1969 Lola T70 MKIIIB

OVERVIEW

• This chassis built by Lola specifically to celebrate the company’s fiftieth anniversary
• Originally fitted with two seats, a full leather interior and air conditioning and driven through the streets of Lola’s hometown of Huntingdon, UK, by multiple world-champion, John Surtees, and Lola founder, Eric Broadley
• Previously road-registered, with the potential to do so again
• Exceptional condition having had very little use since new
• Race-ready, having been fully rebuilt to full FIA specification in 2023 by decorated British specialist, Andy Wolfe
• Fully crack-tested and fitted with a brand new wiring loom, a zero-hour freshly rebuilt engine by Tim Adams, rebuilt gearbox and brand new fuel cell
• Accompanied by new HTPs, valid until 2033, and the car’s original, factory-installed, full leather interior and John Surtees-signed dashboard

BACKGROUND

When Lola founder, Eric Broadley, was hired by Ford in the early 1960s to contribute his expertise to the development of the game-changing GT40, he was exposed to the most advanced automotive engineering technologies that money could buy. Monocoque construction, cutting-edge aerodynamics and power-train development were all familiar pursuits for Broadley, but his sophisticated concepts were now blessed with a multi-million dollar racing budget - and the rest, as they say, is history.

After his time with Ford, Broadley returned to his own marque and poured all of his new found knowledge into the creation of perhaps his most beautiful design: the Lola T70. In its various iterations, the T70 provided privateers with a highly competitive, yet cost-effective, car with which to battle the mighty manufacturers of the world sportscar scene.

Powered by the thunderous but under-stressed Chevrolet V8, the definitive T70 MkIIl-B evolution successfully matched beauty with both speed and reliability. proving a formidable rival to the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Ford.

In 1969 Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons steered the Penske team's Mk III-B to the model's greatest triumph with outright victory in the Daytona 24 Hours.

Some four decades later, in celebration of this historic chapter, Lola briefly resumed production ot the Mk III-B with an exclusive run of just seven official factory-built continuation cars, using original tooling and drawings.

Indeterminable from their period siblings, the cars were happily granted Historic Technical Passports by the FIA, rendering them an eligible and highly competitive proposition for a wide variety of historic racing series.

Chassis HU76/164 driven by John Surtees and Eric Broadley through the streets of Lola’s hometown of Huntingdon, UK, for the manufacturer’s fiftieth-anniversary celebrations on October 12th, 2008.

THIS CAR

Chassis HU76/164 is the sixth of these continuation cars and was built by Lola to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary year and driven by multiple world champion, John Surtees, and Lola-founder, Eric Broadley through the company’s home town of Huntingdon.

Completely overhauled, crack-tested and race-prepared for the 2024 season by long-established British specialists, Wolfe Engineering, this official factory-built Lola T70 MkIIIB benefits from a freshly rebuilt engine, gearbox, and is fitted with a brand new fuel tank.

CHASSIS & BODY

Unwearied by the rigours of a decades-long racing career, this youthful example of a period icon remains fresh, taught and in excellent condition, both mechanical and cosmetic. Benefitting from a full strip and rebuild during 2023, the car still retains a box-fresh allure. A new ATL fuel bladder was fitted in summer of 2023, when crack testing of wheels, steering and major suspension components was also undertaken.

ENGINE & GEARBOX

The 5-litre, naturally aspirated, Chevrolet V8 has been fully rebuilt by reputable builder, Tim Adams, and has had zero-hours’ use since. The powerplant is mated to a Hewland LG600 gearbox, which has also been fully rebuilt in the recent recomissioning.

ELIGIBILITY

• Peter Auto - CER1
• Masters Sportscar Legends
• HSCC Thundersports
• Le Mans Classic (subject to invitation)

SAM SAYS

" In the moments before my first taste of a Lola T70 MkIII-B, I confess to having been a little intimidated by the thunderous roar of the V8 as it ricocheted off the garage walls. Yet, as is so often the case with powerful cars from higher categories, it took little more than a lap to realise that my fears were unfounded. The car felt sublime - lithe and responsive, with very little body roll and lighter steering than you might expect. While the weight of the engine is noticeable, it sits low enough so as not to upset the centre of gravity and its power delivery is exquisite - utterly linear, with an abundance of torque in the lower end of the rev range that is easily quenched by the suitably wide tyres. Is it a fast and exciting racing car? Hell yes! Is it tricky to drive? Absolutely not. "