Fellow listers, today I am offering my 1970 Europa S2 with a fully sorted AE111 4AGE 20v Blacktop swap to the members of this list. It will be up for sale until Monday, at which point it will be placed on ebay with a higher starting bid or reserve.

I joined this list in September of 2005, when I asked for assistance in recovering my original Europa, which sadly I was not successful in. I enjoyed everyones effort in this undertaking, but eventually decided to start a project with a very similar S2 that was found to be in good condition. After all the work was done, and after my personal enjoyment of the vehicle, the odometer reads an accurate 30,000 original miles. I am the fourth owner of this vehicle, and have spent a full two years doing a complete frame-off restoration. My goal was to make this S2 the best in the USA in performance and appearance. This has been achieved as evidenced by two best in show trophies in the past year. This includes full restoration of the frame by Mr John Pelz in Houston, TX, as well as the installation of the rear disc brakes and the engine conversion. All later modifications were done by Brian Jenkins of ALLoti LLC, a well known Lotus Europa restoration expert located in the South Florida area. All the gaskets, bushings, and weather stripping have been replaced during the restoration.

I have invested a total of $85,000 into this project. It was always my desire since owning my first S2 to double the horsepower of such a worthy vehicle. I have effectively accomplished this goal, and have done so without sacrificing reliability or drivability. I am happy to say that all electronics and mechanics are fully sorted, and the car made 150 whp at 9500 RPM! Body work on this S2 ran over $15,000; warts were relocated under the front bumper, NACA ducts were installed on each side, and fender flares are on all four corners. The paint ran $11,000 and was done by a premier show car painter in southern Florida. The paint is medium dark metallic british racing green with yellow pearl racing stripes, and a ghosted Lotus emblem on the front hood and rear deck. The interior has been completely refurbished with a brand new walnut dashboard, red Simpson 4 point racing harnesses, white leather trim, and white leather seats with a Lotus emblem stitched into each headrest. All new Lucas gauges have been installed, along with a 10,000 RPM tachometer, and the original speedometer. A five-mirror wink has been added along with Elise side-view mirrors to eliminate all blind spots. A sunroof has also been added, which helps significantly with cabin cooling. The car is equipped with power windows, and the door handles are shaved with remote electric door poppers. Also included is an XM ready JVC CD/MP3 car stereo, with all required XM equipment already installed. There is also a Escort Passport SR7 with laser shifting capabilities, and a one-way alarm. The alarm remote controls the door poppers.

A second gas tank has been added, increasing the cruising range of this Europa to over 400 miles. There are Elise gas doors installed on each side, one containing a locking gas cap, the other a battery/alternator kill switch. There is also a fire extinguisher system installed with a pull switch in the drivers side foot well, with nozzles located in the front plenum, interior, and the engine bay. The car currently sits on 13" wheels with matching beauty rings and quarter hub caps along with DOT approved Hoosier Competition tires for an aggressive yet classic look. The purchaser of this car has the option of switching them for a 15" wheel setup all around, or a staggered 14" front 15" rear setup. As stated previously, servo-controlled rear disc brakes have been added to increase braking power, which is certainly required when you double the horsepower of any vehicle. There are SPAX adjustable shocks installed all around which makes this car truly capable of doing figure 8s in your garage!

The engine is an AE111 4AGE 20v Blacktop, which makes this Europa the only sorted 4AGE 20v Blacktop S2 with no issues, problems or excuses. The engine has been modified with Kelford Stage 2 Cams and springs, 4-1 stainless ceramic coated header, and a custom filter setup for the individual throttle bodies. All exhaust parts are ceramic coated. Also installed is an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, oil filter relocation kit, and an AEM EMS Stinger which has been fully tuned. A custom wiring harness was made for this ECU/Engine combo. The clutch is a ceramic disc, and the transmission is a Renault 5-speed for better highway cruising capabilities. This engine and transmission combination has turned this car into not only a very fast track car, but also a true touring vehicle.

My BRG 4AGE 1970 Europa S2 has won first place in the Exotic Car Festival in Celebration, FL in 2007, and also first place in the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club event in Boca Raton, FL. This in my opinion is the perfect Europa. I call it the S3, and I'm sure Colin Chapman would endorse the name. The car is a real joy to drive, and is born and bred for winning track races and car shows effortlessly. So far I would say it has done exactly what we built it to do.

This Europa "S3" will first be offered to list members only, as I would hope this vehicle would remain in our community. The price will be set at $45,000 until Monday April 14th, at which point it will be listed on ebay for the world to see! The reason I am selling this car is because I have another Europa being constructed with a turbo 2zzge and a Banks frame. With the total amount I have invested into this vehicle and my other five lotuses, there is need for capital to complete the project listed above.

Pictures of this fine automobile can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/5tgwrj

I appreciate your time, and I hope this S3 falls into the right hands!

Signed,
Jake Pighetti
jakes_loti@yahoo.com