RichardSIA
RichardSIA Dork
7/21/21 10:34 p.m.

Supposed to be a runner.
Would be nice if someone could verify that it is for real.

Gordini head but not twin Weber, the manifolds are still available.
$15K is more than most here would want to pay but for a decent car is still pretty cheap.
Add up the parts, I will have more than this into mine that I only paid $5,500 for.

RHD Europa, for real?

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
7/22/21 11:41 a.m.

In reply to RichardSIA :

The seller was having a big sale a few months ago & there were several other cars for sale. That ad didn't mention it being RHD though! Nor did it mention a price, and when I messaged & asked about it, I never received a reply. 

The previous ad said it included a box of trophies, but no mention of whether they were from shows and/or Motorsports. I'd almost be tempted to suffer with RHD for a Europa though. 
 

Any guess on estimated HP with that setup?

RichardSIA
RichardSIA Dork
7/22/21 2:24 p.m.

HP? I would estimate close to the stock Ford Twin-Cam at around 105 HP.
At as fraction of the TC price and complexity, with much better reliability.
The Ford TC suffers from rapid valve wear due to too short guides. Changing the stock water pump on the Ford is pretty much an engine out job and seems to be required fairly often.

The Renault TS engine is lighter as it uses an aluminum block and head.
One more thing in the Renaults favor is that it uses replaceable wet sleeve cylinders so a bad cylinder does not ruin the engine block.

With a twin Weber conversion and decent cam these engines go 125 HP with a little more available but beyond 125 long term reliability suffers. I know of some folk claiming 135 HP and no issues.

Being a Lotus I suspect that moving the steering would not be an ordeal so much as inconvenient to take a running car apart.

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
7/22/21 10:41 p.m.

In reply to RichardSIA :

Oh yeah, that's why I was working on a Zetec swap for my Twin Cam before we moved & I sold it - there was no way I was sinking $$$ into that bastard of an engine. 

I did read somewhere recently about how little was actually required to swap the steering from one side to the other, but I agree that it sounds more like a project to consider during a restoration. 

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