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John Player Special Lotus T73

Started by willga , Feb 12 2006 17:22

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40 replies to this topic

#1 willga

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 17:22

Does anyone remember anything about the Lotus 73 JPS F3 cars?

Were they as bad as the history books portray them?
Do any still survive?

#2 Gary C

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 17:26

i'm sure they are in a private collection somewhere.

#3 Ted Walker

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 17:34

Yes they are in a very private collection along with a LOT of other Loti

#4 Twin Window

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 17:59

#5 kayemod

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 18:26

Nice pics TW. The thinking behind the 73 was that it would steamroller F3 by being a class above most of the opposition, as it embodied quite a lot of ideas from the 72, but after an early win or two plus a second at Monaco, it gradually faded as the season progressed. The cars were complex and hard to work on, but I think their only real problem was lack of interest by Lotus. They were run initially from the JPS sponsorship budget, but this was never intended to continue throughout the season, and when Lotus couldn't find an alternative sponsor, the project just ground to a halt. Certainly no real development work was done on the cars, but I don't think they had any inherent faults.

#6 MCS

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 18:26

Originally posted by Ted Walker
Yes they are in a very private collection along with a LOT of other Loti

Are you able to share this info Ted?!!

#7 philippe charuest

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 19:22

the car was a gizmo so as the texaco-star f2. in board brake and torsion bar were a totally useless sophistication for a f3 and just a plain weight handicap

#8 Gary C

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 21:04

weren't they runnong Novamotor engines too??

#9 MCS

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 21:13

Originally posted by Gary C
weren't they runnong Novamotor engines too??

Yes, when they eventually appeared...(about mid-season, I think)...

#10 Gary C

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 21:16

I think they're rather neat looking. Probably the nearest I'd ever come to owning a 72!!
That's IF I can find one !!

#11 philippe charuest

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 21:36

well theres the GRD 372 , that was neat car of the lotus 72 family in some way

#12 Alan Cox

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Posted 12 February 2006 - 23:07

Not a particularly brilliant effort, but it shows the rear view:
Posted Image

#13 petefenelon

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 10:10

Originally posted by willga
Does anyone remember anything about the Lotus 73 JPS F3 cars?

Were they as bad as the history books portray them?
Do any still survive?

Joe Ehrlich ended up owning them after their JPS career, didn't he?

#14 MCS

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 10:21

Originally posted by petefenelon

Joe Ehrlich ended up owning them after their JPS career, didn't he?

Certainly did. But were there two or three built?

#15 kayemod

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 10:22

Originally posted by petefenelon

Joe Ehrlich ended up owning them after their JPS career, didn't he?

Yes he did, but I don't remember the cars ever appearing on-track again, and have no idea of their ultimate fate. Lotus also built a 73B, which I think were just the original cars slightly modified.

Dr Ehrlich indeed, now there's a name to conjure with. Some of the F3 cars entered under his name had impressive engines, though rarely quite as impressive as the claims he made for them.

#16 petefenelon

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 10:23

Originally posted by kayemod

Yes he did, but I don't remember the cars ever appearing on-track again, and have no idea of their ultimate fate. Lotus also built a 73B, which I think were just the original cars slightly modified.

Dr Ehrlich indeed, now there's a name to conjure with. Some of the F3 cars entered under his name had impressive engines, though rarely quite as impressive as the claims he made for them.

There was a thread on him just after his death:

http://forums.autosp...ght=Joe Ehrlich

#17 Stephen W

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 10:39

It was a bit of a dilemma for the JPS team as the British F3 Series was sponsored by MARLBORO. Each runner had to have affixed to their car two MARLBORO stickers. However the regs were vague and did not specify where the stickers had to be applied. JPS thought this one through and stuck the two stickers on the underside of the rear wing! Typical lateral thinking!

I seem to remeber Ehrlich running one of the Lotus 73s for Derek Lawrence. I'll try to dig out the details.

:wave:

#18 MCS

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 10:53

Originally posted by Stephen W
It was a bit of a dilemma for the JPS team as the British F3 Series was sponsored by MARLBORO. Each runner had to have affixed to their car two MARLBORO stickers. However the regs were vague and did not specify where the stickers had to be applied. JPS thought this one through and stuck the two stickers on the underside of the rear wing! Typical lateral thinking!

I seem to remeber Ehrlich running one of the Lotus 73s for Derek Lawrence. I'll try to dig out the details.

I'm sure it was the Shell F3 Championship, Steve. Didn't Trimmer lose his 9 points from his early season victory at Mallory Park because he didn't have Shell stickers on his car? The reason being that the JPSs were backed by Texaco of course!

And then, didn't the team come up with their own (black and gold!) Shell stickers?!!

#19 BRG

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 11:42

Nice photos - very atmospheric, even down to the oil-drum rubbish bin and the shiny new Ford Capri 1600 GXLR (the car you always promised yourself...

) and can you imagine even the smallest modern F3 team leaving its cars out on the rain like that!

But in the second shot, the car has knock-on spinners securing the wheels, whereas in the first shot they have centrelocks. What's that all about? When did the old copper hammer finally disappear from the race mechanics toolkit?

#20 bill moffat

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 12:17

Originally posted by BRG
But in the second shot, the car has knock-on spinners securing the wheels, whereas in the first shot they have centrelocks. What's that all about? When did the old copper hammer finally disappear from the race mechanics toolkit?

In the second shot the car has also sprouted a sort of Elden FF -style full width nosecone, along with the "135" numbering on the nose it gives the feel of a later photo perhaps at a time when the car had fallen into private hands..is that right Stuart ?

At Monaco the standard wedge nose was abbreviated, I'll dig out a photo this evening of that car (I think the 2 pictured in the original photo represented the total production run...)

#21 willga

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 12:19

Originally posted by Ted Walker
Yes they are in a very private collection along with a LOT of other Loti

On the subject of private collections, does anyone know what happened to Dawson-Damer's menagerie?

#22 David Beard

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 12:34

Originally posted by willga

On the subject of private collections, does anyone know what happened to Dawson-Damer's menagerie?

Still owned by his family.

#23 MCS

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 12:39

Originally posted by bill moffat

In the second shot the car has also sprouted a sort of Elden FF -style full width nosecone, along with the "135" numbering on the nose it gives the feel of a later photo perhaps at a time when the car had fallen into private hands..is that right Stuart ?

At Monaco the standard wedge nose was abbreviated, I'll dig out a photo this evening of that car (I think the 2 pictured in the original photo represented the total production run...)

I seem to recall the cars looking different each time I saw them!

You had the impression that they were constantly trying different noses!!

#24 ian senior

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 15:40

Originally posted by MCS

Are you able to share this info Ted?!!

Yes, it would be nice to know that the cars are in good hands and are not the property of some Schlumpf-esque individual. Are we allowed to know more, or is this information privy only to a chosen few?

I don't propose banging on the owners door demanding to see the cars, or anything like that. I'd just like an assurance that such stuff is being well looked after, that's all.

#25 David McKinney

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 16:06

Ted did say "very private" - I guess that means we can't be told any more ;)

#26 David M. Kane

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 16:40

I believe the cars are with his son Clive Chapman. He seems a pretty regular guy based upon his one response to me via email.

#27 Ted Walker

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 16:51

Not unless somethings happened recently there not with Clive.They are quite safe and well cared for along with the Texaco Stars etc etc.Sorry I cant divulge any more.

#28 Allen Brown

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 17:53

I'm guessing this is the collector that stuffed lots of cars into various lockups many years ago and forgot where quite a few of them were.

Allen

#29 bill moffat

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Posted 13 February 2006 - 22:47

As promised, Tony Trimmer in the Monaco-spec Lotus 73.

With frontal design courtesy of the Bendabitoftin School of Aerodynamics we would all probably agree that the GRD was a prettier car...

http://img326.images...lotus0738aj.jpg

#30 Ted Walker

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 08:43

Thats right Allen.How can you forget about the Rindt Lotus 69 ?????????????

#31 Gary C

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 11:35

'How can you forget about the Rindt Lotus 69 ?????????????'
Is this the car that was found in a garage somewhere in London about 10 years ago?? Whatever happened to it??

#32 Mallory Dan

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 11:48

Mention of Dr Jo Ehrlich above has reminded me of his 1978-79-80-81 F3/FAt cars. Were these based on the Lotus 73 tubs, or some other car, or maybe built by the Doc and his team themselves? I recall there were at least 2 of them, Fluxie used 1 in Atlantic, Mark Thatcher on occasion too. Bryce Wilson in F3 IIRC sometimes.

#33 ian senior

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 11:58

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
Mention of Dr Jo Ehrlich above has reminded me of his 1978-79-80-81 F3/FAt cars. Were these based on the Lotus 73 tubs, or some other car, or maybe built by the Doc and his team themselves? I recall there were at least 2 of them, Fluxie used 1 in Atlantic, Mark Thatcher on occasion too. Bryce Wilson in F3 IIRC sometimes.

I think the Ehrlich cars from that period were strictly "Ehrlich" (although they were made by Sabre Automotive)- the good Doctor only ran the 73s in 1975 and then only for one or two races. Gerald Swan's brilliant F3 site tells more.

#34 David Beard

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 12:34

Originally posted by ian senior

I think the Ehrlich cars from that period were strictly "Ehrlich" (although they were made by Sabre Automotive)- the good Doctor only ran the 73s in 1975 and then only for one or two races. Gerald Swan's brilliant F3 site tells more.

Didn't Adrian Reynard drive an Ehrlich at some early stage? Or am I making the connection just because Sabre was Reynard's fabrication firm in Bicester with Bill Stone, before Reynard cars started?

#35 Mallory Dan

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 13:19

He definitely drove a Cuda in NZ F Pacific David, which was also strongly linked to Bill Stone - was it BS' brother who made that car ?

#36 David McKinney

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Posted 14 February 2006 - 15:40

No, different Stone family

#37 David Force

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Posted 08 March 2006 - 18:49

If memory serves me right the best outing of the JPS F3 cars was when Tony Trimmer very nearly won the Monaco F3 race. I believe that tyres were an issue and at the last moment Tony managed to blag some Firestone fronts from the Lotus F1 team. They turned out to be the business and nearly gave him his second Monaco F3 victory.

#38 d.emerson

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Posted 09 March 2006 - 07:16

#39 aerogi

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Posted 09 March 2006 - 08:21

Here's an article about this F3 car as when it was presented.

Source: Autosport, 16 March 1972

And another picture I found, Tony Trimmer winning in the Shell Super Oil race at Mallory Park.

Source: Autosport, 6 April 1972

Enjoy!

#40 RTH

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Posted 09 March 2006 - 16:00

I was actually there that day. They were great looking little cars and one of the most interesting periods of F3 with a whole range of car makers all with distinctively different looking cars

#41 Ruairidh

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Posted 09 March 2006 - 16:46

Thanks aerogi for that Autosport article, I hadn't seen that in over 20 years! I remembered thinking at the time that Mr Feast was somewhat skeptical with the penultimate sentence of "They will either be winning races soon or in need of a design change".. even if he tried to keep on the right side of Team with his last line.....