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Europa TCS
Freshman Member
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I currently own my second 1974 Lotus Europa (4158R) that is almost back on the road, after many years. I have owned it since 2000. In nice weather I sometimes drove it to work, but it was hit in the parking lot. I had the body work done. As long as it was laid up, I had the interior improved by Mike, at Richmond Upholstery. But when I went to use it, on almost the first drive, the water pump went. Maybe from sitting too long???
I pulled the engine and transmission and purchased a new front cover with cassette water pump. I admit to being intimidated by the prospect of putting everything back together, and procrastinated. (It is so much easier to disassemble, isn't it.) I also have the excuse of three surgeries, in three separate years, as an "excuse".
I finally decided, with my wife's help/urging, to have someone local put it back together. So everything was moved to his barn. Unfortunately, he encountered a number of roadblocks. One was that I could not manually turn to engine over. So off that went for a rebuild. Then some other projects prevented him from continuing. So, I found someone else to put it back together, moved everything, again, and it is almost finished. I just got the master cylinder back from a rebuild at White Post yesterday. So, when warmer weather and drier roads come to our area, it will be ready.
Since I said it was my second Europa (4339R), here is the rest of my Lotus background. In 1974, while in the US Navy, I found that I was going to finish my tour of duty in Rota, Spain. I bought a 1974 Europa through a British dealer, for delivery/pick up at the factory. A friend flew with me on free military flights, and we drove it back to Rota. A few months later, I was discharged from the Navy, and spent several months driving around Europe, with my tent and sleeping bag. In those days there were campgrounds near every city, I doubt that is the case today. I eventually shipped the car home, and returned to the US. I had put 10K wonderful miles on it in Europe.
I reluctantly, but wisely, sold that car when we moved to Vermont with 2 kids under age two. I sold it to a friend, with the agreement that he would contact me if he ever wanted to sell it. Obviously, that did not happen. A number of years later, I decided to "reward" myself for having survived surgery and radiation therapy for prostate cancer at age 52, by getting another Europa. So now we are back to where I started my tale.
I must admit that I wonder how comfortable I will be, at age 74, in the Europa, and am reminded of this quote from Car&Driver from 1968 that I recently saw on a Europa group website:
“Had Harry Houdini been locked in a Lotus Europa instead of a trunk when they lowered him
beneath the ice of the Detroit River, he’d still be down there.”
I also have feeling that a more comfortable, but still sporty, convertible would be a good idea. That way my long suffering wife could enjoy it with me, since the Europa holds no appeal for her.
Thanks for reading, John
I pulled the engine and transmission and purchased a new front cover with cassette water pump. I admit to being intimidated by the prospect of putting everything back together, and procrastinated. (It is so much easier to disassemble, isn't it.) I also have the excuse of three surgeries, in three separate years, as an "excuse".
I finally decided, with my wife's help/urging, to have someone local put it back together. So everything was moved to his barn. Unfortunately, he encountered a number of roadblocks. One was that I could not manually turn to engine over. So off that went for a rebuild. Then some other projects prevented him from continuing. So, I found someone else to put it back together, moved everything, again, and it is almost finished. I just got the master cylinder back from a rebuild at White Post yesterday. So, when warmer weather and drier roads come to our area, it will be ready.
Since I said it was my second Europa (4339R), here is the rest of my Lotus background. In 1974, while in the US Navy, I found that I was going to finish my tour of duty in Rota, Spain. I bought a 1974 Europa through a British dealer, for delivery/pick up at the factory. A friend flew with me on free military flights, and we drove it back to Rota. A few months later, I was discharged from the Navy, and spent several months driving around Europe, with my tent and sleeping bag. In those days there were campgrounds near every city, I doubt that is the case today. I eventually shipped the car home, and returned to the US. I had put 10K wonderful miles on it in Europe.
I reluctantly, but wisely, sold that car when we moved to Vermont with 2 kids under age two. I sold it to a friend, with the agreement that he would contact me if he ever wanted to sell it. Obviously, that did not happen. A number of years later, I decided to "reward" myself for having survived surgery and radiation therapy for prostate cancer at age 52, by getting another Europa. So now we are back to where I started my tale.
I must admit that I wonder how comfortable I will be, at age 74, in the Europa, and am reminded of this quote from Car&Driver from 1968 that I recently saw on a Europa group website:
“Had Harry Houdini been locked in a Lotus Europa instead of a trunk when they lowered him
beneath the ice of the Detroit River, he’d still be down there.”
I also have feeling that a more comfortable, but still sporty, convertible would be a good idea. That way my long suffering wife could enjoy it with me, since the Europa holds no appeal for her.
Thanks for reading, John
