Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: dakazman on Sunday,October 13, 2019, 11:44:34 AM
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The day has changed me ! I now know why We love these cars.
Literarymadness came up from south Florida 175 miles one way to visit me. He came through and let me drive his TC . After a brief discussion on shifting gears off I went. Off with the sneakers... my 11EEE foot was not going to push down gas pedal without sending me into the windscreen. Without shoes, no problem.
https://youtu.be/qqy3_GTqJtM
Part II
https://youtu.be/fWd-A_Q7-Wo
Not only did he make my day , my neighbor has been in love with an Europa since 1967 when he was much younger but wig child on the way they bought an Austin Healy 3000 instead. It had a backseat...lol . He has not seen on on the road since than , until yesterday. He and his wife reminisced.
Dakazman
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D'man, the grin on your face tells it all! Now you know what you're working toward! Hots off to 'madness for making the trip and making your day!
11EEE feet! Have you considered having your feet bound like old Chinese princesses? Sneakers are out of the question even for my 10 1/2 feet.
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That's great!!! D'man you must be getting close on yours!!
I can't wait until my first time!!
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As I looked down at my foot near the pedals, I overlapped the brake pad by 1/2” with sneakers.
Now I know what all you guys were talking about. Driving it with just socks on was OK but I have an early Christmas present request put in already.
The wife now also has a heightened interest in finishing it ... I can learn to share.😃
And YES, I’m still smiling!
Dakazman
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Dave, what a day! Great you finally got to drive a Europa!!! Very cool that L/M drove to see you and left you drive off in his car. Now your hooked. I can see the midnight oil burning now to get your Europa done. Nothing like inspiration :pirate:
L/M, you get big points in my book for what you did.
Yup, driving a Europa is a very special club. Owning a Europa is a very private club. Good to be invited :beerchug:
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I just had an idea. This may sound obvious but I don't think I've ever heard of anybody doing this. You can give your right foot a little extra room by cutting the edge off the brake pedal pad and glue the pad to the pedal. You could make a bit more room by cutting a vertical slice from the right side of the steel pedal making it a little thinner. Finally, you might get away with making the gas pedal thinner cu cutting a vertical slice from the lefy side.
To be safe, I think I would make small changes and test to make sure you had enough pedal for your foot to make solid contact with the pedals.
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My Europa had the clutch pedal bent over 1 1/2 inches from the brake pedal. That helps a lot with larger shoes, but I still need narrow racing shoes to use the throttle pedal and not hit the brake pedal. The only problem with bending the clutch pedal to the left is you aren’t able to rest your foot on the foot rest behind the clutch pedal for longer drives.
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Your grin in the second video made my day. :)
I wear size 12 running shoes but no way could I drive in them. With narrow snug shoes I've come to like the peddles.
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I have Fred Flintstone feet: 11 EEE. I wear diver shoes that I bought at local dive shop, when I drive, and throw a pair of flip flops in the rear tub for when I get out for long periods of time. They contour completely to your foot and add at the most an 1/8 inch to the width of your foot (actually thinner than any driving moccasin). The soles are a little thicker which feels perfect for the brake and clutch pedals.
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I've found the problem with sneakers is sole width more than shoe width. I'm fine, just, with size 13 indoor court shoes (European size 48). Better is a pair of European size 46 shoes, which don't have a US crossover.
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My Europa had the clutch pedal bent over 1 1/2 inches from the brake pedal. That helps a lot with larger shoes, but I still need narrow racing shoes to use the throttle pedal and not hit the brake pedal. The only problem with bending the clutch pedal to the left is you aren’t able to rest your foot on the foot rest behind the clutch pedal for longer drives.
Yep . . and on a RHD car it's difficult to rest the left foot because the clutch cable "ear" sticks up right where you want to put your left heel.