A few nights ago I drove my Lotus Europa for the first time after dark. I didn’t need to drive but figured I would see if the headlights put off enough light to see and determine whether they were almost pointed in the right direction. Everything was good, another little test crossed off the list.
That gets us to yesterday afternoon where for the first time in ages we had heavy rain. What an opportunity to see what happens when you run a Lotus Europa through nature’s car wash at dusk. What happened?
The good news is that nothing really happened. The windshield wipers do a surprisingly good job of keeping the vision clear. It would be great to have more than just 2 speeds so I might look into an Intermittent Washer and Wiper Control Unit.
The heater puts off enough heat to keep the front windshield from fogging over which is very nice. Side windows, not nearly as well but who needs them anyway.
The gauge lighting leaves a lot to be desired. The lights are barely bright enough for old eyes to read the gauges. A simple fix here is to replace the 60’s technology with modern LEDs. Overall though, the electrical system worked completely, nothing coughing, smoking or dying during the drive.
The only problem was rain coming in through the drivers door. The seals on the door are old and don’t seal very well. The quicker I drove the more water would come into the car and drip on my arm. I expect new seals and slightly better door alignment will some that problem.
I think my Lotus Europa is ready for a road trip. I’ve driven it about 2,000 carefree kilometers now without a hitch. Let the fun begin.
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