1967 Lola T70 Mk3, SL73/109 now Italian Weber carbs.
A new FIA HTP through 2033 was issued on February 16th, 2024 following conversion to true Italian Weber carburetors & a Magneto Ignition.
The Lola T 70, Mk III, SL73/109 was delivered new as a Mk3 spider to John Mecom, the US Lola importer, on March 21st, 1967 and then passed to Carl Haas, who was in the process of taking over as the US Lola agent. Delivered in plain white and fitted with a Bartz Chevrolet V8, it was sold to Mexican jai alai star and Lotus Formula 1 racing driver Moisés Solana on April 11th, 1967. Entered by the Aztec Racing Team, Moises raced the car in the '67 USRRC and also in Mexican track, road racing and hill climb events over the next two years before letting his brother, Hermann take over the car when Moises switched to a new McLaren M6B with Aztec, and in the 1968 World Championship of Drivers, in a Lotus 49 with Gold Leaf Team Lotus.
http://www.racingsportscars.com/chassis/archive/SL73__109.html
In 1970 SL73/109 was sold to Spurlock Taylor of Panama, Central America who raced the car for some time and won the Panamanian GP in 1970. It was donated in 1972 to the Indianapolis Museum where it resided for some years before being sold.
In July 1978, SL73/109 was then owned by Jeff Stevens who did some minor club events with the car thereby crumpling its nose. Chuck Haines bought the car on August 4th, 1987 from Jeff complete and with a Bartz Chevrolet V8, repaired the nose, and sold it on October 9th 1987 to Fernando Stirling of Mexico who in turn sold the car, on July 3rd, 1988 to Roly Nix in England for historic racing. Unfortunately, the car was damaged when it fell off its trailer on the way to an event. The damaged chassis was repaired, by Vin Malkie, chassis painted, and sold on October 4th, 1993 to Richard Dodkins (UK).
Richard Dodkins fitted a Mk3 coupe body by Clive Robinson, with no central white stripe, using a 6.3L Chevy engine, he completed the Lola. He then did extensive racing in England, Europe, and USA, together with sponsorship by AT&T.
“In 1996, thirty thousand horsepower came into sight over the brow of the hill between the trees, pouring down towards Turn One. Formula one? CART? No; Historic racing, in the shape of the Can-Am Reunion, had returned to Road America, Elkhart Lake. Sponsored by Merrill Lynch and organized by Brian Redman, the greatest gathering of the legendary Can-Am monsters saw no less than 57 of the no-limits sports racers take part in a ten-lap race around the beautiful four-mile circuit set in picturesque Wisconsin countryside. McLarens, Lolas, Shadows, Marches and McKees. some boasting up to 850hp and terminal speeds of over 200mph, took part. Driven by Richard Dodkins, it was the fastest small block engine car at the Can-Am reunion at Elkhart Lake.”
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1996/57/can-am-reunion/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-asIn3wtlxg
Video of reunion, @ 5:37 mins. Also fleeting @ 0:21, 6:24, 6:51, 8:08.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBgqph89Fy0
Video of reunion, @ 1:48.
He sold Lola in April of 2000 to Miguel Amaral of Portugal, who spared no expense to maintain the car at a very high standard. Tim Adams refurbished the original 1967 engine in 2008, updated engine to 5 liters, at 23K Euros, together with a total refurbishment cost of 47K Euros. Mr. Amaral campaigned successfully for many years on the historic racing scene. Subsequently, the engine was rebuilt by Tim Adams in 2014 at a cost of 6.5K Euros, together with the rest of the refurbishment totaling 44K Euros.
The Lola raced in the USA, and Europe from 1995 to 1998, and in Masters from 2002 to 2011 in Europe with various HTPs from 1994 to 2018.
I purchased the Lola in 2017 from Portugal, subsequently, my situation changed, I have not raced or tracked the Lola since purchase, and due to several requests, proceed to obtain an HTP. It took from mid-2020 to 2024. Initially the four shocks had extensions, and the dash was still from a spider. Had to be changed. HTP issued after many delays in Aprill 2023.
New HTP issued April 2023, it was found that the Lola did not comply with FIA HTP rules as they required carburetors for Mk III Lolas.
Subsequently, the car has now been converted to True Italian Weber Carburetors, with a Magneto Ignition, with a new FIA HTP issued until 2033, USA 6499, FIA 49265.
As can be seen from the above, SL73/109 has a continuous solid history from new. Also, HTPs from 1994, 2008, and 2013 to 2018. The Lola is also currently road registered in Florida and can also be sold on a bill of sale.
The car is carrying a 5 -liter small block Chevy, with Italian carbs and a Magneto ignition. The Lola has only 3 race hours under its belt. The LG-600 5-speed gearbox has been completely overhauled with all new gears, dogs, and bearings. Spares consist of oil coolers, rear suspension arms, drive shaft CV joints, windscreen, and a host of miscellaneous items. The car has six wheels for Masters, 3 fronts 10”, 3 rears 12”, all with Avon's. The car also has 4 wheels for Peter Auto, 2 fronts 9”, 2 rears, 12”, with 2016 Avon's uninstalled. The belts, fire systems and three extinguishers for the US will be updated as necessary. Additionally, fuel bladder replacement and crack testing in order to race in Europe would be needed.
An impressive, long-term ownership Lola T70 Mk3.
http://www.lolaheritage.co.uk/2018/register/t70/Astley/vaughn_astley.html
See October 2018 Motor Sport magazine for great article on Lola T-70
1967 Lola t-70 SL/73 109 Race History.
1967-04-23 Aztec Racing Team Mexico, Las Vegas GP, USRRC, M.Solana, #99 5th
1967-04-30 Riverside GP, USRRC, M.Solana, #99, 8th
1967-12-04 Mexico City – Puebla Road Race, M.Solana, #99,1st
1967-12-11 Cuernavaca, Mexico, M.Solana, #99, 1st
1968-02-25 Pachuca-Chico Hillclimb, Mexico, M.Solana, #99, 1st
1968-03-31 Mexico City USRRC, M.Solana, #2, Rtd 27 Laps, Suspension
1970 Tiger Racing Team Panama, Panamanian Grand Prix, S. Taylor, 1st
1995-05-21 Donington, R. Dodkins, #23,
1995-06-11 Nürburgring, R. Dodkins, #23, 4th
1995-07-02 Brands Hatch, R. Dodkins, #23
1995-07-15 Oulton Park, R. Dodkins, #23
1995-08-13 Nürburgring, W. Steding, #23, 10th
1995-08-20 Zandvoort, R. Waaijenberg, #23, 9th
1995-10-01 Brno, W. Steding, #23, 11th
1996-04-28 Monza, W. Steding, #23
1996-05-12 Spa, W. Steding, #23,1st Gp B
1996-06-23 Nürburgring, R. Dodkins, #23, 3rd Gp B
1996-07-21 Road America, R. Dodkins, #23, 13th
1996-09-01 Donington, R. Dodkins, #23 1st Gp B
1996-09-xx Road America, R. Dodkins, #23, 1st Gp B
1996-09-29 Brno, W. Steding, #23
1997-05-05 Silverstone, R. Dodkins, #23
1997-06-01 Donington, R. Dodkins, #23
1997-08-03 Zandvoort, R. Dodkins, #23, B 7th
1997-08-10 Nürburgring, R. Dodkins,#23
1997-09-14 Brno, W Steding, #23, B 6th
1998-05-17 Monza, R Hyett, #23, 1st Gp B, 4th
1998-05-24 Spa, R Hyett, #23,
1998-05-24 Most, R Hyett, #23, 1st Gp B 9th
1998-07-19 Donington, R Hyett, #23
1998-08-09 Nürburgring, R Hyett, #23, 1st Gp B
2002- 04-20, ACDME I Circuit at Estoril, 1st
2002- ACDME.-II Circuit at Braga, 3rd.
2002-05-11, Circuit De Vila Do Conde, Zurich, 1st, and 2nd.
2003-09-02, ACDME III Circuit at Estoril,
2005-07-10 Circuit at Boavista, Oporto, Amaral, #301, 1st
2007-March Test at Estoril.
2008-07-2 to 5 Tests at Estoril.
2008-11-08 Circuit Automóvel do Algarve, Amaral, #320, 1st.
2009-07-12 1st race G.P. Históricos do Porto (Boavista Circuit), Amaral, #355, 1st.
2009-07-12 2nd race G.P. Históricos do Porto (Boavista Circuit), Amaral, #355, 2nd.
2011-06-18 G.P. Históricos do Porto (Boavista Circuit), Amaral, #301
2013- May, Sept, October Tests at Estoril, & Jerez, #85.
2015-March Test at Estoril.
2015-10-08 Circuit Automóvel do Algarve, testing, #65
2016-April Test at Jarama, Car missed deadline to enter, race full.
