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wheelsgoroundincircles · 9 months

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The 1965 Lotus-Ford that Jimmy Clark drove to the 1965 Indianapolis 500 Championship.

Jim Clark was a 2 time F1 World Champion and Indy 500 Champion

Jim Clark died because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. On 7 April 1968, Clark should have been at Brands Hatch giving the DFV-engined Ford F3L its debut in the BOAC 500 sports car race. But he had been double-booked that weekend, and instead spent it at Hockenheim in Germany for a big European F3 meeting where Lotus was fielding its works team, to oblige sponsors Firestone.

Clark was a sheep farmer from the Scottish Borders who had started competing in sprints in his Sunbeam Mk3 saloon in 1956. He won his first event. He raced friend Ian Scott Watson’s DKW Sonderklasse and Porsche 356 1600 Super before graduating to a Jaguar D-type run by the Border Reivers team.

In 1958 Scott Watson bought one of the first Lotus Type 14 Elites, and at the Boxing Day Brands Hatch race meeting Clark had Lotus founder Colin Chapman in his own Elite all but beaten, until a backmarker spun in front of him.

Clark’s smoothness and mechanical sympathy meant he could often get a Lotus to last a race distance where other drivers could not

By 1960 Clark was a Lotus F1 driver, and he won his first championship race at Spa in 1962. It was one of three wins that year, leaving him in contention for the world championship at the final race of the season in South Africa – but his Lotus failed him, and BRM driver Graham Hill was crowned champion.

There was no mistake the following year. Clark won seven of the 10 races in 1963 – the most any driver had won in one season – and took his first world championship win in dominant style.

Chapman was renowned for building cars that were as light as possible, but often their reliability was suspect. Clark’s smoothness and mechanical sympathy meant he could often get a Lotus to last a race distance where other drivers could not, but it didn’t always work out: in 1964 a strong of retirements robbed him of the chance to defend his F1 title. He was back in 1965 with the new Lotus 33, and six race wins guaranteed him his second world championship.

Graham Hill joined Lotus for 1967 – typically, Clark insisted they were both paid the same salary – and carried out much of the development work on the new Cosworth DFV engine. It was obvious that the DFV-powered Lotus 49 was the class of the field at its debut race at Zandvoort, so Hill and Clark tossed to decide who would win. Hill won the toss, but his car expired, leaving Clark to win – in a car he had never seen before that weekend.

Clark had immense natural ability: he often struggled to understand why other drivers couldn’t keep up

Arguably his greatest race came in the 49 at Monza later that year when he suffered a puncture while leading. The pit stop to change the tyre left him a lap down but he fought past the leading group to unlap himself, belying some commentators’ opinions that Clark wasn’t a racer, and was only any good when controlling a race from the front. He lapped faster and faster, caught up an entire lap, and passed the front-runners again to re-take the lead. But the epic win was not to be: the Lotus ran out of fuel with a couple of laps to go, and John Surtees won in the ‘Hondola’ RA300.

Clark had immense natural ability: he often struggled to understand why other drivers couldn’t keep up. When he had a big enough lead he would keep himself amused by setting the car up in a big slide for the benefit of trackside photographers. His feel for the car was legendary: driving the Lotus 49 for the first time at Zandvoort in 1967 he was convinced something wasn’t right with the car, though there was nothing obvious amiss. But when Team Lotus tore down the car overnight they found one of the wheel bearings was just starting to fail.

Clark won the first F1 championship race of the 1968 season in South Africa, where he beat Juan Manuel Fangio’s all-time record of 24 world championship Grand Prix victories. He was well-placed to win more F1 races and maybe become champion again in 1968, but then came Hockenheim…

His Lotus 48 F2 car was up against a strong international field and Clark was running eighth after the first four laps. On the fifth lap the Lotus headed uphill out of the stadium section of the course and into the woods, was seen to twitch, and flew off the road into the trees. Though the cause of the accident was never established beyond all doubt, it’s likely that a rear tyre failed, possibly due to debris from a previous incident. The Lotus hit a tree, and Clark died from a broken neck and fractured skull. He was just 32.

The whole motor racing community was numb. At Brands Hatch the news was announced to a stunned crowd. Colin Chapman was so destraught he considered giving up motor racing for good. Chris Amon, one of the greatest drivers of his era, summed up the general mood among the drivers by saying if this could happen to Clark, “What chance have the rest of us got?”

The shockwaves from his death were felt not just in Europe, where Clark was a superstar in F1 and touring car racing, but also in the US. Clark had been denied victory in the Indy 500 in dubious circumstances in 1963 but returned, and dominated the race, in 1965 – becoming the first F1 World Champion to win at the Brickyard.

But for a few quirks of fate, Clark could have been F1 champion 1962-1963-1964-1965-1968 and might even have gone on to race and win in the slicks-and-wings era of the early 1970s, which brought two world titles for the Lotus 72. He was, without doubt, one of the greatest drivers ever to race in F1.

Family and community meant a lot to him: his gravestone in Chirnside lists his occupation as ‘farmer’ before ‘World Champion motor racing driver’.

Jim Clark's grave in Chirnside, Scotland.

Jim Clark – winner 1968 Australian Grand Prix at Sandown, Melbourne.

In 1967, Lotus and Cosworth were reshaping the sport of Formula 1 with the assistance of Jim Clark and Graham Hill.

Jim Clark - Lotus 25 - French GP (1965)

French GP, Clermont Ferrand, 27 June 1965 .Winner Jim Clark, Lotus 33 in practice(he raced Lotus 25)

1964 Goodwood TT, Jim Clark, Lotus 30 Ford

The Flying Scotsman Jim Clark

#car #cars #jim clark #classic f1 #flying scotsman

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diabolus1exmachina · 2 years

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Lotus Elite Type 14 Series 1

Making its debut at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1957 where it was Star of the show, the Elite had spent a year in development, aided by carefully selected racing customers before going on sale. With the Lotus Elite, Colin Chapman demonstrated that his skills as a racing car designer and constructor could just as easily be applied to production road cars.Just as innovative as Lotus’s outright competition cars, the Elite featured a fibreglass monocoque body tub, independent suspension all round (based on that of Lotus’ racing monopostos’) and four-wheel disc brakes, the rears mounted inboard.The car was powered by the 1216 cc four-cylinder Coventry-Climax “FEW” all Aluminium engine, a single overhead cam unit. With the Elite weighing in at only 1,110 pounds, the high power output of 75 BHP translated to over 140 BHP per tonne which was impressive by any standards for such a small unit in the late 1950’s.The gearbox, an MGA unit fitted with an alloy casing and modified bellhousing, was sourced from BMC.

The classically styled body was the work of stylists Peter Kirwan-Taylor, John Frayling and aerodynamicist Frank Costin. The result possessed an admirably low coefficient of drag, though it made few concessions for comfort or noise suppression. It is unlikely that these tolerable characteristics troubled the Elite’s customers, for whom its 112mph top speed and superlative handling were of far greater importance than creature comforts. So successful was the Elite on the racetrack that the car dominated its class well into the 1960s.

#lotus elite #Colin Chapman

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anthonycalascione · 3 years

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Howard’s quarter-century on the Copperstate

(Editor’s note: During the month of April, the Journal presents a series of stories about vintage rallies and vintage racing. Today, Howard Koby looks back at his years covering the Copperstate 1000 vintage sports car rally for this publication and others. If you have a story about your participation in a vintage rally or race that you’d like to share, please email us at [email protected].)

About 25 years ago, I happened to be in Phoenix and was heading to the Phoenix Art Museum when I stumbled upon a closed-off downtown street with an array of beautiful vintage and classic cars. They were lined up for what looked like the start of a road rally.

Being a full-blown “car geek” and automotive photojournalist, I had my trusty battery of Nikon (film!) cameras in my car. I hurried back to get the tools of my trade, then rushed back to the action.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Copperstate cars rally through the tall pines near Flagstaff in northern Arizona

The answer was the Copperstate 1000 Road Rally. Instinctively, I started taking photographs.

The Copperstate 1000 takes place in April and puts a group of passionate car enthusiasts and their pre-1973 vintage sports and grand touring cars on a thousand-mile adventure through the Arizona desert and, at higher elevations, pine forests.

After making contact with the organizers, the Men’s Art Council of the Phoenix Art Museum, I hit the road on my first Mercedes-Benz (the title sponsor at the time) Copperstate 1000 in 1997, on assignment for the late Mike Cook, editor of the Jaguar Journal (club magazine).

I was pleased to learn that the rally served as a fundraiser for the Phoenix Art Museum and the 10-90 Copperstate Foundation, which provides emergency benefits to families and dependents of officers injured or killed in the line of duty.

Every year as a safety measure, a handpicked group of Arizona DPS motorcycle officers provides an escort, riding ahead of and behind the rally cars.

‘Field of Dreams’ at Tempe Diablo Stadium

Usually, there are about 80 to 90 rolling automotive works of art on the Copperstate that engage with the beautiful scenery after blasting off from the Phoenix area. In recent years, at least until the pandemic, the starting point has been Temple Diablo Stadium, spring training for the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, which is turned into a “Field of Dreams” car show.

Rallies need routes and as the Copperstate route book once noted, “Trust in Motherhood, Apple Pie and your Route Book.” The book not only guides the Copperstaters but each year introduces them to a different and challenging route.

One year it might lead them to the northern part of the state, starting up the Beeline Highway toward Payson and beyond, or it might take them through Prescott, or to historic Route 66 in Kingman and on to Oatman, where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their “honeymoon” at the Oatman Hotel in 1939.

Sedona, The Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, even visits into Utah and Nevada, have provided spectacular scenic runs that left me breathless.

Southern routes take the cars through the grassy ranch lands of Patagonia, Nogales (at the Mexican border), into the unmatched beauty and serenity of the Saguaro National Park, and Tucson, known as the Old Pueblo.

Barry Meguiar fills the 1932 Duesenberg from the Imperial Palace collection

The late Leon Mandel, who was publisher of AutoWeek magazine, participated in many Copperstate rallies and referred to this “Orgy of automobility as the ‘Great American Car Revival,’ where participants share a belief that no time could be better spent than in an interesting car on a mean road in the company of like-minded people.”

For many years, the event honored a Grand Marshal, including the likes of Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman, Phil Hill, who drove his 1930 Pierce-Arrow Cab in 1996. Also, Lyn St. James, Stirling Moss, Bob Bondurant and Barry Meguiar, who arrived with Richie Clyne in a 1932 Judkins-bodied Duesenberg coupe from the Imperial Palace Auto Collection in Las Vegas.

Meguiar and Clyne had their hands full piloting the 6,000-pound machine, working its vintage brakes while descending from 9,000-foot elevations.

“We used everything… brakes, gears, parking brake to keep from losing it.” Meguiar said. “But we had a great time and a good workout!”

In 2003, I covered the Copperstate (Bondurant was Grand Marshal) for the old Car Collector Magazine and landed the cover with Randy Reiss’ fabulous fly-yellow 1962 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta SWB. This late-series steel-bodied Prancing Horse with a booming V12 engine, Borrani wire wheels and outside Monza filler cap was one of my all-time favorites, although not for riding shotgun with Reiss, who drove it at unmentionable speeds.

The Leventhals’ 1953 Ferrari 340 MM

As I reminisce about wonderful memories of the Copperstate, I am reminded that it is not a competitive rally but a lifestyle event and celebratory exploration of the Arizona outback with the exquisite scenery of the American Southwest. It’s like a field trip for grownups, with catered lunches delivered in the middle of the desert.

Another favorite vintage machine that has been on many Copperstates is Rick and Nancy Rome’s exciting 1955 Kurtis 500 Swallow Coupe that was originally prepared for racing by Mickey Thompson to run the La Carrera Panamericana in 1955 (only to have that event canceled). The car still maintains its original Lincoln 317cid “Y” block engine with front disc/rear drum brakes and torsion-bar suspension.

And of course, there’s Michael and Katharina Leventhal’s stupendous 1953 Ferrari 340MM Le Mans Spyder that has run the Copperstate several times.

“It’s a beast with amazing torque and brute power,” Leventhal notes. “Visually, I just love to look at the car… it’s like moving art.”

Stephan Norman and his 1928 Bugatti in Las Vegas

In 2005, the tour stepped into Las Vegas, and I immediately thought of getting the provocative 1928 Bugatti Type 44 Roadster owned by Stephen Norman to downtown on Fremont Street for a photoshoot with all the glittering casino lights as a backdrop. Norman agreed and we roared off.

When we arrived downtown, the “one-off” Bugatti caused quite a stir with 100s of tourists that had never seen such a car. “What kind of car is that?” bellowed out from the crowd.

My favorite route was the 2007 journey that included two scenic wonders — the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Zion National Park in Utah. I’ll never forget, as our wagon train traveled through six climate zones from the Sonoran Desert up past the San Francisco Peaks and through the solitude of Navajo reservations and reaching the geologic beauty of Zion National Park, the sight of Jess and Eddie Marker as they came whizzing by in their ultra-light 1969 Lotus Type 14 Elite.

After 25 years attending the Copperstate, there are too many favorites to mention, so hopefully the selection of photos will speak for themselves.

Jess and Eddie Marker and their 1960 Lotus Type 14 Elite at Zion National Park

Rick and Nancy Rome and their 1972 Ferrari 356 GTB-4 Daytona

Harley and Colette Cluxton in their 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC

1971 Ferrai 365 GTS4 Spyder

Brent and Debbie Berge in their 1960 Aston Martin

1941 Packard at the Wigwam Motel on old Route 66

Bud and Lauri Florkiewica and their 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500

1968 Ford Escort

1956 Chrysler 300B

AZ DPS officers make sure Copperstate contingent is safe along the route

1955 Kurtis 500 Panamericana

1965 Shelby Cobra 289

The post Howard’s quarter-century on the Copperstate appeared first on ClassicCars.com Journal.

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motorpedia · 3 years

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London Concours announces cars on display in 2021

Once again, the prestigious event assembles the finest collection of cars ever, in the heart of the City of London

- London Concours 2021 reveals the full list of nearly 100 spectacular historic and performance cars at London’s HAC from the 8-10 June - Carefully curated classes include ‘Great marques’, ‘Italian Berlinettas, ‘Lost Marques’ and ‘Iconic British Designs’ – filled with exotic cars from the Ferrari 250 GT SWB to the Bugatti Chiron and beyond - E-Type celebration feature gathers eleven Jaguar E-Types, including the stunning low drag and lightweight cars as well as a Group 44 race car - The 200mph Club brings together the most eclectic mix of cars that have broken the 200mph barrier from the Ferrari F40 to the McLaren Senna - Pop-up boutiques from watchmaker Breguet, and automotive partners Argent, Bell Sport & Classic, Everrati, Thornley Kelham Nicholas Mee & Co, Rodin and JIA among many more - Tickets are still available from www.londonconcours.co.uk The London Concours 2021 once again gathers together the most incredible collection of vehicles ever witnessed in the City of London, across three days, when proceedings begin at the Honourable Artillery Company from 8-10 June. Nearly 100 performance icons, past and present, will park up on the five-acre oasis of manicured lawn, hidden just off City Road – a mere stone’s throw from iconic London landmarks such as the Barbican and the Gherkin – from 8-10 June 2021. The main concours line-up of judged vehicles is split into classes which have been carefully curated to provide one of the most eclectic London Concours events so far – visitors can expect classes such as ‘Italian Berlinettas’, ‘Great Marques’, the ‘Lost Marques’ and ‘Iconic British Designs’ among many more. The Italian Berlinettas class is a celebration of the golden era of sports car design from the country that was simply untouchable for creating masterpieces, this class is a collection of the finest Italian coupé designs of the ‘60s. The class will feature everything from a Ferrari 250 GTE, through the Ferrari 275 GTB 6/C to the De Tomaso Mangusta and the Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale – this class features 11 of the most beautiful and iconic Italian cars ever made. The Great Marques class this year celebrates Porsche and Lotus. From 356 to 911, there’s no shortage of automotive legends in the Porsche line-up. The challenge was whittling them down to just 10 of the rarest and most spectacular for this ode to Stuttgart’s finest. And for Lotus, with a long lineage of motorsport heroics and a model line-up of some of the most thrilling cars ever created, Lotus rightly takes its place in the spotlight at the London Concours this year – as the pursuit of lightness, visualised. In an industry that is fast-moving, heavily regulated and often financially ruinous, manufacturers that may have deserved to stay, are often forced to disappear. The Lost Marques class is a celebration of some of the best marques that are no longer in business. This class will feature ten cars, from some of the finest manufacturers that no longer grace modern showrooms. The cars on display encompass everything from the Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite to the Iso Rivolta, and from the Sunbeam Tiger all the way through to the unusual Unipower GT. The Iconic British Designs class features some of the finest British automotive designs of all time celebrated alongside their designers. Think Spen King and the Range Rover, Peter Stevens and the XJR15 or Frank Stephenson and the McLaren 12C. 10 of the most celebrated of British designs will feature in what is possibly the most eclectic classes in the show with designs ranging from the ultra-compact original Mini to the elegant lines of the Aston Martin One-77. When it comes to British designs, however, there is one that people cite more than any other. At this years’ London Concours there is a display dedicated to the Jaguar E-Type. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of the E-Type, the start of a transformation from automotive icon to cultural phenomenon. Its popularity has never faltered, and the car is celebrated at London Concours this year with 11 of the finest examples. Ranging all the way from the early series one cars, through to series three and not forgetting the stunning low drag and lightweight coupes as well as the inimitable Group 44 race car. Bringing the London Concours a touch more speed, the 200mph Club will celebrate the early pioneers and recent contenders from the world’s most famous manufacturers – that have broken the 200mph barrier. Once the holy grail of performance, the 200mph-mark still remains out of reach to all but the most exotic of vehicles. In this class we celebrate 10 legendary vehicles that have achieved the feat, from the Ferrari F40, F50, F60 and LaFerrari, through Lamborghinis and Bugattis old and new, as well as more modern metal such as the McLaren Senna. The event this year is spilt over three days, extended from two in 2020. The first day will be a VIP preview day for car owners, VIP guests and media. The second day is style day, where the event shines a spotlight on the worlds of design, fashion and luxury. While the third day is supercar day where the event will welcome a collection of the latest performance innovators into the HAC. These will include the latest offerings from Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini and many more, with these cars joining the collection of 70 vehicles already on display. Supercar day sees the London Concours turn its attention to the very latest marvels of high-performance automotive endeavour: the Supercars. On Supercar Thursday, selected owners of up to 60 of the finest road cars will drive them into the private, hallowed grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company, and form a world-class display of supercars for London Concours visitors to marvel over. Outside of the car displays, London Concours will also feature a number of pop-up luxury boutiques, including most notably that of Breguet as the Presenting Partner of the event. The company will bring to London Concours, a collection of its most rare vintage timepieces, freshly serviced and restored. Argent, Bell Sport & Classic, Everrati, Thornley Kelham, Nicholas Mee & Co, Rodin and JIA will also be showcasing their latest offerings at the event. Billed as the ultimate luxury automotive garden party in the heart of the City, London Concours features a number of premium food and drink options, including cocktails and champagne by Veuve Cliquot. There are also a number of lunch and evening food options with cocktails for entertaining, from catering partner Searcys – for more information click here. Tickets to the London Concours are available from londonconcours.co.uk, with a full day adult admission ticket costing £40, and concessions from £20. Highlight cars include: Ferrari F50 Featuring in the ‘200mph class’, the F50 is part of an illustrious list of Ferrari’s flagship cars, including the F40, the Enzo and – most recently – the LaFerrari. The 4.7-litre V12 engine was developed from Ferrari’s Formula One engine of the time, helping the car to reach a top speed of 202mph – and thoroughly earning its place in this elite club. Ferrari 250 GT SWB A true example of 1960s elegance, the 250 GT SWB is a stunning mix of gorgeous form and racing function. Powered by the much-revered small-capacity ‘Colombo’ V12 engine, the SWB is as captivating to drive as it is to look at. You’ll find it this year in the ‘Italian Berlinettas’ class along with 10 of the most beautiful Italian exotics ever created. Aston Martin One-77 The One-77 is one of the rarest Aston Martins ever produced, with just 77 built. Priced when new from just over £1m, the One-77 is powered by a 7.3-litre V12 engine and can hit 220mph. The car is celebrated in 2021 alongside designer Marek Reichman in the Iconic British Designs class. Jaguar XJR-15 Mechanically based on the Le Mans-winning Jaguar XJR-9, the XJR-15 was produced by JaguarSport a subsidiary of Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing. Powered by a 450bhp, 5.9-litre mid-rear mounted all-alloy Group C-spec V12 engine, inside a carbon-fibre tub, this XJR-15 is One of only 27 road going examples produced – and will be celebrated alongside its designer Peter Stevens in the Iconic British Designs class. Porsche 911 2.7 RS Built as a homologation special, only 500 of the early ‘thin-gauge’ lightweight 2.7 RS models were ever built. The first model to wear the ‘RS’ moniker, the 2.7 represented, for many, the pinnacle of the 911’s career. Sporting wide wheel arches and the iconic duck-tail spoiler, the car’s distinctive profile is immediately recognisable. It will be part of the ‘Great Marques – Porsche’ display. Porsche 959 Another road-going homologation car, the legendary Porsche 959 was originally designed to compete in the infamous ‘Group B’ rally class. Only 292 cars were ever produced. When it was launched, the 959 was ‘the fastest road-legal car in the world’ serving as a testbed for Porsche for both turbocharged power and all-wheel drive – technologies which have made their way into many modern Porsches. Again, this car will feature in the ‘Great Marques – Porsche’ display. Lotus Elite ‘Type 14’ Another example of 1960s elegance, an ultra-lightweight two-seater coupé, the Elite or ‘Type 14’ was produced from 1958 to 1963. The car’s most distinctive feature was its fibreglass monocoque construction, which was used for the entire load-bearing structure of the car save a steel sub-frame which supports the engine and front suspension. Only 1,030 Elites were built. There will be one in the ‘Great Marques – Lotus’ display. Main London Concours Display 200MPH CLUB - Bugatti Chiron - Bugatti EB110 SS - Bugatti Veyron - Ferrari Enzo - Ferrari F40 - Ferrari F50 - Ferrari LaFerrari - Lamborghini Aventador SVJ - Lamborghini Diablo GT - McLaren Senna ITALIAN BERLINETTAS - Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale - Alfa Romeo Giulia - De Tomaso Mangusta - Ferrari 250 GTE - Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta 'Comp '61 Sefac Hot Rod' - Ferrari 275 GTB 6/C - Iso Grifo GL 365 - Lamborghini Islero - Lancia Flaminia - Maserati 3500 GTi - Maserati Ghibli SS GREAT MARQUES – PORSCHE - Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster - Porsche 356 T1A GS Carrera Coupe - Porsche 911 2.7 RS - Porsche 911 930 Turbo - Porsche 914/6 - Porsche 924 Carrera GT - Porsche 928 - Porsche 959 - Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4 Litre - Porsche Carrera GT - Porsche Targa No. 1 GREAT MARQUES – LOTUS - Lotus Seven - Lotus Eleven - Lotus Type 14 Elite S2 - Lotus Elan Drophead Elan Sprint - Lotus Europa - Lotus Turbo Esprit S3 - Lotus Elite Riviera - Lotus Elan M100 - Lotus Elise - Lotus Exige - Lotus Evora LOST MARQUES - AC Ace Ruddspeed, ex Adrian Hamilton - Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite - Bristol Fighter - Iso Rivolta - Jensen C-V8 MKIII - Packard 426 Boat Tail - Sunbeam Tiger - Tornado Talisman - Triumph TR3A - Unipower GT KUSTOM CLASS - 1941 Ford Coupe - 1948 Pontiac Fastback - 1950 Ford Coupe - 1950 Mercury ‘Planet Voodoo’ Kustom - 1951 Mercury Coupe - 1959 Chevrolet El Camino - 1962 Ford Thunderbird YOUNG TIMERS - Alpina B10 V8 S Touring - Audi RS2 Avant - Audi Sport Quattro - BMW E30 M3 Roberto Ravaglia Edition - E38 Alpina B12 5.7 - Hartge H5 - Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo II - Mercedes 300CE widebody by Brabus - Mercedes 560SEC widebody by Koenig E-TYPE CELEBRATION - Jaguar E-Type Series 1 FHC - Jaguar E-Type Series 1 DHC - Jaguar E-Type Series 2 FHC - Jaguar E-Type Series 2 DHC - Jaguar E-Type Series 3 FHC - Jaguar E-Type Series 3 DHC - Jaguar E-Type Series 3 2+2 - Jaguar E-Type Lightweight - Jaguar E-Type Low Drag - Jaguar Lindner-Nocker Low-Drag Lightweight E-Type - Jaguar E-type Group 44 race car ICONIC BRITISH DESIGNS - Aston Martin One-77 (Marek Reichman) - Aston Martin Vanquish (Ian Callum) - Austin Mini (Alec Issigonis) - Jaguar E-Type Series 1 FHC (Malcolm Sayer) - Jaguar XJR15 (Peter Stevens) - LCC Rocket (Gordon Murray) - McLaren 12C (Frank Stephenson) - Morgan Aeromax (Matthew Humphries) - Range Rover (Charles Spencer-King) - Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe (Ian Cameron) THE COLLECTOR - Ferrari Testarossa 'Monodado' - Fiat 500 - Jaguar Project 7 - Jaguar Project 8 - Jaguar XJC V12 - Lamborghini Countach QV - Lamborghini Espada - Lotus Elan Sprint - 1979-1998 Dakar Winning Bike Collection - Honda CBX - Kawasaki H2 750 Triple BEST IN SHOW 2020 - Ferrari 330 GTS Read the full article

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brandonnatali · 4 years

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The Lotus Elan: History, Generations, Specifications

Lotus Elan Essential History

Lotus and its founder Colin Chapman had developed quite a reputation for building potent, lightweight sports and racing cars by the early 1960s. A force to be reckoned with in both sports car racing and Formula 1, Lotus had branched out into production sports cars with the diminutive Lotus 7 and the fiberglass monocoque Lotus Elite. The Elite had proved both challenging to build and problematic for end users, with a lack of torsional rigidity and other teething problems. The all-new Elan, launched in 1962, would be the first Lotus to use a steel backbone chassis lending some stiffness to the fiberglass body. Front suspension was twin A-arm style with coil springs and shock absorbers, with a Chapman Strut layout in the rear. The four-speed manual gearbox and rear differential were modified Ford components, similar to the engine, while the four-corner disc brakes came from Girling. Weight was just 1,500 pounds for early convertibles, slightly more for later models and coupes.

Lotus Elan 1500, 1600, S1/2/3/4, Sprint, SE

Originating as a convertible, the Elan 1500 was originally offered with a 1.5-liter engine comprised of a Ford block and a special Coventry Climax dual-overhead-cam cylinder head. The earliest 1.5-liter cars are quite rare, as the decision was quickly made to enlarge capacity to 1.6-liters with a name change to Elan 1600. An updated Elan S2 arrived for 1964, and a year after that, the first Elan coupes arrived. The Elan S3 and S4 came in quick succession, entering production in 1966 and 1968, respectively. The Elan Sprint was the final development of the car, built from 1970 to 1973, when the Elan ended production altogether. Elan SE variants were available through most of Elan production, and offered additional power. Elans could be ordered as complete cars or as kits to be assembled, similar to the Lotus 7. Power ranged from about 90 hp to nearly 130 hp depending on specification.

Lotus Elan +2, +2S

The Lotus Elan +2 entered production in 1967 and was so thoroughly revised, it was almost a distinct car from the original Elan. The Elan +2, as its name suggests, was a 2+2 coupe with a lengthened wheelbase, reinforced sills, widened track, and larger dimensions all around. Making for a more practical and luxurious Elan, these changes added a few hundred pounds of weight, but the Elan +2 still tipped the scales at just 2,000 pounds. The +2S was announced for 1968 with an upgraded cabin, and in 1971, the +2S 130 was launched with the 126-hp 1.6-liter “Big Valve” engine from the Elan Sprint. A five-speed gearbox replaced the four-speed soon after. The +2S finally ended production in 1975.

Lotus Elan M100

The Elan’s general ethos and design—simple, light, elegant—was a major influence on the future Mazda Miata, and curiously, the Elan made a return to the marketplace in 1989, the same year the Miata was launched. This time, however, the M100 Elan was a front-wheel-drive convertible built under General Motors partnership, with a 1.6-liter inline-four powertrain sourced from Isuzu. The Elan SE was the volume-selling turbocharged version, though a non-turbo model was also sold in very low volume. The new Elan was designed by Peter Stevens (also of McLaren F1 fame), but an error in scaling between the styling model and production car resulted in the latter being a few inches too short for its wheelbase, resulting in the wheels not being centered properly in their wells. While being praised for its sharp handling, the reception to the M100 Elan was generally lukewarm mostly on virtue of its front-drive configuration. In the end, fewer than 4,000 M100 Elans were sold between 1989 and 1995, with just 559 arriving in the U.S. The Elan was later sold as a Kia model for the Korean market from 1996 to 1999.

Lotus Elan Highlights

The ultimate Lotus Elan had to be the Elan 26R, a purpose-built, homologated factory race car. Lotus had little interest in racing the car itself with Formula 1 dominating its efforts, but privateers flocked to the 26R. The 26R had a lighter-weight fiberglass body, track-optimized suspension and BRM-built engine producing as much as 180 hp. It’s thought that just 97 Elan 26R models were built. They are desirable today for vintage racing, with many “tribute” cars built from standard Elans.

Lotus Elan Buying Tips

Just because Lotus Elans have fiberglass bodies doesn’t mean rust isn’t an issue. The backbone chassis is still steel, and many have suffered major corrosion over the decades. Fortunately, Lotus Elan parts support is strong—even entire replacement frames are available to purchase. The fiberglass body commonly cracks after years of flexing, and a specialist with fiberglass experience will be needed to fix this. Replacement bodies are also available, most commonly in England. Elans are fairly delicate cars and quite small, so be sure you’re comfortable fitting and driving in one before you take the plunge. Also, be on the lookout for Elans with more modern replacement engines (the Ford Zetec four-cylinder motor is a popular choice). These can give up to 200 hp, but with the Elan becoming quite collectible, original-spec models tend to have higher values at auction.

Lotus Elan Articles on Automobile

Buy it Now: 1963 Lotus Elan

The want is strong with this one.

Nine Favorites from the Goodwood Parking Lot

A Lotus Elan M100 is among them.

25 Greatest Driver’s Cars of All Time

Of course an original Lotus Elan made our list.

Lotus Elan Recent Auctions

1964 Lotus Elan 26R

1965 Lotus Elan S2

1970 Lotus Elan S4 coupe

1970 Lotus Elan +2

1972 Lotus Elan Sprint

1991 Lotus Elan M100

Lotus Elan Quick Facts

First year of production: 1962

Last year of production: 1975

Total sold: approximately 12,000 (Elan), 5,000 (Elan +2), 3,855 (M100 Elan)

Original price (base): $1,700

Characteristic feature: The quintessential Lotus road-going sports car, fully incorporating Colin Chapman’s “simplify and add lightness” ethos, and the standard by which small front-engine, rear-drive sports cars have been judged since.

Lotus Elan FAQ

How much does a Lotus Elan cost?

Classic Lotus Elans usually start at about $20,000 for a needy driver and can bring upwards of $50,000 for a show-quality example. The more modern M100 Elan can typically be had for less than $20,000 in great shape with projects costing as little as a few thousand dollars.

Is the Lotus Elan a reliable car?

All classic cars will have more needs than a new car and a Lotus Elan can have more trouble areas than most, with its fiberglass body and dodgy English electronics. While the cars are relatively simple to work on, they will need regular care to be reliable.

Is the M100 Elan a worthy successor?

The M100 Elan has strong handling traits and a more modern powertrain, and while it doesn’t match the early rear-drive Elan’s driving experience, it should be less finicky to own.

1974 Lotus Elan Sprint Specifications ENGINE: 1.6L DOHC 16-valve I-4/126 hp @ 6,500 rpm, 113 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm TRANSMISSION: 4-speed manual or automatic or single- or dual or multi-clutch automatic or continuously variable LAYOUT: 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, RWD convertible/coupe L x W x H: 145.0 x 56.0 x 45.5 in WHEELBASE: 84.0 in WEIGHT: 1,500 lb 0-60 MPH: 8.0 sec TOP SPEED 120 mph

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michaelmeyerattorney-blog · 6 years

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The Early Years of Lotus and its Super-Light Fiberglass Roadster

Attorney Michael Meyer maintains a well-established Fort Lauderdale law practice and has a focus on fulfilling client expectations. Outside of his work as attorney, Michael Meyer is an automotive enthusiast who owns an exotic car and is interested in vintage models. One of the most storied British car manufacturers is Lotus, which has roots in University College London graduate Colin Chapman’s foundation of Lotus Engineering, Ltd., in 1952. His core emphasis was on creating a super-fast car for the newly created 750cc road racing division. This involved combining a lightweight and rigid frame on an aircraft-grade chassis. With a relatively modest engine, the Mark IV quickly outpaced its competition and the vehicle was sold as a kit that allowed car enthusiasts to select their own transmission and engine. In 1954, Team Lotus was formed and quickly took a leading position in Formula One competition. In 1960, Chapman financed his racing ventures through the creation of the Elite, the company’s first dedicated production model. Priced at $5,700 ($40,000 in today’s dollars), the fiberglass body vehicle could reach 123 mph and travel from 0-to-60 in only 8.2 seconds. By 1962, cost considerations resulted in a steel frame backbone for the two-seat fiberglass roadster, the Elan. This basic design lasted for three decades, as Lotus went through various iterations, including the mid-sized Europa and the Elite hatchback.

#roadster #lotus

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justbritishmotoring · 6 years

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Period Lotus Elite Racer Put Back Track

DM Historics is pressing a historically significant 1959 Lotus Elite S1 race car back into competition following full race preparation by the Kent-based specialists.

This special vehicle was campaigned in the early 1960s by Scottish racing driver Tommy Dickson. A member of the legendary Ecurie Ecosse racing team, Dickson had a…

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#DM Historics #Elite

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cmmpubs · 7 years

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John Surtees CBE 1934 – 2017

BRITISH FORMER GRAND PRIX motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver John Surtees passed away peacefully on Friday 10 March aged 83 following a short illness bravely fought. From the moment that he was born, John Surtees was immersed in the world of speed. His father Jack had a small motorcycle business in Croydon and raced a 500cc Excelsior B14 motorcycle-and-sidecar outfit in grasstrack events. As a child he travelled with his parents to race meetings and was instantly hooked. John Surtees had an illustrious career in motor sport and is revered as one of the most gifted and versatile racers of all time. He holds the outstanding distinction of being the only man to have won World Championships on two and four wheels, an accolade that is highly unlikely to ever be surpassed. An out-and-out professional, with a strong independent streak, Surtees won seven World Championships on motorcycles, one Formula One world drivers’ title and the North American Can-Am Championship for sports cars. In motorcycle racing John Surtees was in a class of his own, winning seven World Championships on Italian MV Agusta motorcycles. In 1956 aged 22, he became the 500cc World Champion and followed it up with an incredible run of six titles – three each in the 350cc and 500cc categories – in the three years from 1958 to 1960. In his extraordinary 1960 season he accepted an impossible challenge – to anyone but John Surtees – of competing in both motorcycle grands prix and Formula 1 cars. With MV Agusta he won seven of 12 races entered and took his last two world titles. In Formula 1 he did six races and finished second with a Lotus 18 in the British Grand Prix, on only his second World Championship start. By 1963 he was racing for an elite Italian team ‘Ferrari’ in both sports cars and Formula 1 and clinched his first podium with Ferrari the same year when he won the 1963 Sebring 12 Hours for sports cars. In 1964 he became Formula 1 World Champion; his victory at Monza also won the hearts of Italian fans forever.

Ever versatile as a racer, in 1966 he bounced back after injury in a huge sports car crash to win the inaugural CanAm series in North America driving a Lola T70. Then Honda recruited him to its new Formula 1 team for two seasons that saw him win the Italian Grand Prix again. His talents were not just confined to being a rider or a driver though. From 1969 he became a constructor, and with typical dedication ‘Team Surtees’ built 100 cars in a nine-year period at its plant in Edenbridge, Kent and successfully won titles in Formula 2 and Formula 5000. John was the ultimate perfectionist, he brought to motor racing an abundance of courage, determination, enthusiasm and engineering skills which helped turn many into a front runner, or winner. Having lost many friends to motor sport, John was a strong advocate of improving driver safety in motor racing and often voiced his opinions about the industry – always for the benefit of the sport. As Sebastian Vettel said ‘I like the fact that whenever he made up his own opinion he never changed it, even if it was controversial’. John felt strongly about nurturing young talented drivers (who had the talent but not the financial backing) and provided incredible opportunities for career progression. To me though, it was his work with the Henry Surtees Foundation that was even more awe-inspiring. He turned a personal tragedy into an incredible charity which has saved countless lives. The foundation works actively with Air Ambulance and Blood Bike groups throughout the country, and has helped implement the ‘Blood on Board’ scheme to enable them to carry out blood transfusions at the scene of life threatening accidents. Aside from his remarkable career ‘Big John’ will be fondly remembered by his infectious warmth, mischievous smile and his unrelenting determination and enthusiasm for all he did. From building and riding motorcycles, racing cars, owning a racing team, to being a devoted husband and father through to launching the Henry Surtees Foundation in memory of his late son Henry who was tragically killed at Brands Hatch– ‘Big John’ had a big heart and did it all with great passion. Rebecca Leppard told CMM: "Personally I feel so incredibly privileged and honoured to have worked for John and manage the PR for the Henry Surtees Foundation. ‘Big John’ who will be forever be remembered as an icon of world motorsport. I know that his incredible legacy will live on forever. My thoughts are with his dear wife Jane and daughters Edwina and Leonora. If you would like to leave a message of condolence or make a donation to the Henry Surtees Foundation, please visit: www.henrysurteesfoundation.co.uk" __________ from p. 9 of issue April 2017 Subscribe now - www.classicmotor.co.uk

#classic #motor #monthly #cmm #autojumble #publication #henry #surtees #rip #obituary #motorsport #road #racer #cbe #grand #prix

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