Colin Chapman’s obsession with minimizing vehicle weight didn’t just bring him considerable motorsport success. It allowed his company to produce cars offering surprising performance from relatively modest drivetrain configurations. This 1969 Lotus Europa is a perfect example of that thinking, with an almost total fixation on extracting the maximum from a drivetrain that started life in a French family hatchback. It has sat in storage since 1981 and will require a nut-and-bolt restoration before returning to active service. The seller has listed the Lotus here on eBay in Lancaster, California. They have set a BIN of $6,000 with the option to make an offer.

Lotus introduced the Europa in 1966, with the final cars rolling from the company’s factory in Hethel, Norfolk, England, in 1975. It underwent several revisions and upgrades throughout its production life, with our feature car part of the Series 2 range that formed the first major facelift. It is unclear what paint shade it wore, but there are hints that it may have been Burnt Sand that formed part of the color palette from October 1967 until the same month in 1970. The car requires a nut-and-bolt restoration, because what remains of the paint is tired, and there are few minor fiberglass flaws. A previous owner performed a few panel modifications, and purists will probably choose to reverse these. The state of the frame is unclear but, if the Lotus has spent most of its life in its current location, it may have avoided the body mount rust that can plague these classics. There is no windshield, and some of the small trim pieces and badges are missing.

The lack of protection from external forces has left the Europa’s interior in a sorry state. A retrim is the only option, although it appears someone may have commenced dismantling the interior as part of a project build. It retains the gauges, but most of the dash is beyond salvation, as are the console and beautiful Lotus wheel. The seats aren’t original, and it appears that most of the remaining upholstered pieces are AWOL. The small glimmer of light is that Lotus still produces many of the interior trim items, allowing the buyer to perform a retrim utilizing genuine parts. The downside is that the process won’t be cheap, leaving no change from $3,000 if the winning bidder is meticulous with this build.

Powering this Lotus is a 1,565cc four-cylinder engine that was sourced from Renault’s 16TL range. By utilizing the transaxle from the same vehicle, Colin Chapman created a mid-engined sports car that provided surprising performance. The engine may have only developed 80hp from the factory, but with the Europa tipping the scales at only 1,460 lbs, it could hold its own in traffic and top 100mph on the open road. This car may have done slightly better before hibernation, with the motor featuring upgraded Weber carburetors, a more aggressive camshaft, and headers to improve breathing. It appears that it probably hasn’t run since 1981, so factoring a complete mechanical refresh into the restoration budget would be wise.

Some readers may find the prospect of restoring this 1969 Lotus Europa daunting, but there is no reason to feel this way. Every part required to return the vehicle to its factory form remains readily available, and the country is strewn with Owner’s Clubs with members who will offer support and advice. It is also worth remembering that since these cars are handbuilt, every component that was attached by human hands can be removed and reinstalled by the same means. The listing has received over 130 views in the past day, and twenty-three people have added this Europa to their Watch List. It won’t appeal to everyone, but are you tempted by this affordable British classic?