Lotus Europa Community

Ouch !

Hello - Long time reader, first time poster. I’ve wanted a Europa since I first saw one at Hershey with my Dad in 1972. He didn’t get it at all, but I’ll never forget the car. Navy blue with the driver’s side mirror already hanging from one screw because the other had been pulled through the thin fiberglass. I was smitten.

Fast forward 53 years, my neighbor sends me a picture of the worst looking JPS I’ve ever seen and asks, “Didn’t you say you wanted one of these?” An hour later, I own one. The story is, a guy bought it in 1983 and drove it once. The experience scared the crap out of him, so he parked it in the carport, and never touched it again. After his death, it was moved inside, but there should be no doubt, it is a full-on restoration project at this point.

My first question is this: a black and gold JPS was never my dream. My first love is a Series 2, BUT, this thoroughly complete JPS literally fell into my lap, and I definitely don’t mind it being a big valve Twin Cam. Now that I have it, I’m wondering if it is sacrilege to modify such a car. The vision for “my” Europa has always been, a lower than Fed regulated stance, wide rear (and front) tires like the early track cars, simplified trim, center lock wheel conversion, and (possibly) a 70s-ish high impact color like orange or lime. Would the Lotus Illuminati burn me at the stake for doing something like this to a JPS? Assuming the work is top notch (which it will be), will the value be destroyed? Should I restore this car to stock configuration, build it the way I want to, or pass this one on to another caretaker?

Thanks in advance for your replies

Thanx for your thorough reply.
I'll have to look at D again. When I started to clean up and refurb the engine it had a hose connected to spigot on the water pump. I have no idea if that was the original intent, a mod of the previous owner or my way of securing the end of the hose decades ago.
It does make more sense that it would be a fuel pump location. I'll give it a more detailed look.
It is both odd and frustrating that the renault factory manual does not have more info.

Thanx
Ron

Dreamer beat me to mentioning tire pressures. When I first got my TCS in 1989, I didn’t believe the front pressure spec. It seemed too little. So I filled the fronts to the same as the rears. And that was not a pleasant test drive

These cars have very light fronts and do not feel like regular cars at speed. That said, the book minimum for front toe in is better than the max. Toe much toe in will make it twitchy too. 0-1/16" toe in is what I run and one hand at 100 mph is 100% fine.