1973 Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special

Painted red for a time, fiberglass bodywork was media blasted down to the gel coat and repainted in its original Lagoon Blue under tan pinstriping. A new front splitter and silver rocker covers were fitted, and bumpers were stripped and re-chromed. Refinished factory wheels wear black powder coating under freshly polished ribs and are mounted with staggered-width Avon CR6ZZ rubber. A matching spare wheel in the front compartment wears a new modern-style radial. Doors were fitted with all new seals as well as stainless hinge pins, though the driverâ??s side is described as a bit loose. Fasteners were largely replaced throughout. Bolstered bucket seats, door panels, and headliner were reupholstered in original-style oatmeal material sourced from the UK, while blue carpeting was laid down in lieu of the original tan. Custom inertia-reel seat belts were installed, and the steering wheel and pedal set were overhauled. Powered glass side windows received new felts and the rear window was resealed. Smiths and Lucas instrumentation is detailed up close along with factory switchgear, with all mounted in a new leather-trimmed burl walnut dashboard. The speedometer is a recent replacement as is its cable, and a new line was also fitted for the oil pressure gauge. Wiring, terminals, relays, and other electrical hardware were tidied up or replaced. A new heater control valve is present but the defroster controls are not hooked up. The former choke knob now operates as an emergency battery cutoff switch. It produced 142 peak horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque during subsequent dyno testing. Induction is from Weber sidedraft carburetors mounted to an appropriate cylinder head, which is also fitted with removable water pump cartridge. Fuel is drawn from custom aluminum tanks through all new plumbing. Exhaust is via a custom large-bore stainless header and piping routed through a Magnaflow muffler. A cold start video is shown above. Cooling is from a re-cored radiator, an adjustable electric fan, and fresh hoses throughout. A heavy-duty battery rests in a custom made box and a new alternator was fitted. Extra fiberglass and heat-reflective film were added to the bulkhead between the engine bay and passenger compartment. The Renault 5-speed transaxle was stripped down, cleaned, and remounted on a bell housing modified to accept a hydraulic clutch release. A clutch master cylinder was also installed to complete the conversion from the original cable-actuated set up. Suspension, steering, and driveline components were blasted and powder coated before reassembly with all new hardware, bushings, joints, bearings, and Leda adjustable coilovers. A back road driving video is shown above. Front disc brakes benefit from rebuilt calipers over drilled and slotted rotors, while rear drums have new wheel cylinders and powder-coated hardware. The factory brake booster was eliminated in favor of a small-bore master cylinder, and braided stainless hoses were fitted throughout.