Vintage Europas

[Seax Smith]

New here. Not sure if I am posting in the correct place or not. Apologies if I am not.

Am looking for any / all info on vintage europas. Am just about finished with the current project car and thinking about (re)building the car I have always wanted.

What I really want to know is what are the possible engine substitutions, parts suppliers, and are there forums like this for vintage europas? I haven't been able to find any yet.

Thanks much.

[LARRY]

Lotus Europa Central -- Home Page

Lotus Europa Home Page

lotus europa - Google Search

[Uncle Sam]

Kestrel74 where are you?

There is a great buy in the For Sale section on a Europa. Kestrel74 is selling. Check it out.

[Seax Smith]

Larry: Thanks for the links. Have been weeding my way through the google searches. From the pic, am thinking my idea isn't so far fetched right now.

Uncle Sam: Have been talking with Kestrel74 in another thread, and he has been helpful. Nice car he is offering, but I want something to build.

[kestrel74]

It only took me an hour !! here ya go:
74 Zetec Europa For Sale

[RoadDad]

Originally Posted by Seax Smith

but I want something to build.

Go here: Lotus Europa For Sale Multiple cars that seem to fit what you are looking for.

[khamai]

Another resource is the GGLC website. There's some info on Zetec transplants. Or PM me for contacts for a few owners that have done conversions both Ford & Toyota.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

[kestrel74]

A word of advise:.......If you get a twin cam.....STAY WITH THE TWIN CAM !! ......Don't substitute another engine to replace it. There are a lot of things you can do to the twincam that'll give you more power, and it won't require a lot of modification, and MAJOR money. Believe me. Been there.

[Seax Smith]

Thanks everyone for the resources! It’s just a matter of deciding if parts availability is a quagmire I want to dive into (i.e. finding a project car I want to work on that will make it through the MA RMV).

kestrel74: Thanks much for your help.

I hear what you are saying about the twin cam. Am not overly familiar with that particular engine, but am sure it would take well to the usually head / flow work etc. Until you get into the one-off hand built cars that don’t consider price in the build process, there is always the cost cutting measures to improve in everything else. It just comes down to how much time / money you want to put into acquiring smaller and smaller gains in BPH and torque.

What I really want is a DOHC with an FI manifold/head. Have seen some amazing things done with VW 2.0L 16 valves, a stand alone engine management system called ‘megasquirt’ and hayabusa throttle bodies. No reason to think there would be issues implementing that onto a lotus (sans purists whining). I know that FI goes back to at least some late TR5’s, so it’s just a matter of finding a compatible engine/head/ intake manifold that will work and fit, then matching up suspension and brake upgrades to handle the extra power.

Am also assuming that the same process of de-Lucas-ing a Spit would cross over well and eliminate a lot of fire hazard issues and electrical issues. Figured out long ago that it is far better to start from scratch with the electrical when (re)building just about any old car. Easier, better and more expensive than trying to install a prefabed harness.

Off to go digging through Brit ford and Renault engine choices and looking for suspension and brake stuff.

Wassail

[Europanaut]

Seax Smith,

I've been building a 67 Europa S1 for a couple of years. It's a fun project, and not that difficult. If there is any way that I can help, just ask.

Here's a link to my site....

Lotus Europa 46/0363 Restoration Site

Jim

[dwkoski]

I've owned a Europa for 35 years, it's still a great, fun little car. The U.S. version Twin Cam and Specials had what was called the "BigValve" head. These had integral ports originally intended for use with Tecalamet fuel injectors. These were not practical for street use however and adapter plates were bolted on to allow fitment of Stromberg carbs. I have seen a twin cam Europa floating around that was fitted with individual port injectors on the twin cam head and as this conversion was offered for sale a few years ago, I'm sure someone on this board or involved in Lotus Limited would remember the name of the person who did it. A serious problem with converting to a more modern engine with significantly more horsepower is the strength of the transaxle. It was marginal for 120 HP and if you're thinking of getting into the tuner type Japanese engines, you will probably have to consider something stronger. Lotus did this in the late 60's with, I believe, a Hewland box for the GKN Rover v8 powered Europa...Dave

[Seax Smith]

Europanaut: thanks, you'll be hearing from me after I get some basic research done. Need to alleviate some of my basic ignorance first, decide specific car I want, then find one or find the second choice.

dwkoski: Thanks for the clarification / details. I think you see where I want to head with this. One of the first thoughts I had was one of the little rover V8s, TR7-8 type, but I learned a hard lesson quick when I over powered my first Spit just out of high school. Luckily, it was just property damage.

The stand alone engine management I want to employ, 'megesquirt', gives you complete control over the fuel map, so you can actually 'under-drive' the engine (by using it sort of backwards) without running it lean and letting the gear box become self machining to it's own specs.

------------
Thanks much, everyone. Am going to disappear for a while, research, lurk and learn.
Wassail.

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by Seax Smith

New here. Not sure if I am posting in the correct place or not. Apologies if I am not.

Am looking for any / all info on vintage europas. Am just about finished with the current project car and thinking about (re)building the car I have always wanted.

What I really want to know is what are the possible engine substitutions, parts suppliers, and are there forums like this for vintage europas? I haven't been able to find any yet.

Thanks much.

This is a good book to have...

eBay Motors: LOTUS EUROPA GOLD PORTFOLIO 1966-1975 (item 170281733736 end time Dec-24-08 04:14:48 PST)

[thruthefence]

I have a '70 S2, "type 65" that I bought cheap as a rolling 'basket case'. The engine was seized, and discarded. I've been at it 18 months now, and am making progress. I installed a Toyota 4AGE 20V with the original 4 speed, & built a cable shifter in place of the rube goldberg push-rod deal that was in the car. Had a bunch of pieces missing anyway. The chassis should be ready for the body (which has a ton of work needed also) this spring. If I had it to do over, I would have preferred a 'rolling restoration' instead of this, but my car was a sort of "target of opportunity". Be sure & join the Yahoo Lotus Europa Group, there's lots of pics of cars in rework & completed projects, and many helpful, knowledgeable members.

[Europanaut]

thruthefence: Another Toyota conversion! I've just finished rebuilding a 16v Redtop 4AGE for the S1.

Seax Smith: The Europa/4age conversion kits are available from John Pels in Texas, and are very well built. Most 4age engine parts are easily available, and inexpensive. It's a reliable and powerful engine, and can be easily modified to produce more hp. PM me if you'd like more info.

Here's a photo of mine, unfinished, from a few months ago.

Lotus Europa 46/0363 Restoration Site


Jim

[Seax Smith]

Europanaut: I like the green taped wires around the fuses and relays. I use tan tape at first, blue for the double check and green tape when it's good to go.

I live in a state (MA) with several pleasantliness-challenged laws regarding old cars, and the laws seem to be in state of flux most of the time. If I want a dailly driver-ish car, I'll need to stay with an older type engine which I can talk my way through the visual emissions check, which shouldn't be too hard by proactively providing a 'reason' for them to say "Yeah, that looks right considering I have neer seen one before."

Have a lot of learning to, decisions to make, and then find what ever is avalible and closest to my first choice. Will look into the conversion kits. Am thinking that any small modern front wheel drive could be adapted with one-off axles.