Nice to meet You

[BDA]

Hi Vito,

It looks good to me generally. but as cal says, it's hard to put a price on it because the prices vary from location to location.

Again as cal says, the air filter box should be replaced with something good. There is supposed to be a little plastic box to cover the cam/detent for the tranny. You can see where it is supposed to go in 20.jpg. There are oil leaks in the usual places (gear selector shaft of the tranny and the rubber tube between the head and the block. Neither of them are serious. I don't think you can fix the tranny leak and the rube requires you to remove the head. Neither seem bad so I wouldn't worry about them. Just consider it as rust prevention!  . The boosters have been replaced. Again, cal is right that it is a US car. I believe most of the European cars had Webers or Dellortos. That's not a bad thing. I would expect Stromberg carbs to be available in Europe (though Weber parts would probably be easier in Italy . Weber heads are pretty rare and expensive). I don't think the European cars had the big valve engine though I may be wrong.

It appears to be a pretty solid car. As for price, you should see if you can get some idea from past sales (ebay, Lotus clubs, etc.).

Good luck and keep us up to date with what happens!

[4129R]

Car was built April 1974 and "invoiced" around 23rd July 1974. One of the very last to be exported to the USA.

(4683R was also Rover Brown, not my favourite colour).

[Grumblebuns]

It looks like the car has lived a hard life, a tad on the rough side. One thing in its favor is that it seems to be runner, looking at the photo taken on a public street. It all depends on how badly you want the car and the scarcity of Europas in the rest of Europe. What would it worth here in the US? A rough but drivable TCS, I'm thinking $7k-$9k assuming a good chassis and a strong engine.

I checked the registry on LEC and this car would be the second to the last entry there if it were registered, it's not. 

[vito84]

Hi guys,
things that puzzle me are:
rubber between cylinder block and head.
oil leaks in several point of engine/gearbox
lack of some parts of the intake manifold (2nd throttle body, piping, etc.)
tachometer out of order.
the car runs but exhaust pops during accelerator releasing
car was resprayed in red, original color L28 rover brown.
Asked price 17500€
I'm sorry but i don't understand what is door gap...
It could be a good base for a restoration but i think price is a little bit too high due to what i've explained above.
I'm worried mainly for the engine/gearbox... 

[BDA]

Hi Vito,

First let me address the price. If the car were in the US, that would be pretty high (converted to dollars). Of course, the Italian market may command higher prices but there are issues with this car. At some point, the oil drain from the head to the block (the rubber between the cylinder block and head (9.jpg on reply #11) will have to be repaired. Also in looking up some old pictures, I noticed what looks like a particularly ugly repair of an oil leak from the cam cover (11.jpg on reply #12). If that's all it is, that's a simple thing to fix properly. The oil drip from the gear selector shaft (24.jpg on reply #13) is common and expected. I believe the secondary throttle body is not required as it was part of an emission control device to warm a portion of the input charge. The popping could be from a rich mixture or ignition timing. If it the mixture, the carbs may need to be rebuilt and may need a new mixture needle. I don't believe it is caused by taking out the emission control parts.

As you say, it is a pretty good base for a restoration, but a car you're going to restore shouldn't cost almost US$24000.

[4129R]

I would allow around €5,000 - €6,000 to sort the car out.

The engine is not complicated, so not much can be wrong. The cylinder heads are expensive, but your problem sounds like the ignition timing or the fuel/air mixture is wrong.

You won't find a later US spec left hand drive car.

If the metal chassis is not rusted, it would be worth buying at the right price. What it is worth to you when it is finished is for you to know. It all depends on how much you want a Europa Special, and what you would have to pay for a really good one. To get a good one from the USA and bring it to Europe would cost you $24,000 = €17,650.

Therefore I think it is too expensive at €17,500. That is a very "full" price. For me, that would be top price if everything "va bene". Offer no more than €12,500 to allow for sorting out the engine and other things. If he does not sell, buy a good car from the USA and ship it over.

[Valerio Leone]

Ciao Vito,

in effetti la cifra che chiedono è un po' alta per quello che si vede in foto.
12.000 euro sembra un prezzo più che adeguato.
Se ci metti mano, perché vuoi riverniciarla e sistemare i piccoli problemucci meccanici conta almeno altri 12000.
Credo che il proprietario si renda conto di non avere un gioiello tra le mani, altrimenti pazienta che di buone occasioni se ne trovano.

ciao e buona serata,
Valerio


   

[cal44]

The asking price is over the top (way to much).   In the states you could buy darn near perfect Europa for that price.  I don't know what it costs to ship and duties paid to Italy.

Just a thought. 

[vito84]

Hi guys,
i'm back from another Lotus Europa visit.
I post some pics and i would like to know your opinion about it (and also a possible economical quotation ).
Thank you for your help.
Best regards.
Vito

[4129R]

Europa Twin Cam,built around November 1971 for the UK market.

Not possible to put a value on it without seeing photos of the interior and engine compartment.

In very good condition, it would be worth around €20,000 in the UK.

[BDA]

This looks pretty nice. I am a little concerned about what appears to be a gap between the tranny and the U-joint yoke. Assuming it has the original suspension and half shafts, it needs to fit tight against the area around the output shaft of the tranny. In fact, it needs to be shimmed. But it's probably that I'm missing some detail in the picture. There's another thread about the roll pins on the inboard U-joints shearing (couldn't find it, sorry) and they don't last long if you don't set those U-joints up properly. It's worth a look, anyway.

I'm a little confused by the fan behind the spare tire 

It looks like rust or is that dirt on the brake pipe coming from the master cylinder?

I'd also like to see some pictures of the interior and engine compartment.

The body looks nice and the sunroof (if it allows enough head room and you don't have to store it in the garage) is a nice addition for summer driving.

The suspension all looks straight.

What are they asking for it? Can you post some more pictures?

[EuropaTC]

To add a bit on BDA's comments, the fan is just like the one I used to have on my TC, the idea is that it blows into the front plenum chamber. I think you guys had snail-type covers on yours, the UK ones just swung in the breeze....   

Body looks good as everyone has said, the suspension looks "used". Nothing wrong with that, but it's seen some miles judging from the condition. The link from the upper front wishbone to the anti-roll bar looks a different shape from mine, mine is just a straight connecting rod without the swan-neck bend.  Don't know if that's important or not, it's just to hold the bar in place I suppose but it looks different so I'll mention it - check the attachment.

Sorry but I've no idea on price.  I'm in a time-warp where these things are concerned (or as the wife says "a world of your own") and every time I see a price I keep saying "how much ?"

Brian

[vito84]

Other pictures

[BDA]

Thanks for straightening me out on the fan, EuropaTC. You're right. I have s squirrel cage fan on mine.

These pictures look pretty good. The braided lines are a nice touch as are the headers. We in the US would have preferred to have we Dellortos on our cars rather than the Strombergs. The interior needs a little attention but over all it's nice. The dash looks like it's in very good shape. It looks like it is a replacement.

Overall, it looks pretty nice.

What are they asking for it?

[vito84]

They ask the same price of the other Europa posted before by me... but, at the same cars status i think the red one must costs less than a half of the white one