CHEAP projects, west coast

[tedtaylor]

FYI only.
https://lascruces.craigslist.org/cto/d/las-cruces-1970-lotus-europa/7164579174.html   $3,500

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/gilbert-1969-lotus-europa-s2/7164887056.html   $4,900

never ending supply of Lotus Europa projects out there!!!

[Clifton]

The Phoenix one was in Tucson for $2200. I was tempted. The guy now is trying to flip it.

[4129R]

The Phoenix one was in Tucson for $2200. I was tempted. The guy now is trying to flip it.

Condition "good".

I would hate to see his condition "fair".

All the inside is "cooked".

[Clifton]

That's why I never drove down to get it. In the original add it was parked outside in the dirt, cooking in the desert. Arizona is brutal on anything not made of metal.

[SwiftDB4]

And even the steel looks really questionable. New frame probable. Seems ridiculous at $4900.

[4129R]

Only someone who was desperate to renovate one, or who wanted say bits from the engine or the whole gearbox, or other parts made from unobtainium, would consider buying that car.

What it is worth depends on who wants to buy it.

If you allow say £7,500 for painting, £3,000 for upholstery, £350 for dashboard, £300 for crashpad, and it starts making an expensive wishlist.

£11,200 already. Add another £5,000 for the other bits, and at least 60 man days work, and that is what is facing the buyer.

 

[tedtaylor]

Only someone who was desperate to renovate one, or who wanted say bits from the engine or the whole gearbox, or other parts made from unobtainium, would consider buying that car.

What it is worth depends on who wants to buy it.

If you allow say £7,500 for painting, £3,000 for upholstery, £350 for dashboard, £300 for crashpad, and it starts making an expensive wishlist.

£11,200 already. Add another £5,000 for the other bits, and at least 60 man days work, and that is what is facing the buyer.

your glass sounds half empty?
look at it this way.... you need a starting point, and there they are...

[Sparkrite]

Rough old dogs are almost always the worst cars to buy and end up costing more than you calculate.

[4129R]

your glass sounds half empty?

Just speaking from lots of experience.

When they have been inactive and cooking for years, there are an awful lot of things that need changing.

All the rubber including 5 tyres, all the cables, and probably the wiring loom.

Work back from what it will be worth when finished, take off the cost of parts, and what you have left is its value to you plus your labour to restore it.

[Nockenwelle]

 
If this car would be given to me under the condition to restore it I would reject it. The Europa is still a cheap car even in good condition so the better car is the smart buy. Even if you're after a restoration project you can find a much better starting base. This car is a parts car.

[tedtaylor]

come on people.... it's not like the Model T Ford or VW bug produced in the millions with many examples available to choose from.   there are only just so many hand-built limited numbers made to begin with, so ANY example is worth something to someone.
i had a "carcass" once i was able to part out....even selling the VIN tags to someone for their carcass project.
Yes, it's toast, yes, it's rough, yes, it's in horrid condition, but YES it is one of only few remaining left to restore.
if say 4,000 total Europas were build/distributed world-wide, and a fraction were totalled/wrecked, and  a fraction were modified for track/racing, and a fraction were abandoned/scrapped, and a fraction were kept pristine/drivable all these years, then that leaves only a fraction of "projects" left over for whatever....
i find the experienced owners on this forum are oft too many times too picky (since they own a nice one), so in reality, only those desirous to get one at the onset, in the first place, are willing, happy, and lucky to even find one available.
As the apropos expression goes..... "it is, what it is"...
 

[4129R]

I am speaking from experience of doing nut and bolt restorations of 6 basket cases, and 1 runner, 4129R.

My basket cases have been a real challenge.

That looks worse, and worth less than the 6 x TCS & 1 TC that I am restoring.

2 of mine came in bits, and the other 4 basket cases had been sitting in gardens for years, but"The Cooker" looks worse.

[TurboFource]

What Ted said....