Lotus

This Lotus 19 Monte Carlo re-creation originated from a collection of parts accumulated by four-time British Hillclimb Champion Roy Lane, whose aspiration to reproduce one of the early-1960s sports racers remained unrealized at the time of his 2009 passing. The project was acquired from Lane’s estate by a Lotus specialist in the UK who commissioned Warwickshire-based Tolman Motorsport to complete the build to FIA-compliant specifications. The finished replica subsequently earned podium finishes in FIA competition at Silverstone and Donington before earning an invitation to the 2016 Goodwood Revival, where it claimed victory in the Whitsun Trophy with Rob Huff at the wheel. The car features fiberglass and aluminum bodywork finished in blue over a steel tube frame with stressed aluminum skin and is powered by an aluminum 4.2-liter Oldsmobile V8 with four Weber 45 DCOE carburetors and wet-sump lubrication. Additional features include a Hewland HD5 five-speed manual transaxle with a limited-slip differential, Girling BR and AR disc brakes with twin master cylinders and adjustable bias, coilover suspension, an ATL fuel cell, Racelogic data logging, and a single seat upholstered in red. After being acquired by its current owner five years ago, the car returned to Goodwood for the 2018 and 2019 Revivals and the 2019 Members Meeting. This Lotus 19 re-creation is now offered by the seller on behalf of the current owner at no reserve on a bill of sale in Costa Mesa, California, with an FIA Historic Technical Passport and invoices from the build. The Lotus 19 model was introduced in 1960 as a derivative of the single-seat Type 18 that debuted in formula competition the prior year. Nicknamed the Monte Carlo, the sports racer shared the Type 18’s mid-engine layout as well as a wider variation of its fusion-welded tubular steel frame with stressed aluminum panels. A total of 17 examples of the Type 19 were built between 1960 and 1962, with several sent to the US and fitted with Buick or Oldsmobile V8s in place of the standard Coventry Climax FPF powerplant. This re-creation is based on the original Lotus 19 bearing chassis number 19-965, which was delivered new to Mecom Racing Team in Texas and raced with an Oldsmobile V8. This replica’s chassis is said to have initially been built by Ken Nichols in Devon, UK, prior to being acquired by Roy Lane. The chassis was stripped and rebuilt during the build by Tolman Motorsport, who used measurements from an existing original Lotus 19 chassis and factory drawings to fabricate a new front end and modify the side pods and mounting points for the suspension and powertrain. Aircraft aluminum was used for the stressed floor panel, and a T45 roll hoop was added. The body comprises two fiberglass clamshells constructed of fiberglass with aluminum substructures along with aluminum doors hinged along their lower edges. The exterior is finished in the Mecom Racing Team livery of blue with a white dorsal stripe and team logos affixed to the nose and doors. Painted white wheels wear Dunlop racing tires measuring 5.00L-15 up front and 6.00M-15 at the rear. Additional features include a wraparound Perspex windshield, faired-in headlights, a single side mirror, and number 19 roundels. Inside the cockpit, a single seat upholstered in red is situated on the right-hand side and is equipped with a red six-point harness showing a 2019 expiration date. Additional features include a quick-release MOMO steering wheel, a shifter to the driver’s right, drilled door-latch mechanisms, a Lifeline fire-suppression system, and a Racelogic data-logging system with roll-bar-mounted cameras. The steel bulkhead houses Smiths instrumentation including an 8k-rpm tachometer and gauges monitoring coolant temperature, oil pressure, and oil temperature. Toggle switchgear is mounted to the driver’s right along with Lucas fuseboxes that house updated internals. Aircraft-specification wiring is said to have been used throughout the build. The 4.2-liter Oldsmobile V8 was built by JE Developments in Leicestershire, UK, and features an aluminum block and cylinder heads, a custom wet-sump lubrication system, and four Weber 45 DCOE carburetors atop a crossover intake manifold. A custom four-into-one dual exhaust system is said to allow for integration of a silencer when required. The fuel system incorporates a Holley fuel pump, a Holley adjustable fuel pressure regulator, and an ATL fuel cell. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Hewland HD5 five-speed manual transaxle with a limited-slip differential. Independent suspension features lower wishbones and radius arms at the rear and double wishbones up front, along with Leda coilovers and anti-roll bars at both ends. The braking system incorporates solid discs at each corner with Girling BR calipers up front and AR calipers at rear. Actuation is handled by twin master cylinders with AP racing bias adjustment, while cooling ducts, fabric-cover flexible hoses, and stainless-steel lines are utilized at each corner. Use of the BR front calipers was permitted by the discovery of a photo of the original 19-965 after a crash at Brands Hatch in 1964 showing use of the larger-than-standard calipers in-period. The period photo also allowed Tolman Motorsport to add a larger aluminum radiator to the re-creation. A Lotus chassis tag stamped with 19/965R is riveted to the right-hand sill. Scrutineering stickers from Goodwood and other events are affixed to the rear firewall, windshield, and door. The FIA Historic Technical Passport and associated documentation list the technical specifications as well as the approval of the larger front brakes and radiator based on the period photograph of the car after its 1964 crash. Various invoices from the build are shown in the photo gallery below along with an account of the car’s victory at Goodwood written by owner who commissioned the build.