Another turnkey survivor...

[Lou Drozdowski]

Guys, there still plenty of ripe fruit out there. For those on the other side of the pond, who want to keep their hands clean and just pay and play.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1213738 

[Sparkrite]

But having been rebuilt its not really a survivor and if you like paying too much for your fruit then go for it.

[EuropaTC]

The TC Europa further down the page looks a far better deal. One owner, bereavement sale, 50k miles and looks very original bar the steering wheel.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1173680

I can't see that being up for sale for long.

Look at the 72 TC and then the £35k JPS definitely looks restoration, professional or amateur I don't know but the centre console/door trim doesn't look as good as some of the trim work that folks on here have done at home. And at £35k I'd expect original switches, steering wheel and that ever elusive ashtray !

Brian

[Lou Drozdowski]

Gentlemen, Your opinions are respectfully duly noted...

However, as a wretched colonial I must defend my position with the infamous words of of that famed circus entertainer and sideshow huckster P.T. Barnum  " There is an ass for every seat"   Cheers!

[EuropaTC]

You're not wrong Lou, the JPS is a turnkey car and if you aren't interested in restoration then it's probably the going rate.

Alex (Norfolk) will have a very good handle by now on how much it costs to fully restore a car and given the JPS is a trade sale, I would imagine it will sell. They only have to drop it a touch and someone will be happy with their bargain buy !

Brian

[Sparkrite]

The TC Europa further down the page looks a far better deal. One owner, bereavement sale, 50k miles and looks very original bar the steering wheel.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1173680

I can't see that being up for sale for long.

Look at the 72 TC and then the £35k JPS definitely looks restoration, professional or amateur I don't know but the centre console/door trim doesn't look as good as some of the trim work that folks on here have done at home. And at £35k I'd expect original switches, steering wheel and that ever elusive ashtray !

Brian

That red TC sold for just under 12k.

[Sparkrite]

And this one recently sold for about £11,000

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174468462661?_mwBanner=1&ul_ref=https%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F0%252Fe11051.m43.l1123%252F7%253Feuid%253D30a24b78c55c4ea28befa7740493ddd8%2526bu%253D43998945363%2526segname%253D11051%2526crd%253D20201008074421%2526osub%253D-1%257E1%2526ch%253Dosgood%2526loc%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%25252Fulk%25252Fitm%25252F174468462661%2526sojTags%253Dbu%253Dbu%252Cch%253Dch%252Csegname%253Dsegname%252Ccrd%253Dcrd%252Curl%253Dloc%252Cosub%253Dosub%2526srcrot%253De11051.m43.l1123%2526rvr_id%253D0%2526rvr_ts%253D7dc107ca1750a9bd4447fa91fff9ea79&ul_noapp=true

[4129R]

You're not wrong Lou, the JPS is a turnkey car and if you aren't interested in restoration then it's probably the going rate.

Alex (Norfolk) will have a very good handle by now on how much it costs to fully restore a car
Brian

More than you think, to do a really proper job.

New paint, new trim, all new rubber, new wiring loom, rebuilt engine, strip everything down and clean everything. I hate to think what my lot are costing me, but having started, you have to go the whole way and do it properly. 

Currently I have come to a halt awaiting 4 cylinder heads from Scholar engines in Suffolk who have cut the groove for the inlet cam oil seal by the alternator pulley, and are gas-flowing my 40DCOE heads. They needs a few valve seats and valve guides too. Buying second hand cylinder heads has its problems. All needed planing, and other work such as broken studs drilled out.

[tedtaylor]

that rear transmission mount setup is different than original?  i don't see the 5-speed rear look that mine was.   what's wrong with this picture??

[Bainford]

that rear transmission mount setup is different than original?  i don't see the 5-speed rear look that mine was.   what's wrong with this picture??

I noticed that too, and wondered the same thing.

I concur also with Brian's comments about the interior trimming and ash tray. For top money, these things need to be right.

Speaking of JPS interiors, are they all biscuit? I'm not sure if I've ever seen one with black interior. If they are all biscuit, is that a JPS requirement, or is it just the way black cars tend to be outfitted?

[BDA]

I think all JPSs were built in '73 so the interiors would all be black.

Here is an article which is one man's understanding: http://www.lotus-europa.com/jps.html

I emailed Andy Graham, the archivist for Lotus, about JPS Europas referencing that article and asked for his comments. They follow:

Unfortunately without documentation, the full truth cannot be provided and this is why there is so much confusion. I have asked two retired colleagues about these badges, one says they were nothing to do with Lotus and another says there were, so as you can see, even ex-employees have mixed memories/knowledge so it is no wonder members of the public have conflicting ideas too.

I have not seen any evidence to support these were fitted by production. Based on numbers provided by customers, the numbers are far too random to be production fitted, and so I personally believe these were supplied by sales and marketing or distributors for the US cars.

Any documentation I have seen shows 100 for USA, so why some US customers have plaques showing 1** numbers again is a mystery.
 
Remember many people also claim that these were a limited edition, but this is not true, a black Europa Special was available from launch until the end. As stated on there, no difference between a ‘numbered car’ and a standard black car.

[TheKid#9]

The value of Europas in Europe are so much higher than the U.S. I wonder when our cars will gain the same value they do in Europe. I guess they are more desirable in Europe than here 

[Richard48Y]

Not to worry, good examples will become unaffordable to the peons soon enough. 
I know this as I just turned down $9K for my own just purchased '71 basically sound but needs a lot of work project car. And it's not even a Twink, just TS.

[Lou Drozdowski]

that rear transmission mount setup is different than original?  i don't see the 5-speed rear look that mine was.   what's wrong with this picture??

I noticed that too, and wondered the same thing.

I concur also with Brian's comments about the interior trimming and ash tray. For top money, these things need to be right.

Speaking of JPS interiors, are they all biscuit? I'm not sure if I've ever seen one with black interior. If they are all biscuit, is that a JPS requirement, or is it just the way black cars tend to be outfitted?

Dated 10/72...All specials along with commemorative JPS were first introduced with black interiors.

[jbcollier]

... and 5 mph bumpers ;-)