I think we all have "grrr" moments with restoration or maintenance but if I'm realistic the Europa has been one of the easiest sports cars I've worked on.
Some cars have been as easy, Land Rovers for example seem to have been designed to be fixed in a muddy field with only a hammer, and some have been far, far more difficult.
The prize for the hardest currently resides with the Porsche Cayman which I gave up with and sold at the end of last year simply because of the hassle doing anything. Change the serpentine belt driving the alternator, etc ? a full day. Front coolant hose from transfer pipe to rad ? a full day, most of which was spent carefully cutting out the old, rusty, Porsche-specific connector so as to avoid damage to the transfer pipes and dropping into a world of pain where a damaged pipe needs replacing and front subframe/geometry needs pulling apart.
So yes, in the cold light of day, an old Lotus is amazingly simple..... pass me that hammer ?