Well I finally did it. Last year while on vacation, I got to take a look at a family friends Lotus Europa. It's a 1970 S2 with about 17k original miles. Everything's in decent shape but it definitely needs some work. All the Lucas electrical stuff worked ( ) and it cranked but wouldn't start. We could tell the carb wasn't getting fuel and it has 3+ year old fuel still in the tank. It'll probably need some new tubing (and fuel) to get started. Worst case, it needs a new fuel pump. All in all, it's a nice complete car.

He's had it for sale for years but nobody would offer him enough. After a year of reading and learning, I decided that it would be a sweet car to have and work on so I made him an offer. He accepted! Now I have to work on getting it shipped from Ohio to Florida. I added some pics on my site HERE.

 

cool!

 

That thing looks really sweet! Congrats. Hopefully you'll have it up and running without too much work.

 

Great car! A very sweet ride, a true sports car.

One word of caution.

I had a friend who bought one of 500 original Europas made for homogolation (racing) in the UK and had it shipped back to the US. He had that thing running like a charm ....

One day while showing off on a "twistie", he left the road at ... lets just say a speed inappropriate for the turn. Totalled his Lotus. Police measured the skidmarks and ... not good at all. His pride and joy, all the money sunk into it ... gone.

Have fun but be safe.

 

Congrats on the new toy. I used to own a 1971 Lotus Elan +2 S/130. That Europa sure brings back memories (some of them actually good). Just remember a few basics: Always carry a fire extinguisher (Halon) in the car; a cellphone as well as AAA membership are worth their weight in gold;
Colin Chapman saved weight (and costs) by making everything too fragile. Good Luck with your Lotus.

 

Yeah, I'll definitely be careful and carry a fire extinguisher. This is going to be a long-term investment/project. I think I found a shipper with a good rep and price. The current owner is going to drain the gas tank and put some fresh fuel in this weekend to see if it will start.

The one new thing I've found is that the title states it's a 1972 model but it's clearly a 1970. I'm trying to figure out where that info was taken from. As far as I can tell, the original owner did purchase it in '72 and the 300 miles service was performed in '73. I wonder if someone just saw that and assumed it was a '72 model. It was definitely produced in August '70. I'll keep everyone updated.

 

Beautiful Lotus! Good luck with the ongoing project and keep us posted!

 

Kapps, great looking car. I might have an explanation for your title:

I learned that Triumphs (and likely other Brit cars, I just never asked) were given a model year on their title which actually represents the year it was originally sold from the dealer. Since Europas were not exactly HOT sellers, it is conceivable that it sat for a while on a lot. I'd bet this is why your title does not match the build date, but continue your check to make sure.

Enjoy!

 

pics... we need pics!

 

Go to the link in the 1st post. (last word of the last paragraph). I've got a bunch more from last year and this. I'll probably add them tomorrow.

The good news is that after talking with some other Europa guys, it looks like the fuel problem is due to the mechanical fuel pump loosing it's prime. Time to pour some gas down the carb feed hose.

 

oops...... missed that........

that said, great lookin car!

 

More news... today, the current owner and a gearhead friend put some fuel in the carb and it started right up. Unfortunately, it wouldn't keep running. The gas tank smelled more like kerosene than gasoline so tomorrow, they'll drain it and try again. I wish I was still up there to help.

 

She runs!!! well, mostly . I'm not sure they ever got to drain the tank but after priming the system and cleaning the float needle of varnish, she started up. The engine sputters for several minutes but eventually dies. They say the fuel is very dark so it's probably just sludge and sediment in the line.

 

That's a nice looking car you have there. A friend of mine had one of those 20 years ago. As I recall it has a Renault 18 engine. After you get your car running be sure to take a close look at the hydraulic system especially the brakes. More that likely you'll have to go through the whole system, but parts are readily available. Waking up a long slumbering car takes time, but stick with it & you'll have a very nice uncommon car. Well worth your effort.

 

It's the R 16 engine (with high compression pistons and stronger valve springs to up the hp from 50 to 80-ish). And yeah, I'm prepared to do a lot of hose replacement, etc.

Today, I spent a lot of time on the phone with several auto shipping companies with concerns on how the car is tied down. Normal cars can be strapped down by the frame but the Europa might bend or brake...plus the front has a full underbody so there is no frame to be seen. It needs straps over the wheels and those are found on enclosed transports. There's a place near me with a good price that I'll probably use. Hopefully, I can get it shipped by the 1st.

 

It's finally here! I got a few initial photos but it was still quite dusty and the wheels were, well, take a look...

Since then, I have taken a damp cloth to the paint and gotten all the dust off. I also shined up the tires a bit. Tomorrow, I get a new fuel filter and battery (for kicks, I took my multimeter to the current one and it read 1.4V ). It looks like the fuel lines are in good shape and free of debris. The problem might be in the mechanical fuel pump.

I'll try to get some more photos tomorrow.

 

cool. at least you are realistic about the service interval.

it's a beautiful ride and piece of history, have fun!

 

Congrats, now the fun starts. You've got a great car there. Quite a rare one too. If you are buying a battery I'd suggest getting an Optima. I've had great luck with them.

 

Nah, I'll keep the Optima in the MCS, the Europa is going to get the $50 special. There's too much other stuff to do on it. I did get a battery tender jr. to keep it topped up.

 

Oh yes a battery tender is great for a hobby car that sits from time to time. Without one the battery will die an early death.

 

Man... Advanced and Pep Boys didn't have the battery I need and NAPA closed 15 minutes before I got there. Pep Boys tested the battery and found it dead (duh). Neither place had the battery or could order one. I'll try NAPA tomorrow. I found out it's now used for wheel chairs.

I did get a new fuel filter and drained the tank. It smelled like a cross between kerosene and alcohol . Hopefully I'll be able to crank it tomorrow.

 

You got new oil in the sump? If not I'd suggest doing that before firing her off.

Good luck.

 

The oil isn't new but it is very clean. It's probably been in there for a few years. Prior to the past month, the only miles on the oil was most likely to the end of the driveway and back (once). I know the additive package breaks down but I want to get it warm before I change the oil and tranny fluid. 20w-50 doesn't flow that easy ya know I just want to see healthy oil pressure.

 

Well I got new gas in the tank and primed the carb with fuel. After a little finagling, she started up. Unfortunately, it stalls after the fuel in the float chamber is exhausted. The fuel pump is most likely dead. When I sucked fuel up into the line, it would just drain back when suction was lost. Also, fuel was slowly dripping out of the carburetor when fuel was in it and one of the gaskets is hanging out. I need a rebuild kit for it.

The good news is that oil pressure built quickly when it was running. After it stalled out, I saw it dropping down though the 50 psi mark.

So it looks like I have my work cut out for me.

 

Great news....SHE"S ALIVE!!! Is it a mechanical or electric fuel pump? If you've got a mechanical pump on there you might want to install an electric one to bypass the dead one.