The Lotus Europa must be one of the most frequently-traded cars in the Barn Finds archives. We’ve covered a dozen since the year began. Compare that to total production of 9230 over the period 1966 through 1975. It’s one thing to see a lot of Chevy trucks – jillions were made – but it’s another to see so many of these rare-ish hand-built British performance cars looking for new homes. Of course, there’s a reason for that. I’ve recently sold my own Europa after a number of years of ownership. While in strong running condition after many repairs throughout the years, the car worried me: would the next run into town (four miles away) bring a catastrophic failure of the type Lotus is famous for? Or, worse yet, would the car’s limited visibility induce a regrettable driving error on my part? It’s not a stretch of the imagination to believe that other owners feel the same. All that said, I did buy the Europa in the first place. Why? I love the shape, and the car’s light weight coupled with Lotus’ twin cam engine meant it would run like a scalded cat. But performance and looks are one thing, and reliability – that quality which allows you to actually enjoy performance and looks – is critical. I now held in my head two opposing thoughts about the Europa: I loved it, and I hated it. Far be it from me to discourage the next Europa owner however: a braver driver with better knowledge of this quirky car can make much of its charms. Here on eBay is a 1973 Lotus Europa Special with an asking price of $25,000. It’s located in Phippsburg, Maine and you’ll need a trailer – it doesn’t run.
Here’s that jewel of a motor. Ok, it didn’t start out that way, as Colin Chapman was inventing the engine as he went along, first using Ford’s 105E block, then eventually the 116E block, changing the aluminum head as needed. Early engines displaced 1.5 liters and produced about 100 hp. But by the time 1972 rolled around, the engine had been refined both for reliability and power. This engine should be the Big Valve designed by Tony Rudd with larger inlet valves, displacement of 1.6 liters, and the requisite US-delivery Stromberg carburetors. Output was around 125 hp. The gearbox was Renault’s four-speed (or optional five-speed) manual. Mounted in the rear, utilizing the transaxle as a subframe, the engine is susceptible to performance modifications. In fact, a student of Lotus could make an entire lifetime’s study of the twin-cam.
The cabin. You wear it. If you are tall or – ahem – wide, forget it. But if you can fit, the seats are supportive, the gauges are plenty entertaining, and that short-throw gearshift will delight. Barely visible here is the choke cable – see those handles between the gear lever and the armrest? One of these is the choke and one is the heater cable (ha! like you’ll need that). It’s difficult to tell much about the condition of this Europa from these three photos and the advertisement’s description. The body is fiberglass so it won’t rot, though rust can show up on the chassis; interior materials were cheap; and the electric windows and wipers often fail. The price is aggressive for a non-running example. Decent twin-cam specials that run and drive cost somewhere in the mid-teens. Paying over $20k should mean you’re buying a cherished show car with documented history.
Well well well, I know that same feeling of ownership ! I had a 1976 Fiat X/19 Bertone…nuff said.
I had the same car Jack, a 76 with fire mist orange paint and brown interior. The only reason I kept it as long as I did was the ability it offered me to enter a curve without slowing, quickly downshifting, then accelerating out with ease. The cost of upkeep soon accelerated past that thrill!
68 Fiat 850, which I could fit in at the time-no longer – but a fun car to putz around in at the beach with the top down
Had 2 S2s, one of which was to be a race car. After looking at the way they are built I decided the street car should get a modified version of the race car roll cage to protect from a side hit. With the fuel tanks mounted on either side of the engine compartment just inside the outside rear quarter panels I also planed to convert the tanks to fuel cells capable of taking hits without breaking up and dumping fuel all over everything. That said, they drive like a Go Kart and have a high fun factor. Price of this one seems high to me but I’m not up on market prices.
These cars are just like a lot of British iron. Fun to drive, hard to live with. I once had an MG Midget that fit into the same category. Loved that car but hated it at times (could there be anything more unreliable?), and hated to get rid of it. These Lotuses (Lotusii?) are beautiful, but just like a beautiful girl, they will be high-maintenance. But it will be worth it!
The cars are easy to do work on as the Spitfire front end mounted on the simple chassis is as basic as you can get. The body is even easy to pull off of them. Basic parts are available. If anyone here buys this car I have a full factory manual for sale for it.
I think the proper term is Loti, and there’s a song that aptly describes it, “stuck in Loti again”..
if your girth is high that well could be true
Looks like a Locamino
Way overpriced for a non-running example. The owner would be wise to get it running as it’s a pretty nice car and if it was running and drivable it would command a much higher price. As it is I don’t see a lot of takers.
Yes i had a 1969 for a few years. Some of the TC’s are bringing good money, but as others have said this non-running is priced too high. And come on now, only 3 photos!!!
Back in ’70-73, when I was a teen, I lived in Wiesbaden Germany. Well, West Germany, but still. In the American housing area there was a yellow ’69 Europa that I fell in love with. I never saw the owner, and it was missing frequently, so obviously it was driven. No idea which engine was in it, but it was a head-turner. I wanted one until I got old enough to know better, or about 15 years ago.
I know next to nothing about these but when I was checking this one out I on Ebay I saw a really nice red ’69 that’s been upgraded with a Renault Gordini engine and has had quite a lot of recent work done (item # 256988827650) and it’s priced $1,100 less than this one , so this price is definitely much too high. There’s a video of the guy driving it too and it looks look like they’re big fun.
Inthe UK the nickname for the Europa is breadvan.
In the UK we called the Europa a breadvan.
Price is nuts. There’s a much, much nicer one with no needs on eBay for $23,900.
In addition to getting it running, I want to see a complete set of underside shots as frame condition is critical. Europas are fragile, much as I love them, any winter damaged pothole pavement could break the suspension and crack the body. In addition to the agility, the one I drove had a smooth ride like a Cadillac. This is a project car and should be sensibly priced. Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious. Look up the Lotus Owners Club, they are very helpful .
I recall seeing this one up for sale last year, possibly even 2023.
I don’t think Chapman had a lot to do with the engine design, Michelle. The conversion from Ford Kent to Twin Cam was drawn by Harry Mundy, ex ERA/BRM/ Coventry Climax but technical editor of the “Autocar” at the time. Mundy went on to Jaguar as one of V12 engine designers.
Always loved them but alas am to old now to be able to get in and out of one.
Never cared much for this body style it looks to me they were going to make a pickup truck and halfway through they decided to put a tonneau cover on it and call it done.
The light weight and Lotus handling was always a draw to me. But never had the chance to drive one. The styling is unique and not unpleasant. I was at a neighbors house/shop the other day and he had 2+ of these. One was mostly complete but being worked on, the other had every nut and bolt taken apart. The body was in one corner, the frame in another and in between was a huge pile of parts that easily could supply several Europas. I knew he was into British cars. But I had no idea that he was into so much self inflicted pain and abuse. Looks like so much fun to drive, but the maintenance/reliably factor in my old age is a huge stumbling block. (And that is from someone who even currently is not afraid to strip off a body and take the plasma cutter to a frame!) The “credentials” on paper are quite “the sirens song” , but just like a Lancia Beta Coupe, the promise does not live upto real world practice.