Phil Keen's Lotus 30 at the Goodwood Revival: does anybody know its history please?

Phil Keen won the 2021 Whitsun Trophy from pole position in a Lotus 30.

I have long followed the rather unsuccessful history of the Lotus 30 which was  no match for Loa T70's in its day so to see one win at Goodwood surprised me.

I have done some research on the Lotus 30/40 including visiting  the L30 expert Peter Denty but I don't know which L30 this one is and how it has been developed so highly.

Any info. please?

Lotus Cortinas now corner with all 4 wheels on the ground, a lot of current historics bear no relation to their 60 year old selves...

Edited by Bloggsworth, 20 October 2021 - 19:21.

Looks like this one:

https://www.flickriv...07/24355046633/

Vince H.

Lotus Cortinas now corner with all 4 wheels on the ground, a lot of current historics bear no relation to their 60 year old selves...

I think you will find we have discussed this car at length about ten years ago. It later featured in a test article in Vintage Racecar.

Roger Lund

Edited by bradbury west, 21 October 2021 - 10:11.

Phil Keen won the 2021 Whitsun Trophy from pole position in a Lotus 30.

 

I have long followed the rather unsuccessful history of the Lotus 30 which was  no match for Loa T70's in its day so to see one win at Goodwood surprised me.

 

 

Not al ways true that it was no match: Lavant Cup, Goodwood Easter Monday 1965, 1st Jim Clark Lotus 30, 2nd Bruce McLaren McLaren M1A, 3rd David Hobbs Lola T70, 4th High Dibley Lola T70.  OK, probably unrepresentative sample of one race!  And Phil Keen is a seriously quick driver.  As for this specific car, is it the ex-David Berry one?

Vince thank you.

Looking back through the wonderful archives here a lot more about the car

https://forums.autos...5-the-lotus-30/

So the car is 30/L/20

It was advertised for sale in Autosport of February '68

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“Lotus Ford”

“Lotus 30/40.  Fitted G.T. hard top. 4.7-litre Ford V.8 fuel injected engine. 5 speed ZF box. Whole car rebuilt for last season, never run. Completed 1,600 race and road miles only. £400 worth of assorted spares plue 16 wheels and 20 spares tyres, quick lift jack. 4 barrel carb. and manifold to convert to road use. Fitted high speed wiper, screen wash, trafficators, luggage compartment. Raced in original form by D. Prophet in 1964 with great success, not raced since. Built in 1964 for 1965 Springbok Series and achieved very fast times. Quoted by a South African Racing Report… “The acceleration out of the corners — man it was breathtaking.”
“Price .. .. £2,650
“Ashmore Bros. Roebuck Lane, West Bromwich
“TELEPHONE 2350/3103”

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This car was sold to Bill Orr, Virginia, USA, in 1968.

More here : 

https://lotus30.com/registry/

https://www.racingsp.../30__L__20.html

In the other Lotus 30 thread it was mentioned as such : 

https://forums.autosport.com/topic/57875-the-lotus-30/#entry5508645

Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:07

I wonder if anyone can help me piece together various bits of information about Mathew Watts Lotus 30 which is listed in the 2011 Goodwood Revival programme as being a 1964 model.

As I understand it Matthew's car once belonged to David Prophet.

I also understand that David had two Lotus 30 chassis, 30/L/11 which was used at least twice in South Africa in 1964 and was presumed destroyed in South Africa and replaced by 30/L/20 used in the UK in 1965 presumably (?) in updated to S2 spec with spoilers and bigger wheels as seen above at Goodwood last year.

On the Lotus30.com registry the 30-L-20 was listed as missing as of Jan 27th 2003, can anyone confirm that 30-L-20 is now indeed no longer missing ?

Edited by Myhinpaa, 21 October 2021 - 15:15.

Not al ways true that it was no match: Lavant Cup, Goodwood Easter Monday 1965, 1st Jim Clark Lotus 30, 2nd Bruce McLaren McLaren M1A, 3rd David Hobbs Lola T70, 4th High Dibley Lola T70.  OK, probably unrepresentative sample of one race!  And Phil Keen is a seriously quick driver.  As for this specific car, is it the ex-David Berry one?

Clark had also won in the Lotus 30 at the very wet Silverstone meeting a few weeks earlier. This was partly by just staying on the track - a tribute to Jim's skills as much as the car's qualities. A little 1100 Lola Mk1 finished 3rd behind Clark, and Surtees in the Lola 70, which gives you some idea of how much the dreadful conditions were a leveller. But yes, as the season progressed, the 30 ( the works car and privateers) couldn't keep up with the McLarens and Lolas and never won again.