3 lost Europas!!

[perryeyges]

As a teenager, approx 32-37 years ago I had a neighbor that lived on my block(Mendocino St. in Richmond, Ca). He was the type of guy that would take an old chain saw and make a go kart out of it(literally). He was a welder and a great designer(he had a way of looking at things differently than others). Usually his creations were a bit crude but reall fun and dangerous as all hell). Kind of like my second dad on the block that showed me that anything was possible if you put your mind to it, and that thinking "inside the box" was not usually the best way to go. If you know me you would say that he was the guy that made me such a design/lightweight freak.
His name was Frank but he liked to be called "Buz". Buz had three Europas(a Black/gold JPS with dash plaque, an Aubergine, and a Beige) I used to help him work on the cars. Since I was much thinner and had smaller hands I came in handy since they were such small cars. I remember wondering how Buz actually got in and out of the cars, but he did just fine.
Buz died suddenly one night of an apparent heart attack. I had always wanted one of the Europas but waited a few weeks to approach his widow with my intentions. She told me that she had just sold all three cars to a lotus club member. DOH!!
I am wondering if anyone knows where those cars ended up or if they in fact knew Buz?

[smashfactory]

People like Buz are great. I love being a mentor, I had many much like Buz. Too cool.

[perryeyges]

Dude your avatar is SUPER TASTY!!!!!!!!! I want....
I especially liked the blown up version that I saw somewhere..

I really would like to get a Europa. I wonder how the car would do actually driving it to and from work from time to time?

[akandok]

Originally Posted by perryeyges

Dude your avatar is SUPER TASTY!!!!!!!!! I want....
I especially liked the blown up version that I saw somewhere..

I really would like to get a Europa. I wonder how the car would do actually driving it to and from work from time to time?

Perry sorry of the subject. How is the Elise?

[perryeyges]

I will always love to answer that question..
Currently:
$ The car is home and running fine(stupid fast)
$ The cookie cutter Alcons are incredible.
$ Sector111 called this AM to say that my Revrie C/F 3 element rear diffusor was finally about to ship
$ I am awaiting a set of clam hinges from you know who. Tilting clam..
$ My plastic buck(that you saw on the car) is really close to being ready for the first attempt at building my own version of an Exige type engine cover to fit the Elise in Carbon. Were you interested in one? I am pretty sure it will fit on a stock Elise with a few mods.
$ A buddy of my dad has already taken measurements and is making a basic soft top for the car mostly for shade, not really waterproof.. And possibly a set of side curtains?? He was really excited to see the roll cage. He said "cool, I won't have to make a frame for the top"
$ Shave the RA1's.
$ Make covers for where the glass used to come out of the doors(@black anodised aluminum)
$ Get it weighed.
$ Fab a dash in either Carbon or aluminum sheet or just foam covered in alcantara... The aluminum sheet(black anodised would probably work just fine..
$ Replicate the front access panels in carbon if my fiberglass skills have not waned . Its one of the jobs I used to do before retirement.
$ Still have to cut out and line the passenger door to match the drivers side.
$ Always looking for more weight to loose. The front access panels are my current target(way too heavy)and the attaching points and spacers.

Future projects:
Eliminate ABS: I will likley have FFed remove my ABS and master cylinder/brake booster and replace it all with an adjustable front to rear bias non boosted setup with carbon ceramic master cylinders(ultralight). Since we are using the EFI stand alone I think it is possible to eliminate the ABS.
Big Motor: I want to start building a sleeved low compression "built" short black for BIG boost.
Garage: I have an eight car driveway but still no garage(temporary canvas one ) Plan to have a two car garage built at the street level built into the hill between the driveway and the front steps.

[Mr. Know]

Tried this: http://www.gglotus.org/?

[ChrisB]

Originally Posted by perryeyges

I wonder how the car would do actually driving it to and from work from time to time?

Hey, it should work just great...as long as you drive the same route as the bus does to get there. Sorry, just remembering my daily driver days in a '70 Lotus.

[akandok]

Perry, I remember your "temporary" garage

Thats quite a list. what about carbon fiber clams???
http://www.revozport.com/Lotus.html

[perryeyges]

Originally Posted by akandok

Perry, I remember your "temporary" garage

Thats quite a list. what about carbon fiber clams???
http://www.revozport.com/Lotus.html

AHHHHH, NO!!!

[akandok]

I thought I would offer

[shay2nak]

good luck hunting down the Europas.

[perryeyges]

I thought someone here might know the story as well and know who got them.. Just curious...

The guy across the street from Buz had a white ext/blue int 66 or 67 Vette Roadster(whith backup light over the rear lic plate?) It was a 327 stick and he offered it to me for $4,400 in 75 Of course I had about $500 to my name and no credit at the time..
The last missed deal was a 66 Shelby GT 350H Black w-Gold stripes at $4,000 in 1977. I offered $3,000 and the guy told me that if he had it at the end of the week it was mine(he was shipping out to Hawaii @Air Force). I was stupid enough to wait until the end of the week to call and of course it was gone..

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by perryeyges

I thought someone here might know the story as well and know who got them.. Just curious...

The guy across the street from Buz had a white ext/blue int 66 or 67 Vette Roadster(whith backup light over the rear lic plate?) It was a 327 stick and he offered it to me for $4,400 in 75 Of course I had about $500 to my name and no credit at the time..
The last missed deal was a 66 Shelby GT 350H Black w-Gold stripes at $4,000 in 1977. I offered $3,000 and the guy told me that if he had it at the end of the week it was mine(he was shipping out to Hawaii @Air Force). I was stupid enough to wait until the end of the week to call and of course it was gone..

Since we're telling great car guy stories...I collect 60's era slot cars. A few years ago I advertised that I buy such cars in the Lotus ReMarque. Got a call from an elderly gentleman in Ohio who had a ton of stuff. He said he'd sell it to me for $40, and he'd pay shipping. He just wanted it to go to a Lotus and slot car enthusiast. Had some pretty rare and desireable items.

He was dying of cancer, and simply was in the process of tying up loose ends in his life, his old slot car collection being one.

Anyway, turns out that during the '60's he bought a 427 Shelby Cobra, brand new. He told me he blew the engine at a track day, the then-equivalent of an HPDE. He said he traded the car with the blown engine even up for a fully running 289 Shelby Cobra. Interesting guy. Bittersweet story. I still have most of the slot cars he sent me in my collection.

[khamai]

Perry,

I'm anything but positive but these cars could have been purchased by a GGLC member who lives in nearby Vallejo.

This guy was buying up Europas and other Lotus in the late 70's and 80's and probably owns over 10 now.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

[loki]

Perry, we found a cherry Europa in a garage in Richmond, exterior perfect, interior untouched, beautiful; engine scattered around compartment, loose pistons etc., head somewhere (very full garage). Hasen't been moved in 7 years or so. Was the 81 year old widows' husbands car but she seems reluctant to sell, I guess it is a shrine untill she passes and the kids off it. Sigh.

[TrapperJohn]

Ah, car stories, the ones that got away.

There was an old S2 Europa that sat in front of a house near U of KY campus forever. Guy never would sell it. That decrepit little Europa kindled my interest in the marque.

When I was a kid in the early 70's, I found a Fiat OSCA for $1500. Running. AC Ace for $4k. Found an MGA in a junkyard, intact. They had towed it off of the highway where it had been abandoned. $300. Mom said you are not bringing that home. An old man offered me an Amphicar - anyone remember them? - for $500. Mom nixed that one, too.

This one makes me cry - met a distant cousin from TN back in the late 70's. She told me about her brother who had sold an old Corvette for $500 because it only had a six cylinder engine in it.

And one that didn't get away: My father, in 1972, bought a 1970 Corvette for $3500, about half the new price at that time. Found it in downtown Louisville, and no one would buy it because it had no power steering, no power brakes, no AC, no radio, no nothing, just this solid lifter small block and real stiff springs.

Turns out it was delivered with option package ZR1 - LT1 engine, Daytona springs, aluminum radiator, and nothing else. One of 25 made in 1970.

[kestrel74]

Sell ya mine for the cost of parts !!!!!!!!!!

[kestrel74]

Too bad you don't have SN's..........they're pretty easy to track down.