Jump to content


Photo

Help research a Lotus Eleven


  • Please log in to reply
8 replies to this topic

#1 56Lotus

56Lotus
  • Member

  • 55 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 06 May 2013 - 19:35

Hi there gents

I’m trying to research the early history of my 1956 Lotus Eleven and have drawn a blank. I purchased the car 3 years ago from Seattle USA and brought it back to the UK. I have history for the car going back to 1980 and the car has been seen by the HLR registrar but no early records exist.

The only clues I have are some unusual build features on the car, an old UK registration plate that came with the car, but is not of the same year, and a name.

The registration plate is ROV 511G which is 1968, and comes from Birmingham, who destroyed all of their old records. The ‘story’ I was given as to why the plate is much newer than the car was that all used cars being imported into the states at that time had to be registered, so an old race car was road registered and exported. I’ve written to the DVLA but they definitely have no records, even in storage, of that registration.

When rebuilding the back axle of the car I came across a name scratched into the inside of the hub. The name reads Bill Wintree or Bill Winfree. I’ve asked as many old Lotus people as I can but no one has heard this name. The location of the name means it could only have been written when the car was dismantled.

The unusual build features follow characteristics only seen on some Team Lotus cars (which unfortunately mine is not). The car has twin fuel tanks, twin fuel pumps (SU with green end caps), additional reinforcing across the width of the car in the cockpit beneath the drivers knees, bracing between the rocker cover and inlet manifold and full cruciform bracing behind the passenger seat. These features are very similar to some found on the 1956 Le Man cars. My personal belief, plucked from the ether, is that someone saw those team cars and wanted similar features built into their car. The car has definitely been modified for endurance racing rather than short sprint races, the twin tanks hold 9 gallons each, a lot for a 1098cc car.

If anyone has any info or ideas of where else I could look I’d be very grateful

Thanks in advance

Jon Adams

Edited by 56Lotus, 07 May 2013 - 18:43.


Advertisement

#2 arttidesco

arttidesco
  • Member

  • 6,709 posts
  • Joined: April 10

Posted 06 May 2013 - 20:00

IIRC 'RO' in the registration indicates a plate issued in Reading.

Sorry cannot help further.

Edit just looked it up OV is the area identifier on your '68 plate which is indeed Birmingham, apologies for the confusion :blush:

Edited by arttidesco, 06 May 2013 - 20:14.


#3 raceannouncer2003

raceannouncer2003
  • Member

  • 2,944 posts
  • Joined: March 05

Posted 07 May 2013 - 05:49

Could the name be Bill Winfree? At least that name seems to be more common than Wintree, I think.

Vince H.

#4 56Lotus

56Lotus
  • Member

  • 55 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 07 May 2013 - 18:42

You could be right. If I knew how to upload photo's I'd share a few

All my photo's are saved on my laptop not on websites.

Jon Adams

#5 cs3tcr

cs3tcr
  • New Member

  • 24 posts
  • Joined: March 09

Posted 07 May 2013 - 19:35

I'm guessing this isnt your car, but it at least shows some of the features that your car has:

Posted Image

Who's car it was, i cant say.

#6 56Lotus

56Lotus
  • Member

  • 55 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 08 May 2013 - 18:59

Thats fantastic, it's an early car and has the full cruciform behind the seats and bracing on the manifold. It's missing the right hand tank and you can't see where the cockpit bracing is because of the seating. You don't know where the photo was taken? It may be possible to trace the car. Do you have a Hi Res version of the picture I could look at closely?

The steering wheels non standard but thats so close to my car!

Thanks very much for your help

Jon Adams

#7 cs3tcr

cs3tcr
  • New Member

  • 24 posts
  • Joined: March 09

Posted 08 May 2013 - 20:10

Jon,
The picture was tucked inside a book my friend Merv Therriault lent me. I think he took it sometime in the late 50's while he was in Europe, either before or during his employment at Lotus. The next time i see him, i will ask for you. I had sent the scan to Vic Thomas, but he couldnt say which car it was. As for a higher resolution pic, this one i've posted is the best i can do.

Also, I copied the steering wheel for my replica, as the original type leather bound wheel was a bit out of my price range. Waterjet cutting and laminating some baltic birch plywood was much cheaper.

Posted Image


Rod


Thats fantastic, it's an early car and has the full cruciform behind the seats and bracing on the manifold. It's missing the right hand tank and you can't see where the cockpit bracing is because of the seating. You don't know where the photo was taken? It may be possible to trace the car. Do you have a Hi Res version of the picture I could look at closely?

The steering wheels non standard but thats so close to my car!

Thanks very much for your help

Jon Adams



#8 56Lotus

56Lotus
  • Member

  • 55 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 09 May 2013 - 19:21

Good looking car. Before I got my Lotus I built a Westfield Eleven and fitted it with a Moto-Lita wheel very much like yours. The finish on your car looks great. Vic has looked over the car but can't give me much additional help about the early origins but agrees the car is unusual. I pester as many learned people as I can when introduced at events but no joy yet. Do you know if there is a way to show photos only saved on laptops?

Thanks

Jon Adams

#9 tclicot

tclicot
  • New Member

  • 1 posts
  • Joined: October 14

Posted 06 October 2014 - 09:19

ROV 511G!!!

 

I can tell you a bit about that #

 

I lived in Russell Sq, Camden - London in 1973, and bought a Red '67 Jaguar E-Type DHC in Kent, late in the yr. The number plate was ROV 511G, on the boot, and applied across the bonnet. It was also noted on the MOT.

 

I had the Jaguar until I left for the continent in '74, and sold it to a dealer in Windsor, I think....

 

At least at that time, this plate belonged with the Jag...

 

TC

 

As an aside -- In '75 I bought a '73 (#66 embedded in the fibreglass) Lotus Europa John Player Special and had it until I decided it was less reliable than the Jag had EVER BEEN ;} -- What an auto, though!


Edited by tclicot, 06 October 2014 - 09:25.