Lotus 68/70 FA/5000

I've found this Lotus 68/70 FA/5000 pic.




I'm confused because the article (Autosprint 1969) talk about this car allways as the Lotus Mk70 prototype tested by Emerson Fittipaldi at Snetterton, after this chassis was modified just changing the radiator from the rear to the front and send to US to his debut at Sebring. Allways they says Lotus 70 prototype, no reference to a Lotus Mk68.

So, is this the Lotus Mk68, or Mk70???



Many thanks,
Rafa

looks to me like a Lotus 70 F5000 car

Originally posted by Reyna
I've found this Lotus 68/70 FA/5000 pic.




I'm confused because the article (Autosprint 1969) talk about this car allways as the Lotus Mk70 prototype tested by Emerson Fittipaldi at Snetterton, after this chassis was modified just changing the radiator from the rear to the front and send to US to his debut at Sebring. Allways they says Lotus 70 prototype, no reference to a Lotus Mk68.

So, is this the Lotus Mk68, or Mk70???



Many thanks,
Rafa

I had the good fortune of attending the Formula A race held at Sebring in December, 1969.
Mario Andretti drove a Lotus 70 in that race, and I believe it was somehat difference in
overall appearane from the photo you posted.

R. Sparks

This is the Mario Andretti Lotus 70 at Sebring '69.


Photo: Sport-Auto

...........unless it's a publicity shot of the 58 with a rear wing - something I've NEVER seen. I reckon Michael Oliver might have a good clue about this one.

Our own Doug's book, The Story of Lotus, 1961-1971 notes that the original F5000 prototype was designated the Louts 68 and the production versions were the Lotus 70.

The first picture looks like a Cosworth DFV exhaust while the second has the exhaust over the top and the intakes are different. Did they make a 68 with a Cosworth?

Originally posted by Gary C
...........unless it's a publicity shot of the 58 with a rear wing - something I've NEVER seen. I reckon Michael Oliver might have a good clue about this one.

I would say that it is the prototype 68, before they moved the radiator into the nose... I'm sure I've seen this photo before but I'm blowed if I can say where...

I don't think it is the 58 with a wing on, it doesn't look quite right in terms of the shape of the tub at the bulkhead end, nor do I think it is a Cosworth V8 - more likely that it was tested with a different make of engine (e.g. Chevy rather than Ford) or exhaust configuration. For example, if you look at the pic of Andretti at Sebring and then the pic of Follmer driving the same car with a Ford engine a few races later (see oldracingcars.com), you can see that Andretti has the 'up and over' exhaust layout whereas Follmer has one more similar to the first pic in the original post.

Michael