Man Reunited With Lotus After 35 Years, Buys It Back on eBay

Motor mechanic David Reynolds, 69, has been reunited with his 1972 Lotus Europa, a car he sold 35 years ago following a divorce, after finding it listed on eBay. Reynolds purchased the yellow Lotus secondhand in 1980 for £750, but was compelled to sell it in 1991 for £4,000 during his divorce proceedings to keep his home. He recently repurchased the vehicle for £16,080.

Reynolds spotted the car for sale in Sheffield on eBay in September, recognizing distinctive alterations he had made to the interior, including a custom piece of wood around the radio. Further examination of photos and driving footage allowed him to verify the license plate matched his original car. "I had a job to sleep," Reynolds recalled about the night he rediscovered the Lotus.

He expressed amazement that the car had been maintained in such good condition by its subsequent owners. "Half of me thought, I must have made a reasonable job of it in the first place. All the previous owners have looked after it too, which is something I can only be thankful for," he said. Reynolds' daily drive is now a Ford Kuga.

The Lotus Europa, a two-door mid-engined GT coupe, was produced by Lotus Cars from 1966 to 1975 and was the first mass-produced car with a mid-mounted engine. Reynolds had spent two years restoring his original Lotus, including repainting the bodywork.

While he had owned other Lotus models, including a Black Lotus Europa and a Series 3 Elan, the yellow Europa held a special place in his heart as he had restored it from the ground up. He plans to restore it again, intending to use it only for special occasions. "I'll be working on it to ensure it is roadworthy - it will take me ages because I'm always busy helping friends with motor things. But I've already started taking the doors off," he stated. He added, "I'm surprised the car had been kept in such good condition and I can't wait to drive it again."