1968 Lotus Europa Restomod

I picked up the remains of a 1968 Lotus Europa about a year and a half ago and have been slowly turning it into a sort of tribute to the Lotus 47. I decided to replace the existing somewhat rusty and bent frame with a tube frame that mimics the 47's chassis. The front suspension has been converted to tubular wishbones but retains the stock suspension geometry, while the rear has been converted to reversed lower wishbones, twin trailing links and single upper link (like the 47). The rear uprights are fabricated steel units using VW Golf hubs, bearings, and cv axles, the discs are VW Rabbit and its setup to use early Miata rear calipers. The car didn't come with the stock engine, nor gearbox, but I picked up an NG3 gearbox and a Twin Cam bellhousing from the guy I bought the car from. I've had to source another NG3 box as the first one had spent some time being lubricated by H2O. I've also picked up a Zetec "blacktop" and a set of CBR900 carbs, I'm planning on using Megajolt for ignition. Here are some pics:     

 I'm hoping this weekend to have the body loosely bolted on the frame to a) make sure it fits, b) mark the chassis for body mounts, and c) to see how it looks. Rod

Hell of a first post! Looks like good progress

You're amazing.......

Nice work on the chassis. Please post updates! I dream of building a similar Europa.

oldtin wrote: Hell of a first post! Looks like good progress

Absolutely!

Beautiful frame!

Nice looking B also.

Good to have people like you around to add a sanity perspective for the rest of us

You realize that if you make this move under its own power it will be the fist Europa based project to ever do so...Might actually be the first Europa to move "period"

Thanks for the compliments. I'll add more photos of it following the weekend. Fingers crossed it might move under its own power by this time next year. And my last project was a bit more insane than the Europa, I used to call it the "anti-christ" while building it:     

 Rod

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter my good man

RoddyMac. We meet again! I recognize that garage - quite a few vehicles have come to life in there, no?

Welcome! This be where I hang out the most.

RoddyMac17 wrote: Thanks for the compliments. I'll add more photos of it following the weekend. Fingers crossed it might move under its own power by this time next year. And my last project was a bit more insane than the Europa, I used to call it the "anti-christ" while building it: Rod

So the Climax motor is from an honest-to-god firepump? Outstanding!!

So the Climax motor is from an honest-to-god firepump? Outstanding!!

It was a running fire pump when I received it. About twenty minutes after it arrived I had the old gas drained, the plugs out to spin it over in order to check the magneto was working, then plugs back in, fresh gas, and it started right up. But, the conversion wasn't just adding the twin carbs and making an exhaust header, there were a number of items that needed changing to make it a "street" motor.

I still have a spare 750cc Climax sitting in the garage, though I'm tempted to just turn it into a coffee table at the moment.

Greg, I noticed you're on here more than the other site. When are you going to be back building the Seven?

Rod

kanaric wrote:

This. I was impressed with myself for taking a fully assembled beater car and making it run again. People with this level of skill amaze me.

OK, you win at internets. Buying a fire pump so that you can harvest the Coventry-climax lump and hence follow in the true Collin Chapman spirit, is a bit like mining and smelting ore to build the chassis.

Myself, I could not have brought myself to mess with the pump cause I think its so cool in its own right for what it represents in Lotus Lore.

In reply to RoddyMac17:

You may end up with the very first running/driving Europa since the dawn of GRM!

RoddyMac17 wrote: Greg, I noticed you're on here more than the other site. When are you going to be back building the Seven? Rod

I'll get back to Locost #2 after I have finished The Fiendish Firefly and built my 1065sqft workshop (currently waiting on permit).

I'm going to enjoy the ride on this thread

petegossett wrote: In reply to RoddyMac17: You may end up with the very first running/driving Europa since the dawn of GRM!

In the immortal words of Barney Stinson, challenge accepted!

RoddyMac17 wrote:

Watching this with great interest.

Well, the body actually fits the chassis, I was pleasantly suprised. No major hang-ups, it just dropped on. But, I now need to slightly flare the front arches and do some minor trimming in the engine bay to clear the upper trailing links.

I think its the first time in probably 20 years that this car has been on wheels.

I had a pretty good day today, and then I read this thread. Now I've had an awesome day. This build is going to be legend...wait for it.........dary.

RoddyMac17 wrote: I think its the first time in probably 20 years that this car has been on wheels.

Well, that is a "free range Europa" in its natural state.

Looks great!

Really dig those fabbed hub carriers. What did you use for wheel bearing tubes?

Had a project planned years ago for similar (D/SR) but didn't follow through. Golf brgs... 64mm IIRC.

Nice!

It's safe to say that this is my new favorite thread.