LOTUS' S2 EUROPA ROAD CAR arrived on the scene some time in 1969. They cost £1667 completed, with Purchase Tax, and £1275 in kit form, without Purchase Tax. Even so, the kit-form sales were practically completed vehicles. Engines were generally Renault Crossflow 1470cc or 1565cc fours and these were mid-mounted.

In order to homologate a specially prepared version of the Europa S2 for racing, Lotus were obliged to make at least fifty such specials and they were called the 47 range. They were just about fully-built at Lotus, fitted with Cosworth/Lotus twin-cam engines and flew on the race tracks.

In addition to the Europa 47s, Lotus also made a couple of works 47A versions. It seems that there was also a semi-works 47A and a number of spare shells. Some six years ago, Andy Short bought a 47A shell which had been fitted to a standard Europa chassis and running gear. In repairing this body and fitting it to their own replacement chassis and suspension, the Banks Service Station ieam have created what is essentially a 47A look-alike.

This is the car we went to see and it is the fore-runner of a complete kit package or a Europa replacement body and/or chassis kit to be offered with the 47A body shape. Visual differences in the 47A over the standard Europa are a recessed fuel filler cap, approximately four inches extra body width and restyled arches to name but a few. It looks utterly superb, the quality of finish is excellent and it is sure to command a healthy price from Lotus fanciers everywhere. Prices for original 47s tend to range from £35,000 to £70,000.

Another Lotus Blossoms

'...the Crossflow Renault unit, when removed from its grotbag front drive task, is very nice indeed. Tractable, forgiving and quite potent into the bargin.'

Richard Winter runs the workshop and chassis production side of Banks Service Station. Andy spends most of his time organising the very involved Lotus spares business, including engines and tuning etc. They have both put in a lot of time and effort to create this first 47A replica and to rationalise its mechanical basis for normal road or track use.

6' driver can be comfortably accommodated in the cockpit. Banks had to source all the interior details to restore this particular car.

In effect, two kits are on offer, as well as a comprehensive build service for each type of package. If you want to go the whole hog, you'll be buying body, chassis and all running gear from Banks, which is based near Southport, Lancashire.

They are supplying what is basically a replacement Europa chassis, primarily for customers with the original Europas, and have designed the 47A-shaped moulds to suit this chassis. There are a few subtle differences in the chassis from the standard Europa replacement and these have been developed to make the whole thing a lot more practical than the original.

Richard prepares chassis using nickel bronze welding on the tubes and TIG on the sheet sections. When completed, the chassis is a Lotus-type backbone with ¾" and 1.5" square tubes. This is strengthened in the centre and forward sections by bonded and riveted sheet alloy in 18-gauge material. At the rear chassis 'fork', 16-gauge folded steel helps structural stiffness.

Renault crossflow provided brisk performance.

Banks' bodyshell is non-structural and has been designed to simply bolt on around the chassis. The whole concept of what is to be known as the BSS 47R precludes the usual system of getting hold of and stripping a donor vehicle. This is much more of a purist's car and as such demands a high degree of authenticity from the supplier.

It all means that most of the running gear you'll need has to come from the manufacturer. The sheet and tubular backbone structure, in the shape of a cruciform when viewed from above, takes twin tubular front wishbones each side, along with specially made coil-over shocks and Triumph Herald front uprights and discs (yes, Lotus did use these Triumph parts). You'll also find a modified Herald rack and an anti-roll bar up front.

At the back end, the demonstrator had been fitted with the Renault engine and transaxle gearbox. These were actually taken from the Renault 18 Turbo model but the motor has been ever so slightly re-worked and fitted with carbs and no blower. Special half-shafts extend outwards to hub carriers with GT6 drum brakes, Europa-specification (railing-arm independent rear suspension and coil-over shocks. In addition to this, there's also a new rear chassis beam designed by Richard.

Visual differences over the Europa are subtle but effective. Wider body, modified wheel arches, recessed fuel cap and air intakes are just a few.

Banks estimates that the lightweight chassis is good for around 160bhp of punishment and the company's demo has been prepared for around 150bhp. There's a chance that a new double-wishbone rear end may be developed for the 47R but that possibility takes its place in the queue of a million other ideas currently in the pipeline.

When selecting an engine, the customer is best advised to consult Banks first for the relevant Renault source. Renault always make an astounding range of engine variations, even for the same models of car. Richard reports that the 18 Turbo, the Fuego and the 17 Gordini are all suitable. You've also got to be cautious as to what transaxle you use but it is certain that you won't usually be paying out mega-bucks for a complete after-market transaxle/clutch conversion kit.

Final prices had yet to be sorted for a complete kit package when we visited but Banks estimated that it would be charging around £2937 inclusive of VAT for the body package and £1110 inclusive for the chassis package. The body will have to be painted, a service which Banks can offer to a very high standard - it's one of Richard's specialities and all the correct equipment is already there.

All fabrication work is done in-house.

Banks' 47R chassis comes already blasted, epoxy-primed and stove-enamelled. You can even partake of the optional corrosion warranty! Everything else you need for the complete build-up can be supplied by Banks and there's a good chance that Andy's spares department will have what you want in stock. The company can organise engine supply, reconditioning, tuning and installation, along with special exhausts etc.

The cheaper way to get the end result is to buy the 47R bodyshell as a rebodying kit for an existing Lotus Europa or to buy a body/chassis kit and use a Europa donor for the running gear. The Europas are, according to Richard and Andy, quite readily available as non-runners at prices  

in the £2000 bracket.

9,230 originals were manufactured in either factory-built or kit form (although there's very little in the way of verification for this). Buying a decent Europa donor and a new body/chassis, you might be looking at a completed car for as little as £7500 plus paintwork. Less if the Europa chassis is OK.

As we steamed off from the photo location, Andy Short firmly strapped into the passenger seat, he told us of Chapman's desire to get springs as soft as possible without creating huge body roll.

We were amazed to hear that the prototype 47R carried just 100lb-rated front coils and 80lb-rated rears! That is pretty tiny stuff and it did the trick very nicely on the road.

Even such a short-wheelbase, mid-engined vehicle, which you would expect to suffer from extreme twitchiness and a choppy ride, managed very smoothly indeed on some very poor road surfaces. We were instantly impressed with the f handling. It's a competently sorted car and there's none of the obvious stuff like bump steer or huge braking imbalance to be reckoned with. Andy has already used this car to good effect in the Paul Matty Sprint/Hillclimb Challenge for pre-75 Lotus cars.

Good gearshift response, always a y problem to design for mid-engined vehicles with rear transaxles, worked very well and there was even cockpit seating room for a six-foot driver - though not much more. Having done a ground-up rebuild of this original 47A bodyshell, Banks has had to source all of the relevant interior and exterior decor components and it had all been put together very competently. Electric windows, full dash instrument array, trim, seats, harnesses etc.

After a few more miles of Lancashire lanes, the driver will also notice that the car is relatively quiet, even with a well-sorted engine out back. Cooling stayed under control and the Crossflow Renault unit, when removed from its grotbag front drive task, is very nice indeed. Tractable, forgiving and quite potent into the bargain, A full turbo set-up could make the car pretty ballistic.

Minilite-style wheels, with the same Triumph PCD front and rear, are 7" x 13" all round. Tyres on the prototype were 205/60 rear and 185/60 front. Needless to say, ultimate grip was extreme and traction at the rear was also faultless (dry conditions). It would take a very brave or reckless driver to slide the car around on its super-sticky Yokohamas. That kind of driving really is unnecessary to get from A to B in good time. A superb road car throughout.

We have yet to see a complete car built from the new Banks kit. As we mentioned before, this prototype has been made from their company's chassis but with a repaired original body. Richard is confident that his laminators, a local subcontractor, will produce a body that is far better than the one they have currently fitted to their demo car. Looking at the overall shape of the 47A, and taking into account the non-stressed body application, a moulding shop should have. little trouble getting a good result.

If you want something a little more ' outrageous than the 47A, though, they have already produced a 62R. The 62 was a Lotus works racer heavily based on the Europa centre shell shape but with much wider front and rear bodywork and plenty of air intakes etc. Richard has emulated this body shape from photos and drawings and the first example, fitted with an Alfa V6, mid-mounted, has been sent out to Switzerland.

We were able to pick up a few pies of y the Swiss car and it looks completely outrageous in all its wide glory. If there is sufficient interest in this body shape,

This Lotus 62 replica which Banks plans to release soon.

Banks will produce a run of cars fitted primarily with the Vauxhall 16-valve engine amidships. They won't be selling them as a kit but as a part-completed vehicle to very high specification. Prices might be in the £15,000 to £18,000 region.

This first car features an Alfa V6 power unit and should be extremely fast.

With a permanent staff of seven and a back yard full of various Lotus models of all ages, Banks is very much a busy concern. Its past work, focused mainly on older Lotus models, has given the company a wealth of expertise in the field. Richard is particularly knowledgeable in all aspects of fabrication, GRP preparation and spraying and Andy has an excellent mental database of old, new, uprated and special parts for all sorts of Lotus applications.

They've both moved up north from the southern counties to run the Banks garage and their dedication to, and general knowledge of, the Lotus marque is considerable. In the showroom, Richard is displaying a pre-71 Lotus Formula Ford which he has completely rebuilt and currently uses, in Gold Leaf colours, in the HSCC races. A beautiful piece of work.

As relative newcomers to the field of kit cars, we felt that Banks certainly has a head start, having been a full garage business for some time now. The fact that it can tune, repair, rebuild and generally work with all sorts of Lotus models is a good recommendation.

The fact that the company has an extensive spares stock is also a distinct advantage. In a way, it is not really starting from scratch, it's adding another string to its bow. We look forward to seeing some very neat and fast cars from the Banks stable.