14 replies to this topic

[Cam2InfoNeeded]

I'm trying to find out what type of stop watches Team Lotus (Colin Chapman) might have used in 1968 (specifically at Indy). I think they might have been the ones with the multiple stopwatches on it.

Any clues (brand? model?) or photos would be helpful. I bet some of the English or European car magazines of that time period might have photos or maybe even ads from the manufacturer. Maybe an old AUTOWORLD catalog in the late '60's would have it advertised for sale, or at least something similar.

Thanks for any help with a pretty obscure request.

[elansprint72]

Smiths were pretty much standard-issue in those days before the more precision Swiss items came along.

[Allan Lupton]

Those who couldn't afford split-action chronographs used a pair of normal stopwatches on a special clip-board. The board had a hinged bar to operate the two watches simultaneously (starting one as it stopped the other). You then wrote down the time and zeroed the stopped watch ready for the next lap.
Photos of team timekeepers in the pits in the 1950s/60s usually show those boards, and as Peter says, cheapo Smiths jobs were pretty common.

[Gerr]

Looks like Heuer stopwatches to me.......

[Catalina Park]

Those who couldn't afford split-action chronographs used a pair of normal stopwatches on a special clip-board. The board had a hinged bar to operate the two watches simultaneously (starting one as it stopped the other). You then wrote down the time and zeroed the stopped watch ready for the next lap.
Photos of team timekeepers in the pits in the 1950s/60s usually show those boards, and as Peter says, cheapo Smiths jobs were pretty common.

This is my Les Leston board. Brand new, never used. (I can't afford three stop watches) You need three single button watches, when you push the lever you start one. stop one and re-set one.

[mikeC]

Looks like Heuer stopwatches to me.......

I agree - the pair of watches on square bases in that photo are almost certainly Heuer

[Allan Lupton]

This is my Les Leston board. Brand new, never used. (I can't afford three stop watches) You need three single button watches, when you push the lever you start one. stop one and re-set one.

Typical of Les to try to sell three watches where others recognised that two (operated as I said, with separate zeroing) would do!
Nice period bit of kit, though.

[Cam2InfoNeeded]

Thanks everyone for so many quick replies (I thought this one might go unanswered).

Brian, that photos sure is a help, and now I'll start Googling for one like that. Hopefully someone might have that old Autoworld catalog or something similar with a decent closeup photo of it.

This forum is sure a great place to get helpful information from a lot of great people.

[cooper997]

This is my Les Leston board. Brand new, never used. (I can't afford three stop watches) You need three single button watches, when you push the lever you start one. stop one and re-set one.

Catalina,

Going from a circa 1969/70 Les Leston brochure, for a mere £37.10.0 you got the Robotimer and 3 Hanhart precision timers, in 1/5th or 1/10th sec calibration. That's a fair bit of pounds and shillings for the time.

Individually, a Hanhart Type 38 'swing' cost £7.2.6 or without the swing attachment £6.7.6. Split action pieces were over twice these prices.

Stephen

[Catalina Park]

I don't know the maker of the stopwatches, but this photo and detail may provide you with a clue to determine such. Chapman and Granatelli also appear to be holding timepieces. Hope this helps you.

photo(s): Indianapolis Motor Speedway

I just found this on ebay... It is a Hanhart Dashboard mount.

[Cam2InfoNeeded]

Quite a few dash-mounted or rally style stopwatches on Ebay. The one in the photo that Brian posted in definitely a hand-held style. I'm going to call TAG Heuer on Monday and see if they can help (they've got "banker's hours" only answering phone call until 3:00 Eastern).

Edited by Cam2InfoNeeded, 06 February 2011 - 03:59.

[mikeC]

Here is a selection of Heuer stopwatches - I am pretty certain the ones in B Squared's photo are the Monte Carlo, which is the one on the left:

[2Bob]

A genuine stopwatch holder from the period - still in use today (and for 'timing' the same car) although obviously without the stopwatches which have been replaced by a digital one (hand held)! Showing great patina I think. Still used to note down the lap times! Originally had a hinged wooden arangement at the top which pressed the stop start bit on the top of the stopwatches and was also connected to the lapcounter.

[Cam2InfoNeeded]

I found these photos in my 1970 AutoWorld automotive accessories catalog (not the usual toy/model catalog).

This was their multi-sequence model on the clipboard. This isn't the type in the crew photo that Brian posted, but would have been good for a multi-car team.



This is the stopwatch holder that looks like what was used in the photo. I'm sure Team Lotus could have found some way to mount 2 of them together.


Watches in photo have white dial, so one of these were possibly used (the most sophisticated one only goes down to 1/10 of a second; I thought they would go even lower).








I'm waiting for a return phone call from Tag Heuer.

[Cam2InfoNeeded]

I got my call back from TAG Heuer (USA), and was told that they do not have an archives of their old watches/stopwatches. Ther did give me a reference to website called www.onthedash.com. I still appears to be an official TAG Heuer website, and if you dig around a little bit, it has scans of some of their catalog. I used the 1963 and 1969 and came up with these possibilities. They only made a few 1/100 of a second stopwatches back then, so I would think one of them could be what they used at Indy, with their stopwatch holder mentioned above (and mounted in pairs).



Not shown in the 1963 catalog, but maybe it was this setup...