This is my entry for the $2009 Challenge. A couple of weeks back we rolled this 1969 Lotus Europa shell from my friend/neighbor/fellow GRMer modernbeat’s backyard (after removing a section of the fence), down the street, and up into my garage. I knew that Jason had the car tucked away in his backyard and was considering preparing it for some modified class in autocross, so (being a true Lotus nut) I usually asked about it when I saw him. Well, this time the story was a bit different than the last. He had parted out much of the car and was trying to give the shell away! Another local car guy was semi-interested, but had not actually summoned the energy to come and pick up the car. The Europa is not exactly a pretty car, so most people don’t really care for them (general public and my wife included). Add that to the fact that they are still just as expensive to restore as any other Lotus, and you can see why interest in fair or poor examples is tepid at best. Unfortunately, my reaction to even the most derelict Lotus is far from tepid — and I have a soft spot for Europas to boot. So, I offered to rid him of the car just as soon as I finished resurrecting the MR2 Turbo already in my garage. A week later the MR2 fired up (after a 2 year hibernation) and Jason and I rolled the Europa over. The transmission and rear hubs go back to him, however, so the car is technically not even a roller yet. There is no engine or interior. More updates and pics to come, and you will see how truly horrid this car is (so you won’t be crying foul over a free Lotus in the Challenge). What are my plans, you say? Well, they are fairly solid, but in case the deal falls through I don’t want to disclose them just yet.

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