Show – I couldn’t believe it
On behalf of the Renault Owners Club, may I thank your magazine for its continued support of what is always a most enjoyable event. Towards the end of Saturday, a gentleman came over from the adjacent Sporting Bears Dream Rides paddock to talk to my colleague about his beautiful Renault 17. His grandson asked about my car. He told me: ‘We have a Lotus Europa, but it’s been in bits for almost 40 years.’ We discussed the Renault engine and transaxle used in the Europa, so I went on to tell him about my Lotus Europa experience. As a student in the Seventies I hitch-hiked to London to watch Manchester City play at West Ham, and on the return journey I was given a lift from the start of the M1 up to Watford in a Lotus Europa. ‘That could have been my grandad,’ he said ‘Well it was a black one,’ I replied. ‘Grandad, did you give this man a lift in the Europa 40 years ago?’ Grandad replied, ‘1976 or 77? Yes, I did give lifts to quite a few people back then!’ came the reply. I can’t believe that there were any other owners of early black Europas prepared to give a lift to a long-haired student wearing a football scarf back in 1977. So sir, I hope that you can put your Europa back together and bring it to a future Sporting Bears event. If you do, I will be delighted to make a donation in return for another lift! It is always a pleasure to meet fellow enthusiasts at shows, but this story trumps any of my previous encounters! Robert Slater, Events Secretary, Renault Owners Club