71 Lotus Europa, HOT 1.6 Gordini cross-flow and restrained body mods.

I've done the plugs out cranking. Also pushed oil into the galleys as detailed above.

Current battery is old, I will buy a new one today for best possible cranking speed. Cannot get back to the Lotus until evening. I know I have spark and that the fuel pump is working. 

Compression is really the big question as the engine has not been started in decades. I dream of NOT having to pull it apart for new rings and fresh bearings. So many other projects, I do not want this one to take years before I get to drive it.

If the plugs get wet with fuel, then almost nothing happens.

   Getting it to start can be a little difficult.   If some carb jets are plugged up, some cylinders could flood while some are dry, and then it won't want to do much.   The choke or cold start feature of the dcoe weber can provide to much fuel, which could wet the plugs.  Might try without the choke, maybe remove the air filters and have some starting fluid handy, the starting fluid might not wet the plugs.  Just be careful as that stuff can start a fire.

If those carbs have been sitting for years, expect to have to rebuild them.

Don't ask how i know... these sat 10 years.

I had mine rebuilt by Quicksilver in Frederick MD.  Now work fantastic.

There is also a great rebuilder in California.

If the plugs are getting wet with fuel you have no spark or way too much fuel.

If it's too much fuel Pinch off the fuel line so it cant pump more fuel into the party.

If it has run for a bit with too much fuel the plugs won't be happy, clean them with a propane torch or replace.

Run the carb dry before releasing the fuel shutoff. The inrush of fuel may well clear any goobers trapped in the float valve.

I do my own Weber rebuilds, they are not nearly so hard as 'Net legends claim. I will pull jets and blow them out. 

CDI ignition with plenty of spark.

For now I just want it to run long enough to do a warm compression check. 

Weber DCOE's are pretty easy. x3 on not needing a choke. Three taps of the throttle and I have perfect idle cold. 

Bummer is that I have so many other chores at the moment that HAVE to take precedence. 

Really want to hear it run, even if only long enough to confirm that a rebuild will be needed.

I did at least get it onto wheel dollies so that I may move it around easily. Also improved access as I don't have to lean over quite so far. 

In reply to RichardSIA :

The lean over part, ugh. I jack them up for any service for that reason, even interior work.

Petty progress is still better than none.

Today I ordered two KNN-E-3341 K&N air filters from Summit Racing.
Then a pair of DCOE gasket sets and dash decals from Dave Bean.

Spending money is always progress, right? 

I had my car on wheel dollies, kids used to think it was hilarious to move the car around the gatage or rotate it just to mess with me!

My current shop is too small so I have to put the cars on dollies to move them around on my own. Working on getting a larger shop built at home.

Tinkered with the Lotus a bit tonight.

Still cannot get it to start so it looks like I will be doing the compression check cold. If I find a very  low cylinder I will know there is no point in worrying over getting it to run right away.

Checked engine number, this one is not the original. "Gordini" TS/Hemi head so maybe the whole engine was swapped in. If so I may also have a small displacement increase.

Determined that despite being pretty strait I will have to strip the whole body. No idea why anyone would apply primer OVER the old paint that they complained was flaking off.

I think I will look into a soda blaster. I know people have issues with them for steel cars but this is fiberglass.

Being it is now another Frame Off job the Europa will not be the first horse out of the barn.  That is more likely to be the Alfa Romeo Spider as despite the necessary rust repairs it is less of a project since I know it runs.

One down, one to go. Bought a used but re-chromed original rear bumper today. Now need the front. 

Also got the plastic vent bit that goes above the rear window, Weber gasket set, and dash lettering decals.

Next trip to Reno I grab new veneer.

Putting parts away I came across this.

Has to go on the wall.

Does anyone recognize these wheels?

I would like to get a spare or two. 

Removed one tonight thinking the make and model would be cast in the back-side.

Nope, just the 5.5x13 size and weight rating.

Google comes up with American Racing Spectre 2s.  It's plausible.  They look very close.

Not sure how you did that!

I looked at literally thousands of images with no luck. The only reference I found misspelled  Spectre and did not have the 2.

Now I know what they are so may be able to find another. I knew they seemed familiar but could not name them.

EDIT: Only fair to note that they are lighter than they might look as the back side of the spokes are hollow.

What bolt pattern are Loti?  I have 5 of them that came of an MG Midget.  I can see what bolt pattern they (The rims) actually are tomorrow.

RichardSIA said:

Not sure how you did that!

Google Lens.  It allows you to take a picture of something and do an image search of the Internet.  It can also translate text.  Sometimes it really surprises you with it's accuracy, and sometimes it's not very good.  Benefits of our evil Internet overlords.

Lotus/Spitfire are 4x3-3/4" (92.25mm)

Sprite/Midget are 4x4" (101.6mm)

Seems odd the Lotus uses a smaller pattern than the Sprite.

In reply to RichardSIA :

Lotus uses the same hub as the Spitfire on front because it was very cheap to purchase from Alford & Alders, while BMC made their own for the Spridgets. In the rear Lotus was stuck with manufacture, because the Hillman Imp hub that matches the outer stub axle is 4X4. So measure and examine carefully, as a Europa with different patterns front/rear is a real possibility!

No time to actually work on the Lotus but still enough time to spend money.

Got a steel rear bumper, Renault 16 workshop manual, and tonight a spare Tach.

I just had to know, so tonight I did the leak-down test.

Just as I feared and expected.
No. 4 low compression is due to bad rings.
Sitting so long it probably acquired some condensation in the cylinder.
Apparently Montana is not so dry a state as I always thought it to be. 

I was not pleased when the seller told me, "I put a hot battery in and it cranked right over".  
I always treat the cylinders of any car that has sat to some Marvel Mystery Oil for at least twenty-four hours before trying to turn it over.
I hope it is just stuck rings but fear pitting in the cylinder.
Fearing piston damage even more.

I determined this using my antique (All the best tools are antique!)   SUN leak-down tester.
50% leakage. No air coming out of the Weber, none from the exhaust, remove the oil fill cap, hisssssss.
I did not test the other cylinders, I already know I have to rebuild it.

In reply to RichardSIA :

Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. :(

Ah well, I knew it had sat for decades when I bought it. It has the trick TS head and Weber intake that are nearly impossible to find now so I'm still happy enough.