17 replies to this topic

[David Beard]

There is an archived thread discussing Jim Clark’s appearance in 1962 at the Ollon-Villars hillclimb in a Lotus 21 / 24 hybrid entered by Scuderia Filipinetti.

I know that Jimmy later also competed at this event in a Lotus 38, but it’s this earlier hybrid car which currently interests me. It seems to be unique: I’m trying to find out more about it.

In the archived thread, Gary Davies says:

“…the car was chassis 938, built for Jo Siffert “to special order” according to Motor Sport. It first ran as a Team Lotus entry at the Grand Prix de Bruxelles on 1 April 1962 and, to quote D.S.J. :“... was a V8 type chassis frame, with 4-cylinder Coventry-Climax engine and Colotti gearbox, but with 1961 suspension all round. The special car was built for the Swiss driver Siffert, who was due to take delivery after the race!” “

I assume the reason that this car appeared ahead of the pukka V8 engined 24 was that it was anticipated that the Climax FWMV was going to be available sooner than it turned out.

The car was sold to a French driver named Clement Barrau, who replaced the FPF Climax engine with an Alfa Romeo unit. For starters I would be interested to know more about this gentleman, but so far I have failed miserably to find out anything about him, other than the following brief bit of competition history:

11/08/63 Kannonloppet, Karlskoga   C. Barrau 

12th - 23/08/64 Saint-Larry (F)  Alfa engine C. Barrau 

5th  - 23/08/64 GP du Limbourg, Zolder Alfa engine C. Barrau  dna

20/09/64 GP de Rome, Vallelunga Alfa engine C. Barrau  dna 

Can anyone help?

​

I am aware that Robs Lamplough owned the car for a few years, and that it currently owned and raced by Franck Trouillard.

 

Archived thread:

http://forums.autosp...-ollon-villars/

Edited by David Beard, 23 January 2017 - 16:13.

[Henk Vasmel]

You forgot to mention that the last two entries were for Formula 2, so a 1 Litre Alfa engine. In my database I have the car as F1 car in 62 and  63, always with FPF 1.5

First two races with Trevor Taylor for Team Lotus. Then Siffert, once for Ecurie Nationale Suisse, then Scuderia Filipinetti. Other drivers there Mitter, Schiller, Müller and Baghetti.

Finally 2 races for Barrau, Vallelunga (19/5-66, 6th) and Karlskoga as you mentioned.

[group7]

David, there are two photos, at Ollons-Villars 1962, one from the front, and one from the rear, they are close up, showing Clark in the cockpit of I believe this Lotus 21 in Filipinetti colours on the French "Auto Diva" site, near the bottom of page four in thread on the team. can't link to the site here, one has to sign in. and I can't seem to post photos here.

in another thread there is mention, and a poor distant photo of Siffert in the car at Pau in '62.

 

Michael, in Canada

Edited by group7, 24 January 2017 - 04:55.

[raceannouncer2003]

Is this the car?

 

 

1962 Monaco GP, Siffert, did not qualify

 

Photo by Ted Langton-Adams, copyright Eric Faulks

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 24 January 2017 - 06:48.

[David Beard]

You forgot to mention that the last two entries were for Formula 2, so a 1 Litre Alfa engine. 

 

 

Good point Henk, I missed that. I'm not familiar with a 1 litre Alfa engine though.

Edited by David Beard, 24 January 2017 - 14:17.

[David Beard]

Is this the car?

 

 

1962 Monaco GP, Siffert, did not qualify

 

Photo by Ted Langton-Adams, copyright Eric Faulks

 

Vince H.

 

Indeed, nice shot. Thanks Vince.

[David Beard]

David, there are two photos, at Ollons-Villars 1962, one from the front, and one from the rear, they are close up, showing Clark in the cockpit of I believe this Lotus 21 in Filipinetti colours on the French "Auto Diva" site, near the bottom of page four in thread on the team. can't link to the site here, one has to sign in. and I can't seem to post photos here.

in another thread there is mention, and a poor distant photo of Siffert in the car at Pau in '62.

 

Michael, in Canada

 

Thanks, but I'm struggling to find this Michael. Can you link me directly to the photo please?

[Henk Vasmel]

Good point Henk, I missed that. I'm not familiar with a 1 litre Alfa engine though.

Neither am I, but with 2 DNA's anything is possible

 

Checked again and in '65 Alf Francis had two Coopers 75 with 1.0 Liter Alfa Engines, for Siffert and Bernard Plaisance, so they did exist.

Edited by Henk Vasmel, 24 January 2017 - 20:14.

[Macca]

screenshot windows

 

image upload

 

Paul M

[group7]

Thanks to Macca !   there you are David, those are the two images I was talking about.

 

those mirrors have been through the wars !

 

 

Michael

Edited by group7, 24 January 2017 - 23:15.

[David Beard]

Thanks to Macca !   there you are David, those are the two images I was talking about.

 

those mirrors have been through the wars !

 

 

Michael

 

Thanks Paul and Michael. Yes, what on earth happened to those mirrors!

Edited by David Beard, 25 January 2017 - 10:09.

[Roger Clark]

Clement Barrau apparently had a Formula Junior de Sanctis in 1962.  Luigi Orsini described in as two years old.  He also said Barrau was French.  The only entry I could find for him (in the F1 Register Record Book) was in the Gran Premio Caltex at Vallelunga, 08/04/62, where he finished fifth in his heat and ninth in the final.  THe book only covers circuit races, not hill climbs, of course.

[Vitesse2]

This could be a red herring, but there is just one possible reference to Monsieur Barrau on Autodiva, which suggests that he may have been an engine tuner or builder in the 1970s - there is mention of a BBM C2 sports car with a 'Renault of Barrau'. Now it's perhaps a bit of a leap in the dark, but there is a French rally navigator (currently competing - quite a few very recent entry lists on line) called Xavier Barrau, who partners a chap called Xavier Besson. In a Renault Clio.

 

This Italian photo archive apparently has at least one picture of Clément Barrau, but with no description: http://www.actualfoto.it/piloti-auto/

[nexfast]

I took the reference in Autodiva as "BBM driven - or owned -  by Barrau", not necessarily that he was an engine tuner or builder. Since BBMs  could be sold with multiple different engines, it was possible he ordered his with a Renault engine

[Vitesse2]

I took the reference in Autodiva as "BBM driven - or owned -  by Barrau", not necessarily that he was an engine tuner or builder. Since BBMs  could be sold with multiple different engines, it was possible he ordered his with a Renault engine

I agree it's not clear - very much a 'stream of consciousness' post - and you could put more than one interpretation on it. Even if French is your first language! And it's not certain that it's even the same Barrau ...

[Rupertlt1]

Brussels G.P., 1 April 1962

 

#7, Trevor Taylor

 

https://revslib.stan...log/xz192qf4571

 

https://revslib.stan...log/yc329fy7113

 

https://revslib.stan...log/rp944yd7057

 

https://revslib.stan...log/yc579zc3961

 

#19, Jo Siffert

 

https://revslib.stan...log/bt741dq0532

 

https://revslib.stan...log/ns942nj4980

 

RGDS RLT

[David Beard]

Thanks Rupert, I should have looked there. Siffert in an FJ Lotus at this point, of course.

[raceannouncer2003]

A couple more links, Belgian GP, 17 June 1962:

 

https://revslib.stan...log/xm452cs0395

 

https://revslib.stan...log/ft478tb5910

 

Vince H.