There is something very satisfying and therapeutic about taking something dirty and not working apart, cleaning it, repairing it, and putting it back together again.
When the 40ft container full of scrap Lotus bits arrived in Norfolk, a lot of people would think I was certifiable.
When I bought my derelict barn in 1999, my parents thought I was barking mad. It is now a 4 bedroom 3600 sq ft detached residence.
When I had Triang OO/HO electric trains for toys when I was about 9 or 10, I used to repair them, as I could not afford to get them repaired, or buy new ones. (Hornby was nasty 3 rail then).
It is a hobby. There are far worse. Lotus Europas are simple and are appreciating in value. Anything metal is easily repairable. Anything fibreglass is also cheaply repairable by specialists, so they just don't rust away, unlike many British sportscars. MG Midgets, MGBs Triumph Spitfires, Triumph GT6s, Triumph Stags, Triumph TR5s, TR6s, and Jaguar E Types spring to mind.
Must go, men in white coats say it's time for dinner.....