10 replies to this topic

[Allen Brown]

The Lythgoe team ran a very interesting and very successful special for libre racing in 1966 for Alan Rollinson to go pot hunting.

It was a year-old F2 Brabham BT16 but with its SCA engine expanded to 1500cc. I'm having trouble tracking its race history in 1966 because I only have access to Autosport for that year, not Motoring News, and Autosport seem to have had trouble describing it:

Oulton Park 20 Aug - 1500cc Brabham 'BT14'
Oulton Park 3 Sep - 1500cc Brabham
Ingliston 4 Sep - 1500cc Brabham
(11 Sep Rollinson drives Lythgoe BT18 at Montlhery F2)
Mallory Park 18 Sep - Brabham with stretched SCA
Castle Combe 25 Sep - Brabham with stretched SCA
Ingliston 2 Oct - "Brabham"
Mallory Park 9 Oct - 1500cc Brabham
(30 Oct Rollinson drives BT16 at Brands Hatch F2)
Mallory Park 26 Dec - "1.6" Brabham BT16

Does anyone have easy access to Motoring News, Motor Racing or any other publication (Autocar?) that might comment on this vehicle? Anyone recall it?

Thanks

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

Allen,

I think this might have been F2.23.65, the ex Bob Anderson F2 car.
Lythgoe ran this in 1966 and of his 1965 F2 cars, one was sold to the USA and the other probably scrapped after Wylie's accident

This is the car that Bridges runs in 1967 for Brian Redman and Malcolm Smith

The alternative might be that it was a rebuild of the Wylie car.

Chris

[David McKinney]

Only because I happen to have my 66 MNs on the desk as we speak…

Oulton Park 20 Aug - 1500 Brabham in text; 65 Brabham-Ford in results
Oulton Park 3 Sep - 65 Brabham-Cosworth F2
Ingliston 4 Sep – 66 Brabham F3
(11 Sep can’t find any ref to Rollinson in Montlhéry F2 or F3)
Mallory Park 18 Sep – Lythgoe 1500cc SCA Brabham
Castle Combe 25 Sep – Lythgoe Racing Brabham-Cosworth SCA 1.5
Ingliston 2 Oct - Lythgoe Brabham SCA 1.5
Mallory Park 9 Oct – Lythgoe 1500 SCA-powered Brabham (and in results: 65 Brabham)
(30 Oct “66 Brabham-Cosworth” at Brands Hatch F2)
Mallory Park 26 Dec – 1500cc Lythgoe Racing Brabham SCA BT16
(Have only checked the races you mentioned)

[Allen Brown]

Hello Chris.

Fancy seeing you here.

I agree that it's very probably F2.23.65 but I'm struggling with its transition from being a F2 car early in the year to being a libre car. Lythgoe has a BT18 in F2 and also has a F3 car but whether this is one BT18 or two isn't clear either.

I don't believe Lythgoe had a BT14 so I'm inclined to believe that the Oulton Park appearance on 20 August is the first time the 1.5-litre BT16 appears. However, some more facts would make this a bit more solid.

Allen

[Allen Brown]

And hello David too!

Thanks for that - most helpful. The extra references to SCA, 'F2' and '65 increase my confidence significantly.

Rollinson won two races at Ingliston 4 Sep, the 1200cc race in his F3 Brabham and also the main event, the Jock McBain Memorial Trophy in a "Frank Lythgoe Brabham". Did he use the F3 car for both races or did he use the 1.5 in the main race?

You are quite right about Montlhéry - he was a DNA. I should read more carefully.

Thanks

Allen

[Allen Brown]

David

While you're on the case, could I ask you to check how Rollinson's Brabham is described at two more events:

Ingliston 14 Aug 1966
Inglison 2 Oct 1966

Many thanks

Allen

[Alan Cox]

Frank Lythgoe came from Lymm in Cheshire, and Frank Lythgoe Ltd Farmers are still listed in the telephone directory. Don't suppose Frank would still be alive, but the family may still have records.

[Allen Brown]

Useful article on Rollinson in Autosport 6 Jun 1969 pp18-19 gives quite a bit of detail on his time with Lythgoe. Some potentially useful BT21 stuff for you Chris if you haven't already seen that.

Allen

[David McKinney]

Sorry Allen - I was looking at the wrong 4 Sept Ingliston race
In the libre race report the car is described as "the Frank Lythgoe 1500cc Brabham" and in the results as "65 Brabham-Cosworth"

Ingliston 14 Aug 1966 - "Lythgoe F2 Brabham"
Ingliston 2 Oct 1966 - see my earlier

[Ted Walker]

Allen the change from F2 to libre would be because the change in engine size from 1000cc F2 to 1500cc

[Allen Brown]

Err, quite.