After 27 years I finally got my dad's car I took to prom. LOTS of questions

[HelpMyLotus]

Hello Europa Community.

My name is Mark Looman.  In 1987 my dad and I traded a 71 mini for a 73? Lotus Europa in Detroit.  Then it was white with gold stripes.  My dad and I restored the car to Black and Gold.   I was just 16 and just got my license.  I drove the car much more than my dad did, including to my senior prom in 1989.  Later that year my dad was driving on a banked corner with a guard rail.  There was an access road on the top of the curve where a truck pulled out because she couldn't see him.  He hit the back of the truck with the left corner and sheared off the top of the fender.  The car was traded to Hank Beachy in Mattawan Michigan as my dad was no longer insurable in the car.  (this is what I recall).  The car sat until 2001 in Hank's possession where he fixed the bodywork and got it back to working condition but never titled or drove it.  In 2001 approx it was sold to another friend who I kept in contact with.  He did some suspension work and minor upgrades.  In September of 2016 the car was purchased and moved to a friend's farm where it now resides in it's own garage, ready to be worked on.  The title still has my dad's signature and address as the original holder.  Below is my comprehensive list of questions. 

1.  The VIN on the title says 1973 Lotus Europa 742735R.  From what I gather that means it's a 1973, but the title starts with a 74 and the build on the door says 10/72?  The plate in the bonnet says 72102735R.  (I will post on the registry soon)

2. The car was WHITE with gold stripes at purchase in 1987.  Did they make a Special in White/Gold? 

3. The emblems on the car say Europa Special, the valve cover says Lotus Big Valve.  The carbs are Stromberg. Is it a Special or just a Twin Cam?

4. The car ran when it was sold to each person but won't fire right now. It turns over and starts to make oil pressure but we are getting no spark.  I haven't tinkered with it much once it was moved.  I need to test a bunch of the wiring as the previous owner said there are issues.

5. I'm no professional but I have a 1967 Austin Cooper S that I've completely rebuilt the motor.  I'm not new to Lucas or British engineering.  (Yes the Cooper S is genuine with a heritage certificate)

6. The brakes are said to be removed on the front and rotors replaced with Spit GT6.  Is this possible?  Are the calipers the same (I need to source them if so). 

7. Everything above is honest and true to what I recall.  Please help me decode and decipher what I have so I can get it on the road as soon as possible.  As my handle says, please Help My Lotus!

Thank you in advance.  I plan to haunt this forum as often as possible.  Pictures of every stage to come.

P.S.  I have the workshop manual with the car. 

Sincerely,
Mark Looman
Ada, Michigan

[Roger]

74 is the Lotus mark or type number. All TCs and TCSes are type 74. I have a 72 TC, 74/2345.

Your car was made in October 1972, it is a 1973 model.

Yes to White with gold stripes.

It is most likely a TCS. Photos would help, particularly the dash. Easy way to tell, though, is to look at the rear
Suspension hub carrier, the aluminium piece to which springs etc. attach. If Left and Right are cast in the rear-facing sides, it's  TC. How many speeds in the gearbox?

Brake modification sounds OK. The uprights and brakes (front) are straight out of the Triumph parts bin.

Sounds like you have a great car. Best of luck, keep us up to date!

[HelpMyLotus]

The car has the Renault 5 speed trans.  What would I look for on the dash?  It doesn't have a JPS number I know that. 

[BDA]

 

The Special had the big valve engine, but they are different from the JPS. They were a special run of Specials that were painted in JPS livery (black with gold pin stripes). As you alluded, they included a numbered dash badge and sometimes a JPS sticker on the B-pillar. There were no other differences and since everything else was readily available (my first Europa had the JPS sticker - put on at the dealer - on the B-pillar but it was not a JPS), the dash badge is determinative.

One of the nice things about cars of that era is that they are pretty simple. You shouldn't feel intimidated! Let us know if we can help and keep us informed (we love build/restoration/mod stories with pictures!  ).

Here is a list of web sites that should prove handy: http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1389.0

I'd advise you also to join the lotuseuropa yahoo group.

Good luck!

 

[jbcollier]

The conversion to GT6 front brakes is not uncommon, however, I would convert it back to standard.  You can use Triumph Spitfire bits.  The absolutely correct parts were also used on the Mk1 Spitfire (caliper bracket bolts to upright) but later Spitfire stuff works just as well (same geometry but the caliper bracket is part of the upright).

No spark?  Check the coil is getting power and then check the points (not easy with the distributor buried under the carbs).

[EuropaTC]

Hi, and 

That sounds an interesting tale, I always like a bit of history !

Brakes.

It is quite possible to put the GT6 discs & calipers on, but they are markedly different and it's important to know just what sort of conversion you've got there.  The normal Europa brakes are the same as the Triumph Spitfire and use Girling Type 14 calipers, which have a bolt distance of 3.25". The GT6 calipers are type 16 and MUCH bigger, plus they have a bolt distance of 3.5", so the mounting brackets are different and you can't interchange the calipers without getting the mounting brackets.

The discs are also bigger on the GT6, 245mm diameter vs 232mm on the Spitfire. The easiest way is probably check the disc (rotor) diameter and that'll give you a clue what you've got. Or post pictures ?

Brian

[4129R]

I have spare GT6 uprights, calipers and caliper mounting brackets sitting on my garage floor. The discs and hubs are there but the discs are a bit rusty.

I can take photos of Spitfire v GT6 bits side by side if it is any help.

Alex in Norfolk.

[HelpMyLotus]

Alex:   I'd be very interested in the parts.  From what I know so far the discs are there.  It is stored 1 hour south of me or I'd measure it real quick.   You can email me at marklooman at comcast  so we can chat off line. 

Can the discs be turned?

[4129R]

I am in London weekdays, and Norfolk, 120 miles NNE of London weekends. You earn 9/10th of FA working in Norfolk, even (and especially !!!)  for Lotus.

I will look at what I have got at the weekend.

I will try cleaning up the discs with rotary emery paper too.

Alex in Norfolk. 

[blasterdad]

Hi Mark, 
Great story, small world, I work in the Mattawan area & live in Otsego, so we are relatively close to each other.
Our Europa had not been started in almost 30 years & had no spark, put in new points, plugs, & condenser & got nice bright blue spark.
Started right up after that.
Any car will not like sitting for a long period of time, but you said she turns over & builds oil pressure & that is a good sign.
Should be able to get her running pretty easily...
Need a hand let me know, would love to meet up sometime.

[3929R]

 

[HelpMyLotus]

I'm planning a trip to work on the Lotus.  I'd like to pick up a points/condenser and plugs before I get down there.  Is there an easy to cross reference set I can ask Napa rather than ask for 73 Lotus parts? 

Is there an easy, less difficult, way to access the distributor than what I see from the top?  I'm spoiled by the mini's being right in front me.

[andy harwood]

Don't know if lists the parts you need, but GGLC has a cross reference page.
http://gglotus.org/ggpart/europacr.htm

[BDA]

Andy got that nice cross reference page for you, but I didn't find spark plugs on it.

The parts manual lists Champion N7Y plugs. The guy at NAPA should be able to convert that to a modern plug. A guy on Lotuselan.net suggests NGK BP6ES or BP7ES. Here's a link to the discussion (http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-twincam-f39/spark-plugs-t22134.html). The points and condenser should be the same as a 1600 cc Pinto.

This thread might be useful to you also (http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1389.0).

[blasterdad]

I'm planning a trip to work on the Lotus.  I'd like to pick up a points/condenser and plugs before I get down there.  Is there an easy to cross reference set I can ask Napa rather than ask for 73 Lotus parts? 

Is there an easy, less difficult, way to access the distributor than what I see from the top?  I'm spoiled by the mini's being right in front me.

I would mark the position of the distributor on the block, then remove it. Way simpler to service GENTLY clamped in a vice. This also allows for a good going over of the distributor itself, i.e. shaft play, drive gear, cam lobes, advance springs, ect.
I had removed my points & took them with me when I went to get new ones, (to compare the part image on the computer).
Turned out they were the right ones.
& I agree with NGK BPR7ES plugs. Gap .025