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History of a Lola T492: need your help!


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#1 911thillclimber

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 07:12

I own a highly modified Lola T 492 and i am tracing back its history. This has been a 3 year quest so far and I'm making great progress!

I need some help to close it all off, hence this email.
I have a huge thread running on another well known forum, please pm for details.

I want to take you to 1985 as I know every detail back to then. The car was made in 77/78.

The car belonged to Paul Wilkins down in Sussex.

It was a tatty example when he had it, a dark red in colour, Pinto engine and small winglets on the nose. It had Caribbean Airways stickers on it who sponsored some races in 1980.
I have spoken to Paul directly, so i know this is fact.

He cannot recal who was the owner before him other than he thinks he is dead, killed testing or racing an Austin Healey.

Questions please:

Can anyone identify the previous owner?

Anyone have details of the races sponsored by Caribbean airways?

Any pictures!

I'm hoping you can help me.
Graham.

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#2 Mistron

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 09:54

do you have any idea when the previous owner was killed in his Healey? There was a chap killed at a track day at Goodwood a few years ago in a big Healy, was there not?

The geography would tie in, if maybe not the timescale.

Not sure if this helps, but a google search should provide more details of the unfortunate incident which might help you establish if this was the same chap (or not) - I'm sure there will be a news report archive etc which might give an age as wel las his name.

I think I read that his family raised a civil case against Goodwood, which might help track the details down.

Al

#3 Tim Murray

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 10:20

Here's the court case - the driver's name was Simon Wattleworth:

http://high-court-ju...x04617-52944633

#4 bradbury west

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 11:23

Perhaps Marcus Pye recalls someone with Caribbean Airways logos.
BTW what was the outcome of the court case?. It looks as if it could have tricky potential, rather like the Donohue? case in the US over tyres IIRC.
Roger Lund

#5 Tim Murray

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 11:48

Wattleworth's widow lost her case on appeal:

http://news.bbc.co.u...von/3463309.stm

The case seems to have set a legal precedent - googling on 'Wattleworth Goodwood' throws up lots of legal references citing the case.

Getting back to the original question, this reference describes Wattleworth as an 'experienced amateur racing driver' so it's not impossible he might have owned the Lola:

http://books.google....l...ood&f=false

#6 Mistron

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 21:32

By my calculations, if Mr Wattleworth was 44 in 1998, he'd have been 31 in 1985, so he would have been of an age to own / race the Lola, but being from devon does away with the 'local' basis for my original suggestion !

Al

#7 911thillclimber

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Posted 10 March 2012 - 16:44

Thank you all very much for your replies.

I think the Lola driver died after racing the Lola but I cannot be sure until I ask my source for clarification.

Caribbean Airlines sponsored a race series in 1982. The old body work on my Lola showed this decal on the body, so my car was racing in 82, could do with knowing who though.

The body was "dark red", all Lola bodies were 'red' as in post office red.

I would like to think a dark red Lola in 82 would stand out?
Any good memories out there?

4 x T 492's raced in that series, and none were driven by Simon M.

Drivers were:
Peter Newman, Peter Hall, Chris Ashmore and John Tait

Edited by 911thillclimber, 10 March 2012 - 16:57.


#8 Simon Arron

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Posted 10 March 2012 - 18:13

Posted Image
Not a great shot, but it's the best I have of Peter Hall's T492 (taken at Mallory Park in 1982).

This might be a complete red herring, but is it possible that your car was once raced by the late David Prophet? He drove a T492 in 1980, but perished in a helicopter accident on March 29 1981 (shortly after taking off from Silverstone, following the European F2 meeting). I know that doesn't complement all the facts, but it might tally with some.

#9 bradbury west

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Posted 10 March 2012 - 18:18

My notes from my conversation with Paul Wilkins indicate that the Lola came from a chap in Sayers Common in Sussex who also had a Frogeye Sprite. Perhaps that adds a bit more of a lead to the story and the provenance.
Roger Lund

#10 911thillclimber

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Posted 10 March 2012 - 23:20

I believe that the Bell and Colvill 492, red, above went on to race in thundersport and was a well prepped car.
Take your point Roger. Paul did not mention that to me in my conversation to him.

He has the old front clam shell as you know and also the original engine.

He also has (somewhere) the data sheet that came to him with the car!

I have the Lola factory sheets that list the engine number to the chassis number.....

I'm hoping to go down to see him soon to get the shell and even the engine or to look at the number.

The engine can be the final part of my jig saw!

Edited by 911thillclimber, 10 March 2012 - 23:21.


#11 911thillclimber

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Posted 13 March 2012 - 22:22

Finally have the chassis number! :drunk:

#12 Stephen W

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Posted 14 March 2012 - 09:25

Finally have the chassis number! :drunk:


OK spill the beans! :|

#13 911thillclimber

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Posted 14 March 2012 - 18:34

Just sent you a pm email via 10 thingy site!

#14 Stephen W

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Posted 15 March 2012 - 16:59

Just sent you a pm email via 10 thingy site!


As I was given a lifetime ban on that particular site I can no longer recieve PMs there!


#15 911thillclimber

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Posted 15 March 2012 - 20:15

Sent you a pm just.

#16 911thillclimber

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Posted 16 March 2012 - 19:54

Just found out my Lola was owned by a Bernie Garwood around 1982/3/4

Anyone know him please?
I do know Bernie is dead.

#17 911thillclimber

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Posted 24 March 2012 - 19:01

Lola have acknowledged the car and assigned HU 62 to the car.

Original owner was J Sadler & Sons, car driven by the son, Peter Sadler. It was Kelly girl Green, lime green to you and me.

It was sold to Bernie Garwood in 1980/81 (not sure, everyone is dead in that period) but Bernie entered it in one race in Oulton Park, March 1982. He did not show.
The car was now red.

It was sold by Bernie to Paul Wilkins in 82 who then restored the body and tidied up a few things plus mods to the engine beyond S 2000 spec.

Never raved, it was sold to Dennis Humphries, to Alan Humberstone, to Brian Davis, to Mike Ingles and then to me in 2008

Now:

I have a good picture of the car when it arrived at Paul Wilkins' farm in sussex.

Note the Caribbean Airways logo, not the Bernie Garwood sticker and the race car # 26!

PLEASE can ANYONE place this car at a race track and with who as driver in 82?

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#18 Gatmo

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Posted 30 March 2012 - 22:21

Caribbean Airways sponsored a meeting at Mallory in 1982 i think, i have the programme in stock somewhere in my pile of garage tat...

From memory it had a shot of a Sports 2000 on the front so who knows?

#19 bradbury west

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Posted 31 March 2012 - 21:27

How far back do your programmes go, pls?
Roger Lund

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#20 911thillclimber

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 16:39

Have you a plan to tidy your garage soon!!?
Hope you find it and some info for me.
Graham.

#21 Mallory Dan

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 14:57

Have you a plan to tidy your garage soon!!?
Hope you find it and some info for me.
Graham.


Graham I have the prog, its from the meeting I've mentioned, Mallory 28-3-1982. The front pic is of as Sanyo G1 Rover 3500. There is an S2000 pic inside it, but not a T492 I'm afraid, its of a Tiga and 2 Dutton Royales.

#22 911thillclimber

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 16:49

OK, but is there a car # 26 in there?
If so, who is entered as driver please?

#23 Mallory Dan

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Posted 10 April 2012 - 09:13

Graham, I've mentioned this to you on the Other Place! Its Peter Newman from Redhill.

#24 911thillclimber

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Posted 12 April 2012 - 16:52

I'm sorry, old age, old car, old brain cell (hollowed out)

Yes, indeed you have, slipped my mind, but thanks for not ignoring me!

Graham.


#25 911thillclimber

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Posted 12 April 2012 - 16:53

I'm sorry, old age, old car, old brain cell (hollowed out)

Yes, indeed you have, slipped my mind, but thanks for not ignoring me!

Graham.