Author Topic: What would you say  (Read 843 times)

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Offline califkid_66

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What would you say
« on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 02:05:58 PM »
A guy just bought a Europa project in my area
Is it worth rebuilding looks like it was hit front
and back
« Last Edit: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 02:24:06 PM by califkid_66 »

Offline jbcollier

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #1 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 03:11:13 PM »
Anything can be rebuilt.  That would need a replacement body and chassis.  They are available new from the UK.  It is also possible to find bodies and chassises used as well.

My chassis was toast and I found a used one near Seattle.  Pretty straightforward three day round trip for me in Edmonton.

Offline Richard48Y

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #2 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 05:06:10 PM »
Hard to tell, S2 or TC?
There is an overpriced blue parts car on feeBay, maybe your guy can negotiate?

Offline Bryan Boyle

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #3 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 07:21:54 PM »
A guy just bought a Europa project in my area
Is it worth rebuilding looks like it was hit front
and back

Wow.  That's a rebuild that will NEVER return what it will cost to get that chassis number back on the road.    No doubt there are some parts that can be pulled and renovated, but, even after doing 3 of them, I'd just offer a couple hundred and part it out.  Richard: it's an S2 from the looks of the engine (alternator on passenger side, air cleaner resting on top of the frame, etc).  But it was hit so hard it looks like the steering rack was torn out of the front cross box.  Yikes.  Hope the new owner did not pay a lot for it.

Anything, though, can be rebuilt.  In this case, it looks like you can start with the doors. 
Bryan Boyle
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Currently working on 3291R, ex 444R, 693R, 65/2163, 004R, 65/2678
http://www.lotuseuropa.us for mirror of lotus-europa.com manual site.

Offline Richard48Y

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #4 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 08:11:04 PM »
« Last Edit: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 10:32:52 PM by Richard48Y »

Offline califkid_66

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #5 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 08:31:13 PM »
The guy is in my area I wrote him I had a Europa he asked me if I had parts for sale
But looking at the pictures I was trying to figure out what could be good
 
First thing seems like an s2 now if it as damages from being hit I supposed the engine was running
Then looking at the rear the frame on passenger side is bent down and transmission support looks ripped out so is transmission ok
The rear trailing arms and hub look ok
The steering rack and brackets seems ok front upper and lower wishbone might be twisted but front hubs and brakes calipers should be ok it looks like there’s no dashboard or missing interior hard to see
The doors look good the glass on the doors to
There’s no windshield and one side of the roof seems disconnected doesn’t seem to have a rad
I guess to restore it is an individual choice
If this would be mine I would take it all apart and build a frame from scratch and fabricate the parts myself but that’s a long term project







Offline Richard48Y

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #6 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 08:58:22 PM »
Engine and trans are aluminum and before going any further with repair or even parting out I would want to know that those are still good.
The nasty impact may have cracked one or both.

Offline Bainford

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #7 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 09:19:26 PM »
Does it have an ashtray?
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Offline EuropaTC

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #8 on: Saturday,December 17, 2022, 11:19:09 PM »
Does it have an ashtray?

 :)

If it does, it's probably worth more than the rest !

From a personal viewpoint, the only thing worth having there is the chassis plate, doors and possibly rear hub carriers. I'd take those and build a new car but as Bryan says, it will be a labour of love and be far more expensive than just buying a running car. If the guy is handy (like Roddymac on here) then it's a great opportunity to build something in the style of the original car but much better - like Roddy did.

Offline kram350kram

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #9 on: Sunday,December 18, 2022, 07:21:48 AM »
Wonder if the occupant(s) survived? Appears most of the drivers interior looks intact.

Offline 4129R

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #10 on: Monday,December 19, 2022, 09:30:09 AM »
IMHO a parts only car. It would not be economic to get the bits needed to rebuild it.

Quite what parts are salvageable cannot be predicted until you dismantle it. A bit like buying a storage unit lot.

Offline dakazman

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #11 on: Monday,December 19, 2022, 04:34:10 PM »
  I search constantly for parts, not just lotus Europa but for all the other keywords. The vendor list is an excellent source of parts and helps them keep supplying parts.
I passed on a parts car that was less than 50 miles from me because I didn’t have the heart to part it out . I believe it was mostly complete except for a front windshield and some burglary issues.
 I can kick myself in retrospect but I want as many to be rebuilt.
Dakazman

Offline Bryan Boyle

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #12 on: Monday,December 19, 2022, 06:57:04 PM »
  I search constantly for parts, not just lotus Europa but for all the other keywords. The vendor list is an excellent source of parts and helps them keep supplying parts.
I passed on a parts car that was less than 50 miles from me because I didn’t have the heart to part it out . I believe it was mostly complete except for a front windshield and some burglary issues.
 I can kick myself in retrospect but I want as many to be rebuilt.
Dakazman

I thought that once, myself.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of unobtanium parts that can only (if you're wanting to keep things original) be sourced from wrecks/decommissioned/neglected cars; it took me four cars to get enough bits to put 693R back on the road back in 07-09.  And what was left over was sold/given away/donated to other owners stuck because they didn't have something (quarter glass anyone?  Unrusted seat pans?  Outer drive shafts?  Trailing arms? complete body, doors, lids? I still have 2 useable windshields and a brand new Pilkington in my basement which I'm saving in case when I remove 3291R's to redo the crash pad, I end up breaking it.) or it wasn't available from the usual suspects on either side of the pond. 

Breaking apart financially prohibitive restoration cases is not a bad thing, if done properly, and helps keep what's left going.  Yeah, it reduces the population, but, if a parted out car helps keep 2 or 3 others going...then that's a net plus in my book.

(Just my opinion, and, given the space, would continue to do it.)
« Last Edit: Monday,December 19, 2022, 07:00:29 PM by Bryan Boyle »
Bryan Boyle
Morrisville PA
Commercial Pilot/CFII/FAA Safety Team
Amateur Extra Class Operator & FCC Volunteer Examiner
Currently working on 3291R, ex 444R, 693R, 65/2163, 004R, 65/2678
http://www.lotuseuropa.us for mirror of lotus-europa.com manual site.

Offline lotusfanatic

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #13 on: Tuesday,December 20, 2022, 12:52:11 AM »
I guess the only way to resurrect this car is to find another, similar example that has the parts but has no VIN/Identity/Title and amalgamate the parts?

I hope that this car lives on!  :welder:

Offline Bryan Boyle

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Re: What would you say
« Reply #14 on: Tuesday,December 20, 2022, 05:06:58 AM »
I guess the only way to resurrect this car is to find another, similar example that has the parts but has no VIN/Identity/Title and amalgamate the parts?

I hope that this car lives on!  :welder:
[/quote

Wouldn't be the first time, from what I understand...
Bryan Boyle
Morrisville PA
Commercial Pilot/CFII/FAA Safety Team
Amateur Extra Class Operator & FCC Volunteer Examiner
Currently working on 3291R, ex 444R, 693R, 65/2163, 004R, 65/2678
http://www.lotuseuropa.us for mirror of lotus-europa.com manual site.