Right now, I feel like a somewhat less manic Neal Cassady, because I’ve driven perhaps 2000 miles in less than a week and I can’t sleep. Coming to a dead stop after so much moving shocks the system; I could never be a truck driver although I’d be the best–go, go, go. Can you tell I’ve been reading The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test? Perhaps meaningfully, perhaps not, I saw (heard?) this Day-Glo Orange Lotus Europa for sale last weekend. It was not to be the last.
The Breadvan. For so many years, I’ve looked at the Europa as a lapse in judgment, a massive, what-the-heck? screwup. How could the same company that brought you the Elite bring you this bilevel misjoined at the middle misadventure? Then I saw this one for sale at Waterford Hills (a racetrack) and I finally got it, had an awakening; it stared me in the face and shook me by the collar and screamed at my eyeballs and realigned my mojo.
And it was for sale, too, just one day after I came perilously close to bidding on one of my dreamboats at an estate auction, a ’59 Triumph TR3. Whereas the TR is old school England, all buttoned up, bulldoggy, proper, the Europa is all molten lava ’70s disco nutjob crazy…and $14,500, not super cheap but also a seemingly good deal for a nice looking Lotus. I, however, know next to nothing about them, and I’m not jumping in the Europa pool with all these hangups, not yet. I’m not crazy.
I do know that Lotus suffered from insufferable braggadocio, which is a little uptight; sticking to hierarchical dogma is not a genuine experience, because you’re letting the other guy into your movie. If it helps you sell cars, however, keep on trucking, Colin Chapman, keep on lightening things up and stuff.
Oh, but that posterior is so polarizing. And it’s so small, claustrophobia on wheels, a screaming, glued to the road, fiberglass chunk of 18-wheeler bait–the positive side? You wouldn’t see what hit you. It’s just you and the road, with lots of bathroom breaks to stretch because bones don’t go that way, man. Part of living your own Europa movie, however, is awakening the others, melting their inhibitions and prejudices. With no visibility, how would you know it’s working? In a perfect world, there’s no judgment here; that rearend is dynamite, but how would you know if anybody’s following your trip? You just can’t see ’em!
One picture is not worth a thousand words, because the Europa’s an enigma; it wears its style as a disguise; it doesn’t look so small, but it’s a man in a redwood forest in this land of the free; an Escalade could wear this as a hat. It would make a cute little Christmas present, all tied up in a little hatbox–here’s your Europa, sweetie!
Speaking of sweeties, my wife and I found ourselves at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville a few days later, a mind-blowing place for cognoscenti and dilettantes alike, and here is this subdued Europa, looking for all the world like Jimmy Clark rose from the Scottish hillside for a quick spin down Broadway, all British Racing Green-like and striped and Minilited and sitting on some hardwood floor. It’s like we were all in synch screaming through space on this weird old orb.
Two Europas in a week was too much; I had to step back, stop to think, realign. I have enough Curbside fodder to last a year based on the last two months, but it’s going to take time to process, and I have to come down from this road high I’m on, sleep a few winks, reconsider my priorities, evaluate if I’m living an out front life as a car guy. Maybe next week, after a few winks, I’ll be back to myself. Or maybe this is only the beginning.
Great read, Aaron – you’re either on the bus or off the bus. I think you’re on the bus!
Used to see Europas tooling around London pretty regularly when I was growing up, then the Esprit arrived and blew them all away. Pax Europa.
Sweet .
-Nate
If I wanted to enjoy a car like the Lotus, I wouldn’t use it on roads frequented by 18-wheelers anyway, for they’re usually dull drives.
In any case, I give semis lots of space & a wary eye.
Like . . . wow, man. Fabulous read, Aaron. But I think it’s time for those meds. 🙂
I never got this car either. Maybe this is just one of those that you need to see in person, and at just the right time and in just the right mood. Then it can do something to you, as you have so ably demonstrated.
The picture of the Europa alongside the new Impala is instructive – the roof of the Lotus is about the same height as the windowsill of the Chevy.
I haven’t seen a Europa in the wild, in forever. An Air Force buddy of mine had one of these back in the mid-seventies. In the two plus years I knew Dave I don’t think the poor Lotus ever turned a wheel. His intent was to road race the Europa but never could get enough money together to do so. The example that he owned was 8-9 years old and was pretty tired; it would need lots of fixing to make it through any type of inspection. I always thought he should have taken his daily driver, a Ford Torino Cobra Jet with the 428 and C6 automatic, racing but Dave was not a drag racer.
Great little cars on twisty roads a housemates brother had one many years ago not very roomy I seriously doubt I’d fit in one now but great fun to hurl into a tight bend too fast.
I used to see a silver coloured Lotus Europa, parked on the street outside the historic Georgian era house of the couple who owned it,every day.The couple were celebrated ballet dancers.I also found the Europa challenging from a design viewpoint but always it drew my eyes to it and I thought I would buy one in the future.I cannot recall anyone calling James M Clark “Jimmy”,when I met him he introduced himself as “Jim”,also when he visited our house to sign the wall and met my parents it was “Jim”.Jim Clark was not a pretentious man,he was a polite,civilised,well spoken and very down to earth man.That was almost fifty years ago,46 or 47 years ago and to this day I feel honoured to have met Jim and sad when I read his name again.Parked behind the silver Europa,was often a Fiat 600T van,small and boxy people mover,the contrast between the two was very interesting.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/7/newsid_2837000/2837559.stm
Please note Jackie Stewart’s (and Graham Hill’s) reference to Mr. Clark as “Jimmy.” Obviously, I never knew him, but my use of Jimmy is not an anomaly. Besides, I felt it was keeping in the tone of my piece, and certainly meant no disrespect to one of the greatest racers to ever turn a steering wheel.
Almost all accounts of the period that I’ve read called him Jimmy. Your account of this meeting has been told elsewhere on CC, Roderick, and is both hilarious and inspiring.
In case anybody wants to go the cheaper route for a Europa, Matchbox recently made a version (I have two)!
http://matchbox.wikia.com/wiki/Lotus_Europa_Special_(1972)
Got it. Mint and boxed purple. Corgi also made one in green.
I just clicked on the link and realised the reissue is an S3 and mine is an S1/S2. Looks like the same die, but modified.
When I hear the phrase “Lotus Europa”, this is the image that enters my head.
Mine was electric blue, but came in the older-style box.
I can only hallucinate about getting into one of these.
At 6 feet, 210 pounds and claustrophobic, this is a car that I would rather admire from afar,rather than attempt to get in and drive it. I remember back in the day that one reviewer saying something to the effect that this is a car you wear as opposed to drive,but that once you are inside, it is a blast to drive. I see his point.
Yeah, I don’t think I’d be able to squeeze into that go kart either. I’m glad I caught this write-up before it fell off the front page though. It was a neat trip.
Too much Kool Aid for this bus driver…
That reminds me of the end of the Italian Job!
‘Hang on a minute lads, I’ve got a great idea…’
This is a self preservating society.