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1970 Lotus Europa Series 2 4-speed manual
This 1970 Lotus Europa Series 2 4-speed manual is in very good running order and has been part of a large collection primarily of British cars for approximately 12 years. Definitely still road worthy, it was shown at the recent Ancaster British Car Show Easter Sunday and attracted the masses.
Also included in the collection are several other Lotuses, Jaguar E-Type, Jaguar XJ40s, seven TVRs, Ferrari, Maserati as well as Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and Citroen. That is not a complete list, feel at ease that it comes from a good home. Add to that its rarity, it was one of 1529 produced for model year 1970 and 3615 Series 2s on the whole.
Described by the owner as partially restored, the yellow paint combined with the green stripe and very low driving position makes its profile very striking. Livery also includes roundels for racing numbers in case the new owner is headed to the track; off-track, these add to the sporty look of the car. The hand-assembled Fibreglass body is mounted on a boxed steel chassis and finished in a respray of Lotus yellow while the 13” tires ride on Cosmic wheels, which have been professionally restored. Date code on the tires is 2013. Chrome bumpers are very good. Minor flaws in the paint are shown in the gallery.
The interior of the car is close to immaculate. The showpiece here is the glorious wood dash, recently restored, and it is complemented by the matching shift knob. The dash cover is newer, imported from the UK; console was supplied by Diamond Trim; newer carpets are also in place. The three-spoke steering wheel is also a special timepiece commemorating the era of British motoring, functional power windows are an unexpected bonus. The driving position is low and enables the driver to feel the road beneath. Gauges are clearly laid out so as not to distract the driver for what he is there for: navigating this machine to its considerable potential. There is a usable cargo area in the rear, behind the engine. The missing glove box door has been replaced by carpet and there is no headliner – both as pictured in the gallery. The driver’s door can sometimes be finicky when opening/closing – a dedicated adjustment tool for it is included in the sale.
The engine is mounted mid-ship, aft of the cabin. A four-cylinder displacing 1565 cc, the powerplant put out 87 horsepower when new – a tidy number for a car of approximately 1500 lbs., about 500 lbs. lighter than Porsche 914, for example. The car has travelled 131,000 km. Rowing through the four-speed transmission gets the power to the rear wheels. At the time, Road & Track managed sub-10 second 0-60 jaunts and clocked a top speed of 187 km/h (116 mph). Spare tire storage is empty in the photos, the correct spare is included with the sale, as pictured in the gallery at photo #137.
Seller reports that the car is running well, has been driven in 2022 and does not burn oil, though there is occasional seepage – a couple of drops per week; the oil pressure sender is non-operational; and the water pump exudes a subtle rattle (not discernible in the engine running videos). The engine bay is tidy and presentable; components are clean and appear well-kept. The seller advises the gearbox linkages are loose but a driver soon gets used to them. The manual choke has been upgraded to automatic. Adding to the value of this car are the spares being included, worth thousands. As well as cases of spare parts, a complete extra engine – the same 1565 cc unit – with attached transmission is included with this auction. The grill on the car is not original, the original is pictured uninstalled toward the end of the gallery, along with all of the spares, and included in the sale. You will also find extensive service manuals in the gallery, included with the sale.
Seller has loved being the custodian of this car over the past dozen years. It is time to sell because he is short on space – perhaps a strange thing to say of someone with a collection of over 30 cars. That said, he is looking forward to answering questions and, if potential bidders would like, showing them the car. This 1970 Lotus Europa Series 2 4-speed manual is available in Burlington, Ontario.
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