Special?

[TurboFource]

Are all 73 & 74 Twin Cams considered "Special"?

What is different between a "Special" and a regular Twin Cam?

As always, thanks for answering my many questions!

[EuropaTC]

I've always thought the main change was associated with the adoption of the more powerful "big valve" engine and cams.  My TC has lower power than the later cars, quoted as 105bhp in the first road tests compared with 125bhp often quoted for the UK spec TCS cars, so they are faster.

There were other things, at first the optional 5sp gearbox which from what I can see became standard fitment, plus oatmeal trim, external sill covers and vinyl covered centre consoles on the very last cars. There's probably a long list somewhere......

Brian

[jbcollier]

- “big valve” engine: it just has a 1 mm larger intake, it’s the revised porting and different cams that deliver the extra power.

- 1.5” wide brakes as opposed to 1.25”.  Unfortunately also with an automatic adjustor that doesn’t work worth beans.

- slightly revised rear axle though I’m not sure what was changed.

- option of 5 SPD transaxle.

- option of alloy wheels

- different badging

- first 1xx were special editions commemorating Team Lotus JPS F1 championship.  I though all were black with gold pin stripping but I vaguely remember someone reporting there were a few with a different colour.

- different steering column switches

- ??

[Pfreen]

I think the Specials did not start production until the middle of 1972.

There are others that study these things more than me, but I think the differences are the following:

1.  TCS has silver color fiberglass sill covers
2.  The rear brakes are 1.5” wide instead of 1.25” wide.  They also are self adjusting (debatable) via the hand brake
3.  Big valve Lotus head with black valve cover.
4.  Five speed was an option
5.  The tcs had a seat belt buzzer.  I am not sure about the tc.   They are usually deactivated.
6.  The dashboard is slightly different.
7.  Later TCS’s had a 6750 redline on the tach instead of 6500.
8.  Gold pinstriping
9.  Flip top gas tank fillers.  I am not sure if all tc cars had twist off gas caps.
10.  Different wiper and turn signal stalks and cover

I am sure others can fill in anything I missed.

That’s all I can think of for now.

[Fotog]

Are all 73 & 74 Twin Cams considered "Special"?

I don't know about 74's, but my '73 is not a special.  No sill covers, narrower rear brakes... But the engine is "Big Valve", whatever that's worth.

I believe some 73's were special and some were not.

-V

[literarymadness]

Fotog:  What is your vin number?  The first Special was 2684R  Everything from 2000R to 2685R should be a Twin Cam.  If your number falls in that range, it is a 1972 MY that was registered as a 1973. For it to be a true 73 MY, your Europa should have been built after Sep, 1972. The first four digits on your complete vin should be yymm.

[Fotog]

72082619R.  I do remember now interpreting that as an Aug. '72 build.  Can't remember why I think it's considered '73 MY.  Maybe it was just incorrectly titled / registered in the beginning and it's followed it since.

So now I look at my title and it says "74082619R!  1973 model year.  Jeez!... and so does the original title that I got with the car.  But the data plate inside the front boot says '72. 

Probably it will have to be scrapped.

Crikey.

[SilverBeast]

I think the Specials did not start production until the middle of 1972.

There are others that study these things more than me, but I think the differences are the following:

1.  TCS has silver color fiberglass sill covers
2.  The rear brakes are 1.5” wide instead of 1.25” wide.  They also are self adjusting (debatable) via the hand brake
3.  Big valve Lotus head with black valve cover.
4.  Five speed was an option
5.  The tcs had a seat belt buzzer.  I am not sure about the tc.   They are usually deactivated.
6.  The dashboard is slightly different.
7.  Later TCS’s had a 6750 redline on the tach instead of 6500.
8.  Gold pinstriping
9.  Flip top gas tank fillers.  I am not sure if all tc cars had twist off gas caps.
10.  Different wiper and turn signal stalks and cover

I am sure others can fill in anything I missed.

That’s all I can think of for now.

I have a November 73 built UK Special.

I don't believe the UK Twin Cams and Specials changed the heater controls (to sliders in the dash) and stalks. We also didn't get hazard warning lights or seatbelt buzzers. We also only have single circuit brakes. My understanding (mainly from this forum since I bought my car late last year) is that the UK Specials got the higher power Big Valve engines (Dell'Orto carbs instead of US Strombergs?) Is compression different too to get the higher output power? Mine also has a centre pocket between the seats, the centre tunnel cover/armrest is oatmeal rather than black to match the door trim and it has gas lift rear engine cover supports.

[literarymadness]

Fotog:  Depending when your car was invoiced, it certainly could have overlapped with the first Specials that were built a few weeks after yours that would be the 1973 MY. My vin is 7472102758R on the title ad 72102758R on the tag.  I believe the 74 might mean Type 74, but my Special was built Oct, 1972 and registered as 1973.  My Special is painted in a discontinued 1972 colour, Colorado Orange and has the earlier Tach and a 4 speed. As far as I know, no non-JPS Europa was optioned with a 5 speed before December of 1972.

SilverBeast:  Can you post a picture of your dash? In addition to the higher compression, the UK version also had the hotter Sprint Cam and was rated at 126 hp. Fed engines were on paper rated at 113 hp, but in reality about 97-98 hp.

[4129R]

Different gear change levers (the ball joint bit).

Different rear brake adjusters (TC not self adjusting, square pyramid thingy to change the spacing).

Different air blower fans in the front plenum chamber (TC square hole, TCS round hole).

TC has no lower side skirt TCS has a silver panel between the front and rear wheels.

[Fotog]

FWIW, the hole for the (missing) plenum blower in my non-special TC is round.  Maybe it was just a change they made 'along the way' and not specific to Specials.

Vince

[4129R]

FWIW, the hole for the (missing) plenum blower in my non-special TC is round.  Maybe it was just a change they made 'along the way' and not specific to Specials.

Vince

Presumably the supplier of the square one either stopped making it, (Smiths?) or CC ran out of credit with that supplier, and had to rely on the credit from the round one.

[Pfreen]

My car was built in December of 1972, but my title says it’s a 1974.  The Florida title I got when I bought it said the vin was 742963R.  However, when I moved to Ohio, they had to inspect the vin tag on the crash pad.  It of course reads 2963R.  My Ohio title was issued with the vin 2963R.  I moved back to Florida.  The Florida title now reads 2963R and I have a 1974 car!

You can’t make this stuff up!

[SilverBeast]

SilverBeast:  Can you post a picture of your dash? In addition to the higher compression, the UK version also had the hotter Sprint Cam and was rated at 126 hp. Fed engines were on paper rated at 113 hp, but in reality about 97-98 hp.

There is a picture on 4th post of this thread

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=3253.0

Mine has the Smith's fan for the heater - the stand off  version (like the radiator fan) not the snail type. It's only single speed and has a round hole into plenum chamber on lhs (UK passenger)

[BDA]

Pfreen, have you check with Andy at Lotus (AGraham at lotuscars dot com) to see what Lotus has on your car? Cars were generally titled in the year they were first sold so it doesn't surprise me that your year in your VIN doesn't match the title year. Interestingly, there are no cars with "2963" its VIN in the registry! I expected to find it because the VIN for my car was there before I entered my car in the registry.

When I was finishing my car, I had to retitle it as I had lost the title I had when I was in New Orleans. At the time, I didn't realize the VIN under the windshield wasn't the entire VIN so I had it titled with the VIN I knew (3635R). It's probably for the best since the VIN on my registration will match what is under the windshield.