1948—2018 70 Years of Lotus Cars

JUNE 2018

EDITION No. 64

. LOTUS NEWS & EVENTS . 2018 HAMPTON DOWNS TWILIGHT . . CLNZ GOES SOUTH part 2 . CLIVE CHAPMAN INTERVIEW . . 2018 LEADFOOT .

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF CLUB LOTUS NZ Inc. 1 - EDITION No. 64 — JUNE 2018

EDITION 64 june 2018

The Official Newsletter of Club Lotus NZ Inc. PRESIDENTS REPORT

David Crandall’s Presidents report from the 2018 Club Lotus NZ Inc. Club Lotus NZ Annual General Meeting held on the PO Box 100 869, 23rd April at the Horse and Trap at Mt Eden

North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland 0745

Web - www.clublotus.co.nz The club is in good heart, with membership numbers having grown slight- Facebook - Club Lotus NZ ly over the past 12 months from 92 to 95 members. Our Treasurer, Kevin New- You Tube— Club Lotus New Zealand ton will be going through the club’s financial position shortly - these are also Forum—www.thelotusforums.com Club Lotus NZ Archives—www.clublotus.org.nz looking solid.

Since our last AGM Lotus has been bought by Geely, owners of Volvo. President This company is reported as planning to invest heavily in Lotus. How they will David Crandall—[email protected] end up positioning the brand and what customers they will seek is not fully

Vice President / Membership known at this point. Reports in media suggest that the Elise may not be re- David White - placed, with a focus on upmarket models including an SUV and even a new Es- [email protected] prit to sit above the Evora. If this is indeed correct this will not be the first time Treasurer Lotus has tried to move upmarket to chase higher value customers and is proba- Kevin Newton—[email protected] bly inevitable. Geely’s successful stewardship of Volvo is some cause for some Secretary/Editor optimism, however. Rex Oddy—[email protected] th This year Lotus officially celebrates its 70 anniversary. This is actually Social Media the anniversary of Colin Chapman creating his first car, as opposed to the found- Rich Miles—[email protected] ing of Lotus Cars in 1952. General Committee Classic Driver magazine, with an article written by Editor Alan Walton Nigel Brock, Tony Bowman (also a Club Lotus NZ member) will feature a range of our members cars to cele-

Regional Coordinators brate this milestone. Northland The last year saw a good range of events and activities for club members, Darren Hills — [email protected] with a Sunday drive event occurring every month.

Bay of Plenty For me, the Taupo Track Weekend organised by Tony Bowman was a John Mallard — [email protected] highlight. This provided a great opportunity for members to kick back and enjoy

Central North Island each other’s company in Rotorua, with some good drives to and from the event, Tony Bowman — [email protected] along with track time at Taupo. The Hampton Downs Twilight event was also

Wellington well attended by members. Nick Cater — [email protected] Wednesday Wanders run with the Austin Healey Car Club organised by

MotorSport NZ Liaison Rex Oddy and Alan Horner also continue to be popular. We also had a good Tony Bowman—[email protected] selection of cars at a couple of key shows – the Ellerslie Concours, and the Auck- land Brit & Euro Car Show which enjoyed some better weather. These events

showcase the marque and the club to the general public. Our Vice President David White, participated in the Sothern Lotus Regis- ter’s Trans Alpine run to Invercargill late last year, and in the process got to know many of the people down there. Hopefully further opportunities for

members to join our southern cousins on runs will result from this. We are continuing with our popular calendar for 2019 – if you would like to see your car included and can come up with a good photo please talk with

Rex Oddy.

In spite of best intentions, the club is still grappling with events in the

regions, with insufficient member numbers to hit critical mass to generate a Club Lotus NZ is a MotorSport good frequency of runs. New Zealand affiliated club Over the coming year we intend to increase runs and track events with other clubs, which can only broaden the activities available to members. I would also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the Committee for their support and thank Geoff Sparks who is standing down. The committee is now three people smaller than it was two years ago, so we would welcome

Cover picture— Brian additional members on it. Jones’s Exige photographed at the clubs February Twilight Thank you. Meeting at Hampton Downs. David Crandall

See page 5 for details. President Club Lotus NZ Inc.

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CLUB LOTUS NEWS Events 17 June 2018 Historic Racing Club introduction to Motorsport Day, Hampton Downs 17 June 2018 Matakohe Kauri Museum Run 24 June 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna 27 June 2018 Club Lotus & Austin Healey Car Club Wednesday Wander 15 July 2018 Club Run, to be advised 25 July 2018 Club Lotus & Austin Healey Car Club Wednesday Wander 29 July 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna 11 August 2018 Bay of Plenty Alfa Romeo Car Club Taupo Track Day 19 August 2018 Waipu Run 29 August 2018 Club Lotus & Austin Healey Car Club Wednesday Wander 26 August 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna 16 September 2018 Club Run, to be advised 26 September 2018 Club Lotus & Austin Healey Car Club Wednesday Wander 30 September 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna 14 October 2018 Club Run, to be advised 28 October 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna 31 Octobr 2018 Club Lotus & Austin Healey Car Club Wednesday Wander 3/4 November 2018 Lotus 70th Anniversary, Taupo 29 November 2018 Club Lotus & Austin Healey Car Club Wednesday Wander 26 November 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna 9 December 2018 Christmas Show and Shine Lunch 30 December 2018 Caffeine and Classics, Smales Farm, Takapuna

Not Your Usual Mark Cropper has a rear clamshell off an Elise Sport 160 that is now surplus to requirements. He is open to offers. It is accepted that you might not own an Elise without a back end but what a piece of kit it is. Certainly a work of art in its own right. If you would like to contact Mark email [email protected]

Club Lotus is collecting photos for the 2019 calendar. The close off date is the end of September so there is still four months to get that special photo to the selection committee.

Email photos to [email protected]. We would like to know where the photos were taken and who took them. Be aware that the standard image size of most cameras does not line up perfectly with an A4 sized sheet. Please allow some space around your special car so we can crop the image to fit the calendar page format.

33 - EDITION— EDITION No. No. 64 64 — JUNE— JUNE 2018 2018

2018—70 YEARS OF LOTUS CARS

This is a draft cover for the July / August issue of Classic Driver.

A number of covers are produced for each magazine issue and the one that appears on the book shelves is the one the publisher believes will sell the most copies. We understand that. We also know that it isn’t always the cover with a big picture of a Lotus on it that gets picked. We don’t understand that.

This cover however is so good that we are holding our breath.

2018 Marks 70 years since Colin Chapman built what is Magazine. A photoshoot took place at the beginning of May now known as the Lotus Mark 1. The Lotus name however and Lotus will be celebrated over the next couple of issues of didn't appear until the Mark 3 was produced in 1951 and Classic Driver Magazine. Book your copies now. The second Lotus Engineering, the company that built the Lotus cars was- and main event will be a 70th Anniversary Celebration week- n’t founded until 1952. end at Taupo on the 3rd and 4th November including a Satur- Club Lotus will over the next year undertake a number day track day at the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park and a of events that will celebrate the anniversary. The first of gymkhana at Turangi on Sunday. these will be celebrating the marque with NZ Classic Driver

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2018 HAMPTON DOWNS TWILIGHT Allan Horner reports on Bonneville, Route Rex 66 Oddy and LasReports Vegus

Club Lotus’s very popular Auckland track day was held on the 16th February and was back this year as a twilight meeting at Hampton Downs, and for the first time we ran on the new club circuit. This year the event was run for us by HRC Events a sister organisation to the Historic Racing Club, the club that held the licence for the Hampton Downs circuit up until it was sold to Tony Quin. Tim Hill of HRC Events was in charge, assisted by his boss Chris Watson. The format was simple, a driver briefing, a slow drive for three laps of the circuit with a couple of stops at key points to discuss the racing line, apex’s and why the helpful cones were placed where they were. To assist drivers, HRC had provided three instructors who were available to sit in the passengers seat for a small dona- tion to a charity. Wendy Metcalfe, John Tomlin and Jordan Baldwin were our mentors for the evening. Jordan Baldwin is a Kiwi motorsport star

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2018 HAMPTON DOWNS TWILIGHT Rex Oddy Reports

in the making having recently received the Ian Snellgrove Trophy awarded to the top driver from the NZ MotorSport Elite Acade- my. The weather was fine, everyone smiled. John Mallard parked his car in the middle of a pond at one stage and David White’s Elise got towed off to ByGone Auto’s (radiator issues). There is not much else to say as the pictures tell the story. I guess everyone will be back next year if we can manage to arrange another track day. Something that is not quite as easy for us to do as it used to be. Lets hope.

Rex

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2018 HAMPTON DOWNS TWILIGHT Rex Oddy Reports

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CLNZ GOES SOUTH (Part 2) David White writes about joining the Southern Lotus Register’s 2017 Transalpine

Even this photo missed the Evoras and Esprit (too big for the camera)

Day 4 The Southern Tour is relaxed. People join it or exit it at different points along the route, de- pending on their individual trajectories. Before some split, we managed a large line-up of (mostly) Lotus cars, on another bright and warm Invercar- gill morning. Lunch was at the Niagara Falls Cafe, where the owners had gone to great lengths to accom- modate our party - plates of food, outdoor seating, and even live musical entertainment from some local women. The Niagara Falls were a major letdown for those who explored that side- track, rather lacking in the grandeur of their namesake. The highway through the Catlins, on the other hand, was twisty, scenic and not too Above—So hot in Invercargill that the roofs were stowed. Below—There's a theme going busy. Suddenly, we were on proper "Lotus roads". on. Bottom—The elite gets the shade The vista at Florence Hill Lookout is most impressive, overlooking Tautuku Bay. It attracts photographers from both directions. While I'd been to the Nugget Point lighthouse many years ago, because the weather on this trip was perfect, I chose to enjoy the walk and the views again. Further north, I explored another coast road near Karitane and found that the fog was rolling in from the sea, despite the sunny day! Strange weather. Even stranger was the choice to apply fresh chip seal to both sides of the highway in one go! I was following the V8 MX5, and despite travelling at walking pace some distance behind,

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CLNZ GOES SOUTH (Part 2) David White writes about joining the Southern Lotus Register’s 2017 Transalpine

my side air intakes had gathered handfuls of small stones by the time we reached Dunedin.

Day 5 Weather forecast: more of the same... early morning fog, then sunny and warm. Oamaru was still misty, but so picturesque in the old town. At that point, it was "goodbye" from me to my new friends, as I was departing the tour at Waimate to stay with my sister, while most of the others re- turned to Christchurch. My final photo opportunity, during the tour, was at Riverstone Castle. Janette tried to book it for one of our stops, but it did not work out. A pity, as the moat and castle make a spectacular backdrop.

Post Amble The highlight of the tour for me was definitely the camaraderie. While we didn't travel much in con- voy, we didn't need to. People commented on all the Lotus cars they had seen and asked if there was an event on. But it was certainly impressive when they did park together.

Top left—Catlins twisty road. Left—Someone is overdressed. It's "tops off" weather Above—Nugget Point lighthouse.

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CLNZ GOES SOUTH (Part 2) David White writes about joining the Southern Lotus Register’s 2017 Transalpine

Thanks to all the South Island folks for welcoming me in your midst. Hopefully, there will be more such intermingling in the future. (And if you'd like to see/hear more of this tale - snow on the Crown Range; almost bald rear tyres on a wet Haast Pass; which is my new favourite driving road - send feedback to whoever sent you this edition.)

David White

Above right—Collecting stones from the road resealing crew. Right—Some of the undercover, reserved parking (Dunedin). Below - Fog approaching Karitane. Below right—Karitane. Bottom Left— Riverstone Castle Bottom right—V8 MX5 or a pennyfarthing?

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CLNZ GOES SOUTH (Part 2) David White writes about joining the Southern Lotus Register’s 2017 Transalpine

Above—Ancient Oamaru Left and Below left— Old things in Oamaru Below right—If you break down, you have to drive the Beetle.

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IF CARS COULD TALK John Aston in conversation with Clive Chapman of Classic Team Lotus

John Aston is a member of the editorial team of Lowflying the magazine of the UK based Lotus Seven Club. This article is published with the kind permission of Lowflying, The Lotus Seven Club and John Aston

Lincolnshire has often been called ‘Bomber County’, and whilst Lancasters, Vulcans and Victors are now part of aviation history there are still plenty of planes scrolling the county’s big skies in 2018. Guy Gib- son’s 617 Squadron base, RAF Scamp- ton, is home for the Red Arrows, as I was reminded on this bone cold Janu- ary day when the tight formation of nine Hawks banked low over Lincoln Cathedral. Nobody on the A46 kept their eyes on the road because, come on, how could you ? In the next hour I passed RAF Waddington (but not an AWACS in sight today) and RAF Coningsby, home of the Battle of Britain Memori- al Flight and some lethal looking Ty- phoons. And a few miles later in the flatlands around New York (sic) there was what looked like a scrapyard (remember those ?) with its entrance guarded by an English Electric Light- ning and - cripes - only a Bloodhound Missile, just like the Corgi model I’d had in the early Sixties. The aviation theme continued through the Cambridgeshire and Norfolk near Downham Market, perhaps, but lots of flood banks and fens, with something fast and noisy (I guessed a Tornado) tak- every other vehicle on the road to Thetford seems to be ei- ing off from RAF Marham and lots of old Nissen huts and ther a pumped up pick up or a massive tractor. And the RAF hangars punctuating the monotony of the endless black soiled buildings up a dead end lane somewhere to the east of Wy- fields. Not for the first time I thought that the closest we have mondham look just like any other Second World War foot- to Mississippi is East Anglia, as both share the distant hori- note, that is until I notice the race car transporter in the trade- zons, the vast flat fields and the isolated houses, as often as mark green and yellow livery of Team Lotus . not with the national flag snapping in the breeze. No levees I was here to talk to Clive Chapman, who heads up Classic Team Lotus, and if you own a Seven, in either its Lotus or Caterham manifestation, then you really don’t need me to tell you who Clive’s father was, do you ? I had done a Low Flying interview with Clive in 2011, but that was ’ down the line ‘ and admit it, would you pass up the opportunity of visiting the place where just about every important Lotus monoposto gets the full range of treatment from routine TLC to full blown restoration ? I wanted to talk to Clive about the Lotus heritage, the current historic racing scene, Lotus at the Indy 500 and what it was like Lotus 56 after restoration - photo Classic Team Lotus to have a certain Adrian

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IF CARS COULD TALK John Aston in conversation with Clive Chapman of Classic Team Lotus

Legendary Lotus mechanic Bob Dance in the workshop

Newey enlisting your services to help race prepare his own 125 finishes, in races from the USA to Europe and Japan –‘ It’s Lotus 49. not only a tribute to our mechanics but our customers have The atmosphere at Classic Team Lotus is traditional done very well in keeping the cars on track. Highlights ? Sil- race shop, and all the better for it. Clive ‘s office is actually a verstone Classic is a really good event these days, getting back desk in the corner of a room shared with a couple of other to its former glories, and in North American events – Canadi- staff, with trophies and mementoes on display in an endear- an Grand Prix, Mosport, Road America, Austin and Mexican ingly ad hoc fashion. I‘d guess that if some current F1 team Grand Prix – our customers won all the races. Our cars aren’t bosses came to visit, they might find the endearingly analogue just reliable, but they’re quick .’ I was intrigued about the environment here a sharp contrast to the operating theatre cultural differences in historic racing between Europe and conditions in which teams such as Mercedes and McLaren America and Clive explained that none of his drivers took the carry out the business of creating their $300m machines. But cut-throat approach which we have seen adopted in other here at Potash Lane there’s not too much computational flow areas of historic racing – ‘...but some drivers do like to drive dynamics going on, instead there’s the reassuring sound of the cars as close to the period speeds as possible. But it’s busy men and machines from the adjoining workshop and down to how quick they want to be, in Europe there’s plenty there’s a procession of proper blokes with proper overalls of drivers who are quite happy to be in mid-field, or further going about the dirty finger nailed business of caring for mid- back than that. Yes, some really want to be at the front but dle aged Grand Prix cars . they’ve all got to live together, and they do. The quick guys I begin my talk with Clive by asking about how last year realise the slower ones are just as important as they are. had been for the team, and what the team plans were for the Some of the sports car racing (as opposed to Historic Formula 2018 season, which includes the blue riband Grand Prix de 1) can get hectic though, and many of the cars are nowhere Monaco Historique, and also the Amelia Island, Florida, con- close to what they were in period, but in monoposto racing cours event, at which Emerson Fittipaldi will be reunited with it’s a good atmosphere; Formula Junior is fantastic, as are his 1973 Lotus 72. Clive smiles and tells me, with justified both the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association and The Mas- pride, that last season his customers’ cars had 137 starts and ters events. The Brits are renowned for not wanting to

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IF CARS COULD TALK John Aston in conversation with Clive Chapman of Classic Team Lotus appear to be trying too hard but we seem to rule the roost in simpler past - ‘Well , they’re certainly impressed at how motor sport ; there’s something about the sport that brings close they can get to the cars - historic motor sport is all about out the competitor in the Brits and so we go over to the access – and at Goodwood there’s the most incredible line up States (laughs) and we’re just quicker than they are !’ of machinery, and noise, smells, colours. It really sells motor Our talk turns to racing at Monaco, the circuit which sport in general .’ Nelson Piquet characterised as like racing a bicycle around Clive talks me through some Lotus history and de- your living room, and about which Clive comments , with feel- scribes how Team Lotus made 58 different single seater racing, that—‘logistically it is very challenging, we’re maybe run- ers, a total of about 1500 chassis including about 150 Formula ning ten cars there so even though we have 19 people it’s a 1 cars- ‘and we know where they all are. The family does have big stretch. Arriving with the transporters is difficult, unload- a collection but we don’t race them, just demo runs at Good- wood and so on. The business itself looked after 40 cars for 14 different customers in 2017; we restore and look after cars and if our customers want, we help them go racing.’ The elephant in the room in historic racing is the trend for ‘tool room replica’ and ‘continuation’ cars (such as the £1.5m As- ton Martin DB4GT) and the Chapman take on the trend is very clear- ‘ We don’t allow cars that weren’t construct- ed by Team Lotus to carry the Lotus nose badge or Lotus chassis plate. Or to display Team Lotus on the side. Personally I have no interest in continuation cars – it leaves me cold. ‘ Another recent devel- opment in the historic arena has been the ing is difficult, so is setting up, so is running the cars and even number of young drivers, many of whom see historic racing as finding a hotel is difficult ... it really is a challenge. We shake a stepping stone in their careers, and if you have watched down the cars at Hethel as there’s limited running (at Mona- Formula Ford 1600 or Formula Junior racing in 2017 you will co). The main thing our customers have to realise is that to know what I mean. I was curious about how well, and how have a good weekend they still need to be running at the quickly, a driver more used to paddle shifts and lots of aerody- chequered flag. If you go off there, you hit a barrier. Our me- namic grip adapted to H pattern gearboxes and comparatively chanics do an amazing job, they move heaven and earth, they little grip - ‘....it’s not been a problem. Josh Hill drove ring people up in Norfolk in the middle of the night to get bits (grandfather) Graham’s 49 and he had no issue at all . (Toro flown out, just like when we were an F1 team really. If any- Rosso and Porsche LMP1 driver ) Brendon Hartley drove a 92 body who was setting up a business looked at our calendar a few years ago at Brands Hatch and just blitzed the whole last year, 30 events including two in Japan, and looked at the field .’ size of our team they’d just say ‘forget it, it’s not going to hap- I mention a conversation I’d had with Japanese racer, pen‘ .’ Katsu Kubota, at the Oulton Park Gold Cup last year, when So how were the Japanese fans ? ‘.... they are very Katsu mentioned that, apart from the Lotus Cortina he was knowledgeable. They sit in the grandstands very quietly, often racing that day, during the 2017 season he would also have with their children, and they really know what’s going on and raced a Lotus 22, 23, 72 and 88. So what was in the Lotus appreciate the technology, the detail and the effort. Whenev- DNA which created such passion for a single marque ? ‘ I must er I go out to Japan the enthusiasm for Lotus is outstanding. ‘ admit I’m not sure I can really answer that.....sometimes it’s a On a similar theme, I am intrigued to find out how current single formative experience, and with Katsu he’s got that ob- crowds at big events like Grand Prix support races and Good- session, that enthusiasm , to race Lotus cars and that’s much wood Festival of Speed react to these cars from a louder and rarer than just having lots of money. He’s a huge Ronnie Pe-

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IF CARS COULD TALK John Aston in conversation with Clive Chapman of Classic Team Lotus terson fan and was heavily influenced by Senna when he was Lotus the brand...and from my mother’s (Hazel Chapman, 90 racing for Lotus. And as a brand, I think what Lotus always did this year ) point of view a Lotus is a Lotus, it’s got Colin Chap- was punch way above their weight, they had no preconcep- man’s initials on it, but she wasn’t keen on the initials being tions and always pushed the boundaries. ‘ It seems the right on footballers shirts...’ time to mention Adrian Newey’s book, How to Build a Car, Colin Chapman was a very quick driver on track, and a which I have just finished (highly recommended by the way) successful racer of course, and I wondered how often Clive and Clive tells me he got the book for his sons and he’s about himself gets out on the track in one of the Team cars. It turns to read it himself. In one chapter Newey talks about how he out that he enjoys driving but doesn’t do it often. He drove enlisted Classic Team Lotus‘ help in race preparing his own (’67 Jim Clark car) 49 R2 at the Festival of Speed in 2017 - Lotus 49 and I wonder what it was like to have one of the world’s most successful Formula 1 designers as client. It’s ‘Emerson couldn’t do the last run’, and he also drove the 79 in interesting that Newey’s Dad had an Elan (which Adrian him- Orebro, Ronnie Peterson’s home town in Sweden—‘at about self drove on his honeymoon) and just like Gordon Murray, of 130mph, with Marcus Ericsson alongside in the Sauber. That whom more later on, there’s clearly a strong Lotus affiliation was fun ’ in this rarefied community of designers. ‘Yes, it was certainly I mention that I had followed a Seven driven by Clive flattering , he could have done (the restoration) without us around Silverstone on the 60th anniversary parade and I was but he’s so busy obviously. Team manager Chris Dinnage (with curious to get his view on what his father might have thought Lotus since 1982) and Kevin Smith have restored four 49s, of the Seven’s apparent immortality. ‘Hmm.. I think Dad and that kind of experience really is useful. Adrian really would be a bit non plussed (laughs)...his interest was always wanted the car to be accurate as it was in period and that’s in the new car, the next thing, which really is the only way to really what we excel at. Every switch, fastener and gauge is as go about it.’ But I have asked Clive to keep July 2027 clear for it should be, as it was. And Adrian did a lot himself as well. He the Seven’s 70th birthday and I think he agreed. He and his had his first run at Hethel; it was a bit surreal for Adrian to be family would be very welcome, as they are an important part asking Chris for set up advice (laughs). Then he (Adrian) went of our story. to Monaco and did really well. ‘ We then talk about Gordon Murray, a previous Low Last time we had spoken I had guessed, correctly, that Flying interviewee, and very much a Chapman disciple – his Clive’s favourite Lotus would be the classic 25, the 1.5 litre V8 first car, the IGM, was a Seven-esque club racer (but even Coventry Climax engined car which, in Jim Clark’s hands, won lighter), his favourite road car is the Elan S3 and the McLaren fourteen Grands Prix between 1962 and 1965. Had there been F1 was arguably the ultimate manifestation of the ‘added any change in allegiance, had Clive perhaps succumbed to the lightness ‘ mantra (if not perhaps the ‘simplify’ prefix ). Mur- lure of DFV power in the ground breaking 49 or fallen for the ray was quoted as saying he might not have been able to work allure of the wedge shaped 72 ? Not a chance - ‘ The 25 is so with Colin Chapman as they were too alike but Clive is not so simple, yes, but was such a fundamental change in design, sure, pointing out that Colin worked successfully with many and with Jim Clark, it was so dominant, so stunning. We are great people - ‘ a lot of my father’s success was working with running the two 25s which are racing, Bob Dance (legendary clever people...... from the Allen brothers (with whom Colin Lotus mechanic, now in his sixth decade with the team) is run- worked on his first 750 racer in 1951), Mike Costin (the ‘Cos’ in ning one of them and working with Bob is a real and genuine Cosworth and formerly Colin’s deputy at Lotus), Keith Duck- privilege. The 25s tend to win as well, which is quite nice. But worth (the ‘worth’ in Cosworth, and who started with Lotus I am very fond of other cars, especially if we have restored as a gearbox engineer from 1955-8), Len Terry ( whose Lotus them, like 38/1, which we restored for the Henry Ford Muse- designs included the Indy winning 38) , Maurice Philippe (who um. Taking it to Indy, with Dario Franchitti driving, doing a worked with Colin on the 43 (the BRM H-16 engined F1 car), parade lap just before the 500, with 300,000 people in the 49 , 72 and 56), Peter Wright (‘father of ground effect‘, as pio- grandstands, that sort of wins you over ...’ The 38 was leg- neered in the 78 and 79) so maybe Gordon, for a period, would endarily noisy and Clive recounts the story of when its 4.2 V8 have been part of Lotus. Dad’s knack was somehow gathering was first fired up –‘the first time since Jimmy switched it off. people together, he was a magnet for people like that and My God, the noise... ‘. could knit people together as a team. It’s how Classic Team Our chat turns to the various manifestations of the Lotus works.’ It is clear that there is still an extraordinary es- Lotus brand in Grand Prix racing—calling it the abbreviated prit de corps and Clive tells me that whenever the team is and ubiquitous ‘F1’ doesn’t feel quite right here. I volunteer holding an event at Hethel, or nearby Snetterton, it has a get- that I had mixed feelings about seeing Pacific Team Lotus together for ‘the lads ‘ (whose numbers include some lasses) slide into oblivion in ’95, to be followed by the bizarre specta- who love to tell and retell their stories of the great adventure cle in 2011 of Team Lotus and Lotus competing as separate that was Team Lotus. teams, the former then becoming Caterham, of course, and And now we must talk about the Lotus 56, the car the latter (having variously been called Toleman, Benetton which, in true Lotus style, rocked the racing establishment and Renault) being a Lotus for a time until becoming Re- and horrified traditionalists. It wasn’t just the pure wedge nault, again, in 2016. But if nomenclature has often been a shape, arresting as it was in the era of cigar tube racers and topic of lively debate in this Club, Clive is far more pragmatic, the last traditional Indy roadsters, nor even the four wheel mentioning how pleased he was to hear on Radio 4 that Raik- drive, but the fact that it was powered by a Pratt and Whit- konen had won a Grand Prix in a Lotus -‘ it was good for the

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IF CARS COULD TALK John Aston in conversation with Clive Chapman of Classic Team Lotus ney gas turbine more commonly found in helicopters. The 56 there’s no plan .‘ I very much hope that the team does remain wasn’t the first to use such an engine, as the STP Paxton had in family ownership because to me, and I am sure to older pioneered gas turbine power the year before at Indy and the Low Flying readers, it was Team Lotus who first fired their Rover BRM had competed at Le Mans five years earlier, but love of the sport, and it was Lotus drivers like Clark and Hill the disruptive, left field approach taken by Paxton and Rover who became their childhood heroes. And that’s not even was bound to appeal to the innovatory Lotus team. I had ex- mentioning a certain very lightweight sports car, which will pected restoration of the 56 to have been an extraordinarily forever be close to our hearts . complex process but I am surprised when Clive tells me that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask Clive to sign one of the biggest challenges was actually the paint, the car in my copy of Karl Ludvigsen’s definitive book, Colin Chapman: period having appeared in lurid day- glo orange/red STP livery Inside the Innovator, on the fly sheet of which already appears - ‘The original mechanics told us these ridiculous stories that if a facsimile of Colin’s signature. Clive is happy to autograph you left a spanner on the car it’d leave its outline on the body- the book for me but tells me that he’ll do so in pencil and I’m work but we thought ‘yeah, right ..’ It was a nightmare to mystified until he tells me that the propelling pencil he uses paint but eventually we took it over to the test track – my belonged to his father, and you don’t need me to tell you how mother was there too – and as the sun came out the car start- much of a privilege that represents . ed changing colour ! Half the car was in shade, half in sun, Before I head home, Clive gives me a tour of the work- and as we moved it we thought we’d ruined it – it was so UV shop and, of course, it’s a joy. I am used to seeing historic reactive. ‘ I learn that , despite the passage of nearly half a Formula 1 cars during the racing season but I still tingle at the century, the tub was extremely original and also that Vince sight of the ex Gunnar Nilsson, JPS liveried Type 78, the Essex Granatelli, son of the Granatelli brothers of STP fame, had sponsored Type 81 and all the other familiar shapes nestling helped with the engine –‘but it’s a relatively simple car to in corners of this small building in Norfolk. There’s the bare run.’ And Clive has driven it too - ‘...a few laps around a US tub of a Lotus 38 too, and although it’s stripped down to bare oval. Incredible, so exciting. You sit there with the brake on, aluminium, Clive points to a small patch of the original red lift your foot and then off you trundle, just like driving an au- STP paint, now faded but still a distant echo of the 38’s glory tomatic really but instead of 5mph it’s 100mph.’ Knowing the days at The Brickyard. car had the reputation of major throttle lag I venture that it was never going to feel like a DFV – ‘God no ...DFVs are just so If only cars could talk... (clicks fingers) quick. You can’t believe...as soon as you change gear you’re changing up to the next gear. It’s always over- My thanks to Clive Chapman and all at Classic Team Lotus. whelming but the 56 is just a big auto except the exhaust is Much more at www.classicteamlotus.co.uk ; Youtube has lots right by your head and no, I wasn’t wearing a helmet...’ of footage of the cars featured in the text. I recommend the As we conclude the interview, I wonder about Classic Road and Track piece of Dario Franchitti driving the Lotus 38 Team Lotus succession and learn that both Clive’s sons are at Indy. studying engineering and that his daughter, a lawyer, is already very interested in motor sport. The lads are involved in John Aston Formula Student –‘a fantastic thing ‘- and one of them is cur- rently working at Mercedes HPP, who make the all conquering Formula 1 engine - ‘...and so yes, there’s a chance. But

Your Ed’s favourite Lotus ever. The one off 32B, that Jim Clark drove to take out the Tasman Series in 1965 and driven to fourth place the following year by Jim Palmer.

This car photographed at Silverstone in 1998 is now part of the Classic Team Lotus collection.

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2018 LEADFOOT Rex Oddy Reports

Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th February were the dates for this years Leadfoot Festival held at Rod and Shelly Millen’s Leadfoot Ranch at Hahei. This was my first Leadfoot. I had been meaning to go for a while as the event usually draws starters from Club Lotus and since the first Leadfoot was held in 2011 as a celebration of Rod Millen’s 60th birthday I had been putting off going for a while. For me Sunday was the day, and as it turned out the weather wasn’t great but it didn’t spoil anything. Certainly my first motorsport event where there were ladies shoes and dresses for sale, but considering the period atmosphere perhaps they were frocks and not dresses. Bags of action, bags of atmosphere and speaking of bags I am sure there were some of those for sale there as well. If you had brought your sandwiches you had to go back to the carpark to eat them as no food was permitted at the venue but the food options there, were outstanding. You could almost describe Leadfoot as a food festival with motorsport entertainment. Worth another visit ? Next year for sure.

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2018 LEADFOOT Rex Oddy Reports

Paul McCarthy above and below takes out, and not for the first time, a podium in the Pre—75 class.

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2018 LEADFOOT Rex Oddy Reports

Clockwise from top left — Even national hero's had a great time.

Back row from left Margot Horton, Poul Christie, Bill Williams, Janet Williams in front.

Into the final, Richard McCarthy (Jnr) drives the Seven that used to be in the hands of his dad and Club Lotus Life Member, Rich- ard McCarthy (Snr).

At 88 years, ex Club Lotus member Allan Wolfe retired from motor racing at the end of this years Leadfoot. We believe he has competed in every single Leadfoot. See also page 21

Pole Christie’s M10B.

Marshalls coats and no race overalls at this year’s Leadfoot. The original Kiwi drifters, Mark Parsons left and ByGone Auto’s Mal Clark. A couple of ex Club Lotus members who pushed the boundaries sideways before drifting had ever been heard of. In those days, over driving was the term, an activity not always approved of by officialdom but the public loved them for it.

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2018 LEADFOOT Rex Oddy Reports

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MISCELLANEOUS Loudest round of applause at the prize giving? For Allan Wolf’s incredible handling of the Lotus Cortina. Otuau Hillclimb report from Club Lotus Edition 1988 Issue 1.

Thirty nine starters at the Austin Healey Car Club run event. Five entrants from Club Lotus with four finishing in the top six including an outright record for the hillclimb.

Your Ed believed this photo taken at Wings and Wheels at Whenuapai in 1997 shows the first ever V8 Esprit and Elise in New Zealand. He was even more pleased when both cars appeared in the 2018 club calendar. Well not quite so. Both are the first of their type in the country. The V8 ticking two boxes, it is the Karen and Andrew Kear owned car that appears in April. The Elise is the first of its kind in New Zealand but is not the December 2018 calendar car. Dave Christopher who originally bought the December car, it’s now in the hands of his son Jim, was going to buy a blue one but was so impressed with the yellow car he saw at Whenuapai he ordered one for himself. The pictured Esprit was originally owned by John Adendorf and the Elise by Ken Moffatt.

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