47 replies to this topic

[ed holly]

Does anyone recall the Lotus Elans that raced here in the first couple of years of production.

Who, where and when ... say up to end of 1965, or the equivalent of the Group M period now.

Of my memories of going to race tracks, the most vivid of all is Neil Allen and Fred Gibson at Catalina from my Craven A vantage point. What fabulous racing, so close, swapping everything but paint.

Then I got in my sidevalve Morris Minor ( a highlighter with twin SUs and widies ) and backed up the hill from the carpark at the back cause it didn't have enough grunt to go up frontwards ....

Ed

[David McKinney]

And Leo Geoghegan in 1965

[Team Result]

And Leo Geoghegan in 1965

IIRC Bill Gates ran a red Lotus 26 around 1965. It later went to Ann Thompson, then to John Fraser.

[Ray Bell]

Paul Meyer... later to Richard Stiegler then Ray Lintott...

There was a gold one, who was that, Terry Boom?

Leo had two cars, sold one to Fred Gibson, hoped to sell the other because Fred would show it to be so fast, remembering it was £1,000 dearer than a standard Elan, but Fred failed him badly and he had to put it together and race it himself. Of course, this became the first Niel Allen car. Bob Jane had one that was sold (unraced) to Niel after he demolished the first.

Doug Macarthur's was a late car, bought in England and presumably not part of this discussion.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Team Result
IIRC Bill Gates ran a red Lotus 26 around 1965. It later went to Ann Thompson, then to John Fraser.

This was also a 26R, after a crash it had a new chassis sent from England, parts of the original went to rebuilding the Macarthur car after its Warwick Farm prang.

[jayrrrr]

This is Bill Gates in his first Elan, the front car, which I now have custody of. Harry Cape's car is the rear one.
This car is not a 26R, raced from September 1964 to May 1966, he then purchased the 26R, now in Sydney.
Raced at Lakeside, Lowood and Surfers Paradise.


Lakeside May 1966 courtesy of Brier Thomas.

I know of another Elan here in Brisbane, was raced by Paul Schmidt in Sydney, and Don Hall raced one in WA, now also here in Brisbane.

[elansprint72]

What a superb early Elan photo! I have taken the liberty of inviting Dave Hughes onto this forum.

[cavvy]

This is Bill Gates in his first Elan, the front car, which I now have custody of. Harry Cape's car is the rear one.
This car is not a 26R, raced from September 1964 to May 1966, he then purchased the 26R, now in Sydney.
Raced at Lakeside, Lowood and Surfers Paradise.


Lakeside May 1966 courtesy of Brier Thomas.

I know of another Elan here in Brisbane, was raced by Paul Schmidt in Sydney, and Don Hall raced one in WA, now also here in Brisbane.

Checking the results from WA in that era (http://www.terrywalkersplace.com/), Don Hall & Leo Stubber both first appeared in Elans in 1967.

[Team Result]

This was also a 26R, after a crash it had a new chassis sent from England, parts of the original went to rebuilding the Macarthur car after its Warwick Farm prang.

Yes, I meant to write 26R, i.e. a factory lightweight model. I witnessed Radio DJ Gates' crash at Lakeside. It was coming on to the straight in front of the old pits (just metres past the scene shown in Brier Thomas' pic above) . IIRC it was a heavy frontal one, which ties in with your info about the new chassis.

Edited by Team Result, 04 September 2011 - 04:28.

[ellrosso]

Bob Beasley's Elan was very quick back in 1968 - had some great battles with Fred Gibson and Macarthur.

[DJH]

The best Elan drive I ever saw was Peter Hopwood at Amaroo. Much later in the piece of course.

[Wirra]

This one from the S Fryer Shoebox Collection


Some of my own - a couple I have posted prior.

[bigvalvehead]

What a superb early Elan photo! I have taken the liberty of inviting Dave Hughes onto this forum.

Hi Pete
If I can be of any help to anyone regarding the Elan 26R let me know.
I have quite a lot of info and contacts who own these fantastic cars.

Dave Hughes
26-R-9

[elansprint72]

Good to have you here Dave; this is a great forum with an astounding number of experts on just about anything to do with old bangers!

Suggest that if anyone has 26/R related questions they should be fired in Dave's direction; he is being rather modest regarding his level of knowledge.

[DanTra2858]

Local Illawarra Radio announcer Kevin Wolf raced an Elan Series 2 at Oran Park in the 1960's prior to this he raced a Honda S600.

Local driver Graham Rutledge now ownes the Peter Hopwood car which has been fully restored & is now ready again for the track.

[Ray Bell]

I don't remember Kevin Wolf's car at all, but Graeme Rutledge having Peter Hopwood's car (really Doug Macarthur's...) is really good news...

Graeme was always a solid contender who knew how to look after his cars, it's hard to know how fast he might be because we never saw him in an exceptionally competitive car.

Nevertheless, that particular Elan evokes such memories... that day at Amaroo when it dominated the race, for instance, how it led the ASCC pointscore and, in particular, provided a vehicle for us to see one of the most competitive and determined racers of the late seventies.

I'm sure Carol would be very happy to know about this...

[GMACKIE]

The best Elan drive I ever saw was Peter Hopwood at Amaroo. Much later in the piece of course.

Was that the Hopwood[Elan]/Moffat[Porsche] race? One of the best 'dices' I have ever seen! When Peter finally got past Moffat , and then to be robbed of a win by a broke throttle cable , the spectators were on the edge of their seats.

[Ray Bell]

That's the one...

A demonstration of how application and intelligence can beat money.

[Lee Nicolle]

Was that the Hopwood[Elan]/Moffat[Porsche] race? One of the best 'dices' I have ever seen! When Peter finally got past Moffat , and then to be robbed of a win by a broke throttle cable , the spectators were on the edge of their seats.

That was a very famous race, by a very talented driver.

[DanTra2858]

[quote name='DanTra2858' date='Sep 5 2011, 07:02' post='5262642']
Local Illawarra Radio announcer Kevin Wolf raced an Elan Series 2 at Oran Park in the 1960's prior to this he raced a Honda S600.

I believe that he only did 1 or 2 meetings the car was Lotus Yellow.

[Ellis French]

Calder Aug 1966...........



#5 ....Clemens Sporting Car Serv...White /Blue ....1498cc
Bill Clemens

Edited by Ellis French, 05 September 2011 - 11:51.

[ed holly]

I believe the first Elan to race in Australia was that of Terry Boom and it debut was made at Catalina at the "little" International meeting 26th January 1964. There is a photo of the car in the report of the meeting in Australian Autosportsman March 1964 which I am attaching here. I believe the car was red and it was in the first batch of Elans imported by Leo.


By null at 2011-09-05

Does anyone have any other photos of this car at this meeting. Its next event was Sandown where I believe it was involved in an accident with a Morgan.

Taken that this was Australia Day 1964, when would the next appearance of an Elan be other than this one at Sandown?

Great replies guys ... thanks ....

Edited by ed holly, 06 September 2011 - 06:40.

[Ray Bell]

Regarding Terry Boom...

The RCN report of that January Catalina meeting mentions that it was the first Elan to run 'in this state'... implying, of course, that one had run elsewhere.

And the report on the subsequent Sandown event tells that it was Ken Ward's Morgan with which he tangled on the bridge with disastrous results.

[ed holly]

Ray

Any idea when or where the "other state" car might be ?

Found this photo amongst those of Rod Stevens which I am putting on the Australian photos thread ....



Does anyone know who it is or where and when ... ? Looks like Oran Park ... ?

Edited by ed holly, 07 September 2011 - 04:27.

[Ray Bell]

Definitely Oran Park, I would think early to mid-seventies...

And I don't think it's Paul Meyer.

[ed holly]

These are from the John Partridge collection. John is in the silver Lotus Eleven in both photos.

First one is of Neil Allen at Hume Weir around 66 / 68



2nd is taken at the Farm 16.7.67

[Ray Bell]

Isn't that car in front at Hume Weir the Pegasus?

There were questions about it a little while ago on a thread here...

And I'd suggest that the Causeway shot is either in practice or the Elan's being lapped. It looks pretty standard.

Don't you just love the picnicing family in the background?

[Dale Harvey]

Ray

Any idea when or where the "other state" car might be ?

Found this photo amongst those of Rod Stevens which I am putting on the Australian photos thread ....



Does anyone know who it is or where and when ... ? Looks like Oran Park ... ?

I am pretty sure this is Ray Lintott. Definately turning into Energol at Oran Park.

Dale.

[Ray Bell]

That sounds right, Dale... when he first had the car...

And of course it's BP at Oran Park, with the Peter Wherrett Advanced Driving sign on the concrete.

[ken devine]

Don Hall's Lotus Elan. As mentioned earlier the car is now in Queensland Don introduced me to the owner last week.







Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[gray chandler]

Isn't that car in front at Hume Weir the Pegasus?

There were questions about it a little while ago on a thread here...

And I'd suggest that the Causeway shot is either in practice or the Elan's being lapped. It looks pretty standard.

Don't you just love the picnicing family in the background?

Ray, it looks like a Geneer. cheers.

[ed holly]

Found these photos in amongst others of John Partridge's Lotus Eleven.

The single car photo has a note John Stanton on the flip side. The race start photo has no note, but has 2 Elans in it, with what looks like similar livery.

Paul Hamilton told me that Ray Lintott raced an Elan in the 60's - does anyone have a photo of Ray in the car?





Ed

[Ray Bell]

Ray Lintott didn't get into the Paul Meyer Elan until the seventies, IIRC...

That's Fred Gibson on the left, I can't think at the moment who's in the one with the arm raised, but I seem to recall it had BP colours in those stripes.

[Ray Bell]

The other Elan in that pic is Peter Woodward...

A shame the race report doesn't mention him stalling on the grid.

[seldo]

The late Jim Davidson also ran an Elan

[Ray Bell]

"The late"?

I hadn't heard any untoward news about Jim... is that right, David?

Jim, in fact, raced the Meyer/Lintott/Stiegler car. He also crewed for Peter Hopwood, they became very good friends.

[seldo]

"The late"?

I hadn't heard any untoward news about Jim... is that right, David?

Jim, in fact, raced the Meyer/Lintott/Stiegler car. He also crewed for Peter Hopwood, they became very good friends.

So I understand Ray - some years ago.

[eldougo]

Found this photo from SCW 1978,the artical is about TR7s so no mention of the Elan driver.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Ray Bell]

Whoever the TR7 driver is, Peter Hopwood is about to lap him!

David, I don't think that's right. I'm sure Carol has mentioned Jim some time in the last five or six years. Peter, of course, died in 1999.

[eldougo]

The driver is listed as" Wild "Bill Evans ,who ever he was?

[Ray Bell]

Bill Evans was a real 'star' to Peter Brock and his mates...

He raced a Datsun 1000, whenever he hit the track at Calder, Brock and the others (including Kenny Mitchell) would rush to the fence.

[seldo]

Whoever the TR7 driver is, Peter Hopwood is about to lap him!

David, I don't think that's right. I'm sure Carol has mentioned Jim some time in the last five or six years. Peter, of course, died in 1999.

I sincerely hope you are correct - he is/was a lovely bloke

[eldougo]

This pic show he started 5th on the grid.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[ellrosso]

"Wild" Bill Evans was certainly a star in the late 60's, early 70's (especially in that Datsun 1000) - anyone know what became of him? I also remember Ray Lintott winning at Calder in the Elan at my first Calder meeting in 1972. Got a few Elans on site - Murray Bryden, Dennis Watt, Roberts in Victoria, Tony Osborne's plus the usual NSW suspects - Beasley, Macarthur and Gibson. Never had any local Elans in Tassy but Vee driver, Keith Roberts had an immaculate BRG example which may have had the odd club outing from memory.

[Ray Bell]

Denis Watts' car was a neat one, white with blue and red as I recall...

Beasley's car was one of the Niel Allen cars before it went to Pat Hogan and his partner. The Macarthur/Hopwood car (which was raced by several others in between) could not ever be called an 'early' Elan. I believe it was one of the very last 26Rs built.

[Lola5000]

"Wild" Bill Evans was certainly a star in the late 60's, early 70's (especially in that Datsun 1000) - anyone know what became of him? I also remember Ray Lintott winning at Calder in the Elan at my first Calder meeting in 1972. Got a few Elans on site - Murray Bryden, Dennis Watt, Roberts in Victoria, Tony Osborne's plus the usual NSW suspects - Beasley, Macarthur and Gibson. Never had any local Elans in Tassy but Vee driver, Keith Roberts had an immaculate BRG example which may have had the odd club outing from memory.

Bill Evans,is still very much alive,now retired i think down the Victorian coast.
For years ran a workshop/garage in Brighton and owned the ex Leech brothers Lombard race car.
great guy that Datsun was a special little car,enough said.
from memory Bill raced BMC cars in the UK in the 60's.

[Ray Bell]

The Chris Roberts car was, of course, the Doug Macarthur car and he sold it to Peter Hopwood...

Not an 'early' Elan.

[DanTra2858]

Local Illawarra Radio announcer Kevin Wolf raced an Elan Series 2 at Oran Park in the 1960's prior to this he raced a Honda S600.

Local driver Graham Rutledge now ownes the Peter Hopwood car which has been fully restored & is now ready again for the track.

I would like to correct information that I listed concerning the Elan owned by Graham Rutledge, it is the Denis Watts car not the Hopward car, sorry for the incorrect information.