Anyone ever own or drive a Lotus Europa?

[twobone]

Friend of mine who is a metal fabricator has recently finished a nut and bolt Europa restoration. It has me thinking...

Anyone ever lived with one before?

[gshase]

A buddy and I had a 71.....Never ran right. There is a thread about a restoration a few months ago.
1969 Lotus Europa

Good luck

[sammyg2]

Reminds me of the story about a guy who tells his buddy that he's thinking of getting married.
His buddy says "save some time and just find some beotch you really hate and give her half your stuff".

Not sure why a europa conjures up that image but it does. I can't imagine owning one with the story having a happy ending.

[Daves911L]

I've had a Europa ('72 S2). One of the coolest cars of all time. Quirky, and mechanically frustrating at times. But driving one is some of the best fun you will ever have with your clothes on.

[silverc4s]

I was the owner of a 1972 S2 for a while back in the mid 70s. The car had the quality of a kit car crossed with a fiberglass outboard boat. Parts were hard to come by and the few that had them named their own prices.
There were some real design flaws, like no side impact protection at all, only fiberglass between you and external object, with the frame in the middle.
The door hinges were metal tubes embedded in the body, which were completely not adjustable, and if ever worked loose, you may never have a working sealing door again.
The cooling system was next to impossible to bleed properly, resulting in overheating and then blown head gaskets.
I ended up donating mine to the local (Plano, TX) HS Auto Shop and taking the tax write off when I moved to CA in the early 80s.
Swore a blood oath to never own an English car again. Bought my first 911 a few months later, and have owned one or more ever since.

PS It was a blast to drive when that was possible. Best handling car ever, like water down a hose.

[LakeCleElum]

Brit build, Lucas electrics, with a French engine.......What could go wrong?

[Rinty]

At one point in time, during the '70's IIRC, Road & Track reported that the Europa had the highest number of major problem areas of any car that they had done owner surveys on, something like 35.

But they're fascinating machines. I wonder whether the Lotus enthusiast community has sorted out the issues.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by silverc4s

PS It was a blast to drive when that was possible. Best handling car ever, like water down a hose.

Like a snake down a rat hole, eh?

[matt f]

Just finished complete engine, transmission and electrical rebuild/overhaul/update of a '74 Lotus Europa, John Player Special. Water pump update was especially fun.

Heading out for interior and fiberglass/body refresh.

Never Again!
Quirky would be an understatement.

My "favorite" design feature is the way the shift rod wraps around to the back of the exposed transmission. Don't back into anything. Of course you wouldn't because of the great rear view vision afforded by the overall design.

Size 10 shoe, normal width.
Good luck fitting your foot on one pedal at a time. Posting from an iPad so if upside down pic, I hope it falls off the lift and burns.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

2nd time within a week I get to post a picture of my old '67. Unfortunately for me, a lack of finances at the time forced me to sell it as I was unable to afford the repair costs of some major suspension damage (40+ yrs ago).

The thing I most remember is (other than the worry of what was going to fall off next) you just thought about an upcoming corner & were literally through it at a pretty decent speed with no drama whatsoever. A ton of fun to drive. Another minor downside was it was very small – Volkswagens towered over you. I installed an extra loud horn in mine because the roof of it stopped where the door handles of most cars begin. In short - I'd sure like to have it back.

Cheers
JB

[silverc4s]

Originally Posted by matt f

Just finished complete engine, transmission and electrical rebuild/overhaul/update of a '74 Lotus Europa, John Walker Special. Water pump update was especially fun.

Heading out for interior and fiberglass/body refresh.

Never Again!
Quirky would be an understatement.

My "favorite" design feature is the way the shift rod wraps around to the back of the exposed transmission. Don't back into anything. Of course you wouldn't because of the great rear view vision afforded by the overall design.

Size 10 shoe, normal width.
Good luck fitting your foot on one pedal at a time. Posting from an iPad so if upside down pic, I hope it falls off the lift and burns.

I feel your pain Matt. I am rather small at 5'6" and about 155. Size 7 shoe, so I could drive the car okay. Good fit.
Then my big little brother came to town to visit, 6'3" 220, size 10 shoe, and wanted to take the car for a spin. He was a Yamaha biker at the time so I knew he could manage the car, but just getting in, his head hit the RV mirror and broke it off the windshield, then when he went to make sure it was in neutral to start it, the toothpick like shift lever broke off in his hand. I think I cried. About a $500 sit down, no go.

[Nostril Cheese]

Why would anyone own a Europa when you can have an Elise?

[Hawkeye's-911T]

Hey 'Cheese'

It's a 'Europa' thing! After all, most of us have our little peccadilloes.

Cheers
JB

[matt f]

silverc4s,

Bill,
The RV mirror got knocked off by my noggin before the car made it from owners garage to flat bed.
So many other things happened after that with this thing, I forgot about the mirror.
I probably should have got a rabies shot!

Matt

Forgot to relate this little gem.
The manual says you can replace the shifter bushings, screw etc. thru the original hole that is covered by the shifter boot. Yeah right, if you're a friggin' hobbit. Had to remove the carpet(with associated dust and mold) off of the passenger side of the center tunnel and cut a 5"x5" square to access.

Had therapist on speed dial during the entire ordeal.

M

[sand_man]

This thread is like comic relief!!! Dabbled with MGs, Triumphs, and Healeys, but never a Lotus. For a while, my mechanically retarded father (great taste in cars, but a disaster with mechanical things) was on the hunt for a Europa. I'm glad it never worked out...

[silverc4s]

Matt,
As I recall, the mirror took a puck of windshield glass with it, so I had to replace the entire windshield. Glue was better quality than the glass.
You have the twin cam car, mine was a Renault R16 drivetrain turned backwards, so not as elegant...

[silverc4s]

I guess everyone knows that back in the day the Europa was sold in the UK in knocked down form, came in boxes with an assembly manual if you chose. Saved you a bundle on the VAT. Unfortunately, I think the factory built ones were done by secretaries or something, because the quality was poor even for a British car of the era.

I think I still have an assembly manual somewhere.

[Don Ro]

A lot of industrial equipment had those (5 main bearing) Renault engines in them years ago.
And that R16 engine was sound and reliable.
I owned and rebuilt many R-10 engines in my days.
Once owned an R-8 Gordini and an Alpine A110.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

Hey Don
Those R-8 Gordini's were serious cars in their day. A buddy of mine had one & it was a blast to drive. Sorry for straying off the thread theme here twobone
Cheers JB

[dennis in se pa]

I had a 74 Twin Cam big valve special.1500 Ford motor. 5 speed ZF trans. You did not drive it, you wore it. Some mechanical issues. Like having great sex with a red headed hairdresser until she gets an attitude problem! Most fun car I ever had.