66 replies to this topic

[Rob Ryder]

Thanks Mike.

I don't have that book, and didn't know the copyright (sent to me by a friend).

Apologies for any copyright violations

Rob

[alfredaustria]

Yes, this is a very interesting picture: I was also very surprised when I saw it, as I knew Graham never raced a Lotus-sportscar on the Nurburgring. I found out, that Graham tried the Lotus of Cliff Allisons Lotus, but only a few laps in practice for the support-race to the Grand Prix Nürburgring 1958. In the race Cliff Allison drove this car and I guess he retired. Graham was a Non-Starter in the sportscar-race.
You can see Cliff Allison racing here:
http://www.p-3motors.../9/display/1573
the copyright is obviously by p-3 motorsport.
Regards Alfred

[Bill Colson]

I am able to further confirm that the Lotus Mark 15, race No. 37, posted by Rob Ryder, is chassis 603, driven by Cliff Allison and Graham Hill at the German GP meeting at the Nurburgring, August 3, 1958. The photo copyright is with Photo: Karl Günter Peters, P-3 Motorsport Photos.

Bill Colson

[BritishV8]

I'm three or four years late to the party, but I figure people searching TNS for info about Lotus 15 racecars might like to know that a huge new article on Fifteens has just been published here:

Dudley Cunningham's 1959 Lotus 15 Racecar (Chassis No.: 15/3/628)

~60 close-up color photos are included, with captions!







(photos copyright 2012 by Curtis Jacobson for BritishRacecar.com. All rights reserved.)

Edited by BritishV8, 02 September 2012 - 05:17.

[Wirra]

Frank Matich - Leaton Motors - Lotus 15

The cover of a Nestle chocolate collector card book from the early 1960s... I've never eaten chocolate again!

[eldougo]

Hi Peter .
I too have that book with all cards collected and pasted in along with my Certificate of membership must have been 1960,because we had a shop at Rydal in those days.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Edited by eldougo, 03 September 2012 - 09:24.

[JackMcFadden]

Hi: When I was a young boy, I went often to Harewood Acres, near Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada, and later, of course, to Mosport. I was enamoured with car # 132, a Lotus 15, driven by Harry Entwistle. We helped push the car onto the trailer. Somewhere I have a black and white picture. The car was a beautiful green, with a 2 litre Coventry- Climax engine. I think Harry raced at Sebring 1959, and heard that he led the race briefly until his lights went out. I've been searching for many years for any details of Harry and the car.

cheers,

Jack

[David Birchall]

Entwhistle's car was totally derelict by the mid seventies--I was offered it for $4000 but didn't know that a Lotus 15 was It went to California and was beautifully restored by Nino Epifani for Jay Foreman who raced it at Monterey a couple of times-I don't know if that is the car that Don Orosco now has-might be...
At the time I owned and raced the Lucas/Whitehead Climax Special which raced against Enwistle in period-do you remember that car?

Edited by David Birchall, 04 September 2012 - 02:17.

[JackMcFadden]

David: Was it baby blue in colour, or am I confusing it with a BMW engined special?

[raceannouncer2003]

Hi: When I was a young boy, I went often to Harewood Acres, near Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada, and later, of course, to Mosport. I was enamoured with car # 132, a Lotus 15, driven by Harry Entwistle. We helped push the car onto the trailer. Somewhere I have a black and white picture. The car was a beautiful green, with a 2 litre Coventry- Climax engine. I think Harry raced at Sebring 1959, and heard that he led the race briefly until his lights went out. I've been searching for many years for any details of Harry and the car.

cheers,

Jack

Harry Entwistle apparently had Lotus 15 618-3.

From Bill Colson, Lotus 15 historian, about the car after Entwistle had it:

"...#618 was referred to as having had an MG engine because that information came from Jack Boxstrom who bought it from Gerry Baker, a club racer from Hamilton, Ont. who had installed an MGA power unit and transmission in it, to run in club races from 1965 on. It effectively 'went back' to MG transmisison because when the original MG Magnette box had broken, a T10 was fitted. That was before Gerry Baker had the car; when it was still with Harry Entwistle. Jack Boxtram acquired the car in 1972 and kept it for about seven years, until 1979, when he sold it, engineless, to Skoura who, in turn, after about a year then sent it to Stephen Griswold's workshops (Berkeley, CA.,) who started restoration in the period 1980-82. Griswold apparently bought the car and Ephifani was then working for or with him. Griswold himself had it that he had let the car go to Ephifani as part of a settlement when they parted business company..."

I don't remember hearing that Entwistle had led Sebring in 1959.

More here:

http://www.racingspo...wistle-CDN.html

As for the Lucas-Whitehead Climax Special, Daniel Ghose in Connecticut currently has that car. Hopefully, he will bring it out to Mission one year !

Vince H.

[David Birchall]

David: Was it baby blue in colour, or am I confusing it with a BMW engined special?

Yes it was baby blue--actually Ford Azure blue.

Vince: it is a very long way from where Dan Ghose lives to Mission. I did talk to him about buying it back a few years ago...

[David Birchall]

I just checked some old Vintage Racing Club of B.C. magazines from the late seventies and find that Boxtrom was asking $2,650.00--"less drivetrain". !
Ishouldaboughtit!!

[Peter Horsman]

The Entwistle car, 618-3 was sometimes co-driven by Bob Hanna (who is still with us, happily) and is presently owned and raced by Murray Smith. It is fitted with a BW T10 gearbox from a Corvetter. Heavy but could cope with loads the MG box could not at the 1959 Sebring race where it failed. As Bob wrote recently, I am not sure of the model number of the Gearbox I installed in the car but it was a light alloy Corvette box that we were able to get from a friend who had a big Chevvy dealership.
The MG box was a joke to put behind a 2 litre Climax engine. Harry started and when we were going to change after 2 hours I asked him if everything was OK. He replied " fine, tickety boo "
I was not out of the pit lane when it became evident that there was only a handfull of gravel were 3rd gear should be. After a short time 2nd gave up due to all the rubbish churning around.
Surprisingly, with only 2 gears we were able to maintain the same lap times ( the benefit of a very light car)

[David Birchall]

Interesting-I remember discussing the Corvette box with Nino Epifani and was under the impression that he had installed it--but since he received the car as "less powertrain" he had his choices... I wonder if he tracked down the original 'Vette box?

[raceannouncer2003]

The Entwistle car, 618-3 was sometimes co-driven by Bob Hanna (who is still with us, happily) and is presently owned and raced by Murray Smith.

Is this the one?

http://www.flickr.co...oto/7197606274/

Vince H.

[Peter Horsman]

No - that's Ewan McIntyre aboard his 621-3. I think Murray was last out in his at this year's LMC with Ollie Crosthwaite.

[raceannouncer2003]

No - that's Ewan McIntyre aboard his 621-3. I think Murray was last out in his at this year's LMC with Ollie Crosthwaite.

How about this one?

http://www.ultimatec...0/Lotus-15.html

Also, from Bill Colson:

"...the whereabouts of Entwistle's car. For the past several years it has been owned by British expatriate Murray Smith...It has been raced regularly in Europe for a good while and among other events, it participated again in this year's Le Mans Classic. It is actually race-prepared about five miles from my home.

You may recall that the Entwistle car, 618-3, went from Jack Boxstrom to California, to the Griswold/Epiphani shop in Berkely, then found its way to Don Orosco who sold it, circa 1995, to David Clark, here in England. It went to Murray Smith after a spell with Don Shead and A.N. Other, who I'd have to look up...."

Vince H.