8th Dec, 2010 14:30

The Pavilion Gardens

 
  Lot 45
 

1965 Lola T70 Mk II Spyder


Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Chassis No: SL71/19
Mot Expiry: N/A

Lola's line of successful two-seater racing cars dates back to the daddy of them all - the 1956 Broadley Special; a triumphant Ford-powered racer built by cousins Eric and Graham Broadley. Encouraged by its potential, Eric, a quantity surveyor by profession, then penned the more sophisticated Coventry-Climax-powered Lola MKI. Victories flowed almost immediately, bringing purchase requests from those wanting to emulate its results. Lola Cars Ltd was born.

One of the first to spot the potential of building a mid-engined sports racer around a large capacity V8, Broadley conceived the MK6 (Lola GT) for 1963. This made second fastest lap at Le Mans that year and impressed a lot of people; not least the board of Ford Motor Co, who had just failed to wrestle Ferrari from its founder. They felt Broadley's latest creation could be their key to victory at La Sarthe and signed him up to work alongside their own engineers. The result was the all-conquering GT40. Broadley's Ford contract concluded in the summer of 1964, however, leaving him free to design cars for his Lola customers once more. His priority was to use the lessons learned from the GT40 to create a lighter, open-bodied car in the same guise for the 1965 season. Enter the stunningly handsome Lola T70, which was unveiled at the 1965 Racing car Show, London.

The MKI version proved a trifle fragile initially. However, the potential was clear enough and the first victory fell to the man engaged to help develop the car, newly-crowned F1 World Drivers' Champion, John Surtees, who triumphed in the Player's 200 at Mosport in Canada on June 5th. Another regular T70 MKI campaigner was David Hobbs and it was he who achieved the first home win for the car in the Guards Trophy race at Mallory Park just two days later. Other victories for the T70 in 1965 included:

August 15th - Daily Mirror, Croft - Hobbs
August 30th - Guards Trophy, Brands Hatch - Surtees
September 19th - Players, Mont-Tremblant - Surtees
October 17th - 200 Mile, Laguna Seca - Walt Hansgen

The Lola camp ended the season in great concern, however, when Surtees sustained life threatening injuries while testing a T70 at the Mosport circuit, as the result of a failed front suspension upright. Happily, not only did he make a full recovery over the winter, but bounced back to win the inaugural Can-Am Series of 1966, with victory in three of the six races at the wheel of a T70 MKII. On the home front that year, popular New Zealander Denny Hulme won six of the seven UK races and finished the season holding outright lap records at seven different circuits, courtesy of the Sid Taylor MKII.

A straight evolution of the MKI, the aluminium/steel monocoque chassis of the MKII contained 45 per cent less steel and was largely of riveted rather than welded construction. The result was a 70 lb reduction in weight. The body was made in glassfibre, the rear section of which was quickly removable for access to the engine and other major components. By ceasing to colour impregnate the bodyshells, Lola saved a valuable 35 lbs in weight. Front suspension was by double wishbone and telescopic spring/dampers units. The rear featured wishbones and radius rods with telescopic spring/damper units. Braking was by 12-inch Girling ventilated discs mounted inboard at either end. Steering was by the rack and pinion system from the BMC 1100. The 15-inch cast magnesium bolt-on wheels were 8-inches wide at the front and 10-inches wide at the rear. The chassis was built to take either Chevrolet 289 or 327 cu in engines, or their equivalent Ford units. Following the experiences of 1965, Hewland LG 500 four-speed gearboxes were now fitted as standard. The track and wheelbase were quite similar to those of a GT40, but the car was an astonishing nine inches lower. At approximately 1,500 lbs (with Ford engine) or 1,600 lbs (Chevrolet), it was also notably lighter.

1966 was certainly the year of the T70 on both sides of the Atlantic, and though Lola continued to develop the car - producing MKIII and MKIIIB derivatives, the writing was on the wall. The McLaren M6A became the dominant force in the 1967 Can-Am season, while Group 9 - the category in which the T70 had excelled - was dropped from the UK calendar. The best days of the model where behind it.

It is unclear exactly how many examples were made altogether, though at least 100 appear to have left the factory in period - 51 of which are known to still exist today. Moreover, such is the demand for T70s in historic racing, that Lola laid down a further seven FIA-recognised chassis in 2007/2008.

For obvious reasons, original T70s rarely come to market these days, so the sale of T70 MKII, chassis No.SL71/19, is a great opportunity for the many fans of the model. It was delivered new to Tony Sargeant under the banner of Racing Partnerships (Jersey) Ltd in December 1965 for the trio of Sargeant, Hugh Dibley and Mac Daghorn to campaign the following season. The intention was to take in Group 9 and other races in the UK and the new Can-Am series on the other side of The Pond. At this stage in its history the car was red in colour and generally ran with the number 53 on its flanks.

The Lola's impressive UK results for 1966 came amidst grids populated by the likes of Chris Amon, Mike Parkes, Brian Redman, David Piper, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren, John Surtees, Richard Attwood, Jacky Ickx, Innes Ireland, Peter Gethin, Frank Gardener and Graham Hill. Chronicled below, they can be summarised by driver as follows:

Sargeant - 2 x first; 1 x third
Dibley - 1 x first; 2 second; 1 x fourth; 2 x fifth
Daghorn - 1 x first

Date, Race, Chassis, Driver, Entrant - Results

10.4.1966 Scott-Brown Memorial Snetterton, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Tony Sargeant, Racing Partnership Team - DNF

11.4.1966 Mallory Park [Formula Libre], Lola T70 #SL71/19, Tony Sargeant, Racing Partnership Team - 1st

29.4.1966 Tourist Trophy, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnership Team - Unknown

14.5.1966 Daily Express Silverstone, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnership - 5th

18.6.1966 Rufforth [Formula Libre] , Lola T70 #SL71/19, Tony Sargeant, Racing Partnership - 3rd

9.7.1966 Martini Trophy Silverstone, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnership - 4th

16.7.1966 GP Brands Hatch, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnership (Jersey) - 1st

23.7.1966 Phoenix Park, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Tony Sargeant, Racing Partnership - DNF

30.7.1966 Snetterton, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Tony Sargeant, Racing Partnership - 1st

6.8.1966 Norbury Trophy Crystal Palace, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Mac Daghorn - 1st

14.8.1966 Wills Trophy Croft , Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnership - 2nd

14.8.1966 Croft [Formula Libre], Lola T70 #SL71/19, Tony Sargeant, Racing Partnership - 1st

21.8.1966 Castle Combe, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley - 5th

29.8.1966 Guards Trophy Brands Hatch, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnership (Jersey) - DNF

11.9.1966 Can-Am St. Jovite, Lola T70 #SL71/19, Hugh Dibley, Racing Partnerships (Jersey) - DNS

SL71/19 was one of six T70s competing in the home races and ran in more events than any of the others. The season did not end on a high note however. Indeed, it ended abruptly on September 11th, when Dibley was seeking to qualify the car at St Jovite, Canada - the venue for the first ever Can-Am race. While cresting a rise, the car flipped onto its back. Dibley emerged relatively unscathed, but the car was to take no further part in the event, or indeed in the championship (contrary to some contemporary reports that said it was repaired and ran in the St Jovite and two other Can-Am events that year).

In fact, the crashed Lola was towed from Canada to Florida where it is believed to have lain untouched until purchased by renowned Lola restorer Mac McClendon in 1975. Another long period of inactivity followed, until Norwegian enthusiast Fred Larsen commissioned McClendon to restore the car for him. It was at this point SL71/19 was re-borne in `as-new' condition, fitted with a 1963 5.7-litre Chevrolet engine and finished in its current dark green colour scheme. The Lola was recently repatriated and reunited with its original owner, who now offers it for sale.

A stunning example of the T70's golden period, SL71/19 provides a rare opportunity for historic racers and collectors alike.
 

All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.

You can collect your new pride and joy from our venue until 1pm the day following the sale or our partners are on hand to help arrange safe transportation:

               

Auction: The Pavilion Gardens, 8th Dec, 2010

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