24 replies to this topic

[Arjan de Roos]

When I started to follow F1 seriously (as a kid ;) ) Lotus was on a winning streak. It was 1978 and they dominated. A familiair sight was that Colin Chapman tossed his hat in the air after Mario or Ronnie crossed the line.
A commentator said that normally Chapman bought a new one, but in 1978 it had become to dear to him, so he had a mechanic bring the hat back.

Where did this Chapman tradition come from? I tried to find an old thread to no avail and never read about the why in any book or magazine. It might be a simple ACBC to many Lotus fans, or is it?

[2F-001]

... and does anyone where the hat is now?

[SEdward]

I think that the black cap was part of the JPS attire. I can't remember Chapman throwing his hat in the air before 1972.

Someone in this forum will surely prove me wrong...

Edward

[dolomite]

Originally posted by 2F-001
... and does anyone where the hat is now?

Did they bury it with him perhaps?

[Eric McLoughlin]

I think the hat was just a fashion thing.

He copied Jackie Stewart - who began wearing a similar hat in 1969, who was probably copying Bob Dyland and Donovan Leitch, who had started wearing such hats in 1964/65 who in turn were copying Woody Guthrie who had been wearing a cap of this type since the 1930s.

[Gary C]

OT I know, but while we're on the subject of Woody Guthrie, he used a sticker on the side of his guitar when he was writing and playing his 'dustbowl ballads'. Apparently it came from a combine harvester and said 'this machine kills'. Now, isn't that a brilliant thing to put on the side of a GUITAR ???

[Ray Bell]

I have a feeling it went back before 1972, right back into the sixties...

Perhaps in deference to John Cooper's showmanship?

Not something that DSJ would necessarily report, but if you go through some H N Manney III or Bernie's reports you will probably find reference.

[Thilo F]

According to Jabby Crombac (Chapman, the man and his cars) he started this habit back in 1961 in Watkins Glen when Ireland won the first TEAM Lotus GP.
The black hat was general fashion in the late 60ies / early 70ies. It has nothing to to do that he copied anyone. I remember my father had such a hat, and he definetely didi not know of either Stewart or Chapman.

[Gary C]

I'm sure he does it at the end of the 1967 US GP at the Glen. Isn't it in that film 'Nine Days In Summer? (is that the one?) As Jim crosses the line he throws his cap in the air..........

[Ray Bell]

Yeah, that sounds better... right from the very first win...

I was thinking I'd read of it at Clark's Spa victory in '62, but I couldn't be sure.

[2F-001]

Since it was, by definition, a "throwaway item", Chapman's cap must be the ultimate item of collectable Lotus ephemera!

Just lingering on guitars for a while - Chris Rea used to play with a Lotus Seven Club sticker on his...

[Gary C]

....McCartney had 'bassman' on his Hofner bass during the 'Let It Be' sessions too....

[Mallory Dan]

Didn't Marc Almond have a similar cap ?

[Gary C]

who ???

[Eric McLoughlin]

Chapman started off with standard Harris Tweed type flat caps and then moved on to the courdroy "folk singer" caps.

[Doug Nye]

During engineer Tony Southgate's short period with Team Lotus he received a famous rollicking from ACBC at Monaco (I think) which came to feature 'The Hat'.

Colin suddenly realised that parts he had expected to be available for use on the cars at that GP had not been loaded onto the truck and he demanded to know why from Tony.

The response was that "there wasn't time to get them tested properly so I decided to hold them over until the next race". This triggered an instantaneous detonation from Chunky who began to rage and shout about how it had never been Lotus practice to let anything delay development, "those parts should have been here, right now!".

Tony had a well-developed subversive side and was less than impressed by the sight of his Guv'nor going purple in the face and bouncing up and down - barely 12 inches between them - shouting at him. He couldn't suppress a giggle in response to the sight - whereupon Chunky's voice rose a further octave and several decibels...

Tony reflexively giggled again whereupon Chunky finally lost control totally, tore off his hat, threw it on the ground and jumped up and down on it, by this time utterly incandescent and incapable of forming intelligible sentences. This was the last straw for Southgate who had to stagger away, holding his tummy in peals of laughter. ACBC then realised he looked a complete prawn - dancing on his hat screaming and yelling - and his pride then welled to the surface, he would not bend down in front of his people to pick it up - and instead he ordered one of the mechanics (carefully stern-faced) to pick up the battered and dusty article for him.

DCN

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Gary C
who ???

More-than-somewhat camp singer, formerly the vocal half of the popular beat combo Soft Cell. Not bad at doing torch songs, although let's just say he doesn't often address them to ladies. Has a propensity for covering Jacques Brel songs (rather well; he's not quite Scott Walker, but he's not bad) and is the subject of at least one very scurrilous urban legend.

[SEdward]

>>one very scurrilous urban legend

Involving an whole rugby squad, methinks.

I love the story about Southgate and Chapman. I am sure that ACBC was not an easy man to work - or drive - for.

Edward

[Mallory Dan]

Doug, thats absolutely brilliant, made my day. Any more like similar tales, pieces like that are what makes TNF great.

As for Marc A, despite myself I quite liked him. Any chance of hearing the scurrilous urban legend ?

[David Lawson]

Marc Almond is currently recovering from a serious brain injury sustained in a motor bike accident about six months ago.

David

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
Doug, thats absolutely brilliant, made my day. Any more like similar tales, pieces like that are what makes TNF great.

As for Marc A, despite myself I quite liked him. Any chance of hearing the scurrilous urban legend ?

The Marc Almond urban legend is not suitable for a polite forum such as this. However googling for "Marc Almond" "stomach pump" will tell you far more than you want to know.

[KJJ]

Here's a fashionable pair, circa 1966:

[Gary C]

who's the guy on the right?

[David Beard]

Originally posted by Gary C
who's the guy on the right?

And is that Elvis in the middle?

[KJJ]

Originally posted by David Beard


And is that Elvis in the middle?

Bernard White and probably!