95 replies to this topic

[Lutz G]

I got a nice birthday present a few days ago (1:32 scale slotcar!)



Now I`m looking for pictures and stories about Dave Charlton and his Lucky Strike Lotus 72D...

Lutz

[WDH74]

Michael Oliver's book on the 72 features a great chapter on the South African championship cars, including the Gunston and Embassy sponsored cars. Loadsa pictures there.
-William

[quintin cloud]

Cool pic Lutz is there more

[Peter Morley]

Originally posted by Lutz G
I got a nice birthday present a few days ago (1:32 scale slotcar!)



Now I`m looking for pictures and stories about Dave Charlton and his Lucky Strike Lotus 72D...

Lutz

I looked at that model the other day.

I was a bit surprised to see that it had a vertical distributor/magneto at the back of the engine.

Seems that Vanquish think it had an American V8 engine rather than a DFV!!!

[Lutz G]

@WDH74

Thanks.

@quintin cloud

Sorry - I have only that pic

@Peter Morley

No DFV? But it's a Ford. The rest seems to be very accurate (sponsor logos for example).

I would be useful if somebody could post a picture of that car.

BTW: Was it difficult in 1972 to get a Lotus 72 (the top car in 1972) from C.Chapman?
Was the performance of the Lucky Strike Lotus 72D on the level of Emmos car?
Was Dave Charlton sort of a gentleman driver? Was he quick?

Lutz

[barrykm]

Dave Charlton was certainly harder, faster, and better than the usually-held notion of a gentleman-driver (good for them too, by the way!). He was a multiple South African F1 Champion, against the likes of John Love. This was in a golden era of South African motor racing.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Lutz G

BTW: Was it difficult in 1972 to get a Lotus 72 (the top car in 1972) from C.Chapman?
Was the performance of the Lucky Strike Lotus 72D on the level of Emmos car?
Was Dave Charlton sort of a gentleman driver? Was he quick?

Lutz

Three out of nine 72s went down to South Africa.

R3 went to South africa in mid'71; Charlton had it for a couple of years and it is noticeable that in subsequent hands (Keizan and Tunmer) it was never quite as competitive. And those two were good national-level drivers.

R6 did three WC seasons and went Ian Scheckter/Eddie Keizan (and again stopped winning when Eddie got it!)

R7 went to Paddy Driver and then Guy Tunmer after 18 months with Team.

At the time, after John Love, Charlton and Scheckter were probably the class of the field in South Africa, but they usually had good kit too. Neither really made a mark on F1 outside South Africa, but who knows how they might've done in a full season in a proper works car? (we'll discount Ian's 1977 March season, the car was at best a makeweight!)

[petefenelon]

After his Lotus, Dave Charlton updated to an McLaren M23 - which was very successful in South Africa in '74, less so in '75, and later became the unique John McCormack McLaren-Leyland F5000 car in Australia..... there's been an excellent thread about the birth that car on here.... serious piece of engineering!

[Wolf]

This is Dave in 1971 South Africa Grand Prix. Interesting - has this car got "belly tanks?"

I will try to dig out something on his 72.

Charlton was a "quick" driver and probably would not have disgraced himself in a season or 2 of F1 in his era. Check some of his qualifying times and early pace in the SAGP's he contended. Bear in mind he was a privateer and had to maintain a DFV engine for a season - thusands of miles away from factory support. Besides keeping his car competitive this was alone a great achievement.


P.S. Before anybody starts wondering how Wolf got this clever, the answer is simple- I did not: this is from Rob (ry6).

[Rob Ryder]

1972 French Grand Prix

[Gary C]

Wolf, is that some sort of Brabham ??

[Wolf]

Gary, I appologize- part of Rob's message got lost in copying-and-pasting process... Rob refers to it as "49" (he also used quotatin marks).

[Rob Ryder]

Originally posted by Gary C
Wolf, is that some sort of Brabham ??

Gary
It's a Brabham BT33/03 that was raced later in the '71 season by Tim Schenken
Rob

[Gary C]

thanks Rob, I was beginning to wonder!

[ry6]

Gary and Rob Ryder - you are too smart by far!

I was going thru my negs from the race so when I saw Lucky Strike on the tiny 35 mm neg I just printed it.

Thanks to you I did some research and Mystery solved.

The 1971 picture of Charlton was when he drove the Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT33 in the SAGP. There was talk that he might get a full works drive but in the end Tim Schenken got the drive.

Charlton qualified the Brabham 12th of 25starters and retired after 31 laps with what was disclosed as valve trouble.

Some statistics from SAGP’s which may indicate Charlton’s “speed” –

car Grid position time Polesitter’s time
1970 Lotus 49 13th of 23 1 min 20.9 1 min 19.3 JYS & Amon
1971 BT33 12th of 25 1 min 19.8 1 min 17.8 JY Stewart
1972 Lotus 72 17th of 26 1 min 18.5 1 min 17.0 JYS
1973 Lotus 72 13th of 25 1 min 17.18 1 min 16.28 Hulme
1974 McL M23 20th of 24 1 min 18.37 1 min 16.58 Lauda
1975 McL M23 20th of 27 1 min 18.5 1 min 16.4 Pace

[Wolf]

This also from Rob.

This pic from the Motoring Mercury 100 at Roy Hesketh Circuit, Pietermaritzburg over Easter 1973.

Photo by Malcolm Kinsey.

Charlton won the race and set a new lap record of 60.7 secs bettering John Love's mark from 1972 in the BT33 Brabham by 2.4 secs.

Eddie Keizan was 2nd in the Tyrell.

[Lutz G]

Thanks everybody - especially Rob + Wolf for the Lotus Lucky Strike pics!

Originally posted by Wolf

I will try to dig out something on his 72.

I'm still looking for a photo of Charlton during the 1972 GP England (Brands Hatch?). The Spanish info *.txt for the model:

"Lotus 72D Dave Charlton Grand Prix Inglaterra 1972" (No 29)

Lutz

[Felix]

in 2002 I was commissioned by LUCKY STRIKE to research its F1 heritage, particularly the Charlton days, for a Retro Programme which saw David run Jacques Villeneuve's BAR 004, and the French-Canadian running a 72 in LS colours at Valencia.

Herewith some items from that research: (I also have masses of period photographs of the car and driver - incl the British GP and the Valencia day - but don't know how to post them on here.)

INTRODUCTION

Despite the commonly-held view that Colin Chapman, Team Lotus and Gold Leaf were the first Formula One parties to exploit the relaxation of regulations controlling commercial and non-trade sponsorship in grand prix racing, it was, in fact, a South Africa/Rhodesian –as Zimbabwe was known in the sixties - tobacco company (Gunston) which first graced a Formula One car in a world championship grand prix.

The record shows that TEAM GUNSTON entered John Love for the 1968 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in a Brabham BT20–Repco, with GOLD LEAF TEAM LOTUS being nominated as entrant at the next round, the Spanish Grand Prix. The history books maintaining that Chapman was the ‘father of commercial sponsorship’ are, therefore, wrong!

Love’s agreement with Gunston covered the full South African National Drivers’ Championship – at that time for Formula One cars complying with the regulations pertaining to grands prix – and this substantial (for the period) financial backing made another national title a foregone conclusion. It also elevated the credibility of Gunston as a brand…

BACKGROUND – LUCKY STRIKE (DAVID CHARLTON)

A national championship competitor, David Charlton, approached the United Tobacco Company of SA – then brand managers for LUCKY STRIKE – in 1969, and their sponsorship agreement enabled the Yorkshire-born, (but South African national/resident) Charlton to purchase a Lotus 49. This was entered in the 1970 South African Grand Prix under the Scuderia Scribante banner, but with full LUCKY STRIKE branding down each side of the car. (See picture) The combination qualified 13th, and retired from a strong Top Ten showing – and possible points position - with a puncture seven laps from the end.

Charlton also ran the car in the South African series, dominating it and scoring the first of his five national titles – a feat that would, today, rank on a par with, at least, winning a national Formula Three or the European F3000 title.

So satisfied was UTC with its arrangement that, for the 1971 SAGP, the company sponsored Charlton in a full works Brabham BT33-Cosworth as team mate to Graham Hill. Charlton’s car was fully bedecked in LUCKY STRIKE livery, with the start number ‘15’ being inside the brand’s roundel on the nose! (See picture).

Despite comfortably out qualifying Hill (Q 19th), Charlton (Q 12th) was unable to raise the finances for a full world championship challenge, and, instead, persuaded LUCKY STRIKE to purchase a Lotus 72D – as had won the world championship in 1970 with Jochen Rindt, and would win the 1972 title in the hands of Emerson Fittipaldi. As part of the arrangement, Charlton was entered in the 1971 Dutch and British Grands Prix by GOLD LEAF TEAM LOTUS – in their colours.

He non-started the first event after ‘team mate’ Dave Walker crashed the car in practice, and retired from the Silverstone round – having qualified 13th - with a damaged engine. The car was then shipped to South Africa, and Charlton won his second national title – painted in LUCKY STRIKE RACING (LSR) colours.

For 1972 Charlton retained the car, and entered the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, qualifying 17th and retiring after fuel pump failure. He went on to win the national a third time despite taking ‘time out’ to compete in the French, British and German world championship rounds – in the colours of LUCKY STRIKE. The French Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand (now Michelin’s test track) on July 2, 1972 thus saw the first appearance of LSR outside of South Africa.

He non-started that round due to late arrival after shipping delays, but qualified 24th for the British Grand Prix and was mixing it with the likes of Niki Lauda when he retired due to transmission failure. He qualified again for the German GP, retiring due to illness.

The next South African Grand Prix (1973) saw Charlton and the LSR Lotus 72D involved in an accident with Clay Reggazoni (BRM)and Mike Hailwood (Surtees) on the second lap. He had qualified 13th (AGAIN!), and was running well up when the three cars collided. The Swiss driver lay unconscious in his burning car, and Hailwood and Charlton rescued him by literally dragging him out of the blazing wreck. Hailwood was awarded the George Medal for Bravery by HM Elizabeth II for his part, whilst Charlton went on to win his fourth title. The Lotus was by now beyond its sell-by date, and retired – of more anon.

LUCKY STRIKE bankrolled the purchase of a McLaren M23-Cosworth for 1974 – an example of which would win the world championship with Fittipaldi that year, and be victorious with James Hunt two years later - for Charlton. He entered the car for the SAGP, qualifying 20th and retiring after a collision. He won his fifth successive national drivers’ title – after which the title moved into a transition phase as the country adopted Formula Two/Atlantic cars for its premier series. Charlton, though, did start (20th) – and finish (14th) – the 1975 South African Grand Prix.

That was the last time LUCKY STRIKE livery was seen in a world championship grand prix until British American Racing’s entry into the sport for the 1999 season.

In 2001 Charlton attended the Hungarian Grand Prix, and was widely recognised by paddock people who were active in Formula One in his time. Mr Ecclestone immediately greeted him, as did Charlie Whiting, technicians, journalists and others. That he was respected during his day goes without saying; that many a journalist wished for an interview was clear.

Charlton (born 27/10/1936) is a semi-retired motor trader, and lives in North Johannesburg.

BACKGROUND - LUCKY STRIKE (EDDIE KEIZAN)

This former office machine technician’s first contact with LUCKY STRIKE came when the tobacco company sponsored his Ford Capri in the South African Saloon Car Championship in the late sixties. Thereafter he switched to single seaters, first in a Formula Ford, then a Surtees F5000 – which ran in the SA National Drivers’ Championship’s ‘B’ Division.

For 1973 his patron (Alex Blignaut) bought the ex-Jackie Stewart Tyrrell 004-Cosworth, having persuaded the EMBASSY label – a UTC brand - to provide funding. The company elected to run the car under LUCKY STRIKE livery in the 1974 SAGP, which was known as the LUCKY STRIKE Grand Prix of South Africa, and Keizan ran as team mate to Charlton, despite having a different entrant, technical team, patron and car!

He 22nd in the three-year old car and finished the race, but was not classified.

The same car was entered for 1975 – in EMBASSY livery – and he qualified 24th, finishing 14th. For 1975 Keizan received a Lotus 72D from GUNSTON, and retired from single seaters thereafter to concentrate on his business interests.

Keizan is CEO and Joint Chairman of the Tiger Wheels/ATS Group – multi-national manufacturers and distributors of TSW and ATS wheels to the automotive aftermarket and as OE fitment to major motor manufacturers. The company also distributes Yokohama tyres throughout the world. He lives in North Johannesburg, and today has access to nine Formula One cars – gained as part of his purchase of the ATS company, which was a Formula One entrant in the 70s and 80s. ‘Racing them in Historics is still on my to-do list…’ smiles the qualified pilot.

BACKGROUND - LUCKY STRIKE (OTHER)

LUCKY STRIKE had been active in other forms of national and international motor sport – both in South Africa and elsewhere.

In the late sixties and early seventies, for example, Southern Africa hosted the Springbok Series: an international sports racing championship taking in circuits in South Africa, Mozambique, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Angola. LUCKY STRIKE was a regular sponsor/entrant, and drivers such as Jody Scheckter (1974), Charlton, Keizan, David Piper, John Hine competed and won in its colours.

Apart from aforesaid Capri for Keizan, a Ford Mustang raced in the national saloon championship in white with large roundels (a replica is currently racing in SA Historics in the same livery), whilst Charlton raced a Modus Formula Atlantic car under LSR after the demise of the Formula One championship in that country.

For a period South Africa’s premier championship was open to F1, F5000, F2 and FA cars, and programmes from that era show up to five cars competing in LSR colours in the same race – albeit in different categories.

In the mid-eighties Norwegian Martin Schanche entered a LUCKY STRIKE Argo-Mazda Rotary at Le Mans (this car was offered and sold in August last year on auction), whilst records of various entries in lesser categories in other parts exist.

THE FORMULA ONE CARS

LSR LOTUS 49-COSWORTH

This car, although under LSR colours, was, in fact, owned by Charlton’s patron at the time – the wealthy construction magnate, enthusiast and race circuit owner, Aldo Scribante. After Charlton’s tenure it was entered by Scribante for Pieter de Klerk to drive in national events.

The former factory Porsche and Lola sports car driver crashed it in Cape Town, and the bent chassis was sold to the late Rt Hon John Dawson-Dahmer in Australia. ‘JDD’ was a Lotus enthusiast and collector, and lost his life in a crash at Goodwood in 2000 in another of his Lotus cars.

The ex-Charlton car is, the writer believes, sitting in Australia awaiting probate on his estate.

‘LSR’ BRABHAM BT33-COSWORTH

This car was never paid for by LUCKY STRIKE, and ‘merely’ sponsored ion one-off basis by the brand, so its history is sketchy. There are, though, numerous examples of the type in historic racing, so a replica would be a relatively simple matter to arrange.

LSR LOTUS 72D-COSWORTH

This car eventually found its way, via various owners, to the UK, and was rebuilt by respected historic Formula One preparation expert Simon Hadfield for owner Michael Schryver. It is painted in the original GOLD LEAF colours, and competes regularly in the FIA Historic Formula One Championship in that livery. At the end of 1998 it returned to South Africa to compete in a historic race, and was demonstrated by Charlton.

Subsequently Schryver sold the car to a Japanese collector.

LSR McLAREN-COSWORTH

This car was sold to Australia after the demise of South Africa’s Formula One category, and was converted to F5000 specification – the then-Australian national formula. It has been converted back to F1 mechanicals, and is in a private collection.

LSR TYRRELL 004-COSWORTH

After Keizan’s efforts this car was sold by Blignaut to an American collector. It allegedly is still in the US, and has not been traded – although it is reportedly now in the Donington Museum. Possibly it is on loan…

OTHERS

The Heidelberg Transport Museum – established by the Rembrandt Group, now part of BAT SA – contains a racing car section, in which cars sponsored by the various tobacco brands are displayed. LEXINGTON, a well-known South African ‘action’ brand sponsored the Tyrrell 007 of Ian Scheckter – which ran in the 1976 South African Grand Prix in that branding.

The car is wholly-owned by the museum, and, as such, ‘owned’ by BAT SA…

Whilst it never ran in LUCKY STRIKE colours, it is ‘similar’ to the Tyrrell raced by Keizan – although an expert would know the difference immediately.

The Springbok Series LSR cars were mainly Chevrons and Lolas, but Piper ran a monstrous LUCKY STRIKE Porsche 917 in the Kyalami 9 hour race in 1970 – and still owns that car.

CIRCUITS

Circuits the cars appeared at, in LUCKY STRIKE livery, other than the national South African circuits, are:

British GP - Brands Hatch (72D - 1972)

British Grand Prix – Silverstone* (72D – 1971)

Dutch Grand Prix* (72D – 1971)

French Grand Prix - Clermont-Ferrand (72D - 1972)

South African Grand Prix - Kyalami (49C - 1970, BT33 – 1971, 72D – 1972/3, M23 – 1974/5, 004 - 1974)

German Grand Prix - Nurburgring (note: not the ‘Newburgring’) (72D - 1972)

* = in GOLD LEAF colours

[ry6]

I guess that any good long time motor sport sponsor deserves a plug.

Back in 1966 advertising on race cars in South Africa was allowed for the first time and Basil van Rooyen had a Ford Mustang which had the famous logo emblazoned on it. He was the first "seriously" sponsored Lucky driver that I know in SA and probably the first driver to display a brand other than motor industry product.

Basil went on to win the SA Saloon Car Championship.

As a matter of interest, I was helping organise the Easter Motor Races at Roy Hesketh Circuit in 1965 I think and I wrote to a number of potential sponsors to ask them to sponsor events as we were struggling to come up with starting money for the star drivers/riders who had to travel 1000 miles sometimes to be at the race.

Lucky Strike replied and came up with R600, a lot of money in those days. We used it to pay prize money for the "Natal 100" which then became known as the "Lucky Strike 100".

Thank you Lucky Strike.

[philippe7]

Thank you Felix, great story ! Stunning to know that Eddie Keizan owns 9 ATS ( or related ) Formula 1 cars !!!

Just for the sake of excellency, one small mistake in your data :

Originally posted by Felix

The French Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand (now Michelin’s test track)

No, not at all.....the Charade circuit , in the hills above Clermont-Ferrand, where the French Grand Prix was held, is a totally different thing from the Clermont-Ferrand Michelin test track , a very private thing in the plains outside the city ( you can see it a little from the nearby motorway ) . The original Renault turbo F1 "laboratory" car ( A 500 ? ) is rumoured to have turned wheels for the first time there, actually, in a very secret test.....

[Felix]

Thank you for the clarification, Phillippe, and Rob - Basil's Mustang was actually 1967 (according to him, which I checked when he was in SA recently). I have pictured of the car, and it is still racing in Historics in SA, presently being owned by Denis van Blerk of Cape Town.

And, Rob, without divulging my identity - think the guy who supplies the auction goodies at the Roy Hesketh Memorial Dinner... and the guy who sells your excellent Springbok Grand Prix book for you and Malcolm overseas.

[Rob Ryder]

Originally posted by Lutz G
I'm still looking for a photo of Charlton during the 1972 GP England (Brands Hatch?).

1972 British Grand Prix - Brands Hatch (Source : can't remember )

[Lutz G]

Originally posted by Felix
in 2002 I was commissioned by LUCKY STRIKE to research its F1 heritage, particularly the Charlton days, for a Retro Programme which saw David run Jacques Villeneuve's BAR 004, and the French-Canadian running a 72 in LS colours at Valencia.

Herewith some items from that research: (I also have masses of period photographs of the car and driver - incl the British GP and the Valencia day - but don't know how to post them on here.)

(...)

Wow! Thanks Felix!

I would love to have/post the Charlton (Driver!) + Lotus 72 (British GP 1972!) photos you got. Could you please mail them to me? (l.goerke@tiscalinet.de)

Thanks Rob!!

So they did the rear wing stuff not 100 percent accurate on my model...

Lutz

[Felix]

Lutz, I have mailed the pics, and one of Jacques Villeneuve driving the car. As for the wing, don't take the rear wing in Rob's picture as incorrect - Dave Charlton told me that they built and tested numerous wings for experiments - some were raced at various times.

Interestingly, the wings (and a lot of Charlton's technical work) were/was built/done by Al Gibson - father of Alastair, who is Chief Mechanic of BAR ... owned/sponsored by Lucky Strike.

One favour though, plse post the pics here so that others may see them too. Have also sent Basil van Rooyen's LS Mustang for posting here, plse.

[ry6]

I emailed the Brabham BT33 pic to Denzil Schultz, who mechaniced for Charlton at one time AND also for Basil van Rooyen.

Here is Denzil's reply

"Dear Fangio and family,
Emmerson at his listening post again, I am pretty sure that the car in the pic [Charlton up] is a Brabham the following points tell me this, the reverse shape [backward slope of the intake] of the nose, the black outer rim on the wheels, the nose seems to be a Tauranac trade mark. The area below what would be the drivers elbow puzzles me that is reminiscent of Gordon murray,s design The engine cover has me baffled the rear wing also seems to have an RT "signature" on it. But who did the car belong to? The twin intake on the engine air intake scoop indicates a V8 but I must be honest I don,t know please advise I am dieing of curiosity.

Emmerson ("Shultzy")

Basil van Rooyen won the 1966 SA Saloon car Championship in the Mustang.
He ALSO won it in 1967.

Both years he was sponsored by Lucky Strike.


As a matter of interest his first win in the Mustang, according to my records, was on 4 Dec 1965 in the curtain raiser to the Rand GP.

[Felix]

No arguing, RY6, that Basil raced the car (supplied to him by FoMoCo SA, as was Koos Swanepoel's similar car) in 1965 - 1967 (after which he raced John Love's Cooper T79, then got the McLaren M7A he crashed so horrifically); the point is that Lucky Strike sponsored him from 1967 (and not 1966 - according to Basil not two months ago when he was at Kyalami and we discussed the full Lucky Strike deal).

The Brabham BT33 was a pure Ron Tauranac 1971 design and was raced in the SA GP in March of that that year - Gordon Murray joined Brabham in either late 1971 or early 1972 (originally as a a draughtsman under RT), with his BT42 hitting the tracks in April 73.

[GIGLEUX]

Originally posted by Felix
The Brabham BT33 was a pure Ron Tauranac 1971 design and was raced in the SA GP in March of that that year - Gordon Murray joined Brabham in either late 1971 or early 1972 (originally as a a draughtsman under RT), with his BT42 hitting the tracks in April 73. [/B]

1970 design

[Felix]

Yeah, raced 1970/71 - with Charlton/Schenken in the latter year whilst G Hill had BT34 from 1971 Spain onwards

[T-Man]

Here are the Pcitures Felix Mentioned

[Felix]

Thanks for posting, T-Man! These are, of course, the M23 used 1974/5 by Charlton. Bottom pic is 1974 SAGP, second is at a Roy Hesketh meeting during that time; top could be anytime in Kyalami's pit lane, but I tend to believe during one of the GPs.

I have asked Lutz to post the 72 pictures (+ the LS Mustang raced by Basil van Rooyen and another of the BT33).

[Michael Oliver]

Hi 'Felix'

Hope you are well...

Being a terrible pedant (!), the only point I'd pick you up on for the sake of historical accuracy is that the Charlton Lotus 49 was wrecked by Meyer Botha, not Pieter de Klerk (although PdK may well have had an accident in it before then - I can't recall off the top of my head). Botha wrapped it round a tree or a telegraph pole, the impact marks from which are clearly visible in some photos of the car (still in Lucky Strike livery) that John Dawson-Damer sent me. He was a very lucky chap to emerge unscathed, by the look of it...

Michael

[Lutz G]

Originally posted by Felix
Lutz, I have mailed the pics, and one of Jacques Villeneuve driving the car. As for the wing, don't take the rear wing in Rob's picture as incorrect - Dave Charlton told me that they built and tested numerous wings for experiments - some were raced at various times.

Interestingly, the wings (and a lot of Charlton's technical work) were/was built/done by Al Gibson - father of Alastair, who is Chief Mechanic of BAR ... owned/sponsored by Lucky Strike.

One favour though, plse post the pics here so that others may see them too. Have also sent Basil van Rooyen's LS Mustang for posting here, plse.

Felix, thank you so much !

Here my favourite LS Lotus 72 photos from your collection and the Brab + Mustang:









I guess the gentleman to the right is Dave Charlton himself? And to the left we have somebody who would love to drive this years BAR....







Lutz

[barrykm]

What a great thread this has turned into..!

[ry6]

Felix, please take a close look at the Ford Mustang.

On the right of the Z176 do I see the drivers name "Fred Cowell"? (It's too small for my bad eyesight.)

Is the rondel in front of the "G" for Give a man a Lucky a Castrol one?

If so it's Fred driving the car in 1968.

Basil was sponsored by BP.

Fred bought the car in 1968 and was Castrol oiled and Fred kept Z176 and the Lucky branding for a time.

[ry6]

Oops... the rondel after the "Y" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Felix]

Yes, I know it is Fred Cowell in the pic, but it is ex-Basil car - which BvR ran in Lucky Strike before selling to go F1 with the ex-Love Cooper and the Brabham BT24 with STP backing. And, yes, it is a CASTROL sticker after the 'Y' in LUCKY, but that was the fag company's slogan in the 60s: GIVE A MAN A LUCKY. No way could STRIKE have fitted where the CASTROL logo is; just an example of 60's sponsor 'service' .. and proves the authenticity of the pic!

[Gary C]

how old is that pic of Charlton in the 72 with Villeneuve in the background?? I'm confused. When was a Lotus 72 painted upin Lucky Strike colours recently. I thought they were all currently in Gold Leaf / JPS colours ???? (unless it's chassis 3 that went to Japan in 1998 (?) and had a quick paint job??). Michael Oliver needs to answer this!!

[Felix]

As Michael can answer (and detailed in his great book), Lotus 72 were, apart from GLTL and JPS, were painted in Gunston, Lucky Strike and Embassy cigarette colours for racing in South Africa's F1 championship.

The DC/JV picture was taken on 20 May 2002 in Valencia during a LUCKY STRIKE HERITAGE function when the company celebrated its F1 relationship by replicating DC's 72 (the original is in japan but insurance and freight costs were prohibitive) and having a BAR 004 present.

DC - who raced against Gilles in SA during a F Atlantic series - and JV then drove both cars at Valencia and swapped notes. (The original plan had been to run DC and/or JV in the Monaco Historic GP the previous day, but no entry was available, nor was that particular chassis eligible.)

Most of this is in the long piece I contributed above, as is Michael Olivier's contribution - and, you can rest assured, had no 72 ever run in LS colours, he would have been the first to state same and register his objections - in fact, I think it is fair to state that I assisted Michael with (very small) parts of his excellent book, and his Acknowledgements page reflects same. (Plus I think it unthinkable that Lucky Strike would have 'fabricated' such history, and I would certainly have refused to co-operate with the company had such an unlikely situation even been suggested!)

For additional info: LUCKY STRIKE was in world championship grands prix BEFORE Marlboro, and the LS South Africa Sponsorship Manager, Mike Jacklin, was recruited my Philip Morris to run its Marlboro sponsorship after it saw the 'success' he made of his job (both team and SA Grand Prix sponsorship) in SA. When his three-year contract was up and he returned to SA (where he now runs a successful book import business) he recruited John Hogan to replace him.

Lutz G and T-Man have posted but a few of the over 300 pictures I have of that day and Lucky Strike's overall programme.

[Felix]

The chassis used and painted was for the Heritage programme was, if I remember correctly, 72/5 - with both Clive Chapman and Eddie Dennis in attendance on the days in question.

[Vrba]

Originally posted by Felix
The chassis used and painted was for the Heritage programme was, if I remember correctly, 72/5 - with both Clive Chapman and Eddie Dennis in attendance on the days in question.

Hello Felix,

these are very interesting informations. Are there any JV's impressions on 72 available?

Hrvoje

[Felix]

Sure, I will try and get transcripts of interviews. There was also a video done for worldwide TV release which was certainly shown on Japanese and SA TV plus others.

[Lutz G]

Posted for Felix:





Lutz

[Felix]

Thanks, Lutz, who posted on my behalf some more stuff from the Lucky Strike research ... pic 1 is Tom Pryce in the Shadow DN5 during the 1976, I believe, SA Grand Prix; the second is Dave Charlton during a Sprint Car (Hot Rod) challenge at Wembley in Johannesburg - SA F1 drivers took on the Sprint Car drivers (Hot Rodders as we called 'em). The F1 guys lost spectacularly!

[Felix]

The two drivers in the Hot Rod pic are Charlton and Eddie Keizan

[T-Man]

Here are another pics of rare South African Race Cars


The Lexington Tyrrell from 1974 driven by Ian Scheckter






And again Dave Charlton

[Felix]

Thanks for posting those on my behalf, T-Man. The Heidelberg Museum of Transport is +- 40 miles/60 kms south of Johannesburg, South Africa, and is owned by BAT - hence the F1 connecdtions - which has a large processing plant there. The Gunston Chevron B25 (?) is the ex-John Love Atlantic car, whilst the Tyrrell 007 and March 782 where Ian Scheckter's cars.

Unfortunately the photos were taken with an early digital camera...

The bottom picture is of Charlton's M23 at Kyalami during a national meeting - prob taken with a box brownie.

[RTH]

www.img7.imageshack.us/img7/5120/72-6exsa.jpg

Lotus 72-6 as it returned to England from South Africa in 1984 still in Gunston colours - with a lot of red soil and a very blown up DFV !


Restored Car 1984 img7.imageshack.us/img7/1294/72.jpg

[Gary C]

RTH, why can't I see that last pic??

[Gary C]

ah, it's ok, I have it now

[Lutz G]

RTH

The restored 72 looks great! I love the look without the JPS stickers.

BTW: Interesting how the 72 looks without the nose, etc... So fragile.
In the 70s at the Nordschleife in such cars - brave men!

Lutz