1973 Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special

[daysineuropa]

As my screen name and email address may imply, I am a Lotus Europa fan.

The first sports car I remember seeing as a kid back in Scotland was a purple Europa. The Matchbox-Lesney Europa S2 model followed.

My first classic was a 1971 Europa S2 which I found on Padre Island, TX. It followed me to Malibu and Malibou Lake but was eventually sold once I discovered that rust-free is out-trumped by fiberglass restoration costs.

I satisfied my Lotus bug by daily driving an Elise

I took a detour into Hillman/Sunbeam Imps a few years ago that has been quite life changing but I knew I would get back to Europas one day.

My Imp owning buddy Colin Bedding recently relocated from Santa Rosa Valley to Santa Ynez. This meant leaving behind his Garage Majal and having to downsize his collection. After some negotiation with his boss, we agreed on a price

My garage building plans got a long way behind and my backlog of Imp projects is only outweighed by mass of spares from the seven, yes seven, Imps I have owned since 2010. Fellow Europa owner Dean HealeyBN7 stored the car for me since August until Tuesday night.

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Bodywork isn't perfect but it won't be needing or receiving a respray. This will be a rolling restoration for a fun car to come out on VM holiday drives. Fluid replacement and a new master cylinder are top of the bill.

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[Martin Keller]

Hi Mark,

Looks like you found a nice example.
So did you not tell your wife you acquired another auto the reason Dean was storing your new toy.

[daysineuropa]

You have to break such news gently Martin

[Steve Simmons]

Oh goodie, another restoration thread to follow.

[HealeyBN7]

Hi Mark,

Looks like you found a nice example.
So did you not tell your wife you acquired another auto the reason Dean was storing your new toy.

He flies close to the sun!

I won't forget the time Mark brought over his wife to see the barn. She leaned on the fender (of what was already her car) and as told my wife that she doesn't see why Mark likes these cars. That he had one and she was glad when it was gone.

...awkward silence... and Donna blurted out "So, do you want to see the chickens?"

Glad the project is now declassified. Let the spending begin.

Dean

[Martin Keller]

Hi Mark,

Looks like you found a nice example.
So did you not tell your wife you acquired another auto the reason Dean was storing your new toy.

He flies close to the sun!

I won't forget the time Mark brought over his wife to see the barn. She leaned on the fender (of what was already her car) and as told my wife that she doesn't see why Mark likes these cars. That he had one and she was glad when it was gone.

...awkward silence... and Donna blurted out "So, do you want to see the chickens?"

Glad the project is now declassified. Let the spending begin.

Dean

Hi Dean,
Yep Mark has always flown close to the sun I think and seems to be good at it for sure as I have never seen a cot in his garage the few times I have been to his home up on the hill amongst the avocados, dogs and chickens and cars.
I know that I just do not have that type of luck in my household because my property is not as large as Mark's or your's so it is harder to keep another car from being discovered before the correct time to make my loving wife aware of it.

On a side note remind me to tell you about the time I went to Mark's home to collect the IMP Race Car for the CCBCC car show when MArk was out of the country on business and his wife was at the house when I was hooking up the trailer to depart the property. Though I migth be going to jail that day.

After the initial post I was thinking you had the perfect time to scavenge parts off Mark's car for your spares..... ......

[daysineuropa]

Well, I can safely say the Europa won't be making its debut on New Year's Day drive.

Master cylinder gave out just before it left Chez Caccavo. I ordered up a veritable pile of parts from R Dent and had big hopes for the holidays.......

Rear hubs are OK as they are standard Girling except stupid automatic adjuster.

Why would you put bolts for master cylinder in a position where they can only be unloosened by taking out steering rack? Cruel and unusual Mr Chapman, cruel and unusual.

Any way, six hours later and it is out.....l

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[whitebuffalo]

Ah bummer

[VWNate1]

Glad to see you're making progress with it .

Master cylinders drop in droves during cold weather.... I always ordered in a case of them at my Shop right at the end of September .

[daysineuropa]

Cruel and unusual theme continues.

Front hubs are rebuilt, new pads, rotors, cylinders and hoses in place.

I bought rebuild kit for evil master cylinder but am being thwarted in trying to remove unobtanium reservoir without breaking it. Circlip inside recess holds reservoir nipple in contact with O-ring. How do you pry circlip,out the way when you cannot access it? Pull up and hard without breaking seems to be perceived wisdom.

I could just send it away to be resleeved but can't believe there isn't a technique here.

Does anyone have Lucas Girling G202 manual?

[VWNate1]

? A circlip too ? boy howdy they must have been pissed at the Customer to design it like that .

I hate these snug fit plastic resivoirs, I twist whilst pulling them up, always seems to work O.K. although I've sweated bullets when struggling with an Unobtanium resivoir .

I have used rubber lube in the joint to make it slipperier and easier to remove BUT ~ you have to clean EVERYTHING Hospital clean with alcohol before re assembly or the contamination _will_ cause the rubbers in the master and wheel cylinders/calipers to fail .

[Larry Kluss]

I have used rubber lube in the joint to make it slipperier and easier to remove BUT ~ you have to clean EVERYTHING Hospital clean with alcohol before re assembly or the contamination _will_ cause the rubbers in the master and wheel cylinders/calipers to fail .

Spot on, Nate!
Mark, I suggest using brake assembly lube. It is compatible with the seals but has a much higher lubricity than brake fluid.
Also, perhaps fabricate a fork-style lever with smooth edges to help apply even upward pressure on the reservoir? I would think twisting while pulling is likely to cause some bending to the reservoir nipple, making it easier to break off.

[daysineuropa]

Apparently what was needed was Dr Dean and his dental pick and forceps.

Even upward pressure caused it to pop with minor damage to shoulder that locates tension ring.

The reservoir made a nice U-shape trajectory into the trash can. I hope that wasn't an omen for the rest of rebuild

Thanks Dean!

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