13 replies to this topic

[Joe Bosworth]

In a little over a fortnight‘s time Le Mans will celebrate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1955 race. That race was known for two things.

The first is the terribly tragic accident between Lance Macklin and Pierre Levegh that nearly put a blanket on motor racing everywhere.

The second is that was the occurrence of the first Lotus Le Mans entry ever. Colin himself with Ron Flockhart raced the Mark 9 registered as XPE 6.

XPE 6 was notable for a number of other things besides being the prototype of the Series 1 Elevens, which came out the following year. XPE 6 was the first Lotus that had a true space frame; the loads were designed so that the top and bottom tubes were the same diameter; all previous Lotus’ had larger bottom frame members. XPE 6 also had the first set of disk brakes mounted to a Lotus. Arguably, XPE 6 also had the first rack and pinion steering in a Lotus. (Arguably because a previous chassis did leave the factory with R & P but that car wasn’t strictly called a Lotus and I believe never represented a series.)

XPE 6 of course was disqualified in the aftermath of the accident for backing out of a sand bank.

The car and its history went on to be extensively written in periodicals of the day including Autosport 18 Nov 1955, Motor Sport Jan 1956 and a write up by Mike Costin. Later, Lotus oriented books such as those of Tony Pritchard of 1987 and Ian Smith in 1970 spell out the days it spent as a works car for things such as the Goodwood 9 Hours, Brands BRSCC Meet, International Trophy at Oulton Park and the Tourist Trophy among many others.

The car is now in the ownership of Charles Levy of Boston, Mass who is to bring it to Le Mans for a lap of honour.

Between being a team car and Chas L the car was first campaigned very successfully by Dr MRJ Wyllie and wife Peggy. It ran Sebring in 1956 and won regularly at such as the Queen Catherine Cup at the Glen. The Wylie’s sold it to a university friend of mine, Ron Letellier in Dec 1958. Ron had little joy with it for a year at which time it came to my hands.

I had spectacular form with car after fixing two problems, blowing head gaskets and slipping clutch. These fixes make interesting stories in there own right. Cumberland, Connellsville, Dunkirk and the Road America 500 all saw good runs.

I then took the car to Australia where it served with distinction at places such as Warwick Farm and Oran Park. At Oran I can confirm, by copy of programme still held, that it held the under 2-litre sports car lap record as late as Feb 63, (and most probably later). Frank Matich and the Lotus 19 was the only faster sports car at that time around Oran Park


The car then went to A. N. Other in partial form, which is another story of its own. Graham Howard later had the good sense to re-unite the pieces, store it in the loft of his garage before passing on to Levy. My only sorrow in all of this is that I would have bought the car from Graham if given the chance. In that event I can assure that it would still be racing.

Tony Dron articles covered the restoration by Mike Brotherwood and some of the car’s history in early 1993 via Thoroughbred & Classic Cars.

From a works Le Mans car in June 1955 through holding lap records in 1963 has the car being a first class competitor for eight years. That must be some kind of record in its own right and is a fine testimony to ACBC’s genius in putting that one together.

If anyone is really interested I can provide heaps more detail.

[Ray Bell]

Including the coincidence in Graham 'reuniting the pieces'?

The Oran Park lap record is likely to have stood till time immemorial, as the circuit changed in September 1963. If it lasted until then, and I'm not sure it did, then it remains as the class record for that original circuit.

Main contender to have taken its record would be John Martin in one of those unstoppable (and lovely) Lolas.

[David Birchall]

Hmmmm,
Joe in about 1980 I was trying to purchase a Lotus 9 in Portland, Oregon. I was no expert on Lotus 9s but found this one unusual; it had a magnesium or electron body and it had upper and lower frame tubes The Same Size. The car was sitting in the basement of a house in Oregon and I was never able to complete a deal. Does this fit in any way with the history of 'your' car?
David B

[Joe Bosworth]

David

Very interesting indeed.

The car you saw, if as described, was/is the MG engined sister ex-works car. It commonly ran in 1955 with rego number 9 EHX. But be careful as that rego seemd to be hung on a nail at the work's door and hung on a lot of cars over time. That means when you see sa photo of a car wearing 9 EHX it might not automatcally be the MG engined works car. But for simplicity sake I will refer to the MG engined 1955 ex-works car as 9 EHX.

In early 1955 two prototypes were laid down and carried a shop designation of P4's before completion. The P4's deliberately carried a lot of non-Mark 9 characteristics to make them better.

9 EHX was actually finished and raced before XPE 6 was completed. I think it first ran at the British Empire Trophy race at Oulton Park and appeared at almost every race in 1955 that XPE 6 did except for Le Mans. ACBC drove it about as often as he drove XPE 6 for instance at the Whit Sunday/Monday meeting at Snetterton at which time it appeared with dry sump lubrication for the first time. Peter Jopp often drove it when ACBC didn't. (Most of this info is from a variety of sources that cross check and jibe with personal conversations with others who were there at the time and place).

I didn't think that it had equal diameter top and bottom tubes but that is an I think and I will naturally defer to others on that. That comes from some who worked on the construction of both P4's. I also don't believe that it had rack and pinion steering based on recent conversations with the works guys of the time. It was originally constructed with drum brakes which were converted to disks after the braking success of XPE 6.

I believe from conversations with those who should know that that car fell out of sight.

I would like to send your info over to those in better know than me including your contact details.

It would be very usefull if you could dredge up further details as to when, where, who.

[llmaurice]

My recollection is that it was a bugger to push start down the hill outside the pub due to the "honeycomb bores " .
Regarding chassis tubes and the like ,we (the workers) took little note of chassis differences ,thinking most of them were discrepancies !

[Spitfire]

Not sure if this will provide any help, but here is a link to photos of a Mk IV that ran at Lime Rock last year:

http://www.atspeedim...55_lotus_mk_ix/

[David Birchall]

Hi Joe, well it was a long time ago but I recall it did have drum brakes - i was very impressed with the wonderful fins I remember, I cannot recall the steering arrangement. The engine was a CC. The frame tubes were the same size top and bottom I am pretty sure because I oversaw the restoration of a standard Nine later and there was a definate difference in the frame tubes and the body panels. I will try to locate the contact info in my filing system ( ) And try to follow up.
Regards, David B

[Charles Helps]

Originally posted by Joe Bosworth
...XPE 6 was notable for a number of other things ... XPE 6 was the first Lotus that had a true space frame; the loads were designed so that the top and bottom tubes were the same diameter; all previous Lotus’ had larger bottom frame members.
Tony Dron articles covered the restoration by Mike Brotherwood and some of the car’s history in early 1993 via Thoroughbred & Classic Cars.

...

Not quite correct, the P3 (the works prototype Mk VIII, registered SAR 5) had an almost fully triangulated chassis with 1 1/4" x 20g tubes at top and bottom. The design of the P3 was started in 1953, a year before the P4.

I was lucky enough to be with Mike Brotherwood and Mike Marsden when they unpacked the many boxes of bits of XPE 6 after the latter's arrival in Wiltshire from Australia before the restoration. The first time I'd ever held a Borrani wheel - wonderfully light.

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by llmaurice
My recollection is that it was a bugger to push start down the hill outside the pub due to the "honeycomb bores " .
Regarding chassis tubes and the like ,we (the workers) took little note of chassis differences ,thinking most of them were discrepancies !

Maurice, what are "honeycomb bores'?

Were there any other Nines with elektron bodies? It occured to me that if the car were sold to a customer the dry sump MG engine would probably be replaced with a Climax, and the brakes....
David B

[llmaurice]

David ,
"honeycomb" refered to a treatment designed to keep the bores well lubed but at the same time reducing friction.
I only ever saw it on that 1500 MG motor.

[RTH]

I imagine what is meant here, which gives this visual appearance is the cross-hatched surface finish with a mechanical honing machine that revolved whilst going up and down at the same time, it also aids the bedding in process of ring to cylinder bore, this is standard practice.

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by llmaurice
David ,
"honeycomb" refered to a treatment designed to keep the bores well lubed but at the same time reducing friction.
I only ever saw it on that 1500 MG motor.

Well, that makes me feel better! I thought I might be losing it......
David B

[llmaurice]

Not the standard cross hatch honing.

[SEdward]

This year's Saint Saturnin Classic British Welcome on June 17-18 is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Lotus entry at Le Mans.

www.classicbw.org

Edward