trailer

[jbcollier]

Hah, Roddy's is much, much nicer, and way faster!  He built his own space-frame from scratch.  He also kindly shared his paint code with me as I really liked the colour and couldn't stand the thought of redoing it in the original red.

[RoddyMac]

JB and Roddy,
Your cars could be twins!

Nah, just siblings.  JB's is 5 months older than mine, so not even Irish twins.  Plus there's a difference in "types", his is a 46 mines a 54.

[TurboFource]

Thought the colors looked the same!

[jbcollier]

I copied the colour from his Lotus 11 build.

[jbcollier]

Oh, and my paint job is shite.  I always wanted a driver though so I'm not that unhappy other than the wasted expense.

[TurboFource]

I have read all of Roddy's build thread....awesome car and work!

[SENC]

Two good looking Europas for sure!

[GavinT]

Congrats, gentlemen.
Both are fantastic examples.

Apologies, Nisswa . . wasn't really having a go at you.
As you might imagine, I have little faith in the stock engine cover latch.

As a result, I've gathered a few pics in my travels and this one seems to be a decent latch mod.
It does, however, require a cable for a release mechanism. If wanted, one could probably leave the OEM lock in place.

[GavinT]

Another one.
Forum member Chuck Nukem used a VW beetle boot release mechanism.

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=327.msg41876#msg41876

[Nisswa Collision]

I notice that both of those cars have something mine doesn't. An open rear grille which absolutely would fill the engine compartment with air. Especially if the areas under or in front of the fuel tanks is closed off underneath. The TC has no rear opening and is open in front of the tanks underneath. Great looking cars guys.

[jbcollier]

The early cars (S1/2) have the open rear panel.  This leads to engine compartment air recirculation (out the cover vents, back and then in at the rear).  So they closed off the panel for the TC/S.  Engine compartment air recirculation is still a problem but not as bad.

This is a chronic problem with all mid-engined cars.  As time went on, mid-engined cars grew scoops to force air in at speed.  Good idea though not easily done in an aesthetically pleasing way with a Europa.

[GavinT]

On my S2, I notice the air path is somewhat mysterious.
With the rear luggage box removed, the engine compartment is cooler. I speculate the missing luggage box 'obstruction' now permits (encourages?) air transit through the rear grill.

I should buy a GoPro and a ball of wool to test this

[MRN I J]

I reverse towed my S2 a lot when I was sprinting it, never gave it a thought, towed at 70 to 80 most of the time at night, mainly with a BMW 528, the car / trailer combo didn't like being towed by my mates 3.00 or 2.8 Ford Granada saloon.

the only problem we ever had was on the A34 (main trunk road from the north of England to the very south) when when a car overtook us then realised we were longer / going faster than he thought, he wanted to turn accross in front of us, I watched him & had already started braking, he then braked to drop in behind us but I was braking harder, finally he released his brakes & turned across in front of us, nearly had 2 cars smashed & the Europa come adfift from the trailer.

[JR73]

I don’t think that the number plate opening on the S1/S2 is the main cause for the tailgate being forced open when towed facing backwards on a trailer.... have known quite a few people experience the same unfortunate destruction whilst towing Esprits and Exiges that where loaded facing backwards on their trailers - the engine cover catches are a fair bit more substantial along with the extra fibreglass and reduction in flex (Esprit in particular), air still gets in under the rear valance and into the engine bay at a rate that was never intended.

I’ve never had an issue getting the nose weight correct on the trailer with my cars loaded facing forwards tbh.

[Richard48Y]

"Oddies"?
Are these the winged or slotted quarter turn cam-locks so many Brit cars use?
Readily available new, in at least three different lengths.
Land Rovers use them so they will never go out of style.