Lotus Europa Road Race Car, 1973
Chassis No.: 73063679R $22,000 | High bid • Competed in-period in IMSA GTU class -1978 Daytona 24 finisher 39th place • Sold on Bill of Sale • 1,600cc inline 4-cylinder engine was built by Pick’s Racing Engines using a Cosworth BDA block • Flat-top CP pistons, CP rings, Carillo connecting rods, and a Marine crankshaft • Moroso engine pre-heater • 12:1 compression ratio • Rebuilt 5-speed Hewland gearbox • Dual Weber 45 DCOE carburetors • Custom stainless-steel exhaust headers • Dry-sump lubrication system • Mallory ignition • 13×9 and 13×11 Minilite-style and Jongbloed wheels • Dual master cylinder braking system • Front calipers and discs sourced from a Triumph GT6 • Copy of the SCCA logbook with records • LeGrand Formula B rear hub carriers • Front carriers with custom-built steering knuckles • Custom-made fiberglass seat shells • Crow five-point racing harness • Moto-Lita quick-release steering wheel • FireSense fire suppression system • Stewart Warner gauges • Driven about 100 miles by the current owner in two races since completion of the restoration in 2019 • Historic photos, pictures and receipts from the restoration • Being sold on a bill of sale A fascinating story accompanies this racing-modified 1973 Lotus Europa, which was restored in 2019 to its original competition configuration by acclaimed Los Angeles vintage race car restoration specialist Graham Collins. Like many sports road racers of its era, the Europa was bought for private road use before winding up as a full-competition special. It was purchased new from a Miami dealer as a John Player Special Edition finished in Burgundy and equipped with the Lotus Twin Cam engine backed by a Renault gearbox. Before long, the owner began racing the car in SCCA events and made his first outing at Daytona in 1976, enough experience to convince him that the stock drivetrain was ill suited to the ravages of all-out competition. Using the IMSA GTU rules as a guide, the stock engine and gearbox were replaced, the engine swapped with a 1600cc inline 4-cylinder engine built by Pick's Racing Engines in Santa Ana, California. Based on a Cosworth BDA block, the new powerplant used CP flat-top pistons and rings, Carrillo connecting rods and a Marine crankshaft. With 12:1 compression, the Cosworth was fitted with dual Weber 45 DCOE carburetors, a custom stainless steel exhaust system, dry-sump lubrication, Mallory ignition and a Moroso engine pre-heater, and the Renault transmission was replaced with a Hewland 5-speed. The hub carriers and other suspension pieces were replaced with heavy-duty Formula B components, including custom front carriers, to handle the increased power and the stresses of 24-hour endurance racing. The fenders were drastically widened with Porsche 914 extensions to cover the extra-wide racing tires, which were fitted to 13×9 and 13×11 Minilite-style and Jongbloed alloy wheels. A dual master cylinder system was installed to work the disc brakes, which featured front rotors and calipers adapted from a Triumph GT6. The interior was also upgraded for endurance racing with custom-made fiberglass seat shells, Crow five-point racing harnesses, Moto-Lita quick-release steering wheel, Stewart Warner gauges and a FireSense fire suppression system. After a career that included a 39th overall in the 1978 Daytona 24 Hours, the car sat unattended until its discovery in 2016, when Los Angeles architect and car guy Christof Jantzen rescued it from obscurity and delivered it to restorer Collins. It has since participated in two historic racing events totaling approximately 100 miles. Offered on a bill of sale, this IMSA GTU Lotus comes with a copy of the SCCA logbook with records, historic photos, pictures and receipts, ready to give its future owner a glimpse into a bygone era when production sports cars and amateur drivers clashed with the factory titans in heads-up competition. https://www.mecum.com/lots/481027/1973-lotus-europa-road-race-car/
