their heart). They offered two stages of tune and I have attached their specification sheet from 1968. In a later 1969 brochure they spoke of running the ex Team Lotus 47 GT with Ted Bunce driving.
Tim
(http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/55744_600x400.jpg) (http://www.jpgbox.com/page/55744_600x400/)
(http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/55745_600x400.jpg) (http://www.jpgbox.com/page/55745_600x400/)
(http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/55746_600x400.jpg) (http://www.jpgbox.com/page/55746_600x400/)
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:Welcome:
Tim,
Sorry I can't help you, however I'm glad you added several bits of history all ready to this site . The last attachment was a little blurry about the BRM Europa ,maybe you can upload it again . I am currently building a 1970 s2 europa , same color and rims as your picture but a federal type 65.
Keep posting and remember, we love pictures.
Dakazman
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:Welcome: Tim!
I share your love of the Elan, partially because now that I'm older as they are easier to get in and out of! Unfortunately, it will likely be an unrequited love because I don't see one in my future. :(
I'm afraid I won't be of much help either as I've only seen pictures of the BRM engine.
Good luck on your quest!
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:Welcome: Welcome to the forum, Tim. Good luck in your quest.
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I don't know if you have this already, but here is an original ad for the BRM Elan.
https://www.thenostalgiashop.co.uk/Lotus-BRM-1967-Original-Advert-(ref-AD1666)/2713.htm#
Wesley
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Tim
There is a copy of that issue for sale on ebay.co.uk Do a search on the site for Car 06/1970 Lotus under books, comics and magazines. There asking £14.
Wesley
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Thanks all. Yes, I have a great deal of paperwork and photos related to the Spence BRM Elan.
I suppose the BRM Europa has sunk without trace by now. I wonder if anyone ever got a BRM twin cam into their Europa?
Merry Christmas
Tim
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The article can now be found here:
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=2924.0
The section on the Spence car is here:
https://jbcollier.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-BkMrJ7s/A
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Another mention of Spence modifying Renault engined Europas:
https://jbcollier.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-T853JpH/A
From the March 1970 issue of Cars and Car Conversions.