1974 lotus Europa special on CL

BK911 · BK911's Garage

I know Im crazy, but keep going back to this for some reason.
I offered $10k but he declined.
Any idea of fair offer?

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/cto/d/maryville-1974-lotus-europa-special/7398472449.html

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

Started reading the ad and before I got to the end I thought 'This guy is going to want $20k out of this', and then I saw the asking price. $19.9k/obo. Go figure.
Knew a guy who had one like it only not the twin cam motor. Helped him do a lot of the suspension work on the front end.
Have you ever ridden in one?
Neat in a scary kind of way. Not very comforting when surrounded by lots of cars, of any size, even small ones.
That car has a lot of potential but still needs a lot of work IMO to be nice enough to want to spend time inside.
It is NOTHING like your 912.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

"All original"

That is great and all, but it is pretty ratty inside, and there is not one shot of the under carriage.

I think he expects to get back all he has sunk into it. You lose money on projects you don't finish, the end

oldE · 10-29-2021, 01:52 PM

The seats need reupholstering. The engine compartment is nothing special.
I would not make an offer until the frame wss checked for corrosion.

I understand your attraction to them, but I am 6'2" and would never be able to fit my aching old body into one.

Best
Les

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

I love those things, and would actually fit in one.

There was one I saw at an autocross with an S2000 motor in it. Ludicrous speed is what springs to mind.

BK911 · BK911's Garage

I really want it but not as much as I want 20k in the bank!

Baz · Baz's Garage

Offer him $19K!

Very cool and ICONIC car.....will probably continue to appreciate in value......

BTW...what are the values on it from the usual valuation guides?

Heel n Toe · 10-29-2021, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BK911

I really want it but not as much as I want 20k in the bank!

It's not worth $20K... not like it sits... so don't lose any sleep over it. If the guy's telling the truth, it sounds like he's done a lot of the major mechanical stuff, so if you're willing to take it off his hands for $10K - 13.5K, contact him and make him a final offer. He may take you up on it later.

Kinda strange he doesn't make any claims about the engine, so if he gets back with you, let him know you want to bring a mechanic to check it out... compression test, etc.

They are tiny... I test drove a '72. Wouldn't want to get in a wreck with one. My ideal scenario would be to fix it up as an autocrosser and never (or rarely) drive it on the street.

herr_oberst · 02:30 PM

19000+ buys a lot of interesting cars, even in the enlightened times we live in now.
If I had a Lotus itch, (thank you, the lord baby Jesus, for not giving me that itch) I think I'd try and scratch it with a Caterham 7.

rfuerst911sc · 10-29-2021, 02:25 PM

I would go 12 .

ErVikingo · 10-29-2021, 03:30 PM

10-12

jrj3rd · 10-29-2021, 03:40 PM

Had a chance to buy a JPS model when in college ~1980/81. Guy wanted 3500 for it. Came real close until I talked to my insurance guy and he told me at my age with points it would probably cost 250-300 a month to insure.

manbridge 74 · 10-29-2021, 03:42 PM

I think your offer was fair.

herr_oberst · 03:48 PM

When I was a paperboy, there was a guy on my route who had a JPS special. He had to leave it outside in the driveway year-round. This would have been a new or almost new car. This was an exotic car to a kid from Boise.

This guy would do well to put this on BaT, no reserve. He'll get exactly what it's worth if he does....

Bill Douglas · 10-29-2021, 03:51 PM

When I was a teen my uncle had a Lotus Esprit. It was the most poorly built unreliable POS you can possibly imagine.

Wasn't it Lotus that said if a part lasts longer than the race it's over engineered.

However... I think the engine wold have been nice in my Ford Escort I had at the time.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 10-29-2021, 05:03 PM

but if I drove up on a work contract offer in this?
Kind of a sports car... but kind of a pickup???????/

mistertate · mistertate's Garage

Ha, good one

Alansglide · Alansglide's Garage

I owned a 72 Europa with the big valve motor. It was amazing in the canyons and I raced it in SCCA for a number of years. Best cornering car I've ever owned. About 10 years ago I wanted to recapture that Lotus feeling and purchased a Lotus Esprit. While it was fun and eye catching the Esprit was not in the same league as the Europa nor as reliable.

Seahawk · 10-30-2021, 07:41 AM

My Dad bought one of the first Europa's in California from a dealer in Long Beach...white and I am not completely sure of the engine, a Renault I think.

He loved it and drove the coastal mountains in SoCal quite a bit.

I drove it once. I was 16 and he was selling it for an Abarth Zagato. One last ride and he let me have some seat time. We went through Hidden Valley to Lake Sherwood and into a then sparsely populated West Lake back to 101.

The road around Lake Sherwood was very curvy in those days and at the dam there was a long downhill right hand sweeper past Foxfield, a riding school my sisters rode at.

Even at 16 I was well over 6 ft with wide feet. Coming down the sweeper a car pulled out of Foxfield...I meant to brake but hit both the accelerator and the brake at the same time. I barely missed the car and I didn't ball it up.

"Pull over" was all he said.

We, huh, switched seats at the Junction with Route 23

Robert Adams · Robert Adams's Garage

Great car, but definitely on the high side.
Check this one out for the same money.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/lotus/europa/2518883.html
A no brainer, this is the one I'd take if $20k was the budget.

Back in the day a friend & neighbor had 3 of these in various stages of working order and body work....and that was somewhere around 74-76, a bit fuzzy on the year. We had some pretty awesome runs on the twisties in and around Brandywine, PA. Good memories.