Viable project candidate or yard art? That is the question facing the new owner of this 1973 Lotus Europa. The list of work required to return it to active service is as long as your arm…and my arm, for good measure! Is that a challenge that someone will accept, or are the current circumstances as good as it gets for this classic? The first step in its new life is to find another home, with the seller listing it here on Facebook Marketplace in Medina, Ohio. They don’t specify a price, suggesting they might be willing to negotiate. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Chuck F for spotting this sad British classic.
The Europa first emerged from the Lotus factory in 1966, perfectly embodying the Chapman mantra of “simplify, then add lightness.” Buyers needed to be prepared to forego luxuries like opening side windows and adjustable seats as Lotus sought to minimize the vehicle’s weight. Subsequent models saw some of these items introduced to improve user-friendliness, with the last cars that rolled off the line in 1975 feeling positively luxurious compared to their predecessors. This Lotus wears Olympic Blue paint that is well past its best. There are also flaws and imperfections in the fiberglass requiring attention before the buyer even contemplates lifting their spray gun for the first time. The frame is intact, but its condition is unclear. These later cars had an advantage over early examples because, unlike those with the body bonded to the frame, these were bolted together. That means dismantling the vehicle for restoration or using the frame for another project is viable. The windshield is intact, but the presence of the remaining glass and trim pieces is unknown. There is only one wheel, and this car is a case of “what you see is what you get.”
The supplied images suggest the seat frames and a few dash components may be the only interior trim pieces present. They could be reused on this build or for a different project. The mechanical components are limited to a few suspension items, but the listing suggests that the sweet little 1,558cc twin-cam four and five-speed manual transmission are AWOL. The Europa can be considered a giant-killer, which can be attributed to its curb weight of 1,664 lbs. The engine produced a relatively modest 113hp and 104 ft/lbs of torque. However, the Lotus punched well above its weight with a ¼-mile ET of 15.9 seconds and a top speed of 124mph. With the major drivetrain components gone, the viability of this car as a restoration project will be questioned by many. I suspect its future is to serve as a donor for other projects because there are enough usable items to make that possible.
I am a realist and don’t view this 1973 Lotus Europa as a viable project candidate. Recent market results suggest that even if the new owner achieved perfection, they would struggle to push its value beyond $25,000. That figure would be higher if it were a JPS Edition, but it isn’t. That leaves the question of whether it will end its days as a donor or as yard art. Which do you think it will be?
Clarkey dial 📞📲 1-800-the-hook 🪝🛻
The scrapping Co. is hiring
OMG, this car has been for sale for about seven years and counting. It’s been on EBay all that time too, and is on there now. The price started out at $7500, then $7000, then $6500, then $6000, now it’s down to $4500 on EBay. The cost for advertising this for seven years straight must be above the value of the car by now. I can’t figure out why someone wouldn’t stop advertising a car on a website after it doesnt sell for seven years. It reminds me of the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result…..
I don’t think Ebay charges for listings if you do less than 250 per month. So presumably no charge at all until it sells, which at the asking price of $4500 it never will.
All it needs is everything.What a shame whomever did this to her.
If it was $750, yes. Do nothing cosmetic and stick a FFord-spec 1600 and a Hewland ‘box in it. Spend your money on brakes and suspension instead of paint…
Far too many of these ended up in exactly this state after someone roached the motor and decided it was too awkward getting into to bother with again. Given it’s time sitting outdoors, even the fiberglass body has to be suspect at this point. Drag it out into the front yard, remove everything possible, and add some nice Hostas to it.
I would guess this has been a parts car for years, and now it is even less!! Does it even have a engine?
Read the writeup.
Not sure what frame this might be able to be adapted to but it would make a neat amateur race car.
“OK Earl, juss setter down on them thar pallets, an’ I’ll put her on the interwebs. Folks like these foreign jobs.”
I would suggest that there are no side windows as the front of the side window is a curved piece of glass set in a chromed frame and that chrome frame is missing. If someone wants to make this into a race car that is the highest use for this pile. I suspect that the frame is good but you can get new frames for these that are far stronger than the originals. all the other bits like bumpers are off of mass produced cars of the day but they are getting harder and harder to find. This can not be turned back into a street car without spending twice what it is worth. Race car or parts car is all that is left and the maximum price would be $1000 for the lot.
As a existing Europa owner and having helped restore a few that is my best opinion on this sad state of affairs.
Might be a basis for EV conversion, light weight !
Colin Chapman may you rest in peace.
Strikes me that the car has already been parted out, so it’s a parts car. Not with a Europa, but I’ve ended up with a few similar “parts cars”, and essentially all I did was store them for a while, until sanity set in, and I had them crushed.
Most Lotus guys I know are crazy enough to take on this project, but it would probably best serve as a vintage race car.
I has a 70 S2 in similar condition that I sold 2 years ago for $300 and it too almost a year to get that. Ya’ll gotta remember, if your anywhere near 6ft its cramped. That for starters (I’m 6’4″ so I was more than cramped). Mechanicals- Triumph GT6 are the better brake/uprights although Spitfire will work. Engine was a Renault 1300 then 1500 before the “twinks” came along (twin cam). Currently, it you want to stay somewhat original a Renault Figaro is almost a bolt in (engine and transaxle). Mine had been a racecar so it was setup for a BDA with a Hewland FT200 transaxle running Lotus 69 rear uprights. Yeah part of the difficulty in selling was I was selling it as a slider. But thats not too far off from this “offering”. They are asking almost a “running project” price
I’ve had a few Europas. Not much to add to the pointed comments about condition (yikes old weathered THIN fiberglass). There was one like this, in better shape, a few years back, for 2.5 K… More complete with a stuck twin cam. Europa projects are bewares. Even people that work on ’em can make more money working on running cars. An old driver with needs is a smarter way to go. Sorry seller. I would say get this down the road while it still has any value. Regg