Lotus Europa: Why Are So Many Bodies For Sale?

In reply to wspohn :

Like you say, I'm sure I'd either fit, or can make one fit me. Getting in, and especially out, could be rough!!!

I'm 6' 3" 250 lbs.  Once in the Europa, I like the fit.  the headrest does hit the back of my neck rather than the back of my head.  I wear very narrow shoes as the footwell size is the biggest issue.

Really, getting in/out of a car you use once in a while is pretty irrelevant (at least to me), but it's always the biggest talking point. The payback for dealing with it is I am driving a one-of-a kind road car that is very planted, precisely balanced and surgical to drive.  Like nothing else I've ever driven (and I've been around).

When people ask me about getting in/out I always say "I'm highly motivated" and I really am.

Tony W - New Smyrna Beach Fl

69 Lotus Elan S4SE

60 AH Bugeye Sprite

69 Lotus Europa S2

In reply to Tony Wattwood :

I would assume that you are either not as old as me, or have not used your body as hard! 
The pain is not insurmountable, but is definitely not irrelevant, to folks in pain. 
Glad you don't hurt as bad as some of us, but it ain't the absolute that you put it out as. 

In reply to Tony Wattwood :

Ingress and egress means little compared to the way the interior is shaped.

A Pontiac Solstice is a fairly large car.  Here's me trying to drive one without shoes on:

The dashboard is so bulky that I can't reach the brake pedal with my right foot.

Meanwhile, I can drive an NA Miata like it was designed specifically for me.

Threads like this bring back memories of Dr Hess and his term, "Free Range Europa" as most are found in their "natural state":  in-op, covered in leaves/pine needles and usually with the cylinder head in the passenger side foot well.

I've sat in a few of them over the years and fortunately (unfortunately?) I fit well.  I have a Spitfire and a GT6, which have similar construction as the frame relates to the body, although being steel, the Triumphs "should" have better side-impact protection.   But like most LBCs of the era, the seat belts are mostly there to keep the bits inside the car to make clean up easier.  

I still want a Europa some day... 

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

I still want a Europa some day... 

I still want a Europa that runs/drives & isn't a major project someday...

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

I still want a Europa some day... 

I still want a Europa that runs/drives & isn't a major project someday...

It's British. And a Lotus (Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious). So you're asking for a lot.

I remember a bumper sticker on an ol' MGB:

all of the parts you are falling off of this car, are of quality British manufacture. 
 

Might have been printed for Lotus 

In reply to 03Panther :

68 years old......

Tony Wattwood said:

In reply to 03Panther :

68 years old......

???

I did not see the bumper sticker 68 years ago. Although, it was prolly close to 40! 

In reply to 03Panther :

Sorry, I don't understand the bumper sticker comment. Maybe because of my age (=;

I started to write a long paragraph about "my living hard too" and I have indeed lived fairly hard, but it is really not important.

I do recognize and sympathize with folks who are not able to navigate these cars.  I know that's in my future as well and that will be a very sad day for me.....  However, I'm not a fan of the oft repeated "you can't fit"  blanket statement.  Instead, why don't we just encourage people to actually try it.   I really encourage people to sit in my car at car shows.  People seem to really enjoy it.  Some say its too small, but some say "it's like a fighter cockpit" or "its so low to the ground" or "so cool" or "can I drive it?". 

It would be a shame if people never get to experience these lovely cars because they are put off by the assertion that they can't fit.  Again, let's encourage people to try, its the way forward for these cars as we age out.... they are a little bit magical (fragile, yes, but again, worth it to me).

In reply to Tony Wattwood :

That's interesting, because when looking at the picture of your car posted earlier, I was imagining asking to sit in it. I would definitely want to experience that. 

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

It's British. And a Lotus (Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious). So you're asking for a lot.

the sticker I saw , was relevant, to this. Kinda like "prince of darkness" comments. 
A three word answer, from a post over 2 months old, is not really the way way for folks to keep up! 

In reply to Tony Wattwood :

Tony Wattwood said:

In reply to 03Panther :

I started to write a long paragraph about "my living hard too" and I have indeed lived fairly hard, but it is really not important.

from your initial comment , I assume we have totally different concepts of being hard on our bodies. I DID say that... 

It would be a shame if people never get to experience these lovely cars because they are put off by the assertion that they can't fit.  Again, let's encourage people to try, its the way forward for these cars as we age out.... they are a little bit magical (fragile, yes, but again, worth it to me).

I did NOT say any of those things. Others have, but you replied months later, for your third and forth posts!, to me.  

BTW, I do not consider British cars, or bikes, for that matter, fragile at all. Well, a zinier diode for a motorcycle is WAY to fragile, but that's another kettle of fish. Quality has always left a lot to be desired, but fragile, no. 

my apologies for replying to the wrong comment and/or in the wrong time frame.  

should have been to this comment, so that's on me:

"I would assume that you are either not as old as me, or have not used your body as hard! 
The pain is not insurmountable, but is definitely not irrelevant, to folks in pain. 
Glad you don't hurt as bad as some of us, but it ain't the absolute that you put it out "

If I took that wrongly, so be it.  I don't think I said anything absolute.  In fact, I believer I went out of my way not to say that.  

"I remember a bumper sticker on an ol' MGB:

all of the parts you are falling off of this car, are of quality British manufacture. 
 

Might have been printed for Lotus "

I took this to mean British cars were fragile, so I apologize if I took this wrong as well.  

We probably have a lot in common.

Motor on and take care! 

I had planned to be exactly that guy, but although I'm younger than him, I no longer have the stones to push that hard! 
I finally realized ya fall off less, if you don't push as hard. 

Between the blue collar, white hair, and a bit of perpetual sunburn around my neck, (hey Joe, hold my beer, and watch this!) I hurt. Never an excuse to stop, although so many do. 
 

In reply to Tony Wattwood :

As with others I've disagreed within here, I'm sure none of it would happen in person!

I might be down that way for work this fall season. 
All good!

Obviously, the only solution to this problem of too many bodies is to methodically dissect 4 bodies and when recombined into one, the resulting car is longer and wider, enough for normal people to fit into. 

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

SofaKing has already done it!

Hey, mine still runs and drives! And it's for sale!