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1973 Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special

At a Glance

Lovingly Restored | Engine Rebuild | Beautifully Finished

  • Mileage~73,814
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine1.6L
  • LocationFeltham

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Video #2

Introduction

Darren Rungasamy
Automotive Editor, Photographer and Consigner

The Lotus Europa; arguably as near as you can get to a Formula Race car for the road in the 60s/70s.

Affordable mid-engined road cars were something of a novelty when the Europa broke ground in 1966. Using a proven configuration for Grand Prix cars, the engine configuration was only used on high-priced performance cars. However, Colin Chapman devised the rakish two-seater, intending to offer a genuine race-bred sports car, with exceptional handling balance and exquisite road-holding at a reasonable cost. The backbone chassis and fibreglass body are pure motorsports, with a clever suspension set-up that offers a near Formula Race car experience, with a balance of comfort and style.

The ultimate version of the Europa, the Twin Cam Special was released in 1971, notable for the use of the iconic Lotus-Ford Big-Valve engine. The Special was mated up to the 5-speed gearbox, which was just as quick to 60 mph as an E-type but a lot more fun around the lanes. The interior was more lavish than the original Europa with improved instrumentation and comfortable racing-style seats. Noted as one of the best-handling cars to ever come out of the Chapman era, the groundbreaking Europa set a high benchmark for the mid-engine sports car.

This 1973 Twin Cam Special has recently been restored to a high standard, with documented full restoration photos and invoices for ~£11,000 worth of parts. It has a handful of useful upgrades which do not detract from the essence of the unique driving experience. Finished in black with the iconic JPS livery, it is MOT and UK road tax exempt and comes with two keys.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Rufus the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Video #2

Meet the owner

I know these cars inside out, and restoring this one was a labour of love.

Rufus was 18 years old and working on his S2 Europa, when John, a garage owner, passed him and made a comment on the car. It turned out that John was also a Lotus enthusiast, and a 50-year-old friendship developed. With dozens of Lotus' owned by the pair over the years, they then combined their skills and knowledge for the joint purchase and restoration of this Europa.

Having started work on the car around 4 years ago, incalculable hours, time and effort have gone into getting the car up to a standard that both guys are happy with and it’s been in Rufus’ possession ever since it was finished. With indoor storage being an issue, they have both decided that the car should be moved on to someone who will use and enjoy the car, as they muse over their next project. Rufus will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Rufus
Vehicle Owner

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EXTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Exterior

Finished in a head-turning JPS livery, its restoration has been three years in the making.

Wheels and Tyres

The car is fitted with a set of original 13” Wolfrace Slot Mag wheels - they show a typical age-related wear and a few light marks but appear to be free of damage.

Fitted with a full set of Goodyear Eagle tyres, they are more than 20 years old but are in good shape with decent tread. Take a look at the pictures to see the details.

Bodywork

The box-steel backbone chassis is in excellent shape, having been dry-blasted and galvanised. A glance at the rear trailing links and chassis mounts looks positive. The fibreglass body is mounted straight and true to the frame, with no outstanding signs of fractures or damage. The door wells, inner wings, sills and luggage bay are in good shape, with no significant marks on the body.

Rufus was keen to point out how much effort had gone into the mounting of the doors correctly, which have near-perfect alignment with pleasing panel gaps. All open and close with no obstructions. The engine cover has new gas struts.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

As part of the car's ground-up restoration, the body has been completely stripped down and repainted in black. It was was sprayed with 2K paint and offers a nice lustre, with carefully applied JPS gold striping.

We spotted micro-blisters and light surface crazing on the engine lid and luggage cover. The roof shows a faint imprint of where the old sunroof was once in place, but this can only be seen under scrutiny at certain angles.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass and seals are in good shape, with no outstanding flaws. All are said to be watertight. The lighting and lenses are in good condition.

We noticed some light age-related pitting on both the front and rear bumpers. The rest of the brightwork is in decent condition.

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INTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Interior

Professional trimmed, the cabin is probably better than when it left Hethel in 1973.

Seats and Carpets

The sculptured racing-style backward-leaning leather seats are in excellent shape, with no signs of wear.

The car has been fitted with black carpets and mats, all are in excellent condition with no suggestion of dampness.

Dashboard

The cabin has been stripped out and completely renovated, notably finished with a new veneer facia.

The trim finishing, switches, Smith's instrumentation, centre console, headlining and door cards are in excellent shape.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel looks in great condition and the positive cabin presentation is finished off with a wooden gear knob, which is in great condition too.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO
Video #2

Mechanics

The rebuilt Twin-Cam engine is brutally quick and sounds sensational.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine fired up immediately as part of the cold start video. It needed a little encouragement to idle but once warmed up the engine sounded smooth on tick-over, with no hiccups or hesitancy. A little puff of smoke and condensation was evident at the start but during the drive, there were no fumes or misfiring heard. The engine presentation is positive, with all the signs of a recently rebuilt unit. The car was also free of any fluid leaks on the day.

The gearbox worked well, and the linkages were well up to the task. Rufus mentioned that the clutch needs to be bedded in, but describes the biting point as positive.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension is well up to the task of keeping the car poised on the road, yet it wasn’t unduly firm. No knocks or creaks were heard during the drive.

The brakes are reassuringly effective, with no pulling at the steering wheel and stopping the car without any grinding or squeals.

The Drive

Sitting in what is a mid-engine tubular framed race car is true to Colin Chapmans ‘Simplify, then add lightness’ philosophy. With the almost reclined driving position, the intimacy of the cabin, combined with the buzzy twin-cam right behind our heads, the experience is almost unique for a road car. Yet it doesn't feel as uncompromising or as brutal as one might expect, with the well-considered ergonomics and comfortable seats.

The engine is very responsive, and along with the short gearbox throws, sounded tight with no whines from the transmission. Rufus hasn’t reported any issue with the water temperature or oil pressure.

Electrics and Other

The luggage area is free of any damage, and the rear storage bucket has been renovated and is a good fit.

A Bluetooth MP3 USB player and an electric ignition has also been installed. Rufus assures us that all the dashboard functions, including the electric windows, are operational.

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Video #2

History and Paperwork

Unused for at least 30 years, the Lotus was subject to a ground up-restoration and completely revitalised, a genuine Twin Cam Special, the stock of this model has risen over the years.

First registered in Blackpool in March 1973, the car started life in orange and was used until 1990 when it appeared to have been taken off the road. It was passed to an enthusiast who took on the car in the mid-2000s with the original intention of restoring it, but never got round to it. John and Rufus accessed the car in 2020 and decided it would make an ideal project to bring back to life.

The car was completely dismantled, chassis restored, the body rubbed, then finished in black with the JPS livery. The mechanics and running gear were rebuilt with many new parts, including a renewed cooling system, a new clutch and new brake lines. The interior was also refurbed by a former Rolls Royce upholster and the engine was rebuilt by a specialist in North Wales, which included new pistons, a rebore and rebuilt carbs.

An Excel spreadsheet was devised with the parts costs, which tallied up to £11,000 but like all restorations, this was just a fraction of the true costs. The restoration process is backed up by photos, as well as dozens of invoices for parts via SJ Sports Cars, a reputable Lotus specialist. The car also comes with most of its MOTS from the 1980s. It comes with two keys and is MOT and Road Tax exempt.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned an HPI check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
31-08-1989 MOT 73,388
04-08-1988 MOT 70,999
13-06-1987 MOT 69,366
07-08-1985 MOT 67,965
26-04-1984 MOT 64,532
23-04-1983 MOT 61,234
13-03-1982 MOT 59,305
10-03-1981 MOT 55,337
14-03-1980 MOT 49,829
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Key Details
  • ModelEuropa Twin Cam Special
  • Transmission5-Speed Manual
  • Reg. Date29-03-1973
  • CC1557
  • Mileage~73,814
  • HistoryRecent restoration documented
  • ColourBlack
  • Interior ColourBlack
  • Interior TrimLeather
  • Chassis #73012007P
  • Engine #R28826
  • RestoredYes in 2022
  • Engine RebuildYes in 2022
  • MOT ExemptYes
  • Road Tax ExemptYes
  • HPi ClearYes - All clear
  • Former Keepers4
  • Tyre BrandGoodyear Eagle
  • # of Keys2
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~4 years
  • Key FeatureGenuine Twin Cam Special and ground up restoration
  • Auction ID1885
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VIEW ALL
Video #2

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Exterior

Interior

Mechanics

History and Paperwork

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Vehicle Location

Feltham

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    Vehicle Location

    Feltham

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