NYLIBUD Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 So I saw this Lotus at my friends house.Idk she even had it.The car obviously needs a complete resto.But does anybody know what model it is ,or the year?I gotta say one thing,some neighborhood cats have decided to use the inside as a toilet.Its sort of ugly,but very cool at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamsuperdan Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Lotus Europa. Very cool, but very strange! early 70s vintage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYLIBUD Posted March 21, 2020 Author Share Posted March 21, 2020 6 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said: Lotus Europa. Very cool, but very strange! early 70s vintage. Cool,thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Europa. When I was at university, someone had one. He could drive it under the barriers they'd swing across the secondary roads into the campus at night. Saw him do it a couple times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Yes, it is a Europa. Tamiya made a excelent kit of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrod 97 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 3 hours ago, NYLIBUD said: Yep, that is indeed the mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, lightweight European Sports Car known as the Lotus Europa. That looks like the S2 version, which ranges from 1968-70. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 My brother in law owned a JPS version. Fun car......but a VERY hand built car. And Lucas Dark Knight electrical. The car was a little scary to drive in the US during the 70's and 80's as it wasn't as tall as most other cars fenders.....always worried about not being seen. Add electric windows that didn't work, black thin fiberglass roof and in NC summers you could bake cakes inside. When he took the front suspension apart for a rebuild he found that all 8 wishbone parts looked alike, were unmarked but each only fit in one spot. Do the math on how long it took him to get it back!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 My friend owns one of them - cool but quirky car. IIRC, it has a fiberglass body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) The early ones like this one had a Renault 1470cc engine. Always wanted one, wish I could come get it. Edited March 23, 2020 by Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYLIBUD Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 Looks like it would make a great road track car.Buzzing in and out of sharp turns.Well not my friends.I think if you moved the yellow one,it would just fall apart.According to her and her husband,the car has been sitting there for around 15 years.What a shame☹️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Tamiya definitely makes a nice model of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYLIBUD Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 Oh very cool kit.Thanks for the pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennyboy Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I built this out of that kit..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 2 hours ago, NYLIBUD said: Looks like it would make a great road track car.Buzzing in and out of sharp turns.Well not my friends.I think if you moved the yellow one,it would just fall apart.According to her and her husband,the car has been sitting there for around 15 years.What a shame☹️ I assure you, there's somebody who would gladly pay decent money for it and restore it. Fiberglass doesn't deteriorate badly if it's painted, and the chassis is simplicity itself. As the chassis is built up of folded sheetmetal primarily, a competent fabricator can put it back to righteous condition with little drama. These are wonderful cars to drive. You almost literally wear them, and it doesn't take much more than thinking about a turn and you're through it...even on those skinny little tires. Not the best car for people living in the same environment with smart-phone obsessed soccer moms driving 5000 pound hippo-lookalikes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 The car is pretty scary from a safety standpoint. The chassis is a single square tube down the center.....not much more than thin fiberglass center out!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 13 minutes ago, Kennyboy said: I built this out of that kit..... SWEET !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps46 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 The Lotus Europa started life as Colin Chapman's proposal to Ford for the Ford GT40. Lola got the contract though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 31 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said: Not the best car for people living in the same environment with smart-phone obsessed soccer moms driving 5000 pound hippo-lookalikes though. Looking on the bright side, you might be able to simply slip under a certain percentage of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYLIBUD Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, Kennyboy said: I built this out of that kit..... Oh wow,the car looks real.Great job.Looks like you mixed the Lotus kit with a little bit of a Pantera kit. Edited March 24, 2020 by NYLIBUD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Can-Con Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 7 hours ago, NYLIBUD said: Looks like it would make a great road track car.Buzzing in and out of sharp turns.Well not my friends.I think if you moved the yellow one,it would just fall apart.According to her and her husband,the car has been sitting there for around 15 years.What a shame☹️ Ya never know. My T/A was sitting in similar conditions almost as bad as that for 15 years and we got it back up, running and looking good. It did take quite a bit of work though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) There is an Overhaulin’ episode with a Lotus Europa if you want to see one all taken apart. This may be one of those cars that are better owned in scale! Your photo has the making of a great diorama Edited March 23, 2020 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonW Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 3 hours ago, Snake45 said: Looking on the bright side, you might be able to simply slip under a certain percentage of them. If you're over 5 foot eight forget it. They were utterly dreadful in every respect. Unless you enjoy driving whilst holding your breath for the next thing to go wrong. And why make a road car so low? Well said, Snake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 1 hour ago, DonW said: If you're over 5 foot eight forget it. They were utterly dreadful in every respect. Unless you enjoy driving whilst holding your breath for the next thing to go wrong. And why make a road car so low? Well said, Snake. I can imagine. I had an old girlfriend who drove an MG Midget. I could only just barely get in the passenger seat, and I'm 5'10". I had to drive it once and I thought I'd never get into--or out of--it. Once was quite enough. Opening the trunk of that thing reminded me of opening my old 1960s lunchbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 Hmmmm...I must live on a different planet. I'm 5'10" and love Europas. Probably a little challenging for me to get in or out of one now without looking like a geriatric fool, but when I was young and pretty, no problemo. Yes, there were some fragile and stupid parts on the cars, like the way the door alignment was adjusted, and pretty much guaranteed to self-destruct, but overall they weren't too much worse from a reliability standpoint than other English cars of the period. I also had an ex with a Midget, and we went on several long trips in the little bugger. Of course, maybe that's why my back is so bad now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 1 hour ago, DonW said: If you're over 5 foot eight forget it. They were utterly dreadful in every respect. Unless you enjoy driving whilst holding your breath for the next thing to go wrong. And why make a road car so low? Well said, Snake. I'm 6' 1" and I could ride the foot box was to small for my size 13 no matter if I could get behind the wheel!! To get in I had to sit on the ground, stick my feet in and push myself in....like a glove!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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