Some cars are worth saving and others, not so much. I will let you be the judge here, but I think this 1971 Lotus Europa at least deserves some consideration. The seller’s vague listing and bad photos make this one a gamble, but at a more realistic asking price this Europa might make a worthwhile project for a wholehearted Lotus enthusiast. Find it here on eBay out of Hobbs, New Mexico where bidding starts at $3,500 with no reserve. You had better know what you are getting into though.

At first glance, I assumed that this car had been dropped off at the local scrapyard. That can point to a bargain sometimes, but usually those places ask more than the cars are worth. That lines up with the situation here, but upon further investigation of the photos, I think this could just be on offer by a person who enjoys buying and selling stuff. They claim to not know the year (the VIN does point to 1971) and to not have a title at this time. Does that mean that the title is in the mail? Or has it been lost for good?

Little tidbits like that could greatly influence the final bid here. I have a feeling it isnt going to get any bids though at the current starting price because this Lotus may need more invested in it than it’s worth to be roadworthy. Well, that is if the title can even be located. If it can, then you will have your work cut out for you inside and out. The windshield is gone and the interior has obviously suffered for it.

The passenger side door is also missing and there is some obvious crash damage. The seller categorized the title as “Lemon & Manufacturer Buyback”, but I can’t help but wonder if they meant “Salvage”. So, if there is a title floating around, you will also want to verify that it isn’t branded. Hmm, this is getting worse as we go along here. Maybe I should just stop now…

This could be the final blow here. The seller claims that the “motor is mainly complete”, but I’m seeing lots vitals that are missing. Perhaps this would be a good base for a race car rather than a full restoration candidate. Yeah, that’s the ticket! The title would not be an issue then. The engine would get replaced with a hotted up version anyway and the interior would need to be stripped out for the roll cage. Well, perhaps I am just trying to convince you of this car’s merits because I hope someone saves it. It may be crude and it may look awkward, but anything designed by Colin Chapman has gotta be fun.

Well, almost anything. He knew the secret to speed and agility was lightness and the principle was well applied here. With a weight of around 1,500 pounds this car should have no problem going, stopping, or turning quickly. I would love to squeeze into that seat and give her a run. So much in fact, that the Europa ranks third on my Lotus list of must-haves coming in just behind the Elan and the Seven. If that’s not good company, I don’t know what is. So, back to our original question – is this pile of parts worth putting back together?