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ssswitch
ssswitch Reader
3/21/15 8:55 p.m.

This thread has already taught me so much about vintage Lotuses. Amazing skills.

The things that poor Mazda3 must've seen over the years.

NOHOME
NOHOME UltraDork
3/22/15 7:40 a.m.
SkinnyG wrote:
RoddyMac17 wrote: Greg, I noticed you're on here more than the other site. When are you going to be back building the Seven? Rod
I'll get back to Locost #2 after I have finished The Fiendish Firefly and built my 1065sqft workshop (currently waiting on permit).

Assuming this "other" website has more stuff like this, might I bother you for a link?

Mad_Ratel
Mad_Ratel Reader
3/22/15 8:30 a.m.

THEY are referring to locostusa

Bubs
Bubs Reader
3/22/15 3:38 p.m.

The Europa is my favorite Lotus by far. Based on the results of your previous projects, I bet this will come out amazingly. Carry on good sir!

TC
TC New Reader
3/22/15 6:43 p.m.
petegossett wrote: In reply to RoddyMac17: You may end up with the very first running/driving Europa since the dawn of GRM!

Was going to ask if this was yours (or formerly)! Only so many of these floating around...

Millstec01
Millstec01
3/22/15 8:27 p.m.

Great build(s). Keep us up to date.

RoddyMac17
RoddyMac17 New Reader
3/22/15 9:58 p.m.
fasted58 wrote: Really dig those fabbed hub carriers. What did you use for wheel bearing tubes? Had a project planned years ago for similar (D/SR) but didn't follow through. Golf brgs... 64mm IIRC. Nice!

The bearing tubes were machined from 3 1/4" DOM tubing. I had my machinist bore them and cut the snap ring grooves prior to welding. But, I had to have him bore them post welding as they had shrunk in some places 10 thou. The bearings are Golf Mk 3, so 72mm OD. I had picked up a hub and bearing years ago for another project that never happened, so I thought why not use it. The other steel bits for the uprights were laser cut (cost less then 1/3 of what I was quoted for waterjet cutting).

Not much to post in way of pics from today as it was mostly trimming some fibreglass and I started on stripping the paint from the tub. I have a number of spider cracks to repair, so there will be a fair amount of bodywork in the near future.

Rod

petegossett
petegossett GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
3/23/15 5:41 a.m.
TC wrote:
petegossett wrote: In reply to RoddyMac17: You may end up with the very first running/driving Europa since the dawn of GRM!
Was going to ask if this was yours (or formerly)! Only so many of these floating around...

No, mine were both TCs, though I prefer the S2 body way more.

tuna55
tuna55 UltimaDork
3/23/15 6:12 a.m.

After the title, I thought "Oh great, another Europa that won't get finished", but now, after seeing some of the pictures, I have hope.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
3/23/15 10:57 a.m.

If anybody can finish a Europa, it will be Rod. Dude has skillz, dawg.

Dusterbd13
Dusterbd13 SuperDork
3/23/15 11:29 a.m.

I still want a europa. Supposedly they can be had for free. Best looking lotus ever.

tuna55
tuna55 UltimaDork
3/23/15 11:50 a.m.
SkinnyG wrote: If anybody can finish a Europa, it will be Rod. Dude has skillz, dawg.

I see that!

I'm probably just tainted because I can't finish my project.

NOHOME
NOHOME UltraDork
3/23/15 12:36 p.m.
Dusterbd13 wrote: I still want a europa. Supposedly they can be had for free. Best looking lotus ever.

For as long as I have liked cars,( since birth pretty much) I have desired Loti. EVERYTHING about them speaks to what I like about a vehicle.

Fortunately for me, I have managed to get through life so far by asking "What are my crazy irrational passions demanding that I do?" and doing the opposite.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
3/23/15 2:33 p.m.
NOHOME wrote: I have managed to get through life so far by asking "What are my crazy irrational passions demanding that I do?" and doing the opposite.

And then you decided to try stuffing a Miata floor pan under an old Volvo?

NOHOME
NOHOME UltraDork
3/23/15 3:10 p.m.
Ian F wrote:
NOHOME wrote: I have managed to get through life so far by asking "What are my crazy irrational passions demanding that I do?" and doing the opposite.
And then you decided to try stuffing a Miata floor pan under an old Volvo?

Ian:

Makes you want to know what the other course was eh?

Trust me, this was a better choice for all involved.

I will give you a hint...it involved carving up a very nice MGB that I have had for 36 years.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
3/23/15 3:28 p.m.

Whoa I shoulda checked out this thread earlier! This ain't your grandpa's Europa restomod!

gamby
gamby UltimaDork
3/23/15 6:53 p.m.

In reply to RoddyMac17:

What a build!

Great swap!

If you have an instagram account that you're documenting this on, I'll follow.

JacktheRiffer
JacktheRiffer Reader
3/23/15 7:28 p.m.

Holy crap this build is going good places. Love the europa. Still cant believe how small they are...

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
3/23/15 7:42 p.m.

In reply to JacktheRiffer:

Small, but not unbearably so. When I was at the Lime Rock historic last year, an owner was kind enough to let me try his on. Different fit than my Spitfire or GT6, but not really all that much smaller. Comfortable seat.

RoddyMac17
RoddyMac17 New Reader
3/23/15 8:27 p.m.
Dusterbd13 wrote: I still want a europa. Supposedly they can be had for free. Best looking lotus ever.

John Donahue from Simplesevens.org is selling his "rough" project if you're interested:

Europa

@Gamby, I'll keep this thread updated with pics, plus my photobucket account.

And NOHOME, it was a toss up between the Europa and another B GT. My first one was a daily driver, the second was supposed to get a 4AGE engine swap but I had to sell it as I moved and lost garage space. I nearly bought a third one about 6 months before I got the Europa. Maybe one day I'll build my dream GT... Sebring flares, Minilites, but with a suitable twin cam straight 6, either a Toyota or a Nissan. Just need to finish the Europa, finish dad's MG TF, install an OD gearbox in his B, then figure out if dad is serious about building a Lotus 16ish car to use at the local autocross track.

Rod

pirate
pirate Reader
3/24/15 5:24 p.m.

Rod I started a Lotus 11 thread on the Classic Motorsports side of this website after seeing what I belived to be a Lotus 11 in Pensacola Florida last week. What was the blue cars origin and did you have a build thread on it? would like to learn more. Thanks!

Gary
Gary HalfDork
3/24/15 6:42 p.m.

Just discovered this thread and share everyone else's thoughts. This will be fun!

RoddyMac17
RoddyMac17 New Reader
3/24/15 7:02 p.m.
pirate wrote: Rod I started a Lotus 11 thread on the Classic Motorsports side of this website after seeing what I belived to be a Lotus 11 in Pensacola Florida last week. What was the blue cars origin and did you have a build thread on it? would like to learn more. Thanks!

Here's a link to the blue cars origins: The Blue Car, its found a new home many thousands of miles away from me which is good in a way and bad in a way.

I actually joined the GRM forums to reply to your post on Elevens, but had to wait 24 hours to post and most of what I was going to post had already been posted by others.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
3/24/15 7:14 p.m.

Stop doing that.

You need a sweet house in the country, with a garage full of the cars you've built (and NOT sold). Preferably closer to my house.

wheelsmithy
wheelsmithy GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/24/15 9:57 p.m.
RoddyMac17 wrote:
pirate wrote: : The Blue Car,
Spectacular!
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