Dinkel writes about a Lotus Europa TC
Discussion
Rene, best thing is to contact Banks > http://www.banks-europa.co.uk/cars_home.htm
It really surprised me how comfortable the Europe sat. Both the driver and myself are 1.85 m.
It is a small car and compared to the S1/S2 Elise I found it a better ride quality. But then, this TC was tweaked to the owners wishes.
The Banks cars equipped with Alfa V6 mills look - and should sound - the dogs bits.
I'd prefer an old skool inline 4 such as the Ford Cortina is. Maybe a Chevron / Beemer 2.3 litre? About 180 raunchy blue printed brake . . .
It really surprised me how comfortable the Europe sat. Both the driver and myself are 1.85 m.
It is a small car and compared to the S1/S2 Elise I found it a better ride quality. But then, this TC was tweaked to the owners wishes.
The Banks cars equipped with Alfa V6 mills look - and should sound - the dogs bits.
I'd prefer an old skool inline 4 such as the Ford Cortina is. Maybe a Chevron / Beemer 2.3 litre? About 180 raunchy blue printed brake . . .
good to hear that Albert, and I know Banks from the website and some cars, have lots of pictures on my PC 
also a few books about the Europa.
this website is nice too, looks also like a great chassis etc, at the bottom you can go to their website.
I would like such Zetec converted car and ofcorse without the most niggles? most original cars had
http://www.spydercars.co.uk/EUROPA%20ZETEC%20CONVE...
also a few books about the Europa.
this website is nice too, looks also like a great chassis etc, at the bottom you can go to their website.
I would like such Zetec converted car and ofcorse without the most niggles? most original cars had
http://www.spydercars.co.uk/EUROPA%20ZETEC%20CONVE...
Nice resource here: http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...
indeed, nice video, great steering feel so they say, I remember once sitting in one to see how it felt behind the wheel, felt good, but... would change the pedals, to narrow in the one I test sat in at vd Kooi at the time in Lochem NL, but I could see you could bent them a bit more to your liking.
Pan Pan Pan said:
whatever you do dont go through a car wash in a Europa, and then turn on the demist to clear the screen.
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
is the installation of that system so badly constructed?also what I hear in the video, those gearshifts are not say, Porsche Cayman good...
I remember some cars in the very past that had sloppy gearchanges, you almost had to guess were you think it is, not like say more modern cars ala Cayman or BMW.
I guess its cable shifted? are there ways to make such very good? like say a Porsche shift feel?
never driven one, just sat in 1 or 2 of those.
GTRene said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
whatever you do dont go through a car wash in a Europa, and then turn on the demist to clear the screen.
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
is the installation of that system so badly constructed?also what I hear in the video, those gearshifts are not say, Porsche Cayman good...
I remember some cars in the very past that had sloppy gearchanges, you almost had to guess were you think it is, not like say more modern cars ala Cayman or BMW.
I guess its cable shifted? are there ways to make such very good? like say a Porsche shift feel?
never driven one, just sat in 1 or 2 of those.
GTRene said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
whatever you do dont go through a car wash in a Europa, and then turn on the demist to clear the screen.
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
is the installation of that system so badly constructed?also what I hear in the video, those gearshifts are not say, Porsche Cayman good...
I remember some cars in the very past that had sloppy gearchanges, you almost had to guess were you think it is, not like say more modern cars ala Cayman or BMW.
I guess its cable shifted? are there ways to make such very good? like say a Porsche shift feel?
never driven one, just sat in 1 or 2 of those.
Another design fault lays in the door hinges, which consist of a steel tube moulded into the door structure, which hinges on a steel rod passing though the tube.
Fine when the car is new , but if/when water gets into the tube, both the hinge steel rod, and the steel tube corrode, and lock themselves together. What happens next, is that the steel tube breaks itself out of the door moulding, where the door still opens, but the rod and tube dont move.
At the very least the tube and rod should have been formed in stainless steel, or the tube is fitted with a grease nipple to allow it to be lubricated. We live and learn.
robinessex said:
GTRene said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
whatever you do dont go through a car wash in a Europa, and then turn on the demist to clear the screen.
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
Unless of course you are happy to have a stream of bubbles flying out of the air vents, and filling the cabin!
is the installation of that system so badly constructed?also what I hear in the video, those gearshifts are not say, Porsche Cayman good...
I remember some cars in the very past that had sloppy gearchanges, you almost had to guess were you think it is, not like say more modern cars ala Cayman or BMW.
I guess its cable shifted? are there ways to make such very good? like say a Porsche shift feel?
never driven one, just sat in 1 or 2 of those.
Pan Pan Pan said:
Whatever you do dont reverse over a low kerb and then try to get a gear. You have to get out, push the car forward, so that the rear is no longer over the low kerb, at which point you can get back in. and select 1st!
Dear old Colin Chapman. I love Europa's, they are just so odd - in a good way. dontlookdown said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Whatever you do dont reverse over a low kerb and then try to get a gear. You have to get out, push the car forward, so that the rear is no longer over the low kerb, at which point you can get back in. and select 1st!
Dear old Colin Chapman. I love Europa's, they are just so odd - in a good way. First car I have ever been in, that had girls fighting over who was going to get into IT! Those were the days!
Pan Pan Pan said:
dontlookdown said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Whatever you do dont reverse over a low kerb and then try to get a gear. You have to get out, push the car forward, so that the rear is no longer over the low kerb, at which point you can get back in. and select 1st!
Dear old Colin Chapman. I love Europa's, they are just so odd - in a good way. First car I have ever been in, that had girls fighting over who was going to get into IT! Those were the days!
Pan Pan Pan said:
The Europa uses the front boot ,as a plenum chamber for the heating and demist system, but is conflicted by the need to let air into it, whilst at the same time keeping any luggage in the boot dry.
Another design fault lays in the door hinges, which consist of a steel tube moulded into the door structure, which hinges on a steel rod passing though the tube.
Fine when the car is new , but if/when water gets into the tube, both the hinge steel rod, and the steel tube corrode, and lock themselves together. What happens next, is that the steel tube breaks itself out of the door moulding, where the door still opens, but the rod and tube dont move.
At the very least the tube and rod should have been formed in stainless steel, or the tube is fitted with a grease nipple to allow it to be lubricated. We live and learn.
ah, indeed, now you mentioned it I now remember, I also have a few bools about the Lotus Europa and also a few about Elans and Europa's :-) the fron looks very very poor made, although some racers and changed cars made it themselfs better.Another design fault lays in the door hinges, which consist of a steel tube moulded into the door structure, which hinges on a steel rod passing though the tube.
Fine when the car is new , but if/when water gets into the tube, both the hinge steel rod, and the steel tube corrode, and lock themselves together. What happens next, is that the steel tube breaks itself out of the door moulding, where the door still opens, but the rod and tube dont move.
At the very least the tube and rod should have been formed in stainless steel, or the tube is fitted with a grease nipple to allow it to be lubricated. We live and learn.
Like making a separate airflow system for the radiator, were the air flows direct trough a better placed radiator, then via a well formed flow tunnel which also ads some downforce, through the bonnet as outlet.
about those door hinges I never knew about :-) 'funny' things, althoug its still a marvelous car, its low and smal and short, even with its mid engine nicely longitudinal mounted and has still some luggage space front and rear.
They should bult a Europa 2.0, not those that came after, but I mean also engine mounted longitudinal, i4 or V6 with the same-ish looks but then all things made way better, like the radiator stuf and door hinges and cabin fresh air and so on, its not difficult and wow, that would be a car I would like, max 4000mm almost 2000 in total (mirrors) wide, or at least a bit wider then they were and also as low as they were, but then with all modern knowledge.
ooh, just came across this one, cool with 300hp Cosworth and lovely styling, 'sadly' RHD but nice non the les.
more here>
https://www.mathercollectables.com/copy-of-1950-ja...
GTRene said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
The Europa uses the front boot ,as a plenum chamber for the heating and demist system, but is conflicted by the need to let air into it, whilst at the same time keeping any luggage in the boot dry.
Another design fault lays in the door hinges, which consist of a steel tube moulded into the door structure, which hinges on a steel rod passing though the tube.
Fine when the car is new , but if/when water gets into the tube, both the hinge steel rod, and the steel tube corrode, and lock themselves together. What happens next, is that the steel tube breaks itself out of the door moulding, where the door still opens, but the rod and tube dont move.
At the very least the tube and rod should have been formed in stainless steel, or the tube is fitted with a grease nipple to allow it to be lubricated. We live and learn.
ah, indeed, now you mentioned it I now remember, I also have a few bools about the Lotus Europa and also a few about Elans and Europa's :-) the fron looks very very poor made, although some racers and changed cars made it themselfs better.Another design fault lays in the door hinges, which consist of a steel tube moulded into the door structure, which hinges on a steel rod passing though the tube.
Fine when the car is new , but if/when water gets into the tube, both the hinge steel rod, and the steel tube corrode, and lock themselves together. What happens next, is that the steel tube breaks itself out of the door moulding, where the door still opens, but the rod and tube dont move.
At the very least the tube and rod should have been formed in stainless steel, or the tube is fitted with a grease nipple to allow it to be lubricated. We live and learn.
Like making a separate airflow system for the radiator, were the air flows direct trough a better placed radiator, then via a well formed flow tunnel which also ads some downforce, through the bonnet as outlet.
about those door hinges I never knew about :-) 'funny' things, althoug its still a marvelous car, its low and smal and short, even with its mid engine nicely longitudinal mounted and has still some luggage space front and rear.
They should bult a Europa 2.0, not those that came after, but I mean also engine mounted longitudinal, i4 or V6 with the same-ish looks but then all things made way better, like the radiator stuf and door hinges and cabin fresh air and so on, its not difficult and wow, that would be a car I would like, max 4000mm almost 2000 in total (mirrors) wide, or at least a bit wider then they were and also as low as they were, but then with all modern knowledge.
ooh, just came across this one, cool with 300hp Cosworth and lovely styling, 'sadly' RHD but nice non the les.
more here>
https://www.mathercollectables.com/copy-of-1950-ja...
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