The official Lotus Europa thread! | FerrariChat

The official Lotus Europa thread!

Discussion in 'British' started by JasonMiller, Sep 3, 2010.

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  1. JasonMiller

    JasonMiller F1 Rookie
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    #1 JasonMiller, Sep 3, 2010
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2010
    Please post your pics and stories related to the original Lotus Europa. I am personally surprised these little cars aren't worth a bunch more.. So much fun and exciting to drive and can be purchased much less than a 911 of the same era...


    comments?


    The first "exotic" I ever sat in was a europa, it was sitting in a field in terrible condition in Keller Texas back in 1984. I would sneak in the field and pry open the door and sit in it... Once the owner saw me and came out, he was real nice and said he would sell it to me but since I was only 14, well...

    Anyway years later I went back and of course the car was gone... but I do remember sitting there imagining driving down the back roads in that low slung seat...
     
  2. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #2 Miltonian, Sep 3, 2010
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    I remember when I was pumping gas in the early Seventies. A guy used to come in with his Europa once every other week or so. One day he said something had stopped working in the electrics, but he couldn't find his fuse box. I just happened to know where it was, seems to me the whole car was covered by three fuses. He gave me a ride in it. One of my favorite cars. I'd love to have one of these "Banks" Europas.
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  3. CraigFL

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    #3 CraigFL, Sep 3, 2010
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  4. JasonMiller

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    #4 JasonMiller, Sep 3, 2010
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  5. MITYRARE

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    #5 MITYRARE, Sep 8, 2010
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  6. Aedo

    Aedo F1 Rookie

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    #6 Aedo, Sep 10, 2010
    They look great! A mini GT40 :)

    Any more info on them?
     
  7. onboost

    onboost Formula Junior

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    #7 onboost, Sep 10, 2010
    Hmmmm,

    Glad to see this thread as I love these dinky little cars! Was fortunate enough to drive one (not mine) off and on during high school and it was a blast!!

    I'm torn between selling or restoring my 74 TC Europa.

    I bought it several years ago from the original owner in need of a restoration... all there and very complete including window sticker and bill of sale.
     
  8. onboost

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    #8 onboost, Sep 17, 2010
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  9. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 TheMayor, Sep 17, 2010
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2010
    I was a teen standing on a corner waiting for the school bus and a BRG one went right past me. I thought it was no higher than my knees.

    I thought it was super cool.

    A few years later, I was looking at one in a used exotic car showroom in Phoenix. I sat in it for a while. I think it was black with gold pin stripping. The price was like 10 grand which was way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaay beyond what I could afford (I ended up buying a 73 Alfa Spider for about 4 grand).

    I really don't know much about them but I've always liked them. It does have a "70's" look to it.
     
  10. JasonMiller

    JasonMiller F1 Rookie
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    #10 JasonMiller, Sep 22, 2010
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    Just found some info on the car
    The Lotus Europa based type 62 as it was raced to a class win at Brands Hatch 1969 by Brian Muir - John Miles. Supplied by Racing models in the correct Gold Leaf team Lotus livery.

    I really love that body style, where could I find a fiberglass shell like this for one of my Europa Chassis that isn't worth restoring..?


    A couple emails on the type 62 (only two built)

    Re: Lotus type 62. A Monterey diary by Kiyoshi Hamai - (An excerpt from http://www.gglotus.org/ggpast/monterey95/x11.htm)

    "Friday, august 18, 1995 - Day 1 ....I went over the Alex Bollinger's pit to find and see the Lotus 62 that he and son Kevin had restored. There will be plenty of photos taken of that 62! It is absolutely one of the finest restorations I have seen. I remember first seeing the car (it was in pieces) at Jim Loose Automotive in Palo Alto 10 years ago. I remember thinking I wish I could have it. I can also recall vividly the sorry state in which the pieces were. I recall the day I heard Alex had purchased the car from Loose and thinking that at least the car was going to the best possible home. Now, some 10 years later Alex has brought the 62 back to it rightful environment! The other 62 is in Portugal and there are rumors it is being sold to someone in Japan (recall that only two Type 62's were ever built by Lotus)...."

    Thank you K.H. for sharing your excellent account in such detail of the event, almost like being there - great stuff, job well done!
    Only two type 62's. With that in mind, I offer this story:

    I have, by and large, lived in Oklahoma all my life. I have a couple of buddies that live in So-Cal, one in Southbay and one in the Valley. From 1983 thru '93 I made countless road trips and spent thousands of hours exploring the greater L.A. area on a Kawasaki ZX600R. I'd wear out a front tire in 2 or 3 days carving up the canyon roads north of Malibu. What great fun it was.

    The one remaining item on my list of "things to do before time runs out" is to complete the restoration (35 years and counting) of my '69 S-2 and drive it on those roads.

    So one day as I was cruising around I saw what I thought was a Europa body on a rollaround frame being prepared to paint. I meandered up the street for a closer look and said to myself "that's not a Europa, so what is it?" from a building a young man (Kevin Bollinger) appeared. I asked if I could come up and check out his car. "Sure" he replied, "come on up".

    After introducing ourselves, and my telling him a little about my S-2, I had twenty questions about his car, and he had all the answers. A few minutes later his parents, Barbara and Alex, came out to join us, and I declare - never have I met a family as nice and friendly, gracious and polite...as the Bollingers. They gave me the grand tour of their shop and informed me in great detail of their other cars. I was there over an hour and as I saddled up to leave, I offered my apologies for killing their time. "No-no" they responded, "we enjoyed having you as our guest, come by anytime".

    Well, about a year or so ago, I called the Bollingers and Barbara answered. I said "hello, this is Loy Piatt from Oklahoma. I was riding a motorcycle and stumbled across you guys about 16 or 17 years ago as the Lotus 62 was being restored." She responded "oh yes, I remember you". We chatted for a few minutes, I asked about Kevin and Alex, the 62, etc., and she said Alex would be home soon and she would have him call me. He called and we talked a bit, he brought me up to date on the 62 and other cars, etc..... so the question remains - what are the odds of an Okie Lotus boy being at that location - at that moment in time?

    Loy
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  11. JasonMiller

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    #11 JasonMiller, Sep 22, 2010
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  12. kestrel74

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    #12 kestrel74, Oct 8, 2010
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  13. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #13 rdefabri, Oct 9, 2010
    I love these - especially the models that had the cut down rear (starting with TC?). Always wanted a JPS version!
     
  14. spirot

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    #14 spirot, Oct 11, 2010
    I learned how to drive a manual car in my dad's Lotus Europa S2... as a car it was a total failure... as fun it was great! I spun it once on a two lane road, and only hit a barbed wire fence... mechanically it was terrible, but after we changed out the solex carb, and did some wiring updates, it was better.

    Cooling was extreemly marginal! otherwise it was ok. the cockpit could be super hot on a summer day, but as long as you were moving it was tolerable.

    On a tight twisty road, it was great... but really lacked torque and power. if it had a 6 cyl giving about 180 - 200 hp it would have been a world beater, but as it was .. it was just too little.
     
  15. onboost

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    #15 onboost, Oct 18, 2010
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  16. JasonMiller

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    #16 JasonMiller, Oct 30, 2010
    Please post pics of the restoration! I have two and am trying to decide to restore one of them..
     
  17. onboost

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    #17 onboost, Nov 1, 2010
    Hey Jason, restoration has yet to start as she is just sitting awaiting her turn. I have been on again, off again with the Decision to restore.. to many projects going right now. I keep thinking I'll sell it, then when I take a good look I can't bring myself to do so because its all there, and in my eye, this restoration is simple compared to some of the other projects I've dealt with.

    You have two, what are they.. Twin Cam 5spd cars? Go for it, finish one and use or sell the other for parts.. Keep me posted on what you decide and how you're moving along. I will post pics I've taken of others I've seen that were nicely restored. I've used them for motivation!

    Regards,

    Paul
     
  18. Lemke

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    #18 Lemke, Nov 1, 2010
    One of the strangest and coolest looking cars ever.
     
  19. italiancars

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    #19 italiancars, Nov 1, 2010
    Owned one over 25 years ago. It was number 4117R if anyone knows where the car is located I'd be curious to find out.

    Joe
     
  20. CraigFL

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    #20 CraigFL, Nov 2, 2010
    Find it here???

    http://www.lotus-europa.com/regs2.html
     
  21. italiancars

    italiancars F1 Rookie

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    #21 italiancars, Nov 2, 2010
  22. etmracing

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    #22 etmracing, Dec 26, 2010
    Im in love with otus Europas lets see some pics and stories:)
     
  23. JasonMiller

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    #23 JasonMiller, Dec 26, 2010
  24. etmracing

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    #24 etmracing, Dec 26, 2010
    Well then lets start a new thread here or refire your old thread.
     
  25. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #25 LightGuy, Feb 27, 2011
    There was a black JPS down in Milwaukee at a used car dealer that I used to drive 20 miles just to look at. As a sacker in a grocery store it was all I could do to afford my well used MGBGT. On day I mustered up the courage to have a meaningful conversation with a sales guy and got to sit in it. At 6' tall but skinny my feet could not control the pedals properly.
    Balloon busted.
    Still a very cool car.
     
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