Engine for '69 Lotus Europa?

[BK911]

Howdy!

Work is progressing on the Lotus project:

Yes, I know it is fugly, but it was almost free and should be fun when done!!



1969 Lotus Europa

If it ever warms up, I am ready to condition the frame and start bolting stuff back together.
So now is the time to start thinking about the engine.
The original engine was seized and a PITA to disassemble.
Most parts are available and not Porsche prices, so I am considering rebuilding back to original.

But...
Part of me wants to do something different.
Some sort of engine and transmission conversion.
Several Toyota and Ford conversions, but all use the stock tranny; I want an auto tranny!
Looking for 100 - 120hp and an automatic or CVT transmission.

Preliminary research shows certain year Audi A4? and VW Passat have a longitudinal mounted inline 4 with a 6 spd auto in a front wheel drive car, which I may be able to fit in the Lotus chassis.

Anybody have any other ideas?

Also, no luck finding dimensional drawings on the engine/tranny.
Anybody have any sources?

Here's a pic showing ~how the original engine fits:

[Scuba Steve]

LS4? Not sure if it would fit though.

[ckelly78z]

Honda Vtech would be interesting in there.

[tadd]

Vw tdi!

[scottmandue]

Beauty is in the eye... I find the Europa a gorgeous looking car!
I like the VTEC idea... the Miata folks sometimes use the S2000 engine for a swap...

Oh wait... Mazda ROTARY!

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

Honda Vtech would be interesting in there.

I saw one of those with an S2000 swap, don't know what he did for a transmission, but it was fast.

[Mark Henry]

Looks like it has to be a inline 4 to fit between the wishbone, right?

How about a GM ecotec? Ton of aftermarket hop up goodies, HP crate engines available and trans options. Aluminum block and head I think they are like 250lbs.

A lot of baja bug and dunebuggy guys use them. Look over on thesamba(dot)com for conversion ideas.

[BK911]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Looks like it has to be a inline 4 to fit between the wishbone, right?

Yup! Plus compatible with an inline tranny with output flanges on the sides, like the 911s have.

Several engines will fit, but I am having difficulty finding one with an appropriate automatic or CVT transmission.

So far I have only found the Passat and A4 have the right configuration.

[BK911]

Another pic showing how its shoe horned in there:




And required configuration:




Everything is inline, with output flanges on the sides.

[oldE]

IIRC, Acura Vigor had an in-line 5 cyl with an automatic available at the time.

Best
Les

[Rick V]

Rotary?

[Z-man]

How about the powertrain from a Toyota MR2? MKII motors may be too big, but the MKI (first gen) or MR2 Spider motors may fit the bill. Those motors are pretty much bulletproof, and the tranny and motor configuration is what you are looking for, since those cars were also mid-engine...

-Z

[Todge]

Is that family truckster green?
Throw some wood paneling on there, and write Honky lips across it

[porsche4life]

SBC with a 996 Tippy gearbox behind it?

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by BK911

Yup! Plus compatible with an inline tranny with output flanges on the sides, like the 911s have.

Several engines will fit, but I am having difficulty finding one with an appropriate automatic or CVT transmission.

So far I have only found the Passat and A4 have the right configuration.

I think the same guys I'm talking about use a VW vanagon automatic, I don't know if you can flip the diff. At minimum it's worth picking their brains.

If you wanted to keep it manual the 914-901 is already mid-engine and KEP makes adaptor plates for many different engines. 901's are quite cheap to rebuild.

[wayner]

Nissan has a CVT tranny

[beepbeep]

VAG 1.8T from A6 FWD. Does it need to be a slushbox? Manual Audi tranny can be operated by wire mechanism, there are kits to solve this.

[Ferraripete]

I would consider spending the money for a hart, cosworth BDA or BDG....huge fun!!!!

[dafischer]

A CVT or auto box will rip the soul out of that car. IMHO

[nzporsche944s2]

Off topic but there isn't any side impact protection in that chassis - does the glass fibre body have a metal cage built into it?