Originally Posted by
EffOne
I'm the guilty one – I bought it. What can I say: all logic pointed to the fact that this car could have about as much chance of working properly as V8-powered hedge trimmer, but I allowed lust get the better of me. (as if I haven't learned this lesson already with other cars, girlfriends and even a wife!).
But I'm a Lotus fan from way back, I've owned a Europa twin cam for 10 years and I never got over losing out on a deal to buy a Lotus 61 two years ago when I was first looking for a vintage FF car.
As Mr. Johnson said, I figured I could always sell off the engine and gearbox and restore back to FF specs (and coincidentally, was also figured he'd be the perfect guy to do the job!). I have an Elden FF in the garage that actually has a Cortina motor from a Lotus 51 in it, so I could rob just about all the parts I need right off a car I already own (and probably won't be able to sell for very much $ anyway). Hell, I could also toss the Europa motor in it! Put the BDA in the Europa!
I've never been one to claim that I had more sense than impulse control – something about this car just grabbed me. The Lotus 51 is the most beautiful of all FF cars, in my opinion, not to mention just about the only vintage FF car that will also actually appreciate in value. But the combo of the Lotus 51 looks with the twin cam and FB-spec wheels, just knocked me out. Purists be damned. Common sense be damned!
And I knew about the car before it was on EBay. I saw the car on a total fluke when it was first advertised on the Symbolic web site (not being in the market for an SWB, Enzo or Veyron, I'm not on their site too often), and like the schoolboy who kept a Yamaha Mini Enduro brochure in my pocket for an entire summer, just kept going back to the site to look at it. Just a striking car!! Then by coincidence I saw it on EBay just after it was posted. Kismet. And with a Buy-It-Now price on it, I knew someone was going to buy it, right or wrong, so I just leaped off the ledge and bought it.
I mean, what's the worst that can happen?
The previous owner was Japanese guy who had a car collection, including race cars that he drove regularly, that would make anyone on this site drool uncontrollably (or maybe some might say were a bunch of expensive garage ornaments; where's the love, Motorsport Services? Lest not ye be judged, or something like that...).
Anyway, there's a lot of information to share about the car including more details on the motor and the whole build process, if anybody's interested.
Cheers!