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Lotus Europa Forums => Classifieds Forums => eBay - Craigslist Ads - Other Listings => Topic started by: Vegantune on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 06:02:51 AM

Title: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Vegantune on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 06:02:51 AM
I won't even try to explain. I have no words. Here is the link:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-lotus-europa-12/ (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-lotus-europa-12/)
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Richard48Y on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 08:00:59 AM
Parts car?
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: BDA on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 08:47:13 AM
Wouldn't think of buying it if I had money to burn but what a labor of love from somebody and what skill to produce it! I think it's an amazing car. It's going to require a particular person to want something like that!
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Bainford on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 10:38:48 AM
The styling and finish are not at all to my liking, but 'hats-off' for the craftsmanship. Kudos, too, for retaining a reasonable tire sidewall profile, though I do question the use of 13" wheels on a full custom build. I originally suspected it would be heavier and not as slippery as a Europa, but the seller claims it is only 1050 lbs.  In the end, I find it equally interesting and unattractive.
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: TurboFource on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 12:03:34 PM
Well....that's interesting .... wouldn't call it a Europa though.
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Richard48Y on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 12:09:04 PM
BAT has been accepting things lately I never would have expected.
I guess a listing there there transforms "Junk" into "Treasure"?
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Vegantune on Wednesday,July 26, 2023, 04:23:52 PM
I honestly think if Antoni Gaudí had redesigned a Europa, it would still look a whole lot better than this thing.
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: cannonsami on Thursday,July 27, 2023, 08:19:14 AM
Kinda looks like a corvette rear window is being used as the windshield, certainly a lot of interesting choices here
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: SilverBeast on Thursday,July 27, 2023, 10:09:52 AM
 :Welcome: cannonsami
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: BDA on Thursday,July 27, 2023, 10:22:08 AM
 :Welcome: indeed, cannonsami!!!
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Richard48Y on Thursday,July 27, 2023, 02:41:23 PM
I have the fix for this one.
Remove the body and graft it to a Toyota MR2.
Salvage the Lotus parts.
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: BDA on Wednesday,August 02, 2023, 10:21:49 AM
It went for $55,750.
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Richard48Y on Wednesday,August 02, 2023, 11:31:43 AM
Ugh, some people mistake Van Gough for an artist, others recognize him as just a mental patient.  :confused:
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: BDA on Wednesday,August 02, 2023, 12:08:23 PM
As people modify their cars, other people apparently view them as something else. Personally, I'm accepting of a lot of mods, but even to me, calling this a Europa is stretching the definition of "Europa" way beyond the breaking point! This is not meant as a criticism of the car but rather the amount (or lack) of "Europaness." Yet that's what BaT did. Not only was the car listed as a "custom-bodied Europa" but they included it in their price comparison graph! It's not clear to me that the buyer cared one whit about Europas and so I don't believe it belongs in a comparison with other Europas.
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: Rosco5000 on Wednesday,August 02, 2023, 01:12:33 PM
As people modify their cars, other people apparently view them as something else. Personally, I'm accepting of a lot of mods, but even to me, calling this a Europa is stretching the definition of "Europa" way beyond the breaking point! This is not meant as a criticism of the car but rather the amount (or lack) of "Europaness." Yet that's what BaT did. Not only was the car listed as a "custom-bodied Europa" but they included it in their price comparison graph! It's not clear to me that the buyer cared one whit about Europas and so I don't believe it belongs in a comparison with other Europas.

I agree with you on the valuation piece this shouldn't be in with Europas.  I think BAT probably gets their hands tied as the car is most likely legally registered as a Lotus Europa though it is that in spirit only. 

As for the body.  My 2 cents is that it isn't half bad, the skill required to build a car that is polished is phenomenal.  Even if it isn't every bodies taste it is an amazing piece of craftsmanship.   
Title: Re: Originally a 1970 Europa, Now a WTF on BaT
Post by: BDA on Wednesday,August 02, 2023, 01:31:43 PM
Yep. As I said earlier, I wouldn't have bid on it if I had money to burn but it must have been a labor of love for the builder and it was an exquisite job!

I also agree that BaT was a little hamstrung because it was built on a Europa platform and they had to call it something. It might have made more sense for them to have a separate category of "Specials" or something for wild custom jobs to be compared there. It does get a bit strange when you consider all that might be considered a "special." For example, it's not fair to compare an Impala low-rider with a regular Impala. It certainly is a "special" of some description but I would differentiate that from a special such as the "Europa" in question. That being the case, you could end up with dozens of different "specials." I don't know the answer, just talking out loud.