56 replies to this topic

[a1topdog]

Hi - I'm hoping the members here can help me identify the privateer MK1 Lotus Cortina racers that entered the various UK touring car races between 63 and 67. (I've deliberatly not listed Alan Mann or Team Lotus cars)

Ideally the Name of the driver / Race Team , Car Registration Number and race info would be great.

Details I have so far are: (can you fill in the ???)

Driver: Car Reg
Roger Swanton / Moonraker Racing: 2 CAM, Oulton Park 11/4/64 + others
Robin Smith /Curtis Smith Racing: 358 UKN, Oulton Park 19/9/64 + others
??? 754 URO,
WJ Williams: 990 KOV,
David Haynes 7070 KO / 250 DBH, Snetterton 14/3/64
Andre Baldet / Moto Baldet Racing: ??? Snetterton 14/3/64
John Nicholson /Farnborough Racing: 1 JON, Snetterton 10/4/65 + others
Brian Newton (white/gold flash).:???
Trevor Fowler / A. McKechnie Racing: ??? Brands Hatch 6hr 6/6/64 + others
Alan Deacon / A. McKechnie Racing: ??? Brands Hatch 6hr 6/6/64
Innes Ireland / A. McKechnie Racing: ??? Silverstone 2/5/64
Jack Sears / John Willment Autos: BTW 298B Snetterton 28/9/63
Frank Gardner / John Willment Autos: BTW 300B, Brands Hatch 30/8/65 + others
W. Brausch Niemann / John Willment Autos: ??? Crystal Palace 18/5/64
Bob Olthoff / John Willment Autos: ??? Brands Hatch 3/8/64
Chris Craft : ??? Snetterton 14/3/64+ others
Jackie Stewart / Red Rose Motors (Chester).: ??? Oulton Park 11/4/64
Mrs. P. Coundley / John Coundley Racing Partnership: ??? Oulton Park 11/4/64
Tom Fletcher / John Coundley Racing Partnership: ??? Silverstone 5/5/65
Roger Mac: ??? Aintree 18/4/64
Jacquie Bond-Smith: ??? Brands Hatch 3/8/64 + others
Jack Newman: ??? Oulton Park 19/9/64 + others
Graham Lynch: ??? Oulton Park 19/9/64
Bill Shaw: ??? Crystal Palace 7/6/65
Tom Simpson: ??? Brands Hatch 30/8/65
Terry Nicholls / Lumaca Tune (Racing).: 300 LPO, Goodwood 13.3.65 + others
Cyd Williams : HTB 100B (Gold with a dark blue, then changed to red, stripe) Oulton, Silverstone + others in '66.




(some of the above info sourced from http://www.touringcarracing.net/ , which has great info but does not include the car registration numbers)

Any photo's would be great.

I know this is quite a tall order , so many thanks in advance.

[sterling49]

Going purely from memory, I saw a lot of races in this period, names that spring to mind, Andre Baldet in the Moto Baldet car, John Nicholson in the Farnborough Racing car, and Brian Newton (white/gold flash) in his own car. I am sure there will lots of posts on this subject as there are some knowledgeable folks on here.

[a1topdog]

Thanks Sterling. So do you think John Nicholson is the missing driver from the 1 JON registered car in my list?
I've added your ones to my first post

[sterling49]

I wondered the same, but my memory is poor these days, when I think that I first saw these cars and drivers 45 years ago, it has a very sobering effect! Frank's site is great for all things touring cars, he posts on this forum also, so I guess he willl fill in a lot of blanks for you, Andy Kitson and Bradbury West are also pretty useful for info, as is RS2000, who knows the blue book and regs better than the F.I.A and R.A.C

[bill p]

Peter Kramm and Billy Reid competed in N.Ireland - I'll try to find registration numbers

[jph]

Terry Nicholls / Lumaca Tune (Racing) / 300 LPO / Goodwood 13.3.65 + others.

[Andrew Kitson]

HTB 100B was Cyd Williams' car. Raced at Oulton, Silverstone + others in '66. Gold with a dark blue, then changed to red, stripe.
Jacquie Bond-Smith's car: No idea on reg no, it raced without one. My dad was it's mechanic.
I'm sure I thought before 1 JON was John Nicholson, but was corrected in another thread here a while ago.

[sterling49]

I wish that I had seen JYS in a Cortina, him against Sears and Jim would have been brilliant! Innes must have been pretty useful too

[jph]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson

I'm sure I thought before 1 JON was John Nicholson, but was corrected in another thread here a while ago.

1 JON is the registration numbrt listed for John Nicholson's car in Robert Barker's Goodwood reults bible.

[RS2000]

The short list that appeared in the first post before it was considerably extended corresponded to the sum total of my knowledge of private race Lotus Cortinas. I have much more on rally cars and works cars.
BTW300B mentioned above is one that crossed the boundary from race to rally and went to Dick Rowland in Yorkshire:

[Alan Cox]

I note that BTW 300B still has the Willment stripe on its roof in RS2000's post

[Nick Wa]

John Nicholson /Farnborough Racing: 1 JON, Snetterton 10/4/65 + others

I believe this meeting saw the 1st appearance of the leaf sprung version in the hands of J.Y.S.

[a1topdog]

Originally posted by RS2000
The short list that appeared in the first post before it was considerably extended corresponded to the sum total of my knowledge of private race Lotus Cortinas. I have much more on rally cars and works cars.
BTW300B mentioned above is one that crossed the boundary from race to rally and went to Dick Rowland in Yorkshire:

Thanks RS. Thats interesting. I have a photo of this car in its early days and it still has the early front panel on it , unlike in your picture. I'll post it up when I get a chance.

I usually bump into Dick at various shows during the summer , so I'll have to ask him what became of BTW.

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Andre Baldet, Phoenix Park 1964, reg no 758FNV,chassis and reg no also available .

[a1topdog]

Thanks Edward - here's a picture of the car (photo source = ebay)

Can anyone shed any info on this photo - ie track / race / date

[Steve O'Brien]

Looks like Goodwood to me

[RWB]

Looks like Goodwood to me

Better late than never - just spotted this. It's Brian Newton in the Autocadia Racing Lotus Cortina, Goodwood Easter Monday 11-4-66. He finished 13th.

[Peter Leversedge]

About 6 Lotus Cortina Mk1 s came to New Zealand and were raced. One had a OHV pushrod engine fitted at one stage and another had a Coventry Climax engine fitted at one stage!!

[David McKinney]

I would have thought more than six, Peter

But you're right about the engine swaps. The pushrod one was faster than the less-developed twincams, but the Climax was probably slower than if it had had a standard Cortina 1500 engine

[Peter Leversedge]

If I remember correctly Ford NZ offered 6 for sale at a special deal if you were prepared race them and if you already had some thing of a racing record. The Climax engined one was raced by Arthur Moffatt from Ashburton and I remember it going quite quick at Waimate.

[David McKinney]

That's pretty much as I remember it too, Peter
But I think another batch came in a year later, for the Wills 6hr. And I have a feeling - though I might be wrong - that about then the racer-only restriction was lifted and there were also a couple of road cars.
Maybe only ten or twelve in total though

[Peter Leversedge]

David I was talking with John Armstrong today [ at the Hawkswood Speed Festival ] and asked him what size the Climax engine was in Arthur Moffat's Lotus . He said it was a 2 litre

[David McKinney]

Yep. One of Feo Stanton's

Jim Mullins shared the driving of the Cortina-Climax

[Richw]

Sorry, no registration number at present, but I remember Brian Robinson with the Byker Hill Garage Lotus Cortina, around 1964 if my memory is behaving today! Also Tony Dean (Willment) & Vince Woodman, VMW1? (VMW Motors)

Edited by Richw, 27 November 2009 - 19:59.

[Tony Matthews]

Great shot - why don't they include cars like this in Gran Turismo?

Edited by Tony Matthews, 27 November 2009 - 19:24.

[Mike Summers]

A bit off the Lotus Cortina's, but does anyone know of MKII Cortina GT's being raced when they were first introduced in late 1967. Specifically with a 1600 cross flow motor. Surely someone pulled one off the showroom floor and raced it straight away.

ms

[sterling49]

Sorry, no registration number at present, but I remember Brian Robinson with the Byker Hill Garage Lotus Cortina, around 1964 if my memory is behaving today! Also Tony Dean (Willment) & Vince Woodman, VMW1? (VMW Motors)

I may be wrong Richw (often am, as my wife so often tells me ) but A.G.Dean Racing (or Byker Hill Garages, I cannot remember which) entered both Tony and Brian in ex-works Cortinas, if I remember correctly, I think they had a Mk1 (PHK 615D?) and a Mk 2 ( either CTC 23 or 24E) the other of which went to Alan Mann Racing for Frank Gardner to drive in the early part of 1968, whilst they were awaiting the arrival of the Escort Twin Cam. I think AMR did not use the ex Team Lotus car, preferring the ex Boreham car, because of the suspension set up being better suited to Frank. I think Tony and Brian used the ex works cars 1st in 1968, I could be hopelessy wrong................runs and ducks for cover.

Mike, I do not remember any Mk 11s being used with either 1500 pre x-flow or 1600 Kent pushrod engines, only for club rallying. If anybody knows, it would be Frank De Jong.


Cheers!

Edited by sterling49, 29 November 2009 - 08:59.

[Mike Summers]

How do I contact him??

ms

[sterling49]

How do I contact him??

ms

Mike, Frank is a TNF Board Member, look under member names and send him a private mail, Frank de Jong.


Regards

[Alfie]

Mainly confined to club events, but Pete Shelton of Sheltune ran a Lotus and should be on your list. Another Northampton man along with Andre Baldet.

[Richw]

I may be wrong Richw (often am, as my wife so often tells me ) but A.G.Dean Racing (or Byker Hill Garages, I cannot remember which) entered both Tony and Brian in ex-works Cortinas, if I remember correctly, I think they had a Mk1 (PHK 615D?) and a Mk 2 ( either CTC 23 or 24E) the other of which went to Alan Mann Racing for Frank Gardner to drive in the early part of 1968, whilst they were awaiting the arrival of the Escort Twin Cam. I think AMR did not use the ex Team Lotus car, preferring the ex Boreham car, because of the suspension set up being better suited to Frank. I think Tony and Brian used the ex works cars 1st in 1968, I could be hopelessy wrong................runs and ducks for cover.

Mike, I do not remember any Mk 11s being used with either 1500 pre x-flow or 1600 Kent pushrod engines, only for club rallying. If anybody knows, it would be Frank De Jong.


Cheers!

I think you are right, the Mk2 was CTC24E, but previous to that I found an entry in a 1966 Silverstone programme listing T.Dean, Lotus Cortina, entered by 'Race Proved By Willment', but there is no mention of Brian, so it looks like it's my memory which has played up again! My turn to run & duck for cover!
Thanks for the information, I'm sure I have a photo somewhere of the Mk1 & Mk2 on the grid at Silverstone in 1968.

[sterling49]

I think you are right, the Mk2 was CTC24E, but previous to that I found an entry in a 1966 Silverstone programme listing T.Dean, Lotus Cortina, entered by 'Race Proved By Willment', but there is no mention of Brian, so it looks like it's my memory which has played up again! My turn to run & duck for cover!
Thanks for the information, I'm sure I have a photo somewhere of the Mk1 & Mk2 on the grid at Silverstone in 1968.

Get looking Rich! What are you waiting for? It is amazing what we all remember and forget, my memory is dropping off fast

[RS2000]

the other of which went to Alan Mann Racing for Frank Gardner to drive in the early part of 1968, whilst they were awaiting the arrival of the Escort Twin Cam. I think AMR did not use the ex Team Lotus car, preferring the ex Boreham car, because of the suspension set up being better suited to Frank. I think Tony and Brian used the ex works cars 1st in 1968, I could be hopelessy wrong................runs and ducks for cover.

The Boreham car UVX565E went to AMR but it's reported they didn't like it and it only appeared once (Brands) before CTC24E was used. I think there's a thread somewhere including that?

I have no recollection of a Mk2 GT racing "in period" in UK. It's not impossible one was raced elsewhere for marketing reasons because the Mk2 Lotus homologation into Gp2 was delayed (it wasn't immediate under "evolution" rules the way the Escort RS1800 later followed the RS1600). Mk2 GTs were certainly rallied in Gp2 while awaiting the Mk2 Lotus and Boreham's earliest Mk2 Lotus rally entries were Gp5 or Gp6 cars on the Circuit of Ireland and Scottish, not Gp2.
Thinking about that, might there have been some footwork for the early BSCC races because surely then Gp5 cars had to have first been homologated in Gp2 and the Mk2 Lotus was not initially in 1967 when first raced in BSCC in Gp5 spec?

[sterling49]

The Boreham car UVX565E went to AMR but it's reported they didn't like it and it only appeared once (Brands) before CTC24E was used. I think there's a thread somewhere including that?

Thanks Keith, I have the book, but still got it the wrong way round! Doh!

[Richw]

Sterling49, it seems you're right about memory, it turns out this photo is actually from 1967, but does feature the Mk1 & Mk2 Lotus Cortinas on the grid at Silverstone.

Am I right in thinking the Mk1 has a tow-bar? Not easy to read, but I think it's PHK614D on the Mk1 & CTC24E on the Mk2.
A very 'atmospheric' shot of the old Silverstone I used to know & love.

[sterling49]

Great photo Rich, the Cortina does not have a tow bar, but the communication cable is running across the track and appears to the eye as a bump on the rear bumper of the Mk 1 (PHK615D).
Considering just how fast a circuit Silverstone was with the old Woodcote, a big round of applause is due to (John Rhodes?) for getting the Cooper Car Company Mini on the front row of the grid, he is giving away a few horsepower in that company

It was great to see the "giant killing" acts back then, I can picture Rhodes now, completely sideways, front wheels bathed in blue smoke, trails filling the air, acrid smells lingering..........ah

Edited by sterling49, 06 December 2009 - 08:30.

[Tony Matthews]

Great photo Rich,

Wonderful! Brings back memories...

[h4887]

Funny how in those days they could start cars four abreast without automatically inducing a horrendous crash at or before the first corner...

[RS2000]

Considering just how fast a circuit Silverstone was with the old Woodcote, a big round of applause is due to (John Rhodes?) for getting the Cooper Car Company Mini on the front row of the grid

That was my first thought too on seeing that photo. (bet he wouldn't have been anywhere near that pace by lap 10 when the tyres had gone off!)

[sterling49]

That was my first thought too on seeing that photo. (bet he wouldn't have been anywhere near that pace by lap 10 when the tyres had gone off!)

Agreed, but it was amazing how high the order the Minis used to finish on twisty circuits. In the European Touring Car Championship Round at Brands (IIRC 1968/9?) John Fitzpatrick and Trevor Taylor nearly won overall after 6 hours in a Broadspeed Escort 1300 G.T., fourth....from memory, was a works 1300 "s" , the winner by the way, was a factory 2002Tii Turbo......and it only just won the race.....................something about tortoise and hare..........

[a1topdog]

Vince Woodman, VMW1? (VMW Motors)

I got a period picture of car registered: VWM4
Do you know if this was in addition to VWM1? - or maybe your reg is incorrect?

[a1topdog]

For some reason I can't update my original post.

Here's my updated list - lots more added.

If you can fill in any of the gaps thay would be great. Mainly missing the car reg numbers:

[Richw]

I got a period picture of car registered: VWM4
Do you know if this was in addition to VWM1? - or maybe your reg is incorrect?

As far as I know there was only one VWM reg, so I'm sure it would be VWM4. It's all a long time ago & the memory plays tricks, however, a very interesting topic.
Cheers, Rich.

[a1topdog]

As far as I know there was only one VWM reg, so I'm sure it would be VWM4. It's all a long time ago & the memory plays tricks, however, a very interesting topic.
Cheers, Rich.

Just noticed the car I was thinking of is VMW4 , not VWM4 - now I'm confused.

Edit - Image deleted as requested.

Edited by a1topdog, 08 December 2009 - 17:54.

[David McKinney]

Just noticed the car I was thinking of is VMW4 , not VWM4 - now I'm confused.

Can anyone identify this pic or the people in it?:-



Note: This picture was being sold by David Thomas Books. Not sure of copyright but will happily remove if instructed to do so.

If you don't have clearance to publish it, remove it

[pete53]

Having delved into some old race programmes and magazines I think I have a few more names to add to your list of Mk1 Lotus Cortina drivers.
Frans Lubin ( possibly Belgian?) raced at Brands in the ROC support race and finished 4th in class.
Willie Kay appeared regularly in 1967 notably placing in the top 4 in class at Mallory 14/5/67; Brands 28/8/67; Oulton 16/9/67
Keith Wright was entered at Mallory 14/5/67
Tony Algieri was entered at Oulton 16/9/67

I'm not sure if you established the fact that Brian Robinson and Tony Dean both raced Mk1s in 1967, Robinson placing 3rd in class at Oulton 16/9/67 ( he did come 1st in class at Brands 29/10/67 but I think that by then he might have been in an ex-works Mk2.)

I'm not sure if you are just interested in drivers who competed in the British Saloon Car Championship, but A.(Tony?) Gorst also raced a Lotus Cortina and won at Oulton on 21/8/65.
V.Elford ( I am assuming this was Vic) also had a few drives in a Lotus Cortina - Oulton 29/5/65 and Silverstone 19/6/65

I am afraid I don't have any registration numbers of the cars, however, if at a later date I come across any photos that reveal reg. nos. I will let you know.

Finally, I'm pretty sure Cyd Williams raced at Brands on 30/10/66 at the Motor Show 200 meeting and stuffed his Cortina into the bank at the exit of Clearways just in front of where I was standing - an event notable for the last time Jim Clark raced a Lotus Cortina in the UK ( or anywhere for that matter I believe).

[a1topdog]

Thats Pete - lots of great info there , especially the 67 info. With that being the year the MK11 was introduced its sometimes hard to tell from the race info if the cars were MK1's or 11's.

I was originally only listing UK races (but including foreign drivers) , but I'm happy to expand it to non UK races if the info is supplied.

In the list I have Cyd Williams and a Cyril Williams. Are they one of the same?

I'll give it a bit longer before I add your info to the list.

Edited by a1topdog, 09 December 2009 - 21:40.

[grelley]

Does anybody have any information regarding the Lotus Cortina that John Ward crashed on the back straight of Pukekohe and was then burnt out. I think it would have been in 1965. There were photos of the car published at the time
Regds Grelley

Edited by grelley, 09 December 2009 - 22:10.

[David McKinney]

No - but there was the one Jack Nazer crashed on the back straight at Pukekohe - and was burnt out
I believe it had been built up from a Cortina 1200

[grelley]

Perhaps I got my facts wrong. I have a L/C ? that I was told was rebuilt from the wreck of that car.I wonder if that car was rebuildable or had to be reshelled. It was first registered in 1966 by Ward & Coppins Motors. I assumed it was John Ward who crashed it and rebuilt it. The car was bult around a Cortina 2 door Super body shell with a slightly altered chassis number and registered in 1966. The shell was a 1965 car going by it chassis number