I have always wanted a Lotus Europa from the first time I saw one. This classic lightweight car is great fun to drive. The Twin Cam Special edition is, IMHO the best of the Europas to own and drive.
Couldn't agree more. From the first time I saw one, I knew I'd own one some day. Thank you for watching. Please subscribe, I will be posting more videos
Absolutely beautiful. I had a car buyers guide from 1973 when I was a kid that I'd thumb through religiously. I'd always end up on the Europa. This was my dream since. Glad yours worked out for you.😍
One of THE most important Lotus's ever built.. And SO underrated! And looks like nothing else. I had a Special when I was 20.. Now Im rebuilding another one, in my 60s! 😅
Beautiful car Bob thank you for sharing your passion. I was 20 in 74 and my brother's best friend got married and spent all his wedding money on a brand new Lotus Europa ! Ill never forget going for a ride in it, the sound of the engine and the rear window right at the back of my head what a thrill ! Needless to say the car lasted a lot longer than the marriage !
Bob, I just came across your video and enjoyed it. In a previous life, like 45 years ago, I had a 74. Lost it when someone drove over the front. I walked away but had to get another 74. They were the most fun I've had on the road.
Bob, You ARE THE “MR LOTUS”. 10:34 I’ve been in love with these crazy cool little cars since I was a teenager(I’m 67 these days:) You’ve probably forgotten more about Europas than I’ve ever known. Thanks so much for sharing these SUPER videos and please feel free to keep them coming.
Lovely car, always loved the Europa. An uncle of mine used one for drag racing in the late 70's - early 80's. His brother also got one, in the mid-80's I think, and he still owns it. Cheers!
Great video Bob! I have no.88 of the original 1972 run of 100 cars in the uk. The oatmeal interior was standard on these cars. I'm just converting my TC to Fuel injection with Weber look a like Throttle bodies...Love these cars!
@@lotusbobsgarage I will do a blog at some point Bob, but for now I'm stuck for time. I'm on most of the Europa forums as europa88 so watch out for pictures.
Love it, back in the day at my friends garage in the 70s (had a New 73 Europa Spl (JPS on of the numbered ones #021) I was known there as Lotus Paul. LOL Also back then I found a add in AUTOWEEK for a mounting plate that you put in the distributor which made you able to adjust the points with the engine running like on the GM cars of that time, it was really cool setup.
I dated a girl who bought a new 1969 Bahama Yellow Lotus Europa. Everywhere we went the car got lots of attention. Just going to the mall or anywhere there would be people surrounding it in the parking lot to get a good look. Back then there were very few of these on the road and people didn't know what to think about them.
I had a similar car and spec which I brought back from Puerto Rico in 1982. It had the gold stripes, oatmeal interior, rocker covers but not one of the JPS official models. The major difference was mine had a weber head with DCOE45s. I had it repainted the same black but in lacquer. I lived in Atlanta at the time and there was a large group of Lotus owners and Lotus headquarters was there also. I sold/traded the car for an Esprit shortly thereafter and lost track of it. I had to overhaul one of the brake boosters as I recall. My recollection was the previous owner told me it came from the Buffalo area originally. A fun and fast car to drive.
I always wanted to have the Weber head, but couldn't find one. This is why I did the Mikuni conversion. I have the silver rocker panels, but opted to leave them off. The previous owner removed the brake boosters, so my only experience is as is. Thanks for your comments and subscription. I'll be making more videos.
Thanks for sharing ! it's bring me back to my childhood where I knew everything about Chapman's cars and especially the Europa! But stupid me I always dreamt about this car but never own, shame on me !
@@raymondo162 ah really I didn’t about the kit to avoid taxes. Maybe in some countries? Yes all the S1, S2 has a Renault gearbox and engine, based on the Renault 16.
I grew up around these wonderful cars! There was a guy in Cerritos, CA that had a business Lotus prepared by Claudius. I met up with him a couple years back and he and his son still have a business in Cerritos.
That is a great story. The Europa is such an iconic car, many people have great memories. Thanks for watching, please subscribe. I'll be making more videos.
One of my favorite European cars of all time. I would love to stuff a huge Offy 4 cylinder in one of those!!! Hopefully your Mikunies got properly dialed-in on the install because those Strombergs really sounded like they were needful of a skilled ear.
Yes it would be something to have a very powerful engine. I would love to have Weber carbs, but you need an entirely different head. Good luck finding one. I was never pleased with the Strombergs, hard starting, only one had a choke. The Mikuni's need a little more fine tuning, but all in all run better and stronger. Thanks for subscribing. I'll be making more videos.
Hi, Bob, all Lotus Europa Specials had the gold pin strips so even though your car may not be of the limited run JPS cars, it would still be correct to have the gold pin strips.
My Mate's big brother had a Yellow Europa from new in the mid-70's and it was still his daily driver in 1990.........I had the honour of "riding shotgun" in it on a few occasions on some sublime Scottish B-Roads(just to the east of Edinburgh) it was the most fun I ever had as a passenger in my life! Always wanted to drive a Europa, but the driving god's were never quite in my favour.......I did own a V8 (Bond) Esprit for a couple of years, in the 90's.....great car, but didn't quite deliver the essence of those 60's/70's Lotus'............ maybe one day! Unfortunately I live on a small island now, with few roads, that I would be able to give a Europa it's head on..........
My friend, there really is nothing like driving a Europa. You have a great story and good memories. I truly hope that some day you can mash down the throttle.
In the US all of the Europas TC had the Big Valve engine fitted, plus there were some Specials with Oatmeal interiors...love Europas, keep the vids coming...subscribed...
UK Lotus Twin Cams usually have twin Webers but require a different manifold which is part of the head. I haven't seen one with Twin Stombergs so I assume it is a US market fitment. I'm not sure it sounds completely happy on the Strombergs and might benefit from some setting up. I think I'd try that before fitting Mikunis. Great car though.
in england you could buy the europa as a kit which saved you purchase tax. in 1972 (??) i put one of the kits together for money. it was an easy weekend job: powertrain was one big lump; one-lump suspension on each corner; connect up stuff and away it went. the version i built had a Renault power plant. the bloke i built it for called it the 'lotus bread van' because of its crazy small rear window................ oh how we laughed. not.
6:45. It wasn't under carburated. That's for sure. While the carbs on the TR-6 were feeding 2.5 liters, the same carbs on your car were feeding 1.6 liters! I've got a regency red (maroon) '74 Twin Cam Special. Came from the factory with gold pinstriping. 11:12. The pedals are a problem. Did you simply bend the clutch and brake pedals to the left? Very nice video.
I pulled the pedal assembly out and bent the clutch pedal to the left. Gave more room, but still tight. I'll be making more videos, so please subscribe. Love to see your TCS. Thanks for the comment.
@@lotusbobsgarage The pedal assembly is welded together. In an effort to help the clutch pedal from binding, I ground off the welds, disassembled the assembly, and cleaned it including removing quite a bit of rust. Upon reassembly, I installed grease zerks so I could keep it lubricated. Unfortunately, the binding continued and the problem was traced to the clutch release cross shaft in the bell housing. It wears the the aluminum, causing the binding. It needs a brass bushing.
A local Dealer in Denmark had an early Europa for sale in my town, in the seventies. A Director had given one to his wife but she claimed that entering ruined her stockings! I of course would have kept the car and divorced the wife! Sadly I couldn't afford to buy it then. I think it was intended for "Le Mans", with a huge American Engine, but that came to nothing and it was then given a French Renault Engine as a first, and then the Ford. But I do think that the body had problems with cracks? Finn. Denmark
I agree keep the car, get a woman that can get in without ripping her stockings. LOL. Of course there was the S1 and S2 body styles that had Renault engines. Thanks for your comment and if you haven't, please subscribe. I'll be making more videos.
Hi Bob, I m just finishing my 73 Twin cam. I just overrided the brake boosters using the original master cylinder ( I have not tested on the road yet) I 've being told that I should use the S1 master cylinder which has a smaller bore to improve braking. Can you confirm which master cylinder was fit on yours? Also what GM alternator model did you use? Thanks Great video!! very informative
My car has the original master cylinder and I have no issue with brakes at all. The pedal is very solid. I'll check my records for which alternator I used and get back to you. Thanks for your comment and subscription. I'll be making more videos.
Junk those crappy strombergs for twin DCOE webers as fitted in UK. Only problem your will need a weber head which is pretty much unobtanium these days🤣🤣
