Answered

Answers to “Questions – Can you help?”

Question

We have had a query from Robert Driver, son of Paddy Driver. His father is coming to the UK shortly and would like to see again the Lotus 72 he raced. Its chassis number 7 and was used by Fittipaldi . Any idea who has it now?

Answer

Thank you Michael and Gary for your help on this. It seems its in a private collection and has not seen the light of day since 1976!

Question

Hi Neil

My name is Allan.36. I own a mk1 lotus cortina 1965 Which was left to me by my father. It’s in need of restoration. My father died 6 years ago at the age of 52. In the 6 years he’s been gone I’ve purchased lots of parts for the car. but not a wood rim steering wheel. I own a mint leather LL rim from a mk 2 lotus with brand new horn press. Lol.

Do you know of any one, who wood! Have one hanging about lol.

Allan.

Answer

it’s not clear whether he wants a genuine original Lotus wheel, but if not, there are several suppliers of wood-rimmed wheels

eg http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/category/Steering_Wheels,b.html

Thanks John D.

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Question

Hello Neil

Good Morning
I am currently restoring a Lotus Elite Vin 7503/0440A, it was origionally blue, but was resprayed Martini green? early on in its life. It is alleged it was owned by Colin Chapmans wife, are you able to throw anymore light on the history of this vehicle or direct me to somewhere that can.

Answer

Best people to help are
http://www.lotuselite.org.uk/

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Question

Hi, my father has a signed menu from 1970 at the Savoy, signed by Colin Chapman, Graham Hill, Sterling Moss and Innes Ireland, which he now wishes to sell. Could you let me know if you would be interested or if you know of anyone who would be interested, thanks.
I look forward to your reply,

Please let me know if you are interested and I will forward your details to the owner.

Answer

Yes I am, please send them my contact details (could the person who originally wrote to us please contact us)

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Question

I wonder if you could help me, I have a built up vehicle listed on the original logbook as an Austin Scorpion sports tourer, a petrol engined 747cc 2 seater sports car, chassis, frame or car number being SYCC 113/3144009 and an engine number of M119 167, date of 1st registration 1962.
I have been informed that it could possibly be a Colin Chapman or Brabham, any information you could give me would be much appreciated.

Answer

This does not have the appearance of any Lotus cars of the era for example, it is not very aerodynamic behind the front wheels. By 1962, Lotus were making their own cars, so it is very doubtful that Colin Chapman woudl have been involved.

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Question

What does Lotus stand for?

Answer

Only Hazel Chapman and possibly Clive know the real answer. One other often used explanation is that before building his own cars, Colin used to fix up old cars and on sell them. He bought cars that had failed to sell at auctions. The cars had Lot numbers on them with the number crossed out and u/s added to designate unsold. So he was buying a Lot u/s.

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Question

S1 Elite paint colour

Answer

Can you send me a jpeg, I can send to a friend who will know the colours for sure.
( could the person who originally wrote to us please contact us)

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Question

i have an old car that i believe is some sort of lotus but i don’t know how to find out can you steer me in some direction , have sent some pics

Museum Update August 2011_clip_image011

Answer

Seems to be an old Six/Seven inspired design. and if LHD even more unlikley.

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Many thanks to Guy Stevens for his help.

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Question

Dear Mr Duncan,

I am a student from Germany and I study Copywriting/Conception at a private media school in Hamburg. Right now we have the task to develop a direct mailing for the Lotus Evora. As it will be especially sent out to young businessmen, I find the personality of Colin Chapman very inspiring : revolutionary, creative, a natural leader. Now I am trying to find stories and anecdotes about the character “Chapman” and I have huge problems with that. I can’t find books or articles in the libraries here, the only thing useful I found is the movie “The secret life of Colin Chapman” on youtube and some bits of information via Google.
Can you help me getting more facts and stories about his life? I don’t know if you have any pdf articles or a hint where in the internet or somewhere else I can find inspiring stories about him. Stories like the one about his hat, that he was throwing choreographically in the air after a Lotus won a race. It’s just not only the data about his career I am looking for, more the private side of the revolutionary Chapman.

Thank you so much in advance,
Viktoria

Answer

I think you will find that the following three books should give you the detail you require:-

1. Colin Chapman – Inside the Innovator
Karl Ludvigsen
Haynes Publishing 2010
ISBN: 978 844 254132

2. Colin Chapman. The man and his cars by Gerard Crombac
3. Lotus the early years by Peter Ross

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Question

Dear Neil ,

I am a racetransporter enthusiast (as well as cars.)

The green Team Lotus Bedford was used at least to 1966. Then Lotus got the AEC Swift “HMS Hethel” . This transporter was in 67 of course in the green Team Lotus livery. From 68 to 71 in Gold Leaf colours and from 72 in JPS colours !(later also in white Texaco for the F2).

In between in 66 or 67 Lotus also got 2 smaller transporters , custombuild , on Thames chassis for the touring cars. These cars were not quite the normal Lotus team colours , but in 68 also had the Gold Leaf look. At least 1 of the 2 was later painted JPS black foor the F3 (F2?) team in 72(?).

Now here are my 2 questions about F1 WC 1972:

In Spain for the F1 GP it would be the black AEC for transporting the F1 cars (?)

For the Italian GP the Lotus transporter was involved in a heavy accident that destroyed the transporter and nearly the F1 cars too. The driver being seriousley hurt too ! This transporter can NOT have been the HMS Hethel by the looks of the remains , but would either have been the Thames (from the F3 team) ((?)) or,not I believe ,the old Bedford from 66 ?

Can you help me out here please ?

Answer

Hi Neil

For once I think I can help on this one!

En route from the Spanish GP to the Monaco GP in 1972, the AEC Swift was involved in a road accident and badly damaged, the driver of the other vehicle involved being killed. They were unable to continue with the AEC, so made arrangements with a local transport company to get the cars to Monaco.

After Monaco, they used a Will-Hire truck to get around for a few races, until they came to an arrangement with Tim Parnell to use one of his old Bedford transporters. It was this vehicle that had the tyre blow-out en route to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.

They had left a spare car across the border (due to worries about complications arising from the ongoing legal case linked to the death of Jochen Rindt), which was in the Formula 2 transporter (don’t know which one but perhaps nne of the smaller Thames transporters) and this was collected, driven down to Monza and Fittipaldi drove this spare car to win the ’72 title in the race.

Hope this helps a little.

Many thanks to Michael Oliver.

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Question

“I contribute to 2 Lotus Forums; one being the LDC site & the other LotusElan.net.

For some weeks now we have been trying to find out a bit more about a “Pub Lotus” which I remember visiting one lunchtime whilst on a day trip to London in 1969. I think that Graham Arnold of Club Lotus was involved with the venture. The mate I was with thinks that the Pub was previously called the Wishing Well & after Pub Lotus failed, resumed its previous name.

I’d be very gratefull if you could let me know if that is so & any other information you may have. Are there any archive Photos of Pub Lotus?”

Answer

Many thanks to Kim Eaton for this photo.

Alterations to my house have forced me into the loft to sift and discard the 25 years worth of tat or valuable memorabilia (depends on your point of view, which seems to be man versus woman at present) and decide what indeed to do with it.

Keep it, sell it or throw it, being the various options before me. However, in order to reach a decision you have to look through all this stuff to “evaluate” it, is it a rare and treasured artifact or just something that was kept that, you were definitely going to do something with one day.

In the course of this very time consuming “evaluation” I came across this photo which I remembered from this thread. Unfortunately the accompanying article made no further reference to the picture but it substantiates what has been said before and adds another bit to the puzzle.

Pub Lotus

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Question

Dear Sir

I have been looking at the colinchapmanmuseum homepage and found a book:

Lotus Seven, Restoration Maintenance & Preparation written by Tony Weale.

I have been searching for that book for a long time, and will ask you if it is possible to buy it from you?

Your Sincerely

Hans Bjerremand
Denmark

Answer

Hans

This a rare book indeed.

Abebooks have a copy at a whopping £142.89.

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=tony+weale&bt.x=57&bt.y=9&sortby=3&sts=t

Hope this helps.

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Question

Dear Neil

I wonder if you are able to help or advise me regarding a Lotus vehicle.

My wife was given, by her father, a woodrim steering wheel of approximately 14″ diameter, 3 metal spokes and a black, raised, centre (boss) with CABC Lotus writen in silver on the horn push, which he stated was found in the boot of his Lotus Cortina in the sixties. He thinks it is possibly from a Lotus 7.

I have had many discussions with my Father-in-Law about ascertaining what type of Lotus the steering wheel belonged to and the possibility of acquiring a vehicle to unite the steering wheel to.

I have searched the Lotus community online but not found a match for the wheel. I have also tried to find a classic Lotus specialist in Hertfordshire (where I live) to no avail.

Would you be able to identify the vehicles using the type of steering wheel if I send you a picture of it or reccommend a contact or specialist I could talk to?

I look forward to your reply.

Steering Wheel

Answer

Neil,

The wheel pictured is from a MK I Lotus Cortina. The manufacturer was Springall, in UK. I have an identical one mounted on the wall of my den, that I have had since 1966.

Regards,
Pat Dennis
Mk VI Co-Registrar Historic Lotus Register

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