Lotus Europa came with a powerplant derived from a Renault marine engine that was ultimately used in their R16 front wheel drive car.

They’re good engines.

John Pels of Texas developed the means to adapt the Toyota 4Age to the Europa drive train with its Electronic engine management, fuel injection, and legendary Toyota reliability. Not that the Europa engines are not reliable.

Those who have changed to the Toyota motors say that the car is transformed thereby. Modern Lotus cars are Toyota powered.

This engine class was found in Corolla’s and MR2’s and have long been available at reasonable cost as JDM engines. Whole engines with the transmission  can be had for under $2000 with low miles.

Not knowing if I would make such a change to my first S2 Europa, I started acquiring the bits. I got a John Pels adapter plate, the headers, and was involved in a group buy for the motor mounts.

They’ve since been sold to a guy in New Jersey.

Have a look at the headers. This is some of the best welding I’ve seen. It’s probably TIG and I’m pretty sure the tubes are stainless steel. Good stuff.

Headers as they came, in sealed bubble wrap.