Mario Andretti's 1966 mk2 T70 Lola - Page 2

Johan · 12-30-08, 07:42 PM

Lest I forget, the Andretti car may well have had an automatic transmission...

KeithN · 12-31-08, 12:14 PM

All my records indicate that this car had a Hewland auto box, I'm just not sure which type?

One source of information mentions an automatic. However, another source mentions that this did not have a automatic box but instead had a torque converter and a two speed jump box? Any ideas what this might be?

My gut feeling is that it would have had, what we call a 2 speed pre-select gearbox.

Johan · 12-31-08, 12:51 PM

Perhaps a two speed Indy car Hewland.

KeithN · 12-31-08, 01:02 PM

Is that a manual, auto or a pre-select gearbox?

Does this set up require a clutch?

KeithN · 01-01-09, 02:14 PM

Hi Gents,

Firstly Happy New Year to you all

For info, I have attached two images taken in 1975 of the chassis no. 37. As you can see she is a Mark II with R & D mods.
You will notice that the fuel pods, centre bulkhead section (which has been heavily strengthened in steel) etc etc had been modified well before this time.

I have other photos which show that the roll bar towers have been modified to allow more room within the engine bay.

Johan · 01-01-09, 02:54 PM

Seems a simple matter if you can prove (within reason) that the chassis in the pictures is 37 and also the basis for your current chassis. If it were my car I would not go with a semi automatic even if it turns out to be 37, which I hope it does!

KeithN · 01-01-09, 03:20 PM

Yes, without doubt my car has the chassis 37, John Mason did an incredible job in restoring her and patching up her wounds which are still clearly evident today.

Regard to the gearbox, I would like to use the car for semi competition which would involve road use. I would like to turn her back to how she would have been, as close as possible to Andretti's time in the sixties, ie 427 FE engine but utilising the LG 500 gearbox.
Johan, you mentioned before that you had a bell housing, what info do you need from me to see if it would be suitable for my car?

Evan · 01-01-09, 05:49 PM

This automatic gearbox, would it be similar to the ones used the Chaparrals? Why would this car have an "auto" box anyways?

Johan · 01-01-09, 06:13 PM

No Evan, not the same. Big Torque motors need fewer gears but have a propensity to break transmissions, hence a 2 speed semi-auto but it did not work well. Andretti wrecked the car practicing in a parking lot and had to run the race with the nose missing. Not sure if he drove it more than once because he hated the transmission as he was quoted as saying in Dave Friedman's book. Also not sure what happened to the car after that, but perhaps it had more race history with a different driver and/or powertrain. Lola has records and then there is John Starkey.
Kieth, if you decide eventually to go the FE route, I guess we have to hold a bell housing up to an FE and see if it fits. I believe one of them will fit.
Whatever your car ends up being, number or not, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Good luck with your research.

Evan · 01-03-09, 11:24 AM

Ok, thanks Johan.

KeithN · 01-03-09, 02:10 PM

Hi Johan

Would it be possible for you to provide me with the correct bell housing?

Let me know the costs and I could pay through PayPal if thats OK with you.

Keith

Johan · 01-03-09, 05:22 PM

Like I said, not being an engine guru by any means, I do have a couple 6 bolt bellhousings for a Ford to a Hewland and one of them is aluminum. I believe the aluminum, while heavier, is at least as strong as the magnesium. It would be what I would suggest. I guess I could ship it to Lola when I send back the continuation MK II in a couple weeks. Are you near Lola ?

KeithN · 01-03-09, 06:12 PM

I am not too far from Lola base.
I will be in the Cambridge area at the end of the month anyway seeing Tony Waterman & Chris fox about the car, so I can not see this as a problem.

I have in storage 2 FE (blown) engines (part spares when I had my Cobras) what info do you require regarding bolt pattern?

We had a dummy run this morning and it appears that the engine will fit, as mentioned before the centre section has been seriously modified (cut away) and reinforced with steel together with part of the floor.

Let me know what info you require regarding the bell housing and costs not to mention the payment details.

Johan · 01-13-09, 03:47 PM

OK, I have a bellhousing from a Cobra with a 427 on the way. I shall hold the two pieces together and report back.

Don Dunham · 01-19-09, 02:08 PM

According to Pete Lyons book 'CAN-AM Photo history' Mario makes mention of Ford and their obsession with automatics. Even up to the days of the semi successfull 429er. Mario said the autos were an absolute horror to drive since they had no neutral or reverse (without first switching off the engine). He relayed an incident that occured in Las Vegas in which this huge (over 500 inches) motor installed in front of yet another automatic experienced a stuck throttle at W.O.T. It took Mario a while to switch the thing off which put him out in the desert somewhere and he walked back to the pits unhurt. A pit crew person volunteered to go get the car. Mario realized the poor guy didnt know the thing was in gear at Wide Open Throttle and went running afer him to warn him, unsuccessfully. Apparently the crew guy hopped in as usual and cranked the beast to life. Mario said he heard a huge explosion of noise as the car continued to plow through the desert bouncing off of boulders and anything else in its path. Fortunately nobody got hurt and Mario had a big laugh! I think the Ford Engineers got the message after that.

Mario definetly preferred the LG500-600s.
Regards,
Don Dunham

Johan · 01-19-09, 03:49 PM

I got the Cobra FE bellhousing and it is a different bolt pattern than the Hewland to Small block Ford pattern. The holes are further apart. Good luck..

Don Dunham · 01-19-09, 05:24 PM

Johan, Do you still have a set of t-70mk.3b wheels for sale? I plan on building one before I die and the wheels do make the car. I am willing to do whatever it takes to adapt them to the RCR hub/upright ect. Not afraid of having to run Avons or some other race only tire either.

Sincerely,
Don Dunham

Johan · 01-19-09, 10:39 PM

I have a nice old original non-corroded magnesium set and a set of treaded Goodyear tires that we raced on last year that are pretty much worn out heat cycle wise but have tread pretty much all the way across. The tires are free if you want the wheels... and there is no rush.

Don Dunham · 01-20-09, 02:41 AM

GREAT! I ,of course am in the process of selling some children and toys I've grown bored with (what recession!?). It seems to me that Fran said that their WILL be pain involved with the adaptation of the correct Lola wheels. I hope it wont cause too big geometry and/or roll center problems. It absolutely MUST have the right wheels(and left) installed.
Thanx for the response.
Don Dunham

Johan · 01-20-09, 07:29 AM

At the least it is an upright problem. The rear wheels are so deep at 17" or 18" that the upright becomes fairly specialized in order to reach the hub and clear the rim/tire and then the tire has to clear the chassis and bodywork. You would have to use 3b uprights or Formula 5000 or whatever. I'm sure Fran could guide you. Lots of used parts are out there because race cars constantly get new parts put on them but then you get in to a quality issue and a safety issue. Then there is the brake situation and the money issue, but I agree that the wheels make the car. I have a set of 14" wheels that look the same as the 17" wheels from the outside, but the most straight-forward solution would be to use 3b uprights, hubs and brakes.

There are some detailed photos here :

http://lolaheritage.co.uk/continuati...cification.pdf