Classic and Sports Car article - Europa

[DJW]

Would love to have decent Europa TC and Elan +2 in the garage 

http://www.classicandsportscar.com/news/10-unmissable-features-february-2018-issue-csc

[jonwat]

Thanks for that, I'll get a copy, brought back great memories. 

[PhilT]

and 45 years on, still the most amazing drive along a British B-road!

[cbclotus]

Got to love the fact Europa ....I do  very special car .Has a S2 .many years ago found memories ....Love lotus cars .Also my Jensen Healey .....Well it has a lotus 907 .....Mike

[Winter]

A short but enjoyable and informative piece.  The Europa was a remarkably good car.  It was, I think, the first production mid-engined car for road use and it's final incarnation, the Special, was indeed special. I am fortunate to have number 63 of the 100 that were built with JPS livery to commemorate Lotus's 50th GP victory and 1972 F1 constructors' title.  I was also fortunate to meet Steve Sanville who developed the Big-Valve twin-cam but for which, Tony Rudd received the credit.  In addition, I had the good fortune to meet Colin Gain, who was central in the adaptation of the Renault 16 gearbox for use in Europas.  In particular, to ensure that the 'box had four forward speeds and one reverse rather than the other way round.  Another piece of trivia is the tube-linkage system for the 352 and 365 gearboxes.  Steering joints were ingeniously included in the mid- and tail-sections of the tube.

[USAndretti42]

I think the Matra Djet beat the Europa to market but the Europa was more-widely available, I believe.

I remember the Motor road test of the Special getting 50 mpg at 50 mph which was pretty impressive in 1972.  Setright also wrote in Car thata it cornered so well that the (mechanically-tuned) radio would go off station!

[ramjet]

Is it just me or is the rear design, aft of the doors, rather polarising to some people? I have only seen one in real life and I thought from some angles, it looked unusual.

[USAndretti42]

Very true. Some liken it to the Chevrolet Camino pick-up

Piccy

[Winter]

Thank you Trevor.  My caution was well placed.  Attached is a picture of Colin "working" on my car.  It was taken in about 1983 as a publicity image for Norvic Racing Engines.  Norvic was headed by the late Steve Sanville and was based at Little Staughton Airfield, just north of Bedford.  Notably, during World war II, the USAAF had a base there.

[cbclotus]

 Hi  Edward, great picture .Ref Steve Sanville, Norvic racing Engines, I believe my old dry sump turbo ex race car had  its engine built there .Was meant to be pushing out approx 250 plus bhp .Small world if you google opw679W you will see the car .Love the Europa .   Mike

[Mark030358]

@DJW... ahhh classic Lotus, fabulous.

Here is my current Sprint, my old Twin Cam Europa and my old S2 Europa (slightly modified ?)

Enjoy...

Mark

I would/possibly be up for  pxing my MINT, one owner 73 Sprint, for a genuine MINT JPS Europa Special. PM me if anyone interested.

thanks

Mark

[Chillidoggy]

If I could fit in a Europa, I'd buy one.

[Bibs]

@Mark030358, they look amazing, more pics please

I bet you wish you'd kept them all! 

[silverfrost]

Great looking little car the europa,  I have always pondered on shortening an esprit chassis and fitting a europa shell by glassing the shell wider in the centre,

  Low,fast, great looking and the stance of a beast 

[theelanman]

[Stuart Monument]

What would you buy mark ? They look stunning 

[KAS-118]

Great collection - particularly love the Goldleaf S2 

[Mark030358]

Sold the Europas... ? 

Still got the Sprint...

And some more pics...

 

cheers

 

[silverfrost]

So many options for these cars,  Not to all the purists tastes i can imagine but so many things have been done to these little machines 

[cbclotus]

Great pictures Dan .i love the 47 race cars ....Also the lotus 62 .which I Belive used the Origional LV 220 .Saw a picture of one with Jensen Healey cam covers ....Mike

[silverfrost]

Currently up for sale on ebay at 6300 and bidding is still going on......   One for the brave but hopefully soon it will be back to its former glory 

[Oldtracker]

Has anyone compiled a register of chassis numbers, owners, where the car may have resided or any details exist?