T70 barn find ?

[Johan]

Neat picture. That's not the car I have, that might be the second car. I can't tell from the picture if it has two humps or not. What does the article say ?
I need to mention that I don't have the history prior to the Bartz brothers. The history I have is a record of them converting the car (and another) to road use coupe form, with AC, radio, turn signals, etc.
They moved the pedals back to the right side of the car.
That is why I had wondered about the two humps in the dash. Perhaps it was not a tall driver, but the car used to be left hand drive ? I think not, because of the way the shifter is. It would be very hard to make this car left hand drive, but anything is possible!
This T70 still has a Hewland LG500 ( I think LG504 076 ( I was upside down when I read it).
The Bartz brothers either got the car, or performed the conversion for, a "Bobby" (Donaldson ?) in New Orleans or Louisiana. He, or they, took the car to a race in California, where it was seen by, and sold to, the person I called, looking for a set of wheels.
He bought the car , and drove it "less than 200 miles" .
The fuel cell foam had turned to powder. The fuel cell (there was only one when he got the car) has since split open, dumping gas on the floor, hence banishment of the car to the outbuilding and removal of the cell (which was split) and still exists.
The car has been stored in three locations over the last couple decades, but never driven.
That's what I know....
A person that has been familiar with the car over time (since late 70's)remembers it to be Ford powered originally, but eventually changed to Chevy (prior to 1980). He knew the serial number before I did.


That's about all I know, other than that it is not a Bricklin (no offense to any Bricklin owners out there).

Anybody able to shed any light ?

[Johan]

check out the dash warning label. Typical disco car !
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/showp...=500&page=1

[Ron Earp]

That is a really cool find Johan, really neat. Are you going to handle the restoration duties yourself? Seems like it would make a rewarding and challenging project to do own your own. Best,

Ron

[Mike Dozier]

Yep

The article has a clear picture of the double hump.
I guess Randy added it to allow his bodies to be
either RHD or LHD. The car in the article is a big block
Chevy with a ZF and last I heard was owned by Mac McClendon.
If you're going to restore this car, call Mac.
He has more Lola parts than Lola.

MikeD

[Fran Hall RCR]

The car is now owned by Dave Harvey of Cult Sports cars....lucky bugger.

[Johan]

?

Thanks Ron.
I am not really going to "restore" it in the traditional sense of the word. I am going to put a new fuel cell in it, and then re-assemble the car in it's current configuration, if for no other reason to see what may be missing. At the same time, I'm trying to locate of fabricate the parts required to convert the car back to a spyder.I'm making pretty good progress there already.
I really like the coupe bodywork and hate to remove it. I suppose I shall at some point do so, but not until I've got it all up and working properly. I happen to have two semi monocoque T70 chassis laying about (The heritage chassis's) and a running, driving (racing actually) T70 replica that I could utilize in "using up" all these Lola parts that I have all of a sudden.
At any rate, goal #1 is to get the car to the point that the previous owner can drive the car to the neighborhood bar, as he had always wanted to do, but was never able , due to the fuel cell foam problem. He would get a couple of blocks, the car would die, and he would have to call a wrecker(and a limo). I bet it happened 6 or 7 times.
We ( my neighbor and I ) just finished restoring a Lola T332 CS and it took a year. It too began with a case of foamitis in the fuel system. We were able to rebuild the entire car without losing the car's race patina. I do not have any desire to restore the car to "like new" condition.
And I want to leave that little label on the dash about women needing to remove tight garments due to the g-force capabilities !
One big problem is that I really like my replica and I do not want to ruin it to turn it into a coupe and ruin the coupe to turn it into an original spyder. I'm just going to plop myself down in the midst of my Lola pile and drink beer as I ponder my options.

[Johan]

I guess I still can't post pictures, only a third of a picture. Go figure !
Mike, does the article say anything about the other car the Bartz brothers did ?
According to Mac, the car in my garage is SL71/34, the Bardahl spyder #30 driven by Gurney in the 1966 Bridgehampton race, and the #8 car driven by Grant in the USRRC race (both wins).Mac is the one that did the brake job on it in the 80's. This matches my info, but hard to believe !

[MK -IV J6]

Hi
Yes I think it's SL71/34 as well (Starkey has transaxle as #79 but that could be wrong or changed at a later time)
Nice History. Last owner Starkey has is Bobbie Thompson of New Orleans
"A car with chassis number SL71/34 has a Mk III coupe body installed by Charles Bartz."
Starkey.

Best

[Johan]

I think the transaxle might be 76 or 79. I was looking at it upside down, with full monty, and almost fainted.

[Johan]

http://www.motorsportcollector.com/G...neyLola01.jpeg

[Johan]

I'm officially fired as a picture poster !
Is that car dark blue or black ?

[MK -IV J6]

Those models are pretty accurate. Take that Disco dash, put it and that body on your Hertiage, restore your new one as per model and you'll be good to go.

[RobBeddington]

Johan, this is one huge find. Congratulations.

Dan Gurney speaking of his Can-Am win in the #30 in SL71/34 at Bridgehampton:

The Lola T70 was a very good car, and I had the honor of being the first American to win a Can-Am race at Bridgehampton in September 1966. We won the race using our Weslake heads on one of our Ford 305ci engines. The T70 never appeared to be going particularly quick, but when you looked, the lap times were always there."

The picture you posted of #30 has got to be how it is restored. That was the high point of its history. I have a few photos that I can scan of this car in this finish if you're interested.

Keep us posted.

[Johan]

Rob, thanks for your enthusiasm. I'm interested in the photos you mentioned. I may try to fit a Porsche targa body to the car so that I can run it in the Porsche club events that are so prevalent in this country, but failing that, will some day make it back to a spyder, or at least "T" tops ! I can keep beer on ice in the empty fuel cell too if I drill holes in it for drains !
Seriously, 1966 was a long time ago but converting the car back to spyder does not seem too difficult. All of the original suspension is there, and the rear of the car is built off of the gearbox (also present), so all I need are some photos , bits and pieces,some beer, and a little entusiasm !

[Mike Dozier]

Sorry Johan

R&T article only discusses the yellow car in detail.
But it does say the Bartz Brothers will sell same car
to anyone for $ 100k...I wonder if they sold any besides
the yellow one? In 1984 that was probably more than the cost
of a real Mk III coupe !

MikeD

[Johan]

They sold the red one (the subject of this thread) for 85,000 two years earlier. Consider the cost of a Lamborghini Countach etc. Certainly a Cafe Cruiser ! Chicks might just like Lolas, but men love them .
What is it about women (or Lolas)that makes men go out and spend this kind of dough on cars ? Perhaps, when dealing with a T70 with a lot of HP and a hewland, some big fat sticky tires, and a sound that barks "Let me at them !", chicks have nothing to do with it.
Nah.

[Joe T]

The pictures are great,

In picture #21 I notice the that there is what looks like an air scoop just in front of the side mirror where most seem to have another fuel filler, is just the angle of the pic or is it air intake. I wondered where it went to.

Whatever you do it looks from the pics to be in good shape,

[Johan]

Joe, it is an air scoop. I have not seen another like it.
I just took these photos of it. Check out the workmanship on the screen. It is hand formed around a little wire border and welded (soldered ?). OK, so no big deal, but still cool (pardon the pun). It goes to the defroster.

[Johan]

another....(now I'm dangerous!)

[Joe T]

Thanks for the pics, its the little details which make finds like this really interesting, I have not seem that mod before either, I wondered whether if it was an afterthought but obviously not looking at the workmanship, so is there a fuel/cell tank in that side?

Cheers