Restoration of 2358R

[BDA]

My TC cam cover was black with aluminum ribs. It was my understanding that all the big valve motors all had this cam cover (see attached pictures) but I might have heard of a big valve motor with the un-ribbed cam cover that I think you're referring to. Since the ribbed cam cover had "BIG VALVE" cast into it, they should have only originally been installed on big valve motors but then with Lotus, who knows what might have happened!

As I was searching for a good picture to post, I was astounded at how long it took for me to find one like the ones I was used to (at least as found on all the Europa TCs I've seen in the US)! There are clearly many different versions of them and owners often paint them (or not) to their taste.

[Certified Lotus]

Things are moving pretty fast! That's great!


Are you going to have a radio? If so, where will you put the antenna?


I don't remember if you said what you're going to do about door hinges? r.d.'s stainless steel set or Richard's brass set?


So are you painting the cam cover to match the car, going with the original black, or something else?


Can't wait to see pictures after you get the body back!

No radio (I pulled it out and had a new dash made with a blank plate). I like the sound of the Weber’s and Twin Cam engine along with a throaty exhaust!

Bought the stainless steel door pins from RD Enterprises.

I am having the valve cover powder coated black with the BIG Valve, Lotus and the ribs all left aluminum color.

[BDA]

She's going to be great!

[Certified Lotus]

Thanks Jim. I’m kind of fanatical about my rebuilds. I like performance oriented sports cars that I can tweak and make just a little bit better. That is the best thing with sports cars that are 30+ years old, you can do almost anything you want and it’s road legal 

[Roger]

The standard Big Valve, low-compression Federal TC engine had a red ribbed cam cover.

[Certified Lotus]

I was wondering why the majority of the valve covers seem to be red and then a smattering of black ones are around. My original engine for this car (with less than 6000 miles on it) had a red valve cover and the Weber head TC Europa engine I bought to build a performance engine also had a red valve cover.

Never the less, I like the black with silver lettering and ribs so that’s what I’m doing.

[Roger]

I was wondering why the majority of the valve covers seem to be red and then a smattering of black ones are around. My original engine for this car (with less than 6000 miles on it) had a red valve cover and the Weber head TC Europa engine I bought to build a performance engine also had a red valve cover.

Never the less, I like the black with silver lettering and ribs so that’s what I’m doing.

Dead right, your car, whatever you like best. My post was meant to be a reply to BDA. In any case, your engine is far from standard  Federal TC spec!

[tedtaylor]

My experience finding many original Lotus cars is that Europa Big Valve engine covers were Black, but the "ELAN" big valve engine covers were Red.   Go figure!

[Certified Lotus]

The plot thickens!

[Pfreen]

My 73 Europa Special has a black ribbed valve cover.  I have owned it since 1986.  I do not think the previous color was red since the paint wasn't great when I bought it and I have stripped it a couple of times over the years and never found red.

[Pfreen]

BTW, my Europa is Federal spec.

[Sherman Kaplan]

Regarding the Federal cars I believe that the twin cam had the red valve cover and the special had the black.  All Federal cars had the big valve engine.  I had a 1972 twin cam and it had the red cover and I now have a 1973 special and it has the black cover.

Sherman

[Pfreen]

Interesting!

[Bainford]

FWIW, my federal '73 Special has a big valve Twin Cam with its original black cam cover.

[Roger]

Regarding the Federal cars I believe that the twin cam had the red valve cover and the special had the black.  All Federal cars had the big valve engine.  I had a 1972 twin cam and it had the red cover and I now have a 1973 special and it has the black cover.

Sherman

Exactly! Miles Wilkins doesn't mention the Federal TCS engine, but my observation suggests they were black originally. I don't know if there are any other differences between the Federal TC and TCS engines,  but I don't think so. I think both were Stromberg, low compression, type C camshafts etc.