Why the Europa "hump"?

nutherjrfan said:

Needs a JPS image. 

this  should do ....

for what it's worth, Renault Fuego Turbo Engines fit (if you can find one)

Trackmouse said:

Seems like someone to could repro the fiberglass bodies and take out the odd body line. It would much better if the B pillar angled straight down to the rear bumper area. Giving it that testarossa look. 

But the part you're cutting out if you do that is where the engine and transmission are.

I started falling in love with Europa's, and started scouring website and forums documenting the restoration. Eventually I bought a Die-Cast JPS Europa, which gives me the joys of ownership, without the costs of ownership.

Still want one, though. Darn RoddyMac's build......

In reply to dculberson :

It sits that high??? Like I said, I've never even seen one of these, so I don't know. What about a boxer engine swap? Or is it that the car is made so that the engine is the highest part of the car? Is the back area as high as the average car hood, and the frunk of the Europa is just crazy low? 

In reply to Trackmouse :

They are crazy low. Look at this pic. 

then contemplate that the car next to it is a fiat 500. And the car in front of it is an MGB. And that both cars make the Europa look tiny. I think an Elise would make a Europa look tall. 

This does not help my unadulterated lust for a europa.

Someday.....

In reply to dculberson :

Holy füark. That's small. 

Trackmouse said:

In reply to dculberson :

Holy füark. That's small. 

Nooow you get it.... 

SkinnyG said:

Eventually I bought a Die-Cast JPS Europa, which gives me the joys of ownership, without the costs of ownership.

Runs just as often, easier to push. 

During a brief period of time I did a little grunt work at Laminar Concepts/Viking- they had a bunch of incredibly cool cars stashed away, but the coolest was a Europa which was either this one or very similar:  

It had a tube frame, a turbo 13B, and a roll cage which was recessed into the fiberglass and had white leather stitched over it to blend with the interior- it was incredible.

I didn't like them for the longest time but the looks grew on me - they are pretty much a form following function design.

Then I sat in a couple of them, although I've yet to drive one. Now the want is strong. They are small and a bit tricky to get in/out of, but provided you are within "design parameters" of occupant size, the interior space isn't that bad.  Not drastically different than getting in/out of a Spitfire.

Adding one to my collection will probably happen some day.

Ian F said:

I didn't like them for the longest time but the looks grew on me - they are pretty much a form following function design.

Much like that other very beloved lotus design, the 7. They are just as big as they need to be to cover all the mechanical bits, the driver and passenger, and envelope them in a mostly aerodynamic shape. No more, no less.

The lust of my life

Europas, I've owned 3, yet...

Never driven one  

Perhaps all Europa lust should be expressed as haiku!

I haven't driven one, but have sat in one and instructed in one at an autocross (a Twin Cam).  The sense of being in that car at speed was incredible.  Being so low, the cones appear to be coming at you more than other cars.  It feels like you are sitting on the road.  The suspension felt very composed.  I've wanted one for a long time, but keep getting distracted by other cars.  They do seem to sit a lot waiting for something to be fixed.

The frame V that the engine sits in really limits what will fit.  Pretty much it needs to be a small, vertical (e.g., no Lotus 907) inline 4.  A guy at the shop where I'm restoring a TR6 has swapped a 2.3 Duratec into a Europa frame, but I suspect the engine hatch may not clear.  The frame makes that engine look huge.

 

The frame V that the engine sits in really limits what will fit.  Pretty much it needs to be a small, vertical (e.g., no Lotus 907) inline 4.  A guy at the shop where I'm restoring a TR6 has swapped a 2.3 Duratec into a Europa frame, but I suspect the engine hatch may not clear.  The frame makes that engine look huge.

As I said before, if you can find a Renault Fuego Turbo, the engine slots right in.

I think Gary Milligan ran a Europa in Autocross wack back in the day, running a Buick V6.  I don't remember if it was turboed or not.  Apparently quite a fit.

mad_machine said:

 

The frame V that the engine sits in really limits what will fit.  Pretty much it needs to be a small, vertical (e.g., no Lotus 907) inline 4.  A guy at the shop where I'm restoring a TR6 has swapped a 2.3 Duratec into a Europa frame, but I suspect the engine hatch may not clear.  The frame makes that engine look huge.

As I said before, if you can find a Renault Fuego Turbo, the engine slots right in.

Just to clarify for anyone who may not know - the S1 and S2 Europa both used a Renault engine and trans, while the Twin Cam used a Ford block with a Lotus head, which required a different bellhousing to mate to the Renault trans. The Twin Cam was also available with either a 4 or 5-speed version of the Renault trans, but that didn't affect the bellhousing...although it did require a different shift linkage and rear hoop on the frame.

SVreX said:

The lust of my life

Europas, I've owned 3, yet...

Never driven one  

Perhaps all Europa lust should be expressed as haiku!

 

 

I feel like this describes both Europas and BiTurbos. 

I'm also a fan of Re Amemiya's work despite how divisive it can be.

Trackmouse said:

In reply to dculberson :

It sits that high??? Like I said, I've never even seen one of these, so I don't know. What about a boxer engine swap? Or is it that the car is made so that the engine is the highest part of the car? Is the back area as high as the average car hood, and the frunk of the Europa is just crazy low? 

Go look at the cutaway picture I posted on page 1, it's tiny and there's not a lot of room for other engines with the stock frame.

The S1/S2's are pretty narrow for motor swaps, but people are putting 4AGE's in them.  The TC chassis is a bit wider up front.  There has also been a couple rotary motors put in them.  One guy in the San Fran area, I think, puts down like 350 HP from one.  The Ford Zetec is a popular swap for 5 speed chassis.  It will bolt up to the bell housing from the original English Ford Kent block.

I'm putting a 1NZFE plus a turbo in Dr.Linda's S2, mounted sideways with the stock Toyota 5 speed, but it required some mods. 

I'm installing a supercharged 3800 Series 2 in my Europa, but no, you absolutely can not do that with the stock chassis configuration. 

I measured a lot of motors, and the S2 chassis. There are very few that work. I did, however, have a VW 16V ABA engine coupled to an Audi longitudal 5 spd installed in a configuration that would have worked (with fabrication- but I chose a different route).  

Dr. Hess said:

 

I'm putting a 1NZFE plus a turbo in Dr.Linda's S2, mounted sideways with the stock Toyota 5 speed, but it required some mods. 

Not to pressure, but more pics/ build thread, please. Picture earlier looks awesome.

Just for reference - roof of a Europa is about the same height as the bottom of the driver's window on a mk iv golf. Wheel center line is below the exhaust of a 944. They are very small, very low cars.

In reply to oldtin :

I need that. ^^^