lotus 907 engine in europa?

[mike alain]

Folks, I have a chance to buy a lotus 907 engine, would it bolt up to the renualt transmission in my europa? would this make sense? and what is this engine worth?

[andydclements]

As much as I love the 9xx engines, there are far better options for Europa engines. Moderns (Duratec etc) give more power for smaller space, and that's just one example.

[tim_marra]

The Type 62 Europa used a 900 series engine before it went into road cars.

[andydclements]

Didn't they have a different subframe, meaning the 907 engine may not fit a standard subframe?

[lotus-62]

having a europa and a esprit myself I can say the 9** series engine is way too big for a europa. or you need to make a custom rear frame.    and NO it will not bolt to the early renault gearbox,  a 907 from a esprit is always connected to a citroen gearbox, 

[lotus-62]

23 hours ago, tim_marra said:

The Type 62 Europa used a 900 series engine before it went into road cars.

in the 62 the lower half was vauxhall, the upper half lotus own head (that head became part of the 907 engine.  the lotus 62 engine was called  LV220 or LV240  (from Lotus Vauxhall 220/240 bhp) it was not a 907 engine, however it was the testbed for the 907 head. 

[jonwat]

How about a Rover V8 like the GKN 47 D? 😃

[Jim Estall]

[andydclements]

Looks like a Citroen transaxle which I think is a lot shorter (from bell-housing to driveshaft) than the Renault ones used in Europas, I wonder if it had to have the driveshafts put in a non-straight line to move it back any more though, maybe the swap of transaxle was enough.

*The Citroen ones have the outputs pretty much in line with the joint of bellhousing /transaxle whereas the Renault 352 etc it's c6 inches behind that line. 

[lotus-62]

On 13/07/2021 at 22:56, Jim Estall said:

can't believe my eye's.   having my esprit and europa side by side the 9xx engine looks way too big for the europa (s2)  custom chassis?  wondering how much room there is at the front of the engine, more pictures please

 

[Jim Estall]

The car had a modified chassis and the bodywork from the rear bulkhead was extended by circa 6 inches.  The car was at Castle Coombe a few years ago.  Jim

[Jim Estall]

[jonwat]

That dash isn't original. Looks a really nice, professional job 

[Kevin Wheeler]

It is a very professional job. 

It belongs to my mate, Terry. You are correct Jim, he had to extend the body by (I thought it was 4 but it may have been) 6 inches.

I believe that he got the engine from a Jensen, but I am not sure how it got into the Jensen in the first place. Did they use them for a period?

@jonwatis correct, it is not the original dash. Terry is a carpernter and did all the veneering by hand. The centre console is a thing of beauty. You cannot see it on the photo, but I remember there being some wonderful inlay in there. I haven't seen it for a year due to the "you know what", but it is a thing of beauty - if not at all original!

[jonwat]

31 minutes ago, Kevin Wheeler said:

I believe that he got the engine from a Jensen, but I am not sure how it got into the Jensen in the first place. Did they use them for a period?

Jensen Healey 

The transmission is a Citroën so probably came from an Esprit, I noticed the handbrake lever too, that's not standard as the Europa had a pretty useless flyoff one with the handle under the dash. The Citroën transmission would have come with its inboard discs 

Edited July 20, 2021 by jonwat