RE: Lotus Europa: Spotted
Discussion
Oakman said:
May have already been said so excuse if this is a repeated post.
Colin Chapman was 5'8" - he designed his early road cars around himself. He was also a very fast a competitive racing driver in his day.
He also had tiny feet. Which is why my size 10's don't fit the Europa or Excel too well. Must buy some ballet shoes......Colin Chapman was 5'8" - he designed his early road cars around himself. He was also a very fast a competitive racing driver in his day.
V8 FOU said:
He also had tiny feet. Which is why my size 10's don't fit the Europa or Excel too well. Must buy some ballet shoes......
Too right he did ! I'm 5'10" and In my '71 Elan Sprint I wear the thinnest, close fitting shoes possible - perfect for heel and toeing !
Have a friend in the Lotus Club who has owned a '75 Europa Special - 5 speed twin Cam in original Black Gold from new - 43 years old and that's not her ! Up in the north midlands and always taken to the factory for servicing !!!
Beautiful little cars, here's one at the Caramulo Motor Festival hillclimb last year;
Caramulo Motor Festival-17235 by Calum Fraser, on Flickr
Caramulo Motor Festival-17235 by Calum Fraser, on FlickrHere is a photo of a Europa that is the exact colour and model I had. When I was very young I was fortunate enough to be able to buy one.
Great car when running well but in typical Lotus fashion bits fell off it, the inner door panel fell off if you didn't grip the handle correctly, the clutch cable snapped on a regular basis because it rubbed. Although I did alter the angle to improve it and get at least a couple of years out of it. I also had a throttle cable break when taking a young lady out for a day trip to Bournemouth (in the day these cars attracted a lot of attention from the girls) most embarrassing as I had to set the throttle screw and drive home at a slower pace.
Back in the late 70's the roads were a lot less crowded and this car really came into its own around empty A roads handling was exceptional and I scared the living daylights out of many a friend.
It gave me the Lotus bug and I've owned a Lotus on and off since, I still think they are a nano hair off a kit car as my late V8 Esprit proved beyond doubt, but like the Europa when running well, for the money they can't be touched.
This is the car I very nearly bought a while back, I could still just about get in but getting out after a blast was a big problem. even crawling out on my hands and knees proved to be too much for me so I didn't bother.
Great car when running well but in typical Lotus fashion bits fell off it, the inner door panel fell off if you didn't grip the handle correctly, the clutch cable snapped on a regular basis because it rubbed. Although I did alter the angle to improve it and get at least a couple of years out of it. I also had a throttle cable break when taking a young lady out for a day trip to Bournemouth (in the day these cars attracted a lot of attention from the girls) most embarrassing as I had to set the throttle screw and drive home at a slower pace.
Back in the late 70's the roads were a lot less crowded and this car really came into its own around empty A roads handling was exceptional and I scared the living daylights out of many a friend.
It gave me the Lotus bug and I've owned a Lotus on and off since, I still think they are a nano hair off a kit car as my late V8 Esprit proved beyond doubt, but like the Europa when running well, for the money they can't be touched.
This is the car I very nearly bought a while back, I could still just about get in but getting out after a blast was a big problem. even crawling out on my hands and knees proved to be too much for me so I didn't bother.
BIRMA said:
This is the car I very nearly bought a while back, I could still just about get in but getting out after a blast was a big problem. even crawling out on my hands and knees proved to be too much for me so I didn't bother.
That takes me back..... (along with the shot of the TC's on the transporter earlier)Back in the hot summer of '76, as a teenager, I spent a lot of that summer going around well known sports/specialist car dealers with the next door neighbour, who was having a mid-life crisis and looking to relieve the youth he never had as a result of doing his bit for 5 years against Herr Hitler. So, he was looking to change his lovely Jag Mk.X for a sports car, and was looking at all sorts of things from late Healey's, MG's, TR's, Elan's etc., I have a vivid memory of a Europa TC in that very same Ford Purple Velvet colour with oatmeal interior at either Performance Cars or Chequered Flag on the A4, and kept getting in and out of it, and trying to get him to buy it.......until he tried to get in and out of it......
I remember on another visit there was a TC Europa in the met brown colour (same as Ford Tawny Brown Met) as seen on that transporter shot above.
Years later, when a member of Club Lotus, I did finally get an all too brief ride in a guys JPS Europa TC.....but I was still young then and could get in and out of one...........I wouldn't even attempt it now!!
MCBrowncoat said:
Always liked the look of Europas, prices seem to be slowly on the up, always thought they seemed low
Although it might not be to everyones taste, I thought the RE Amemiya RX7 engined take on these looked superb:
http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/01/rotary-buzz-re...
lots of farting sounds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ue4-TKlQUAlthough it might not be to everyones taste, I thought the RE Amemiya RX7 engined take on these looked superb:
http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/01/rotary-buzz-re...
Matt97 said:
P5BNij said:
Was the garage in Brum Matt...?
Just found these...
It was in Marlborough,Wilts. The garage is long gone and is now houses. Can anyone guess the car next to it? Just found these...
Edit! Just realised it is an Isdera
Edited by P5BNij on Monday 19th March 11:06
aeropilot said:
BIRMA said:
This is the car I very nearly bought a while back, I could still just about get in but getting out after a blast was a big problem. even crawling out on my hands and knees proved to be too much for me so I didn't bother.
That takes me back..... (along with the shot of the TC's on the transporter earlier)Back in the hot summer of '76, as a teenager, I spent a lot of that summer going around well known sports/specialist car dealers with the next door neighbour, who was having a mid-life crisis and looking to relieve the youth he never had as a result of doing his bit for 5 years against Herr Hitler. So, he was looking to change his lovely Jag Mk.X for a sports car, and was looking at all sorts of things from late Healey's, MG's, TR's, Elan's etc., I have a vivid memory of a Europa TC in that very same Ford Purple Velvet colour with oatmeal interior at either Performance Cars or Chequered Flag on the A4, and kept getting in and out of it, and trying to get him to buy it.......until he tried to get in and out of it......
I remember on another visit there was a TC Europa in the met brown colour (same as Ford Tawny Brown Met) as seen on that transporter shot above.
Years later, when a member of Club Lotus, I did finally get an all too brief ride in a guys JPS Europa TC.....but I was still young then and could get in and out of one...........I wouldn't even attempt it now!!
Tremendous looking cars and no doubt a lovely thing to drive too. The seats in that reconditioned car that the article focuses on look very plush. I daresay a slightly more severe seat might give a few inches of room back to a taller driver, if they can get their arse a bit further down.
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