Waterford Hill Road Course Track Day

For many years I had the pleasure of owning a 1974 Lotus Europa Twin Cam.  I even took to racing the car in SCCA Solo 2 competition and at numerous track days.

The car was for the most part fiberglass with a ingenious backbone frame that was a trademark of Lotus in the day.  At the front it was like the cross on a T to which the front suspension was bolted, and at the back it split into a V where the mid mounted engine lived along with the transaxle and rear suspension. The almost one piece body sat over this and this made for a very light but stiff car.  I remember the class I ran the car in had a minimum weight requirement and at one divisional post race tech weight check the car tipped the scales at just a tick over 1600lbs, with me in it, and yes it was legal.

Twin Cam Lotus with Webers

The car was powered by a rather small 1600cc four cylinder motor based on an English Ford block with a Lotus built aluminum double overhead cam head. Stock horsepower was around 125 hp. At some point I managed to over do it a bit and bent the crankshaft in the stock motor and at that point it was the right time to upgrade the power plant. I built a new motor  adding a forged steel crank lighter pistons, a racing head with bigger valves and hotter cam, and twin Weber side draft carbs.  I figured that pushed the HP up to around a usable 160hp and with a light aluminum flywheel it could rev to over 8000 rpms. But after too many trips to the red line this motor broke the piston rings and so I went back to a more stock engine and sold the HOT motor.

Original Tawny Brown Paint

What was the strong suit of the car was it’s handling. Because the car was light and had the mid engine it’s balance was that of a pure race car. And like any good Lotus owner I had tinkered with the suspension adding special springs and shocks absorbers.  Steering was only two or so turns lock to lock and I had a small 12′ wheel. You did have to pay attention because it didn’t take much wheel input to make the car change direction, just thinking about changing lanes and it would do it. Because of the Solo 2 racing I always had the best performance street legal tires on the car. When it came to braking the Lotus could give you nose bleeds, I had also upgrades the front brakes to larger GT-6 rotors and calipers.

Grattan Raceway Lotus National Meet

My Lotus was great fun to drive on the street but at only 46″ high you had to be real aggressive around other cars. Drive fast and never be along side anyone, best to be in front where they can see you. When passing do it with a quick downshift and pass with intent, When stopping always look in the rearview when you hit the brakes to make sure some big boat like sedan or truck wasn’t close behind you.

Age soon stared to take it’s toll, not so much the car, but me. Oh, sure Europa was a blast but I stared to get a craving for something modern, more comfortable, with air, the Lotus was like an oven in the summer. Forget hearing the radio. SCCA rules were also bumping the car into a higher racing class and the new performance cars coming out in the late 1980′s were very competitive. The new breed of “R” compound “Street Tires” were also an issue, the 70′s suspension was not made for such sticky tires and it was causing undue stress on the suspension parts made for less potent tires.  So I broke down and bought a 1988 Mustang 5.0 and sort of retired the Europa to occasional outings with other English car owners.

Burned but not as bad as I pictured.

After deciding I was not driving the car enough to justify keeping it around I sold it to a guy.  I kind of lost touch with what he was doing with it until I heard from a fellow Lotus owner my Lotus was on the new owners enclosed trailer being towed back from a Lotus track day at Grattan Raceway when it caught fire!  WOW, Grattan is where on my first track day with the car I lost my brakes and stuffed the Lotus into the bushes off turn eight, not a lucky place for the car I guess.

What Now?  Well as luck would have it I did find pictures of the old car . It was bought by a fellow in Michigan after talking to him I am told it proved to be more of a project than he envisioned and so it changed hands once again.  I am in the process of contacting the new owner and may have more word on the Europa in the future.

FYI, John DeLorean had an idea for a stainless steel, gull wing door sportscar.  Being more of a designer and idea man DeLorean had hired Lotus to do the engineering work. And true to Lotus ways of doing things the famous “Back to the Future” car was built on a similar backbone frame and fiberglass body shell to which stainless steel panels were I believe glued. Lotus was not happy with the doors, because the prototype’s roadholding and general rigidity were not helped by the big cut-outs in the shell dictated by the gull-wing doors.

The Lotus 38 was the model number of the car driven by Jimmy Clark at the 1965 Indy 500. By winning the race that year car builder Lotus and Lotus designer Colin Chapman, along with engine builder Ford proved the superiority of a light mid engine car over the heavy front engine roadsters that were common at Indy in the early 60s. 

Print Detail

 

 

 

Print Detail

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Artist Print
Print is carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is best in art reproduction that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipped in a flat bend proof mailer by First Class Mail.

Print is signed by the artist.

Lotus 38 Indy Print

Print Size

13x19 $19.95

This print is also avaliable with the Caterham Seven Badge Here.

Red with different Wheels

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Your Car??? Your Colors!
The unique digital process used to create these prints allows me to match the car to YOUR car. These cars were painted in a variety of color, I can match just about any standard color very closely. For special color options please inquire first, often these can be done at no extra charge.

Artist Print
Print is carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is best in art reproduction that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipped in a flat bend proof mailer by First Class Mail.

Solid Color Body with Cycle Fenders

IMPORTANT NOTE
Be sure to indicate car color choice and any options when ordering. This particular car came with many different options and were modified my owners quite often, different wheels, cycle fenders etc. If you have a picture of your car, or a link to your car online or one like yours, please send it along with your order. Even small cell phone pictures will do for color and option matching. Email to dave@motorsportsartist.com, Thank You.

Print is signed by the artist.

Print Info

Lotus Super Seven Art Print

Print Size

11x14 $14.95 13x19 $19.95

Body Color (fenders)

Nose Color (same?)

.

Lotus Fiber Glass Body, Mid Engine Sports Car. 

Print Detail in Red

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Your Car??? Your Colors!
The unique digital process used to create these prints allows me to match the car to YOUR car. These cars were painted in a variety of color, I can match just about any standard color very closely. For special color options please inquire first, often these can be done at no extra charge.

Prints are carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is the best in art reproductions that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipper flat between cardboard sheets for protection and to not cause mounting an framing issues.

IMPORTANT NOTE
Be sure to indicate car color choice and any options when ordering. If you have a picture of your car, or a link to your car online or one like yours, please send it along with your order. Even small cell phone pictures will do for color and option matching. Email to dave@motorsportsartist.com, Thank You.

Lotus Europa Twin Cam Art Print

Print Size

11x14 $14.95 13x19 $19.95

Body Color

|

Detail of a Lotus Esprit V-8

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Prints are carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is the best in art reproductions that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipper flat between cardboard sheets for protection and to not cause mounting an framing issues.

Lotus Esprit V-8 Artist Print

Print Size

12.75x17 $19.95

Lotus Front engine sportscar, Powered by a Twin Cam motor, Some say the Original Miata.
Also avalible in solid color

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Your Car??? Your Colors!
The unique digital process used to create these prints allows me to match the car to YOUR car. These cars were painted in a variety of color, I can match just about any standard color very closely. For special color options please inquire first, often these can be done at no extra charge.

Prints are carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is the best in art reproductions that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipper flat between cardboard sheets for protection and to not cause mounting an framing issues.

IMPORTANT NOTE
Be sure to indicate car color choice and any options when ordering. This Lotus came in a Two Tone paint scheme, white on bottom, and often had a gold side stripe and gold bumpers. Prints can be done in this style, just ask. If you have a picture of your car, or a link to your car online or one like yours, please send it along with your order. Even small cell phone pictures will do for color and option matching. Email to dave@motorsportsartist.com, Thank You.

Lotus Elan Sprint Art Print

Print Size

11x14 $14.95 13x19 $19.95

Two Tone or Solid

Two Tone with Sprint Stripe Solid with Sprint Stripe Solid Other

Body Color

Bumper Color (Silver, Gold)

|

Looking all the world like a four wheeled motorcycle the Lotus Super 7 was very light and fast, a great wind in the hair driver. I tried to capture the unique look of the bare aluminum body of this car.

This print is also avaliable with the Lotus Badge Here.

Red with different Wheels

Your Car??? Your Colors!
The unique digital process used to create these prints allows me to match the car to YOUR car. These cars were painted in a variety of color, I can match just about any standard color very closely. For special color options please inquire first, often these can be done at no extra charge.

Prints are carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is the best in art reproductions that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipper flat between cardboard sheets for protection and to not cause mounting an framing issues.

Solid Color Body with Cycle Fenders

IMPORTANT NOTE

Be sure to indicate car color choice and any options when ordering. This particular car came with many different options and were modified my owners quite often, different wheels, cycle fenders etc. If you have a picture of your car, or a link to your car online or one like yours, please send it along with your order. Even small cell phone pictures will do for color and option matching. Email to dave@motorsportsartist.com, Thank You.

Catherham Seven Art Print

Print Size

11x14 $14.95 13x19 $19.95

Body Color (fenders)

Nose Color (same?)

.

Print Detail

Unique and wonderfully detailed, Not merely filtered photographs like some art you will see, these are carefully crafted digital paintings that capture the beauty of the subject car.

Artist Print
Print is carefully printed on quality heavy weight stock by the artist using fade proof pigmented inks to last a lifetime. This is best in art reproduction that captures incredible photo quality detail and remarkable color. When matted and frame these prints look fabulous. Prints are shipped in a flat bend proof mailer by First Class Mail.

Print is signed by the artist.

Print Info

Buy Print

Black JPS Lotus Print

Print Size

12x18 $19.95