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Sid Taylor Lola SL142/20


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#1 Kuprecht

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Posted 21 January 2010 - 13:22

Can anybody help me in getting the story (and appearance) of SL142/20 straight?

Allen Brown says correctly that Tony Lanfranchi was the first driver of this car. In his book "Down the Hatch", Tony described this and his relationship with Sid Taylor - so this must be SN20. B&W photos I have show this car - white and with (green?) stripes, number 58, driven by Tony. I guess this is how the car looked very early 69. Then, as Allen says, Tony damaged the car in mid January and it was fitted with a new frame. After this it seems the car had number 2 and, as Giraffe says, red stripes. I have, however, not yet seen any picture of this car with the nr. 2.

I think the nr. 58 and the nr. 2 car were the same serial number. Could this be correct? I am particularly interested in the early, white/green/nr.58 version, but only have a pretty blurry b&w picture in Tony's book. But (colour) pictures of the later version would be interesting too. Or, am I getting this wrong? Any help would be most appreciated.


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#2 Giraffe

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 00:08

Can anybody help me in getting the story (and appearance) of SL142/20 straight?

Allen Brown says correctly that Tony Lanfranchi was the first driver of this car. In his book "Down the Hatch", Tony described this and his relationship with Sid Taylor - so this must be SN20. B&W photos I have show this car - white and with (green?) stripes, number 58, driven by Tony. I guess this is how the car looked very early 69. Then, as Allen says, Tony damaged the car in mid January and it was fitted with a new frame. After this it seems the car had number 2 and, as Giraffe says, red stripes. I have, however, not yet seen any picture of this car with the nr. 2.

I think the nr. 58 and the nr. 2 car were the same serial number. Could this be correct? I am particularly interested in the early, white/green/nr.58 version, but only have a pretty blurry b&w picture in Tony's book. But (colour) pictures of the later version would be interesting too. Or, am I getting this wrong? Any help would be most appreciated.


The car was assigned the number 2 for the Guards Championship in 1969, and whilst it was entered for Robin Widdows in the opening round at Oulton Park (complete with red stripe), in didn't make the grid.
It did appear at Brands & Mallory for Frank Gardner & Robin Widdows respectively & was SL142/20. :wave:

Edited by Giraffe, 23 March 2010 - 14:33.


#3 Kuprecht

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 08:56

The car was assigned the number 2 for the Guards Championship in 1969, and whilst it was entered for Robin Widdows in the opening round at Oulton Park (complete with red stripe), in didn't show up.
It did appear at Brands & Mallory for Frank Gardner & Robin Widdows respectively & was SL142/20. :wave:


Thank you very much for clearing this up. And, ist it correct that the same car had nr. 58 and green stripes in January, i.e., when Lanfranchi drove it?

I'd also be interested in your film material you've mentioned, can you please let me know when you have it on DVD?

#4 Giraffe

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 09:28

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By giraffe138, shot with EX-M2 at 2009-07-13

I will do, Kuprecht. This still from it is Brian Redman entering the pits at Oulton Park at the weekend of the Tourist Trophy in May 1969. Brian had been asked by Sid Taylor to test the re-framed SL142/20 as Robin Widdows had been unhappy with it. This is probably the first time Redman drove a F5000 car, but not the last..........................

Sid only ever ran two F5000 Lola's (not counting the later Teddy Yip cars). One was SL142/20 and the other was the T140 loaned from the factory which Chris Craft drove, so it must have been the Lanfranchi car.

Edited by Giraffe, 22 January 2010 - 09:35.


#5 Kuprecht

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 15:11

Thanks for the expert feedback. I think as long as nobody discovers a colour photo of this car in January, nr. 58 livery, or has personal memories, the question of the early striping colour remains open. I can see that the lettering was different from the Guards livery, saying: Entrant, The Steering Wheel Club, W. Brom. So it might be, that the stripes werde different too and still in the usual Taylor green. You realize I am trying to find every possible reasoning the make them green  ;)
Best regards, Reto

#6 Giraffe

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 15:47

Ok Reto, here is the cover of the programme for the first ever F5000 race in Europe at Oulton Park on Good Friday 1969, and featured on the cover is Tony Lanfranchi in T142/20 entered by the Steering Wheel Club, West Brom that was actually one of Sid Taylor's nightspots, and low and behold, the comp. number 58!
At this time, I strongly suspect that the stripe was green, as all Sid Taylor's cars were at that time and before (until the stripe went blue on a later M10B!)
It figures that replacement bodywork was needed in a hurry after Lanfranchi pranged it, and the only set readily to hand had a red stripe. (It's a standard Lola stripe of the period). The car was in the programme as red and white at that meeting although it didn't appear, and was still red and white when it appeared in May at Oulton for the test with Redman.
Sid Taylor's next F5000, the M10B for Peter Gethin reverted to a green stripe. I could ask Sid, but I doubt he'd remember now.

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By giraffe138 at 2010-01-22


#7 Kuprecht

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 16:15

Yes, that's the livery I meant - and of which I have two other photos, but as I said all in b&w. But this is good now, and I can continue with the restoration - and buy green paint!


#8 Andrew Kitson

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 16:46

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Programme cover from the first Brands F5000 race, Easter Monday '69. The photo - car 58 - is of the club circuit Formula Libre race on Jan 19th 1969 when Tony beat his own outright lap record by over a second. It was using a 'hack' engine, not the proper tuned version for Robin Widdows to use.

When Frank Gardner drove the Taylor car at Brands in the Brands club circuit round on May 11th (no.2) , it had high wings front and rear. The rear wing collapsed coming to the grid for race two, the start was delayed so the mechanics could remove both wings for this second race. Gardner was second in both heats. Photo of the car on page 32 Autosport 16th May 1969. The familiar Taylor stripes are visible as on the Lanfranchi photo above, but a black/white photo.

#9 Giraffe

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 16:53

The car had been entered in a Formula Libre race at Oulton as early as March 15th for Robin Widdows and was listed then as Red & White even though it didn't show there either. Reto is trying to establish whether it was green and white before Tony pranged it in testing in January. We really need a Boxing Day Mallory 1968 programme.

#10 Andrew Kitson

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Posted 22 January 2010 - 17:21

There is TV film of Lanfranchi winning that January Libre race, car 58. A few seconds were shown on that ( 2002??..ish) Channel 5 programme 'Salvage Squad' on the restoration of the ex-Holland/Fraser car. Just checked it out from the recording. Again, black & white movie film.

#11 Kuprecht

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Posted 23 January 2010 - 00:27

Thanks for the hint on the "Salvage Squad" film too. The more information comes out of this, the more options seem to open. I am, for examble, very pleased to hear that the car was driven without wings at some point. This sort of opens the possibility to represent the car without wings. Of course nearly all 69 season T142s had wings, but I do like the looks of the earlier T140, wingless cars. So, to represent SL142/20 as an early version in white with green stripes, without wings, wouldn't be too far off.

#12 Giraffe

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Posted 26 January 2010 - 18:35

Well I asked Brian Redman today if he tested T142/20 because of the replacement frame, and his reply didn't really help us. I did also ask him if it was the first time he'd driven a F5000 car, and his reply was quite interesting.....

"Hi Tony,

I don't honestly remember why I tested the Lola......I did drive a single-seater with a V8 which belonged to David Bridges and was supposed to have been a film car (carrying a camera) during the filming of "Grand Prix". It might have been the "Kincraft".....Robin Darlington would have known about it.

The book is coming quite well now.....1,800 photographs to choose from!

All the best, Brian"

Brian Redman


#13 Kuprecht

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Posted 27 January 2010 - 22:39

Thanks very much for further investigating. Interesting what Brian says. Looking at the number of different cars he has driven I don't blame him though for not remembering...
Could the "Camera Car" have been one of the three McLaren M3A's?

But most interesting is the new book - I am definitely looking forward to this one.

#14 Giraffe

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Posted 29 January 2010 - 21:15

Thanks very much for further investigating. Interesting what Brian says. Looking at the number of different cars he has driven I don't blame him though for not remembering...
Could the "Camera Car" have been one of the three McLaren M3A's?

But most interesting is the new book - I am definitely looking forward to this one.


I reminded Brian of the McLaren M3A's Reto, and he agreed that it was infact one of these cars that he drove when owned by David Bridges, and not the Kincraft as he earlier thought. Brian also suggested I ask Sid himself about the colour of the stripe on T142/20, so if you really need me to, I will contact him on your behalf.




#15 Kuprecht

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Posted 01 February 2010 - 12:53

This of course is an offer difficult to pass! If you see a possibility to contact Sidney - and perhaps ask for his opinion about my idea of a no-wing SL142/20 (with green stripes!) - this would of course be great!
I also thought about the fact that Chris Summers had a fatal accident with SL142/20 later on, and that because of this, people might have an emotional issue against rebuilding such a car. On the other hand, the only "original" piece left of this car is the Lola serial numberplate. In this rebuild, all parts are sourced, rebuilt or constructed from scratch. The frame I have is a genuine Lola frame, but must have joined the "basket of parts" in later times. So, in the end this will be a "recreation" of SL142/20, as all original parts from early 1969 are lost and it is documented that the car had been destroyed more than once.
Many thanks for your ongoing help.

#16 Alan Cox

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Posted 01 February 2010 - 16:47

4th April 1969

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#17 Giraffe

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Posted 01 February 2010 - 16:54

"For those of you watching in black & white, the stripe is red!!!" Really great pics Alan; pity the car didn't make the start. I can't even recall if it ran in practice??

#18 Alan Cox

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Posted 01 February 2010 - 17:05

I can't even recall if it ran in practice??

http://www.oldracing...php?RaceID=E69A

PS I love its highly effective-looking roll-over bar

#19 Kuprecht

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Posted 02 February 2010 - 13:18


These photos are great indeed. I downloaded them earlier and had them in my files, but I did not remember anymore where they came from. Now I know - thank you very much Alan!

And to me, with my T142-trained eyes, they provide interesting details. Including the ridiculous roll-over bar you've mentioned. This would be a typical area where I'd put safety above "originality" and feel free to go for a slightly beefier version :)

Talking about originality. I was getting ready to make the windscreen myself out of flat sheet material. But another Lola restorer knew about a company in California, which still has an original mold for the T142. They were making windscreens for Lola importer Carl Haas and Parnelli Jones too (because he stored racecars in this company's aircraft hangar). So now I will get a windscreen taken from a proper mold. I like these stories.



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#20 Giraffe

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 11:47

Brian also suggested I ask Sid himself about the colour of the stripe on T142/20, so if you really need me to, I will contact him on your behalf.


Sorry for the delay in resolving this mystery for you, Kuprecht. I need to see Sid to get him to sign Derek Lawson's F5000 book for me amongst other things, so I called him up this morning and spoke to Mrs Taylor. However I'd quite forgotten that it's St.Patricks Day today, and Sid's gone out...... Mrs.T. suggested I call back tonight, but I might just leave it until tomorrow....... ;)

Edited by Giraffe, 17 March 2010 - 11:48.


#21 jatwarks

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 12:33

...The photo - car 58 - is of the club circuit Formula Libre race on Jan 19th 1969...

I was at that meeting, and while I don't clearly remember the stripe being green, I am more certain that it wasn't red.

#22 Giraffe

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 12:47

I was at that meeting, and while I don't clearly remember the stripe being green, I am more certain that it wasn't red.


Thanks jatwarks. It's a big ask to hope Sid remembers, but you never know!

Edited by Giraffe, 18 March 2010 - 08:48.


#23 Andrew Kitson

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 13:18

http://www.britishpa...rd.php?id=45623

#24 RA Historian

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 16:57

However I'd quite forgotten that it's St.Patricks Day today, and Sid's gone out...... Mrs.T. suggested I call back tonight, but I might just leave it until tomorrow.......;)

:rotfl:

Tom

#25 jatwarks

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 22:51

We could always apply some school-days science to the identification of the stripe colour.

Scouring the deepest areas of memory (...in a distant classroom, long, long ago...) I recall that the shorter the wavelength of coloured light the more 'energetic' it is. Therefore violet light is more energetic than red light; 400 - 800 micrometres springs to mind for some reason.

If photographic film is exposed to light of various colours, shorter wavelengths cause greater reaction, exposing the film more. A monochrome print of the negative will be lighter in those areas: I believe the gradation from violet to red is fairly progressive. In a print containing red and green the red would appear lighter than the green because red light has a longer wavelength than green light.

Looking at Alan Cox's photographs the thing they are lacking, from our point of view, is a reference colour of a known density. If we had that we could assess, or even measure, the stripe colour.

Lanfranchi's colourful helmet would have been ideal for this; a monochrome photo of that, properly colour-balanced, could have been compared to the equivalent colours in the programme cover photos, if they weren't tinted!

All the same, I reckon an ace photographer, with the right photos and computer, could certainly distinguish between red and green, at least.

Edited by jatwarks, 17 March 2010 - 22:54.


#26 RA Historian

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Posted 17 March 2010 - 23:13

We could always apply some school-days science to the identification of the stripe colour.

Scouring the deepest areas of memory (...in a distant classroom, long, long ago...) I recall that the shorter the wavelength of coloured light the more 'energetic' it is. Therefore violet light is more energetic than red light; 400 - 800 micrometres springs to mind for some reason.

If photographic film is exposed to light of various colours, shorter wavelengths cause greater reaction, exposing the film more. A monochrome print of the negative will be lighter in those areas: I believe the gradation from violet to red is fairly progressive. In a print containing red and green the red would appear lighter than the green because red light has a longer wavelength than green light.

Interesting. I have oftened wondered why even Kodachrome did not reproduce exactly as I remembered it.
tom

#27 Giraffe

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Posted 18 March 2010 - 08:50

er, thanks jatwarks............. now where's Sid's number...........? :eek:

PS Just spoken to Mrs.T & he's gone to the gym......"He goes every day at twelve and get's back about foive". Not bad for a man of 77, but it does sound a bit Oirish if you ask me........... ;)

Edited by Giraffe, 18 March 2010 - 11:22.


#28 Giraffe

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Posted 18 March 2010 - 11:30

I was at that meeting, and while I don't clearly remember the stripe being green, I am more certain that it wasn't red.


It was most certainly red by the time it was pictured earlier in the thread on April 4th 1969 by Alan. Barring forensics, I'm just going to have to see if Sid remembers. :cat:

Edited by Giraffe, 18 March 2010 - 11:42.


#29 Giraffe

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Posted 19 March 2010 - 17:50

I was privileged to spend some time today in Birmingham in the company of the legendary Sid Taylor (more about which I hope to post on the 'Sid Taylor' thread), and he wouldn't have believed he ever ran a car with a red stripe if I hadn't had the evidence to prove otherwise! He can't understand how that came to be, but his recollection was that it was Robin Widdows and not Tony Lanfranchi that damaged the car in January testing.
It would appear that T142/20 did start life with a green stripe, and when I told Sid about your restoration Reto, he confirmed that you should buy green paint! So you now have Sid's endorsement!

#30 Kuprecht

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Posted 22 March 2010 - 22:27

This really is incredible! Thank you very much Tony for interviewing the man himself. As Sid says, I can now buy green paint in confidence and the project is saved.
And after I thought I had scrounged all possible sources for pictures and information, Andrew throws in a link to a period movie, showing Tony Lanfranchi in this car - I am speechless!
Thank you very much for these inputs which also motivate me in continuing with this "ground up". Here are two pics of the SL142/20 project from last weekends session. As you can see, I opted for a slightly beefier roll hoop. The second pic shows the two oil coolers and a period Oberg screen oil filter. Looks pretty simple, but fabricating the supports so that these items end up in the right place did create some headscratching.

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#31 Cappo

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Posted 23 March 2010 - 15:42

Is this the same car? Phoenix Park

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#32 Giraffe

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Posted 23 March 2010 - 18:07

That's a T140 pictured, a factory car borrowed by Sid from Lola & was a development model with front spats and a wing and a 5.5 litre engine. It was shortly before the T142 was released that Sid took delivery of not long after. Sid brought this up when I met with him last Friday. He had intended to drive it himself in the Park but thought better of it and engaged Chris Craft who is pictured here.

Danny Skehan originally posted this pic on the Sid Taylor thread and has the same flashing avatar as you do Cappo; co-incidence???

http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=3773550

Edited by Giraffe, 24 March 2010 - 14:40.


#33 Cappo

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Posted 24 March 2010 - 14:38

Danny Skehan originally posted this pic on the Sid Taylor thread and has the same flashing avtar as you do Cappo; co-incidence???

http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=3773550



Yep! that's me - don't know how I've ended up with two usernames - had a "crash" on the computer and when I logged on my old name came up! :rolleyes:

#34 Kuprecht

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Posted 01 April 2010 - 20:39

Didn't find the fuel banjos I wanted - and machined them from brass. I like the outcome :-)

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#35 Giraffe

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Posted 01 April 2010 - 21:08

Great stuff Reto! It's coming along really well! I will be seeing Sid Taylor again soon as I took delivery today of a copy of Derek Lawson's F5000 book for him, and I'm sure he will be interested to see the progress you are making with your project! :wave:

#36 Kuprecht

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Posted 18 May 2010 - 21:05

A cardboard mock-up, some head scratching where the oily air should pass, a bit of hacksaw action on 2mm aluminum....

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... some expert aluminum welding, -12 bungs added, and voilà, we have a handy-dandy gearbox huggin´ crankcase vent/catch tank :)

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#37 hansfohr

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Posted 18 May 2010 - 21:26

"For those of you watching in black & white, the stripe is red!!!" Really great pics Alan; pity the car didn't make the start. I can't even recall if it ran in practice??

Widdows actually qualified the 142/20 in 10th spot, he didn't make it to the grid after experiencing a problematic wheel.

#38 Kuprecht

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Posted 13 August 2010 - 10:11

I saw the photo which Giraffe got from Sid Taylor of SL142/20 in front of the "Steering Wheel Club" :clap: Great to see people digging out such treasures!

If anybody would like to follow further progress of our restoration, please go to the Lola Heritage Forum at:

http://www.lolaherit...opic.php?t=1321


#39 Giraffe

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Posted 13 August 2010 - 10:21

Sid will celebrate his 79th birthday on Sunday! I will show him your post, Reto! :wave:

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#40 Kuprecht

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Posted 13 August 2010 - 21:23

Sid will celebrate his 79th birthday on Sunday! I will show him your post, Reto! :wave:


That's great Tony, my wife and I (in disguise) wish Sid a happy birthday, health and continuing enthusiasm for everything he likes. Sorry to insult you with the McLaren here, but I hope the next photo will be with the Lola :)

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#41 Giraffe

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Posted 14 August 2010 - 08:45

Sorry to insult you with the McLaren here


The M10B is hardly an insult, Reto! Remember Sid ran one for Peter Gethin winning the British Championship in 1970 with it!

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By giraffe138 at 2010-08-14
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By giraffe138 at 2010-08-14


Photos courtesy of the Sidney Taylor collection.

Edited by Giraffe, 14 August 2010 - 08:46.


#42 Bjorn Kjer

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 14:05

Does anyone happen to know the full name of the tyre service co. in post 16 , van behind the Lola , please ?

#43 Peter Darley

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 14:58

Does anyone happen to know the full name of the tyre service co. in post 16 , van behind the Lola , please ?


Oliver Speight Tyres ?

#44 Kuprecht

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Posted 23 April 2012 - 08:25

It's a while since the last post on SL142/20. But we were not "idling" in-between and finished the car in April and took it to the Hockenheim Historic for its roll-out. Countless hours went into this restoration - but I am very pleased with the outcome indeed. Perhaps there's a way Sid Taylor can have a look at this post and he can see: The stripes are green :lol:

For those interested in the details of this restoration please go to:

http://www.lolaherit...126d1236c86c120

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#45 Alan Cox

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Posted 23 April 2012 - 08:34

Looks superb, and lovely to see it sans aerofoils