Lola T70s...

PierreM · 02-29-04, 01:00 PM

Nigel Hulme's car at the SA Tourist Trophy..

PierreM · 02-29-04, 01:03 PM

Anyone here know this car?...

PierreM · 02-29-04, 01:05 PM

Ben vd Westhuizen's '69 T70...

PierreM · 02-29-04, 01:07 PM

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Fran Hall RCR · 02-29-04, 01:20 PM

Looks like a tube frame replica ......anyone know anything ?

PierreM · 02-29-04, 01:27 PM

BTW, #49 and #7 are two different cars.

Pierre.

RobBeddington · 02-29-04, 03:00 PM

Hi Pierre

Quote:

Anyone here know this car?...

Welcome back to anorak corner. It's Jo Bonnier's Lola Chevrolet. He ran #49 a number of times in 1968/9. I have an image of him running this number at Oulton Park in 1968. (His T70 MKIII is the yellow Lola in your 1969 Kyalami grid image posted on another thread).

Cheers

Rob

Brian Kissel · 02-29-04, 03:06 PM

I have to agree with Fran on this one. Car number 7, appears to be a replica T70 Mark3 instead of the more common 3B. It appears to be a interesting example with dry sump, aluminum heads, and it looks like a ZF. I currently don't have a clue to the ownership question. Pierre, if you have anymore T70 pictures, please send me a PM, as anything new for my collection would be great. Thank You !!!

Regards Brian

Mike Dozier · 03-01-04, 06:48 PM

Hey Brian

# 7 looks like a MK IIIb body to me....what am I missing?

MikeD

Brian Kissel · 03-02-04, 01:33 AM

Hello Mike !!
1968 was the last year for the Mark 3. The Mark 3B was introduced for the 1969 racing season. Heres a quote from John Starkeys second edition of "Lola T70". On page 88 second paragraph: "Although the car that resulted, the IIIb coupe, looked similar to a Mark III (except the four headlight nose) under this beautiful skin, all had changed." So bottom line, because this is a replica (tube frame), it is a Mark III because of the 2 headlight setup, whereas the Mark IIIb had 4 headlights, and also the two round holes underneath the headlights were eliminated on the IIIb. Also the original Mark III's were gullwing door cars. Some were retrofitted with forward opening doors if they raced in the longer events. The gull wing doors were eliminated for three reasons, that I am aware of and can verify as fact. (1) in 12 or 24 hour endurance races, it took to long for the hydraulic doors to open thereby taking longer in the pits to change drivers. (2) Broadly felt it was safer for emergency driver exit, as it was quicker to open. (3) and lastly to prevent loss of the doors, which had happened at speed on occasion. Most if not all of this information is in Starkeys book (se pg 89). I have seen mark IIIb's with gullwings also (MarkIV J-6's Lola has gullwings and a Mark IIIb nose). His car was originally a spyder however. His car is a beautiful example of a "racestoration". Taking a race car and rebuilding it to fit his likes and needs, ( I hope to see it again April 10th ). There are several differances in the monocoupe also, if it were a genuine original car, to differentiate it from a Mark IIIb coupe. I hope this helps.
Regards Brian

Fran Hall RCR · 03-02-04, 01:50 AM

Brian ,
I think Mike is correct as the tube frame car has no recess in the door for the handle as the Mk111 does,as you well know the 111b has a smooth door skin as in the picture of the second yellow car #7...
The tube frame car must have a swing axle style rear suspension too as it has no upper control arm only a shock mount.....

Brian Kissel · 03-02-04, 02:11 AM

Hello Fran !!
I totaly agree, that it has the later style (1969) mark 3b doors. but many of the original Mark III's were retrofitted with forward opening doors, for the reasons stated in my post above. The main "body" if you will, accepts either door. However for a casual identification, because of the two headlight system, it would be a Mark III. Basically "at the end of the day "what we actually have here, is a replica that the owner likes the best of both worlds, and has a personal preference to. As for myself, "MY" car will be a Mark IIIb with gullwing doors like the Mark III, and a few other "personal idenitiy enhancements", that some people may like, and others may hate. Luckily we each personalize our cars to our own liking, and not some production line number.
Regards Brian

Fran Hall RCR · 03-02-04, 02:24 AM

[quote]BTW, #49 and #7 are two different cars.
Pierre
I would like to see the front of the #7 car if you have a picture as we would all like to know what we have here any more info/pics on the car would be great too,
thanks

Brian Kissel · 03-02-04, 02:45 AM

Mike, and Fran !! It looks like I missed the quote on #49 and #7 being different. My thoughts were a "then and now" sitiuation. My apologies for not catching that. At any rate at the end of the day, they are all three excellent examples.
Regards Brian

Fran Hall RCR · 03-02-04, 02:57 AM

Brian,
no sweat...just glad someone posted more Lola pics.....keep em coming boys.......

MK -IV J6 · 03-02-04, 11:04 AM

None of the original Lola doors were hydraulic. We engineered the ones on mine.

Mike Dozier · 03-02-04, 01:35 PM

What held the original gull-wings open?
Was there a lift cylinder...or just a prop rod?

MikeD

Brian Kissel · 03-03-04, 02:44 AM

Hello Mike !! The information I read some time ago, stated that they had a hydraulic shock style opener. Not to be confused with the electric over hydraulic powered unit that Jim has on his beautiful Lola. They used a unit similar to what is found on a lot of factory hatchbacks, like the Camaros and Trans Am's. Some teams removed them, because it took to long to change drivers, and replaced them with prop rods. In Starkeys book when talking about the first Mark III's (1967 & 1968), they are bragging them up. I quote " A notable feature was the gullwing doors fitted with a positive lock "T" handle on the outside to try and overcome the problem which the Ford GT40 had suffered of doors lifting at speed." By 1969 they realized that they weren't the answer either, as explained in my earlier post. Being race cars, I think the crews threw on whatever the driver liked best. As for me, I like the gullwings, but think the garage door style "T" handle in the middle of the door is just plain butt ugly. But then again, that is just my opinion, for whatever thats worth.

Brian Kissel · 03-03-04, 03:12 AM

Hello Pierre !! Upon doing a little research on the number 49 car, It looks to quite interesting. If this car is actualy Jo Bonniers car ( which I also have pictures that indicate that it is ), it should be SL73/101. If that is the case, it is unique in that it was the first coupe finished on 2/11/1966. If it is that car, it originally had a Aston Martin engine in it. Due to many setbacks with that engine, it was pitched and a 6.0 litre small block CHEVY fitted in. If remember correctly, only two Lola coupes were built with the Lola engine in them. These two cars had different rear suspension pick up points, and aluminum rear bodywork, with bulges in the rear pontoons to accommodate the Aston Martin engine. There is more interesting history on that car about the Aston Martin deal, but perhaps on another day. At any rate it is a truely awesome car !!!
Regards Brian

Andre40 · 03-03-04, 07:19 AM

Hi All,

Lola number 49 is an original Mk3 that belongs to Frank Sytner.

Ben van der Westhuizen's car, number 7 with LHD, is a replica with space frame that was built in the US. Whether it's true or urban legend I was told that Eric Broadley managed to stop the American company copying his car as he had given the rights to GTD. Ben's car was allegedly the last car built by the company. Is there someone out there who knows more?

In 1995 Norman Lewis built a GTD 70 in my factory and it's the only one in South Africa. It's now for sale as the owner says he can't see a thing behind him.

In previous postings I've mentioned that Jimmy Price and I were thinking of building a precise copy of the MK3B but as there appears to be a very limited market out there I think we'll can the idea. As Jimmy would have invested about R10 million (about $1.4 million) in the GT40 project before the first car is sold I suggested to him that he should rather focus on the GT40 which has a far greater market and appeal than the T70 ever will.

About three weeks ago Nigel Hulme and Lola expert, Clive Robinson, came to have a look at the GT40 project and both Nigel and Clive questioned the marketability of the T70 and Nigel said that during a race in the Bahamas he had to run a new diff in on the roads. He said that once again that reminded him of the virtually non-existent rearward vision. A replica would therefore be suited to the track only and right now there are few classes in which the car would be able to compete. I've heard that consideration is being given in the UK to allowing precise replicas to run in the historic classes. But then again if this were to happen how many would we sell?

Andy Burrows of Gardner-Douglas visited us last year and were are thinking in terms of building his T70 Spyder replica out here. In September last year Andy took me for a drive in the country lanes of Leicestershire and the performance and roadholding are out of this world. the Spyder has a space frame and the suspension is non-original. The car is SVA approved in the UK and would therefore make a fun road car. Andy is busy developing a higher windscreen and a soft top.

Onwards and forwards!
Andre 40