18 replies to this topic

[kirkkeyes]

Greetings -

 

I run www.lotus30.com (shameless plug, there!) and I'm trying to figure out a "registry" for these cars. I have a list of who all the cars were supposedly sold to in 1964-65, and there's one that I have no clue about - it's listed as "Span Inc." They are listed as the first owners of the Series 2 Lotus 30 serial number 30/S2/8. This car appears to have eventually gone to John Berry of Thomas Motors Blackpool. 

 

Bernard White, Vic Wilson (Team Chamoco Collect), Ben Moore, Chris Drake were also associated with this car. It was sold by Bonhams in 2006 as well.

 

Does anyone here have any thoughts, ideas, guesses or even outright know who Span Inc. was?

 

Thanks!

Kirk

[63Corvette]

I have no idea. I believe that Lotus Southwest had and sold them.................and I believe that AJ Foyt was one of their customers....I have some pictures of AJs car at SCCA Galveston.

[Michael Oliver]

Greetings -

 

I run www.lotus30.com (shameless plug, there!) and I'm trying to figure out a "registry" for these cars. I have a list of who all the cars were supposedly sold to in 1964-65, and there's one that I have no clue about - it's listed as "Span Inc." They are listed as the first owners of the Series 2 Lotus 30 serial number 30/S2/8. This car appears to have eventually gone to John Berry of Thomas Motors Blackpool. 

 

Bernard White, Vic Wilson (Team Chamoco Collect), Ben Moore, Chris Drake were also associated with this car. It was sold by Bonhams in 2006 as well.

 

Does anyone here have any thoughts, ideas, guesses or even outright know who Span Inc. was?

 

Thanks!

Kirk

 

Kirk

 

Span Inc was briefly a Lotus dealer or sub-dealer in the Chicago area, run by a guy called Jim Spencer, who I believe raced a Triumph TR something. He also sold a couple of Lotus 23s in 1963 and raced a 23 in that year's Road America 500 (I think with Richard Buedingen, from memory). I don't remember whether Spencer is with us any more but I think Buedingen is, I have some contacts somewhere (not to hand right now, unfortunately) so let me know if you would like them.

 

Michael

[Peter Darley]

Kirk

 

Span Inc was briefly a Lotus dealer or sub-dealer in the Chicago area, run by a guy called Jim Spencer, who I believe raced a Triumph TR something. He also sold a couple of Lotus 23s in 1963 and raced a 23 in that year's Road America 500 (I think with Richard Buedingen, from memory). I don't remember whether Spencer is with us any more but I think Buedingen is, I have some contacts somewhere (not to hand right now, unfortunately) so let me know if you would like them.

 

Michael

Images of the car when with Vic Wilson appear in "Jim Clark - Life at Team Lotus", Pages 136 and 138.

[bradbury west]

Is there any news of a date for the new book, Peter?

Roger Lund

[RA Historian]

Span Inc. was an imported car dealership in Madison, Wis. They handled a number of lines of cars. including Triumph and Lotus. Jim Spencer was one of the principals, and he raced a TR-4 successfully in the Wisconsin-Illinois area. They also raced a Lotus 23 for Spencer and Buedingen, but I do not recall a Lotus 30.

[Peter Darley]

Is there any news of a date for the new book, Peter?

Roger Lund

Waiting to proof ID photos for last chapter (Silverstone) which is almost complete. In the words of Andy Williams, "We're almost there"

[bradbury west]

Thank you, Peter

RL

[Angus Lamont]

Hi kirkkeyes,

 

Some additional information for you regarding the ex John Dean Lotus 30 Series 2, car number 30/S2/2. John Dean had a huge accident at Paddock Hill Bend, Brand's Hatch at a Boxing Day meeting. The car was rebuilt and sold to John Macdonald who shipped it to Hong Kong and raced it in southeast Asia. The car was shipped to Japan and used at Fuji Raceway after which it was sold to the owner of the raceway. If you want more details please let me know.

 

Angus

[Michael Oliver]

Thanks Tom for providing the correct location, just goes to show one should never write from memory - especially in my case

 

Regarding other drivers/owners, I may be able to help a bit more in the future as I have recently gone through Autosports for 1964-69 looking for Lotus mentions and think I recall (caveat: see above!) seeing an ad by Ben Moore for a Lotus 30 and naturally lots of appearances for the car in Wilson's hands. There is also a colour photo of the car on the Technisches Museum Wien website, plus I am sure there will be other b&w images (don't have time right now to look through 20 pages of photos from just one race!).

[CC12]

Hi kirkkeyes,

 

Some additional information for you regarding the ex John Dean Lotus 30 Series 2, car number 30/S2/2. John Dean had a huge accident at Paddock Hill Bend, Brand's Hatch at a Boxing Day meeting. The car was rebuilt and sold to John Macdonald who shipped it to Hong Kong and raced it in southeast Asia. The car was shipped to Japan and used at Fuji Raceway after which it was sold to the owner of the raceway. If you want more details please let me know.

 

Angus

 

Hi Angus,

Did John Macdonald drive his Lotus 30 in any race in Macau?  Also, please take a look at your private message box when you have time.  Thanks!

[kirkkeyes]

Thanks to all for replying!! It's been a great help!

[kirkkeyes]

CC12 -

 

I think I have a photo of John McDonald racing in Macau.

[Angus Lamont]

Hi all,

 

Yes, John Macdonald used his Lotus 30 in Macau as his racing history in this car shows. There is at least one photo of him in the car at Macau taken at Yacht Club Bend.

 

How do I access my private message box?

 

 

02-Sept-67. GT and Sports Car Race. Batu Tiga, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. DNS. Although entered the car was withdrawn prior to the start because of a suspected cracked block.

 

03-Sept-67. Tunku Abdul Raman Trophy, Batu Tiga, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Formula Libre. 75 laps. 158 miles. DNF. John Macdonald had to cut away some of the bodywork to accommodate larger wheels (or tyres?). Dropped a valve in practice resulting in a broken piston. Welded up for the race but only lasted a lap or two before the front suspension collapsed. He had started from the back of the grid but by the time he had finished the first quarter of lap 1 he had overtaken half the field! He pitted after lap 1, restarted, but retired shortly afterwards.

 

08-Sept- 1967. Johor GT and Sports Car Race. Pole position with a 1m 41.2s. DNF. John Macdonald broke the sports car lap record by 4.8 seconds in practice and started on pole. He had a slow start but took the lead on lap 2 and held it until lap 13 when he retired with a broken upright (without hitting anything). 

 

09-Sept-1967. Johor Grand Prix. 60 laps. 138 miles. Pasir Oudang circuit. length = 2.2 miles.  Broke an upright in practice without hitting anything which resulted in no brakes. Luckily, he managed a long stop in a straight line up an escape road with storm drains on each side! Teddy Yip loaned John a Lotus 22 for the race in which he took 3rd place.

 

19-Nov-1967. Macau Grand Prix. Guia Circuit. 60 laps. 228 miles. Qualified 5th with a 3m 05.8s. DNF. John was last after the first lap and came into the pits. He soldiered on but a leaking radiator forced his retirement at the Melco Hairpin on lap 25.

 

07-Jan-68. Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong Hillclimb Championship. Golden Hill, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Round 2. 913 yards. FTD with a 39.42s. John held the motorcycle, GT, and open class car records for this hill.

 

24-Mar-1968. Fuji 300 Yomiuri Asian Challenge Cup. 70 laps. 300kms. 24th place. Although the car didn't complete the race it was classified as a finisher. The car was sold in Japan to a Mr. Schitzuwawa, the owner of the Fuji Circuit. Shortly afterwards the bodywork was re-modeled, "thereby removing the only beautiful thing about it" according to John.

 

That is all I have about this car.

 

Angus

[Tim Murray]

How do I access my private message box?

At the top right-hand side of each page is the white Search Box. Immediately above this are some other options, including a couple of grey-on-black icons. The one on the left looks like an open envelope, and if you hover the cursor over it, the word 'Messenger' should appear. Clicking on this will lead you to your PM box.

[PZR]

24-Mar-1968. Fuji 300 Yomiuri Asian Challenge Cup. 70 laps. 300kms. 24th place. Although the car didn't complete the race it was classified as a finisher. The car was sold in Japan to a Mr. Schitzuwawa, the owner of the Fuji Circuit. Shortly afterwards the bodywork was re-modeled, "thereby removing the only beautiful thing about it" according to John.

 

 

About "Mr Schitzuwawa": The car was actually sold to Mr Katsuomi SHIOZAWA, who raced under the pseudonym 'George Katsu' (mainly in NAC stock car races in Japan), and renamed the 'IMAI A-I DELL FORD'. Shiozawa didn't 'own' Fuji Speedway.

 

The 'Dell' part of that came from the small club/constructor 'Dell RSC Racing' which entered the car in a few races, and the 'Imai' part came from sponsor 'Imai Mokei' - the  plastic model kit manufacturer.

 

The pseudonym 'George Katsu' (phonetically sounding like Japanese name 'Johji Katsu') has a hidden layer of meaning, loosely translating as 'Win Always'.

 

The car took part in a few races in Japan, with at least one of them being in fairly illustrious company. I've offered more info, and photos of the car in Japan, recently on this thread: http://forums.autosp...cing-mystery-2/   ...but it appears either nobody has noticed, or nobody is interested.

[kirkkeyes]

PZR -

 

I'm interested in anything Lotus 30/40 related. Unfortunately, I don't get here as often as I should and I missed your other thread.

 

Please send your photos and other info on this car to me at kirk@lotus30.com

 

Thanks!!!

Kirk

[Simon Thomas]

John Dean raced his Lotus 30 at Phoenix Park in 1966. I recall the car did not seem very well prepared and was no competition to Sid Taylor's well driven Lola T70.

Regards

SImon Thomas

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Tim,

 

Thanks for the info about accessing my private message box.

 

Hi PZR,

 

Appreciate you correction to my post regarding the purchaser of John's Lotus 30. I got the original info from a trusted source but something must have got mixed up in the translation. I have taken steps to update my history.