9 replies to this topic

[rwhitworth]

[David Shaw]

Obviously didn't consult a calendar.

[Roger Clark]

Nor is it the winning car.

[rwhitworth]

Indeed. I don't mean to be too much of an anorak, but it seems a strange mistake to make by anyone with an interest in this car.

Can anyone fill in any of the history of this car (assuming it really is the same one) between the two occasions that I've seen it: 1 January 1968, and 9 July 2006?

[rwhitworth]

Originally posted by Roger Clark
Nor is it the winning car.

Really? Do tell more! I was wondering why it is number 5 - which was Hill's number in the SAGP. Hill's car is in Beaulieu... so is this one a spare?

[David Shaw]

The SAGP winning car was chassis R4, since written off.

http://www.oldracing...asp?CarID=49/R4

[rwhitworth]

So what car is it?

R1 - written off
R2 - written off
R3 - Hill's car, now in Beaulieu museum
R4 - written off

R5 and onwards would not have been in this livery.

[David Shaw]

Liveries are easily changed. It could be even cobbled together from parts and a written off chassis.

[Roger Clark]

Originally posted by Michael Oliver


The car (Lotus 49/R4) which Jim Clark drove to victory in the 1968 South African GP is no more, it was burnt out in a fire at Rob Walker's garage in March 1968. Following its win in SA (100% GP win rate!) it was sold to Rob Walker and Seppi crashed it in practice for the Race of Champions. It was taken back to Rob's garage where, during the strip-down of the car, a spark from a drill ignited some fuel vapour and the whole place went up, including several other famous cars (ex-Seaman Delage, Lotus 18, IIRC). The car was totally burnt out.

However, Rob Walker retained the ownership rights to the car, which he passed on to his mechanic, who sold them to Tom Wheatcroft, who sold them on to someone else, and subsequently (e.g. in the 1990s) work began on the construction of a replica of the car, using as much original gear as possible, including early DFV and ZR gearbox. IIRC, the car first appeared at the Lotus 50th anniversary meeting at Brands Hatch in 1998 (where it was helpfully described by a well-known Autosport contributor who should know better as making its 'post-restoration debut'!). It was originally painted in Rob Walker colours but has since been re-done in the livery it sported in South Africa 68, as clearly a Jim Clark-liveried car is of more interest/excitement to potential customers (e.g. exhibitions etc.) than a Rob Walker one...

Under my understanding of the regulations relating to continuous history as an entity, this car cannot claim to be 49/R4 as it was burnt out and therefore was not in existence for some 30 years. To my knowledge, the people who built it do not pretend that it is the real thing, but there could very well come a time where, if this story about it being the actual 68 South Africa winner is repeated often enough, it could become true, if you see what I mean!

[uffen]

Also, I didn't know that David McLaughlin now owns the 1967 South African Grand Prix. Quite a feat.