Lotus Europa 1966-1975 & tuning & conversions etc

Lotus Europa 1966-1975 & tuning & conversions etc

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dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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lovely pictures.

I just came across this race car when I was looking for some special old TVR biggrin





said:
Europa-clone it was entered in a separate Sports GT Challenge race on 15th October 1988. The driver was Richard Gamble, the car was entered as a Lotus March Europa, powered by a 3.9 Rover. He finished third in the race

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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funny old picture>



this one looks fine too>






by Technical Shop Happy

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Viper

10,005 posts

272 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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here's the vid of it running after the first fire up, with no editing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S3lDFA3xsU&fe...

Joelism

640 posts

256 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
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Thats mine in the motor start up video. Thanks to Neil for providing support and photos for the day of fiddling to get the lovely little Vegantune Twin Cam running again. Bought in 1979, I spent the next 7 years on and off rebuilding it and eventually in 1986 finished it with the idea of sprints and hillclimbs, mot'd it and put it on the road for 3 months. It proved to be very fast on the track,sharp handling, although in need of a rear sway bar, and slightly stiffer spring rates. Acceleration despite the 4 speed box was excellent, Vegantune having rated the Twin Cam at 160BHP and the very light body and alloy cage (legal at the time) making the power to weight ratio very good. As a comparison, the 911 I had at the time couldnt even come close for acceleration ! However life moved on and I put it into storage shortly after (unfortunately it had to sit outside under a cover for a few weeks) and it has been there unmoved until 2007 when I winched it into my trailer and moved it to my own garage. Been meaning to get it running for the last 7 years and a couple of weeks ago decided to try. So took out the 4 gal tank, hosed out all the foam which had turned to mush, oiled the top of the pistons, cleaned out the pump bowl, dismantled carbs and checked all jets, passages etc were clear, fitted new plug, spun it over with the plugs out until the oil pressure rose, and then with a bit more fiddling and messing, got it started, and running as sweet as ever. Only for a few seconds though as the radiator has leaked out most of the coolant over the years.
I've now started a "when I can" programme of cleaning, repainting and repolishing components, and hopefully by the summer I may have it driving again.






Edited by Joelism on Monday 29th December 13:09


Edited by Joelism on Saturday 14th November 12:56

Joelism

640 posts

256 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
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And another on the first few miles back in 1986 ! Changed a little bit since then but essentially the same.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
good to hear you bring it back on the street again, also great pictures, when your ready make some more of the end result.

cossied

2 posts

196 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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In about 1973 I helped a friend of mine who had a Lotus garage in South Wales to renovate a Lotus 47 that had a V8 engine in it. It had been in South Africa where it had been raced, one thing I remember it was the first time I had seen rose mounted suspension. One story was that Jochan Rindt had raced it at Kayalami. The garage owner was planning to race it again, so did some formula ford race training to prepare he came back and said there was no way he was going to race as it was all too much for him. Not sure who then bought the 47.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
quotequote all
cossied said:
In about 1973 I helped a friend of mine who had a Lotus garage in South Wales to renovate a Lotus 47 that had a V8 engine in it. It had been in South Africa where it had been raced, one thing I remember it was the first time I had seen rose mounted suspension. One story was that Jochan Rindt had raced it at Kayalami. The garage owner was planning to race it again, so did some formula ford race training to prepare he came back and said there was no way he was going to race as it was all too much for him. Not sure who then bought the 47.
was that by any chance this one?


GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
quotequote all
This would be nice with a fast V6 or even small V8, although that Vauxhall 2.0 16 valve XE 'red top' engine is also fun I guess, but just to be more different a bigger (not to heavy) engine would fit such wide body as well.

Lotus 'Banks' Europa S2 62 Style Wide Body 1969 plate so no road tax either, at least by us in NL.







nice car, I wonder what they ask for it, more here>

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C577855

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
quotequote all
oooh









more pictures in this thread>

http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-talk-f50/not...

were also the restoration of the Lotus V8 car Type 47 GKN Special is spoken of with many pictures...

like>





but also the ready work, lovely done.










dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Monday 13th April 2015
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GTRene said:
oooh

With a lump of Yank iron in - and all the additional plumbing that go with these - how much extra weight does this involve?

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Monday 13th April 2015
quotequote all
don't know, I know some early Europa weighted 610kg and some later 710<>730kg so not that much.

that V8 is even a bit more to the front/middle, so thats good...the weight? maybe in the 900 kg?

but I guess still a lightweight, especially compared with modern cars.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Monday 13th April 2015
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47GT race model, expensive but competitive so it seems.






























dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Friday 17th April 2015
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GTRene said:
don't know, I know some early Europa weighted 610kg and some later 710<>730kg so not that much.

that V8 is even a bit more to the front/middle, so thats good...the weight? maybe in the 900 kg?
That's a 30% gain in weight!

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Friday 17th April 2015
quotequote all
dinkel said:
GTRene said:
don't know, I know some early Europa weighted 610kg and some later 710<>730kg so not that much.

that V8 is even a bit more to the front/middle, so thats good...the weight? maybe in the 900 kg?
That's a 30% gain in weight!
thats a maybe, but say it is, then it would still a lightweight, it also has way more then 100% gain in power ;-)

dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Saturday 18th April 2015
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... which would make it into a completely different car.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,367 posts

223 months

Saturday 18th April 2015
quotequote all
dinkel said:
... which would make it into a completely different car.
so what, there is a choice for everyone ;-)

dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Saturday 18th April 2015
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What I mean: dropping in a huge V8 has serious concequences for setup, wheels and tires, suspension, gearbox etc.