1974 Lotus Europa TCS on BaT

[Dreamer]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-lotus-europa-twin-cam-special-2/

[berni29]

Hi

Looks like a nice car. Is there any chance that the paint is actually original? I would have thought zero on that particular score. It looks restored from the general condition.

Berni

[BDA]

The seller claims the paint is original.

[Bainford]

BaT comments are really starting to sound like the peanut gallery. The annoying little things that people get their teeth sunk into, and the loudest squawkers are not even prospective bidders.

But I digress, Nice looking Europa. The paint looks great for an original-paint car. Could use more photos, and high-res ones at that.

[berni29]

Hi Guys

I did not think it was even possible for original paint that old (especially red) to look that good, but if it is then thats great. I am clearly mixing with the wrong crowd as all the cars I ever come across with original paint (including mine) look nothing like that. I can think of one exception actually, but that one is a very exceptional baby Elan, so it must be possible.

I do really like the look of the car and I hope it sells well.

Berni

[Tony2ta2004]

Hello Everyone,
This one was sold on Ebay two years ago for $20k. Also, it has been listing in San Diego CL for awhile now.

[BDA]

There is a bit of drama bubbling up on this auction. The previous owner admitted that he probably had oil starvation issues during some hard right handers at 7000 rpm with the oil pressure showing 0 psi. He said it sounded fine to him afterwards but admitted that the condition of the bearings was unknown. Then it is shown that there have been only 11 miles put on the car since the previous auction in 2016. Apparently there has been no engine work done during the previous eight years. The seller insists that it runs good but only driving the car for 11 miles, how would he know. It's bid to $7500 at the moment. If I were biding on the car, I would deduct probably $2000 for engine work. If I bought it, I would pull the pan and look at the bearings as soon as I got it home.

[loudoun]

BDA, the additional problem (we) would have in NC is the title. If it is incorrect, NC License and Theft would send us right back to CA to get it corrected.

[BDA]

  loudoun!!!

You certainly know more about that than I do! I did have trouble getting my car titled after I had finished building it. I had lost the title and all I had was a notice to renew my registration from the New Orleans DMV, where I used to live. That was a big help for some reason - maybe the NC DMV ironed out some wrinkles with the Louisiana DMV...

[Bud]

I have a 74 TCS that was stored in the rafters of a barn for 44 years and while the paint still looks Ok it is not pristine but more like Patina in spots. But then it is all a matter of where it was stored and maintained

[BDA]

In my opinion, the seller is getting defensive about criticism of the car. Knowing that it ran at 7000 rpm with no oil pressure for even a little while would should prompt any responsible seller to inspect the engine bearings or note that at least in the comments if not the description. It’s very disappointing.

[Vegantune]

Brought $17,000. But didn't make reserve. I guess the oil starvation incident, weak paint, possible trans seal and rear brake leakage (note the clean oil pan but nasty tranny), and being a 4-speed perhaps maybe had some impact on bidding. Admittedly otherwise a fairly nice quasi-original car down to the Stromberg crossover pipes except for the Panasport wheels, no brake boosters, and no fuel vapor catch can - those last two I would remove anyway. But some potentially costly paint and engine work to make it right. You can have good compression in a a test with bad mains - at least for a while.....

[BDA]

It was a nice car but, as I said earlier, the failure to address the condition of the engine bearings with something more than comments that "it runs good now" and "the block has what appears to be fresh paint" is not helpful to say the least. The ride height of the car also needed to be addressed. It was somewhat comical that the seller, who said he had been a race car engineer for 20 years (or some such) that his solution to the nose sitting  so high was to raise the rear end with adjustable rear shocks!

The defensiveness of the seller pretty much killed any interest I had in the car (not as a bidder, of course, but as a fan and owner of a Europa). I think he was irresponsible and the car deserved better.

[Vegantune]

BAT now says seller and highest bidder have now agreed at $20K. Looks like seller ended up getting his previous purchase price back (less other expenses) after all, which was probably the reserve.

[BDA]

I wish the buyer luck. If I were he, the first thing I'd do is inspect the bearings and the crank.