1971 Lotus Europa S-2 Type 65
Owned by John Douglas Abbott
Amarillo, Texas, USA
( Click on the section of the restoration you want to see.
)
The Original Car
The Body Restoration
The Engine Rebuild
The Chassis
The New Sway Bar
Down on the Ground
Set the Body
The Electrics
The Result
The New Gordini Engine
Gordini Swap
If there is one thing I learned from redoing this car,
it is ..... Don't approach a rebuild with your heart, but with your head.
When I saw the car sitting there in the weeds, my reaction was that "someone
had to save this car or it will be lost forever". That thinking cost
me plenty. Having said that, I walk out into the garage, look at it, drive
it and I feel great ! These are incredible cars. They are the closest thing
to a race car that one can drive on the road ( except maybe a Lotus 7 ).
I took delivery of the car in February of 1997 and finished in October of
1998. My original intent was not to finish the car as nicely as it's turning
out, but as the work progressed , I couldn't stand to see things finished
half way ! Of course it's now been finished for a year and a half, and driving
is the best part! I drive it a couple of times a week, to my tennis group
and Rotary Club.
My next project is a Lightweight Gordini S-2. ( 1300 lbs / 130 hp
! )
Email address: lotus2@arn.net
Here is my new Lotus garage, about half finished.
