LOLA T70 Mk3GT & Mk3B (1967-71)

A GOOD SURVEY of the racing performances can be found in Starkey John, Lola T70, the racing history & individual chassis recod, revised & enlarged 3rd edition, Dorchester: Veloce Publishing, 2002. The above picture can be found on the cover of the book.

PRE-HISTORY OF THE LOLA T70 Mk3B, HISTORY OF THE LOLA T70 Mk3 GT

Contrary to Ferrari, Porsche, Matra, Alfa Romeo, Ford and even Abarth or Chevron Eric Broadley of Lola Cars Ltd in Slough entered never factory cars. Already in 1963, after the construction of his 4.2 Lola GT Mk6, he was engaged by FoMoCo for the construction of the famous Ford GT40. However, Broadley was no man to work under supervi-sion, so in 1965 he won his independence back and built the Lola T70 "big banger", in close co-operation with the F1 world champion John Surtees. In 1966 this new car won 5 of the 6 rounds at the Canadian-American Challenge - shortly CANAM - for "big bangers". The same year Broadley launched a closed version of his Lola T70, the Lola T70 Mk3 GT. At the Racing Car Show in London, by January 1967, the car, equipped with an Aston Martin V8 5-litre engine caused a stir by its stunning lines. For the American market a T70 Coupe equipped with a big Chevrolet engine was planned.
Not ready for the 1967 Sebring 12 hours, the closed Lola T70 was seen for the first time at the Le Mans April trials where it realised the 3rd time (3'31"9) behind two 4.0 Ferraris 330 P4 (3'25"5 and 3'27"6), but ahead of the 7.0 Ford MkIV. The following day, in wet conditions, Surtees was even 6 secs faster than anyone.
One has to wait the Francorchamps 1,000-kms to see the T70 Coupe in international competition. In hands of Paul Hawkins - that year factory driver for Porsche and for Ferrari - the T70 with a 5.0 Chevrolet engine finishes 4th. Then follows Le Mans where - in co-operation with John Surtees and the Aston Martin factory team - entered 2 cars. The project is a complete debacle. The 3'33"7 of Surtees results in a poor 13th place on the grid and after 3 laps the car is abandoned with a broken piston. The sister car disappears after 25 laps with an exploded engine. Exit Aston Martin.
At the following round, the BOAC 500, two 5.0 Lolas T70 Mk3 GT qualify at the two first places but fail to finish. At the Rheims 12 hours they take the three first places on the grid, again without being brought home. One has to wait the South-African Springbok Series to see the T70 Coupe winning at the Cape Town 3 hours, the Lourenço Marques 3 hours and the Pietermaritzburg 3 hours, each time with Paul Hawkins (AU) as winner. At the initial Kyalami 9 hours Mike de Udy was leading in his T70 Coupe until a few minutes before the finish. Hawkins/John Love finish as 2nd in the same race. At the Surfers Paradise 12 hours Epstein/Hawkins finish 2nd.
Despite a failing reliability at races of more than 3 hours, the T70 Coupe is an excellent car at sprint races. In 1967 it wins  the Norisring Rennen (Frank Gardner, AU), the Wills Trophy at Croft (Denny Hulme, NZ), the Holts Trophy at Crystal Palace (Gardner), 2 Formula Libre Races (Sid Taylor, GB),   and the Warwick Farm Gallaher Trophy (Paul Hawkins, AU). That gives a total of 9 victories in its first year: 6 sprint races and 3 endurance races of 3-hours. Not bad for a first year.
But the car needs development if it wishes to be competitive in the most important races: the rounds of FIA's Manufacturer's World Championship.

For Eric Broadley the CSI Bomb Shell of mid 1967, banning over 3-litre prototypes from the track, looks as a commercial disaster. At once he looses the European market. Eventually the FIA will save the Lola T70 Coupe, by homologating it as a sports car, built at 25 copies at least, despite the fact that only 11 were ready. In 1968 no high eyes are scored at the rounds of the Manufacturer's Worlds: no entered Lola T70 Coupe can finish at the Daytona 24 hours, Sebring 12 hours or Le Mans 24 hours. A 6th place at the BOAC 500, a 10th place at the Francorchamps 1,000-kms and a 10th place at the Watkins Glen 6 hours are the only results in major endurance races. The Springbok Series results not in the same success as one year earlier. At the Kyalami 9-hours Gardner/de Udy are only 5th. Hawkins wins the Cape Town 3 hours, but at the wheel of Gunston's 4.0 Ferrari 330 P4 wit a 7-8 as bests for the T70 Coupe. The Lourenço Marques 3 hours cannot be finished. At the Pietermaritz-burg 3 hours de Udy is a poor 17th, whilst Hawkins wins again with the Ferrari 330 P4 and does it over at the East London 500-kms where the T70 Coupe fails once more to finish.
Eventually 20 sprint races are won in 1968/69: the Cape South-Easter race at Killarney (Hawkins), the Guards Spring Cup (Brian Redman, GB), the Oulton Park Gold Cup (Mike de Udy, GB), the Nuremberg 200-mi (Jo Bonnier, S), the Anderstorp GP (Bonnier), Hockenheim (Ulf Norinder, S), the Players Trophy (Hulme), 2 Formula Libre races (Taylor), the Tourist Trophy (Hulme), the Martini Int'l (Hulme), the Croft Birthday Cup (Gardner), the Tootal GT Championship (Taylor), twice Montlhéry (Jean-Michel Giorgi, F), the Brands Hatch Guards Int'l Trophy (Gardner), the Vila Real 500 (de Udy), the Rhodesia GP (de Udy), Mallory Park (Taylor) and the Aspern GP (Chris Craft, GB).
After 2 years of development the obtained results are meagre. The used Chevrolet V8 engine, with a 12.5:1 compression ratio is unreliable. In its racing version it is built for petrol with an octane rating of well over 100 RON (with 116 RON as optimum). Such fuel is not to find in 1968 Europe. End 1968 it's well-known that at Zuffenhau-sen Porsche is busy to assemble its 25 copies of the 5-litre 917 "sports car" (sic). Having no supervised race program, Lola seems damned to play a minor role in 1969. Broadley's cars are driven by privateers having not the smallest chance against factory cars. He thus develops a new car, the 5.0 Lola T70 Mk3B with a lighter all-alloy monocoque chassis derived from the T160 CANAM roadster. By using carbon fibre the body - with a new nose - has better aerodynamic properties. Weight goes down to 860 kgs. The car is sold with a standard Traco modified Chevrolet V8 of 304 cubic inches (5 litre). The dubious injection system of the Coupe is replaced by 4 downdraught Weber carburettors. A Hewland LG600 5-spead gearbox is fitted with a 3-plate Borg & Beck clutch. Twelve new cars lay down at the end of 1968. One of them will be raced the whole season by a professional works team: Roger Penske's. So there is again hope!

RESULTS BY LOLA T70 Mk3B & Mk3 GT AT  THE MANUFACTURER'S WORLDS 1969-1970

RESULTS BY LOLA T70 Mk3B & Mk3 GT AT  THE RAC NATS 1969 & INTERSERIE 1970

RESULTS BY LOLA T70 Mk3B & Mk3 GT AT OTHER ENDURANCE RACES

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1963 - Presented at the London Racing Car Show of January 1963 the 4.2 Lola-Ford GT Mk6 will enter the Le Mans 24 hours, where, driven by David Hobbs and Richard Attwood, the car will be retired at 6 am. After FoMoCo failed to buy Ferrari the same year, FoMoCo contacted Eric Broadley to co-operate with the production of the famous Ford GT40 which will be inspired by the Lola GT Mk6. PICTURE: Hurel François, Ford au Mans, GT40 - Cobra - Mustang - Capri - Mirage - C100, Nîmes: Éditions du Palmier, 2003, p. 20.

LOS ANGELES TIMES GRAND PRIX RIVERSIDE 1965 - The 4.4 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk1 Roadster of Bob Bonduant qualified as 8th but failed to finish. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 27.

BRIDGEHAMPTON GRAND PRIX CANAM 1966 - Jerry Grant in the All American Racers's 4.4 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk1 Roadster. The car finished as 7th. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

MONT TREMBLANT PLAYERS GRAND PRIX CANAM 1966 - The 4.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk2 Roadster bought by John Mecom for John Surtees, who won the race (the real first CANAM round in history). The British F1 world champion won 3 of the 6 rounds with this car - the same which (fully restored) was offered in 2003 at $ 325,000 US by John Starkey, author of the book on the Lola T70. LEFT PICTURE: Autocourse Archive. RIGHT PICTURE: John Starkey (this picture was not found in the book, but at an advertisement on the Internet).

BRIDGEHAMPTON GRAND PRIX CANAM 1966 - Again John Surtees's 4.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk2 Roadster. The car qualified as 2nd but was retired after 16 laps with a broken oil pipe. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

LOLA T70 Mk3 GT (1967-1969)

LE MANS TRIALS 1967 - First outing of the first Lola T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/101 built. John Surtees drives the car and realises the 3rd best time. PICTURE: Autosport (GB), June 9, 1967, cover.

MONTLHÉRY 1,000-KMS 1967 - After the Le Mans debacle the T70 with chassis SL73/101 is sold to Max Wilson. He paints the car in British racing green with a double orange longitudinal stripe. Meanwhile the car was re-engined at Lola Cars Ltd. Here the #2 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT taking the lead of the Paris 1,000-kms (where David Hobbs qualified as 2nd). The car failed to finish due to a damaged sump after 15 laps.

SILVERSTONE PLAYERS TROPHY 1968 - Early 1968 Max Wilson sells the T70 with chassis SL73/101 to Sweden's Joachim Bonnier. He equips it with a 6.0 Chevrolet Bartz engine developing 420HP, and weighting lighter than the former Aston Martin V8 with 380HP. The car is repainted in yellow, white and red. It doesn't finish the 1968 Sebring 12 hours, is 6th at the BOAC 500-mi at Brands Hatch, 10th at the Watkins Glen 6 hours, and retired at the Österreich GP. At the wheel of this 6.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT Bonnier wins the same year 2 sprint races - Anderstorp and the Nuremberg 200 at the Norisring. At the Players Trophy (above picture) Bonnier sets the fastest lap but finishes 2nd behind Denny Hulme in Sid Taylor's T70 Coupe. At the Speedworld Int'l Trophy at Oulton Park Bonnier is again 2nd. At the end of the season the car is sold to Jim Beach who entered it at 2 rounds of the 1969 R.A.C. Sports Car Championship and at the Nuremberg 200. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit. p. 91.

BOAC 500 MILES 1968 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/101, shared by Joachim Bonnier (S) and Sten Axelsson (S), will finish 6th despite a battery change. PICTURE: L'Automobile, May 1968, #265, p. 55.

KYALAMI 9 HOURS 1967 - Start of the race. Sid Taylor's mechanics hastily remove the battered nose section of the Gardner/Spencer  5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/102 after it has been sidewipped by Piper's departing 4.4 Ferrari 365 P2/P3. Still grinding his starter is Jacky Ickx in the 5.7 Mirage-Ford which will win the race ahead of the 5.9 Paul Hawkins/John Love 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet Mk3 GT. PICTURE: Autosport (GB), Vol. 35, #19, November 10, 1967, pp. 812-813.

BOAC 500 MILES 1967 - The 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/102 of Sid Taylor, and driven by Denny Hulme and Jack Brabham started from the pole but was retired after 60 laps with clutch problems. PICTURE: Peter Quinn's Wheels Archives.

BOAC 500 MILES BRANDS HATCH 1967 - The 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3GT with chassis SL73/105 was sold on April 1967 to Michael Grace de Udy, better known as Mike de Udy (GB). He raced it the first time at the 1967 Francorchamps 1,000-kms nut crashed at the first lap of practice. At the following Rheims 12 hours the car was equipped with a 5.4 Chevrolet engine. Due to lights not working properly the car was retired. For the (decisive) Brands Hatch 500-mi, last major round of the 1967 Manufacturer's Worlds, the car, seen on the above picture, was equipped with a 5.3 Traco Chevrolet motor, but was retired after 179 laps with a broken differential. Lack of oil pressure made the car retired at the Kyalami 9 hours at the end of the season. After having finished twice 2nd at 2 minor sprint races, de Udy made his first finish in endurance racing by coming home 2nd at the Cape Int'l 3 hours of Killarney (ZA). Whilst leading engine blew with 11 minutes of racing left. New engine problems made the car retired at the Roy Hesketh 3 hours at Pietermaritzburg (ZA). The 2 remaining rounds of the Springbok Series at Lourenço Marques (Mozambique) and Capetown were also not finished. Eventually de Udy had to wait July 7, 1968, to win at Villa Real (PT) his lonely race at the wheel of the SL73/105. After a serious crash on August 4, 1968 he sold the damaged car to David Prophet and bought Jackie Epstein's, having won in hands of Paul Hawkins 3 rounds of the Springbok Series. Prophet restored the car and raced it in 1969 and early 1970. It failed to finish all but 3 races it entered, among them the 1969 Nürburgring 1,000-kms and the 1970 Buenos Aires 1,000-kms. A 2nd place at a local sprint race at Crystal Palace (with Alistair Cowin behind the wheel) was its lonely fair result. By January 1970 Prophet sold the car to Egmont Dursch (D), who could finish not once with it.

LOURENCO MARQUES 3 HOURS 1967 - Motor racing is still in its infancy when, in 1967, the Lourenço Marques 3 hours are contested for the first time in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique. Sand and dunes are the lonely crash barriers. On the picture the (red) 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL/112 of Paul Hawkins and the 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/105, just before the latter overook the first. Race, however, was won by Australia's Paul Hawkins. PICTURE: Autosport (GB), Vol. 35, #26, December 29, 1967, p. 1102.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1968 - Having repainted his 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3GT with chassis SL73-105 in dark blue with white stripes, Mike de Udy entered his car - since the Springbok Series equipped with 2 periscope pipes for cockpit cooling on the roof - at the Sebring 12 hours, where it qualified as 9th but was retired with engine problems. Above one finds a colured static model of the car by M4.

FRANCORCHAMPS 1,000-kms 1967 -  The 5.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/112 was not in British racing green as John Starkey wrote (op. cit., p. 165) but in Navy blue. It was bought by Jackie Epstein (GB) who raced it together with Paul "Hawkeye" Hawkins (AU). It was the first Lola Coupe seen in competition. At its maiden race in Spa it finished 4th. Here "Hawkeye" hustles the Lola Coupe past Lodovico Scarfiotti in a works 4.0 Ferrari 330 P4. Epstein drove the car with Hugh Dubley (GB) at the 1967 Targa Florio where it was retired after 6 of the 10 laps with gearbox problems. At the Rheims 12-hours Hawkins realised the circuit's all-time lap record of 228.96 kph (142.3 mph), the track being definitively closed in 1972. The car didn't finish. At the 1967 Surfers Paradise 12 hours he and Hawkins were 2nd. In September Epstein sold the car to Hawkins who painted it in red. He won at Warwick Farm (AU) the Gallaher Trophy and shipped it then to South-Africa for the Springbok Series where "Hawkeye" won 3 rounds with it: Killarney 3 hours, Lourenço Marques 3 hours and Pietermaritz 3 hours. Early January he added the Cape South-Easter meeting of Killarney to his list of wins, and sold it to Mike de Udy after Epstein/Ed Nelson finished 18th with it at the 1968 Brands Hatch 500-mi. After having won the Gold Cup at Oulton Park, de Udy ships the car to Africa for the Springbok Series. He and Frank Gardner will finish with it 5th at the Kyalami 9 hours. At the Cape Int'l 3 hours de Udy will be 7th, at the Rhodesian Grand Prix 2nd (with a 5-litre engine), but will fail to finish at Lourenço Marques, the Roy Hesketh 3 hours and the East-London 500-kms. Of all sold Lolas T70 Coupe the SL/112, having obtained 6 career wins, was the most reliable in endurance racing. After having realised with it (with a 6-litre engine) the South-African land speed record at 308.61 kph (191.8 mph) de Udy will sell the car to Tim Stock who will race it in 1970 at minor club races. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 62.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969 - The 3.0 Lola-BRM T70 Mk3 Spyder with chassis SL73/113 is bought by Max Wilson who fits a 3.0 BRM V12 coupled to an LG600 gearbox in it. The car is raced the first time at the Nürburgring 1,000-kms in 1969 where he and Mike Walker qualify as 29 out of 73. But already at the first lap the car is victim of an accident. It is raced as a prototype and called "Lola-BRM T70P". In 1970 Wilson and Mac Daghorn will finish as 3rd at the Zolder 500-kms. At Jarama Wilson will finish 6th. At the 1970 Nürburgring 1,000-kms the car is qualified as 28th on 58 but will be retired after 4 laps. Earlier, having realised the worst but one time at the qualifications for the BOAC 1,000-kms, the car was withdrawn. In the book of John Starkey the picture on p. 57 (a yellow Coupe) corresponds not at all with the car. Later it was equipped with a red Mk3B body and sold in the States.  PICTURE: Lennart Jarmyr.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1968 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/117 has been sold to movie star James Garner and his American International Racing Team. At the Sebring 12 hours the car is driven by Lothar Motschenbacher (CDN)/Ed Leslie (USA)/Dick Guldstrand (USA). They qualify as 34th. Only Motschenbacher will have a drive, since, after 15 laps the car is abandoned with a broken clutch. The above pics are of an Exoto static model. John Starkey is wrong in his book when on p. 167 he writes that the car had #34. Ed Leslie will drive the car in 1968 at 3 rounds of the CANAM series, but he'll finish not once.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - James Garner enters again his 2 cars at the American endurance races in Daytona and Sebring, now painted in night blue with the A.I.R. logo. Here the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/117 shared by Lothar Motschenbacher and Ed Leslie. They'll qualify as 11th but finish as 2nd. At the 1968 Sebring 12 hours the same pairing on the same car will qualify as 6th and finish as 6th. In both cases the car was equipped with the new 5-litre Traco-Chevrolet engine on Weber carburettors and fitted with a wet sump. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 102.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The very reliable 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/117 of Lothar Motschenbacher (CDN) and Ed Leslie (USA) will finish as 6th. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1967 - The John Surtees/David Hobbs 5.0 Lola-Aston Martin Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/121 had been tested prior to the race during two sessions of more than 12 hours, but at race day it was the first of all cars to be abandoned with a broken piston. For the Rheims 12 hours, one week after Le Mans, the car was equipped with a lighter but more powerful 5.9-litre Chevrolet motor. Not happy with it Surtees decided to replace it for the race with a 5.5 Chevrolet engine, signing the second best time. We found 3 Lolas T70 coupe at the 3 first places. After one hour the 3 Lolas were leading the rest of the field with an advance of 2 laps. After 3 hours the Surtees Lola - still 2nd behind "Hawkeye", came in the pits with a broken crankshaft and was retired. A few minutes later Hawkins's Lola came in without gears and was retired too. The de Udy Lola was then already out. PICTURE: L'Automobile, July 1967, cover of Sports Mécaniques.

BOAC 500 MILES 1967 - Decisive round of the 1967 Manufacturer's World Championship, where SpA SEFAC (Ferrari) and Porsche Engineering entered massively works cars to win the title. Eventually the race should be won by the #1 7.0 Chaparral-Chevrolet 2F. On the front row we found two Lolas T70. Between the Rheims 12 hours and Brands Hatch the  5.5 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/121 was painted in red with Surtees's typical white arrow on the nose, Motor was now a 5.5 Chevrolet with 58DCOE Weber carburettors. Surtees realised the 2nd position on the grid, preceded by Sid Taylor's Lola T70 Coupe in hands of Hulme/Brabham. It's untrue what John Starkey writes in his book on p. 168 that Surtees realised the lap record. That went to Denny Hulme in 1'37"2. Surtees, having set the pace immediately after the start, had to come in at the second lap to adjust the fuel pressure as his carburettors were flooding. Shortly after he had to stop a second time with the same problems. But once they were solved at the cost of 4 laps Big John started a meteoric progress bringing him in 2 hours time from 24th to 10th. After 4 hours Surtees/Hobbs were already 7th, but during the 5th hour low fuel pressure had provoked a broken piston, so that the car was retired. After the race the car was sold to Jackie Epstein who repainted it in British racing green. PICTURE: Sport Auto (French edition), September 1967.

FRANCORCHAMPS 1,000-KMS 1968 - In a wet soaked Spa (just as happened the previous year), between Stavelot and Club House, the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/121 is in hands of Jackie Epstein (the new owner) and Eric Liddel on its way to a meriting 10th place. The car was equipped with an Alan Smith 5-litre Chevrolet engine. Earlier, at the BOAC 500-mi it finished 18th overall, despite a split fuel fuel tank. At the Norisring Epstein finished 7th with it and at the Silverstone Martini David Hobbs was on his way to a 5th place when it was T-boned by Ron Fry. As no other Epstein understood how to make a Lola T70 Coupe reliable at long distance races. The coloured car above is a static model by M4. PICTURE: Autosport, May 29, 1968.

JACKIE EPSTEIN'S LOLA IN PURPLE - After the serious crash on July 27, 1968, Jackie Epstein's 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/121 went back to the factory in Slough, where it was rebuilt and painted in deep purple. The car in front is probably the SL73/133 which Robs Lamplough sold to Jean-Michel Giorgi (F). It was entered at the 1968 Montlhéry 1,000-kms where it was retired with a broken gearbox. Giorgi won two sprint races with it at Montlhéry. The purple T70 Coupe of Jackie Epstein went in September to the Le Mans 24 hours where after two punctures and overheating it was retired during the 17th hour with a broken differential. At the Kyalami 9 hours it finished with a 5.9 Chevrolet engine 21st. With the same engine Epstein finished 2nd at the 1968 Cape International 3 hours (ZA), 2nd at the Pietermaritzburg 3 hours and 2nd at the 1968 Lourenço Marques 3 hours. [In his book John Starkey makes an error on writing that Epstein won at Lourenço Marques. The race, organised on December 8, was won by Paul Hawkins at the wheel of a 5.0 Mirage-Ford M1]. Early January 1969 he won also the Killarney 3 hours at Capetown. The car was then sold to Brian Bolton who never raced it.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1968 - Delivered to movie star James Gardner two weeks before the race as second car for his American International Racers this 450HP 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/131 was 4th fastest at the qualifications of the Sebring 12 hours. Scooter Patrick (USA) was leading the race but failed to finish due to steering damage during the 3rd hour. PICTURE: Sport Auto (French edition), May 1968, #80, p. 20.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/131 of Dave Jordan (USA) and Scooter Patrick (USA) is in the pits, prior to the race and having been qualified as 10th. The car will finish as 7th. At the Sebring 12 hours of 1969 the car qualified as 5th, but failed to finish due to an overheated motor after 15 laps. PICTURE: O'Malley J.J., Daytona 24 hours, the definitive history of America's great endurance race, Phoenix, AZ, 2003, p. 71

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - A mechanic drives the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/131 to the start. Although having qualified as 5th, the Dave Jordan/Scooter Patrick car will be abandoned after 15 laps. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1968 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/132 was entered the first time by Racing Unlimited at the Nürburgring 1,000-kms, where Ulf Norinder/Robin Widdows had to retire with a blown Ryan Falconer engine, after having qualified as 11th. PICTURE: E. Krieger, Historischer Motorsport (D).

HOCKENHEIM 1968 - Ulf Norinder entered his 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/132 at a couple of sprint races before going to Le Mans and the Montlhéry 1,000-kms. At Anderstorp he was eliminated by a fuel lake. At hockenheim, on July 21, 1968, he was 4th at the first heat and won the second heat. At Karlskoga he failed to finish. At the Speedworld Int'l Trophy at Oulton Park he finished 3rd. PICTURE: Lennart Jarmyr (S).

GUARDS INTERNATIONAL TROPHY AT SILVERSTONE 1968 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT witch chassis SL73/132 and driven by owner Ulf Norinder (S) will finish as 2nd. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 105. Author Starkey makes a serious error when he writes in his book that this should be the SL76/141 T70 Mk3B.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1968 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT with chassis SL73/132 was entered by Sports Cars Unlimitated at the 1968 Le Mans 24 hours for Ulf Norinder and Sten Axelsson. Having qualified as 12th the car was disqualified after 47 laps when Axelsson walked more than 50 metres from the car when the engine cut out. It was later entered at the Montlhéry 1,000-kms for Ulf Norinder and Robin Widdows, but failed to finish. Early 1969 Norinder will buy the new T70 Mk3B and race it a first time at the Daytona 24 hours. His old car, the SL73/132 was shipped to the States as spare car. Painted in orange the car was sold to Claude Martin who didn't race it. PICTURE: Rafa.

SID TAILOR'S SECOND LOLA T70 COUPE - After having sold his SL73/102, Sid Taylor ordered a monocoque chassis SL73-134 and let his mechanic Ron Bennett building it up with spare parts from his former car to a 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT, raced for the first time at the 1968 Martini International, immediately won by Denny Hulme. But also the 4 following races it entered were won: Croft Birthday Cup by Frank Gardner, Mallory Park twice by Sid Taylor and the Guards Trophy by Frank Gardner. Then the car was sold to Techspeed and painted in orange. With this car Chris Craft won in 1968 the Preis von Tyrol was again won it again 1969. At the 1969 R.A.C. British Sports Car Championship Chris Craft won two rounds: the Martini Trophy at Silverstone and the Wills Trophy at Croft. At the end of the season Techspeed sold the car to David Piper who resold it to Solar Productions for the Le Mans movie with Steve McQueen. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 105.

LOLA T70 MK3 GT: CONCLUSION

Except in hands of Jackie Epstein or Joachim Bonnier the Lola T70 Mk3 GT failed systematically at major endurance races (those of the Manufacturer's World Championship). Never one of the new Lola Coupes could finish Le Mans. The initial co-operation with John Surtees and Aston Martin let raise great hope that an all-British car could win Le Mans. But the debacle following Le Mans was immense. When entered at long distance races the T70 Mk3 GT was always a fast qualifier but failed in most cases to reach the finish.
Eventually the car was used by privateers at short sprint races or medium distance 3 hour races. Here 35 victories were noted: 9 in 1967, 20 in 1968 and 5 in 1969.
Among this wins I count the 6 club races won by Sid Taylor. Winningest at other races were Denny Hulme (NZ), Frank Gardner (AU) and Paul "Hawkeye" Hawkins (GB) who won each 5 races - the 1968 Tourist Trophy being the most important.
Chris Craft (GB) won 4 races (3 in 1969) with the T70 Mk3 GT. Mike de Udy (GB) won 3 races, Joachim Bonnier (S) and Jean-Michel Giorgi (F) 2 races. Jack Epstein - who failed to win the Surfers Paradise 12h where he was beaten by a 3.3 Ferrari 275 LM - won 1 race, just as Brian Redman and Ulf Norinder (S).

Eventually the Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT was a typical British sports car, raced mostly by British racers at British events or at the Springbok Series. In those races there was no opposition from factory cars, so there the T70 Coupe had his chances to win.
Having no consistent race program, being used by gentleman drivers at the most different races, the T70 Mk3 GT was nearly never raced in a professional way. Things should radically change in 1969 when the new 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B was released and when America's Roger Penske decided to enter the new car at all rounds of the F.I.A. Manufacturer's World Champion-ship. At least now the world should see what were the limits of the splendid Lola T70. It was well known that Penske should have problems to beat the army of factory and private Porsches and JWA Gulf Fords GT40. But Penske believed in the car and was convinced that it had its role to play on the international scene. Already at its real first outing in 1969 the 5.0 Penske-Sunoco Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B won - rather fortunately - its first race, the famous Daytona 24 hours. At the Sebring 12 hours the same car qualified as 2nd but failed to finish. And then at once all hope was gone (cf. the Mk3B history below).

5.0 LOLA T70 Mk3B (1969-1971)

HISTORY OF THE 5.0 LOLA-CHEVROLET T70 MK3B

The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B used a lighter monoco-que chassis, derived from the T160 CANAM car. By using carbon fibre strengthening strips also the body was lighter than on the T70 Mk3 GT. The gullwing type doors - having provoked more than once problems - were substituted by forward hinged ones. So dry weight of the car came down to 860 kgs. Motor was a standard 5-litre Chevrolet developing 430HP, but, depending upon the tuner, there were 5-litre versions going over 465HP.
Although sold to some teams with a good reputation, like Filipinetti, Bonnier or Sid Taylor, only Roger Penske from the USA had the strong intention to use the new car for winning the Manufacturer's World Championship from JWA Gulf (racing the rejuvenated 5.0 Ford GT40), from Porsche Engineering System (racing the 3.0 Porsche 908) and from SpA SEFAC (racing the 3.0 Ferrari 312P). 
Penske took a dream start by winning unexpectedly the Daytona 24 hours after a debacle for the 4 factory Porsches, all suffering from split exhaust systems. At the Sebring 12 hours the much modified Sunoco/Penske Lola T70 Mk3B qualified again as 2nd, but could not finish. And then came all drama. On the way back to Pennsylva-nia the splendid Sunoco car was stolen. Despite a high reward it took weeks to find the car back. Meanwhile the season was fully started and there was no time to prepare a second car. So Roger Penske had to stop his plan conquering the Manufacturer's Worlds.
Most other teams didn't focus on long distance races, but on medium-distance or sprint races as those counting for the R.A.C. British Sports Car Championship, the Nordic Challenge or the Springbok Series, where no factory cars were entered and where winning chances were much greater. So 7 of the 8 rounds of the R.A.C. Nats were won by the Lola T70: 3 by the old T70 Mk3 GT and 4 by the new T70 Mk3B. At the Springbok Series the new car won 4 of the 5 rounds. Only the Kyalami 9 hours were lost from David Piper's 4.5 Porsche 917LH. At long endurance races for FIA's Manufacturer's Worlds, the Lola T70 Mk3B was unreliable. After the unexpected 1-2 at the Daytona 24 hours, results were far from convincing.

A 6th place at the Sebring 12 hours, 4th at the Monza 1,000-kms, 5-8-11 at the Francorchamps 1,000-kms, 8th at the Brands Hatch 6 hours and 2nd at Zeltweg was a rather meagre result for a car with a higher potential. In 1969 the Lola T70 Mk3B won 15 races: 1 of 24 hours (Donohue/Parsons); 4 of 3 hours (John Love 2 and Gardner-de Udy 2); 4 sprint races at the R.A.C. Sports Car Championship (Hawkins, Taylor, Hulme and Redman), a 200-mi race (Nuremburg: Redman), and 6 minor short distance races (Karlskoga: Redman; Preis von Tyrol: Gardner; Montlhéry: Bonnier and Piper; Magny Cours: Peterson; Oulton Park: Gardner). 
In 1970 the Lola T70 Mk3B had no longer a role to play in the rounds for the FIA Manufacturer's Worlds. The Porsches 917K and Ferraris 512S had more horsepower for a lighter weight, and especially when driven by factory racers, they were untouchable for the T70 Mk3B. A 7th place at the BOAC 1,000-kms, 10th at the Francorchamps 1,000-kms and 8th at the Watkins Glen 6 hours was all what could be obtained. At long distance races, not counting for the Worlds, a 4th and 7th place at the Buenos Aires 1,000-kms, 7th at the Kyalami 9 hours and 10th at the Montlhéry 1,000-kms were the only top-10 results. The R.A.C. Nats being reserved for 2-litre prototypes, the Mk3B entered now the races for the Interserie, however without success, since two 3rd places was the best what could be obtained. Eventually only 7 races were won in 1970 by the Mk3B: the Vila Real 500-kms (Pilette-Gosselin), Montlhéry (Pilette, Attwood), Dijon (Attwood), Vila Real GP (Pilette), Yllandsringen (Bonnier), and Magny Cours (Beltoise). Gregor Foitek won a minor race at Ulm, but I cannot detect if it was with a T70 Mk3B Coupe or with a roadster. In 1971 still one race is won (Wilson Fittipaldi at Interlagos). That brings the total of all victories for the T70 Mk3B on 15 + 7 + 1 = 23. That is nearly the same score as obtained by the T70 Mk3 GT from 1967-1961, 29 wins. Although only one major race was won by a T70 Coupe, one hardly can deny that the car deserves a place in the history of motorsport. A total of 52 wins may be sufficient to find a place in that history.

R.A.C. SILVERSTONE 1969 - The new 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138 was sold on January 2, 1969 to Sid Taylor, entering it at all rounds (but one) of the new R.A.C. British Sports Car Championship over 8 rounds. First outing was March 30 for the first round at Silverstone, where Brian Redman (GB) finished 2nd behind Denny Hulme in the old SL73/102 Sid Taylor Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3 GT, having been sold to the late John Woolfe, but taken back after his fatal accident at Le Mans. The #37 is Hulme's car, having been repainted by Woolfe. PICTURE: Autosport (English edition), April 3, 1969.

EMBASSY TROPHY THRUXTON 1969 - Painted in solid white with the traditional green longitudinal stripes the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138 of Brian Redman is here purchased by Joachim Bonnier in his new T70Mk3B. This is already the 3rd round of the R.A.C. British Sports Car Championship. At the 2nd round - the Snetterton Guards Trophy - Redman could not finish due to a blown head gasket. The Embassy Trophy, however, was won by Redman. Round #4, counting at double points, was the BOAC 500-miles (also a round of the Manufacturer's Worlds). Here the car is driven by Peter Revson/Sten Axelsson, but retired after 120 laps with an overheated motor. Two weeks later Sid Taylor sends his car to the Monza 1,000-kms, also a traditional round of the Manufacturer's Worlds. Although rammed at the start and collided at the last lap by an Alpine Frank Gardner/Andrea de Adamich finish as a fine 5th. At round #5 of the R.A.C. Nats, the Martini Int'l Trophy at Silverstone, Redman finishes 2nd. At round #6 - the Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park - Redman suffers a puncture and is victim of an accident. He'll be classified 19th. Then the car goes back to Slough for repairs. At its following race, the Nuremberg 500 at the Norisring (D), the car will be not already repainted. The coloured picture is a static model (picture by John W-Collection). RACE PICTURE: Autosport (English edition), April 11, 1969.

NUREMBERG 200 AT THE NORISRING 1969 - Not completely repainted after its accident at the Tourist Trophy Sid Taylor's 6.2 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138 comes at the start with a 480HP 6.2-litre engine. Initially headed by the #2 sister car of Joachim Bonnier, Brian Redman will win the race with Taylors #3. After this second win the car goes back to England for round #7 of the R.A.C. Nats at Croft. Here, with a 5-litre motor, Trevor Taylor wins the first heat and finishes as runner up to Chris Crafts Lola T70 Mk3 GT in the second heat, Craft taking overall victory with the orange ex-Taylor SL73/134. Trevor Taylor will finish 2nd overall. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 112.

TROFEO "PIERO FRESCOBALDI" GRAN PREMIO 500 KILOMETRI DEL MUGELLO 1969 - After the race at Croft the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138 goes to the famous Italian road race (the one but last in history!) with Andrea de Adamich/Nino Vaccarella as drivers. Mechanic Ron Bennett changed the carburettors for a fuel injection system. On the twisty circuit the 2.0 Abarth 2000 Sports of Arturo Merzario and of Gijs van Leenep/Johannes Ortner will take the two first places, Sid Taylor's Lola finishing 3rd. Back in England Denny Hulme receives the wheel for round #8 of the R.A.C. Nats, which he'll win at Thruxton. It's already the third victory of the car. Brian Redman will make it four by winning one week later at Karlskoga (S). The two other rounds for the Nordic Trophy are lost with a retirement at Mantorp Park and a 2nd place at Anderstorp. Two weeks later Sid Talor send his car to Innsbruck where Frank Gardner offers the car its 5th victory. PICTURE: Autosport (English edition), July 24 1969.

KYALAMI 9 HOURS 1969 - By November the 6.2 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138 is shipped to South-Africa for the Springbok Series, always popular among British racers. Initially the car is rented by John Love's Team Gunston, but later they will buy it. On shipment the car is equipped with the 6.2-litre engine with fuel injection. It's already painted in the Team Gunston colours. Brian Redman and John Love, however, will qualify as 1st, ahead of David Piper's 4.5 Porsche 917LH, but will have to retire with a broken crown wheel and rear suspension damage. The car on the picture is a model. PICTURE: John-W Collection.

BULAWAYO 3 HOURS 1969 - At round #2 of the Springbok Series (the Capetown 3 hours at Killarney) John Love will mount a 6.9-litre engine, developping some 500HP in his 6.9 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138. He will finish 2nd behind the SL76/149 Lola T70Mk3B of Mike de Udy and Frank Gardner. At round #3, the Lourenço Marques 3 hours, John Love is leading when a blown head gasket enforces him to retire.  In his own Rhodesia John Love, the hero of the nation, will win the Bulawayo 3 hours, 5 laps ahead over the Gardner/de Udy Lola T70Mk3B. For the ex-Sid Taylor car it's already its 6th victory of the year. Here we see side by side Mike de Udy's car (#7), hidding Malcolm Guthrie's 5.0 Ford GT40 and John Love's car (#1), hidding the 2.0 Porsche 906 of Clive van Buuren. In the middle of the two Lolas Digby Martland's #17 1.8 Chevron-FVC B16. To the right the 1.6 Chevron-BMW B8 of Peter Gough, hidding the Elva-Ford T/C Mk4 of Frank Goddard. Note the Robin Widdows/Alistair Walker 4.4 Ferrari 365P4 starting from the back with ignition problems. PICTURE: Autosport  (English edition), Vol. 40, #1, January 1, 1970, p. 20.

PIETERMARITZBURG ROY HESKETH 3 HOURS 1969 - At round #5 of the Springbok Series, contested on December 27, the Bulwayo 3 hours, John Love will mount the 5-litre engine in his 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/138. He'll win the race, already the car's 7th victory of the year (3 for Redman, 1 for Hulme, 1 for Gardner, 2 for Love). Rhodesian John Love will be 2nd at the 1969 Springbok Series. After the race the car will be sold to Mike de Udy. Fitted with a Bartz tuned 5-litre Chevrolet it will be entered for Frank Gardner/Mike de Udy at the 1970 BOAC 1,000-kms, where it will qualify as 12th, but will be retired with a broken camshaft. After that race the car is sold to Paul Vestey, who'll never race it. He sells the car in 1971 to Mike Coombe who fits a Mathwall tuned 5-litre engine on carburettors in it. Coombe and Vestey will enter it at the 1971 Francorchamps 1,000-kms, where it is qualified as 17th, but retired after 15 laps with a broken rocker arm. To the end of 1971 Coombe will enter it at the Hockenheim Interserie Race where it will finish 12th. PICTURE: Autosport  (English edition), Vol. 40, #1, January 1, 1970, p. 20.
If one compares the race car with the model above, one remarks that the upright rear spoilers are not perforred as on the model and that the underside is in one piece of the same colour, not in two pieces. The exhaust pipes are too short. MODEL CAR PICTURE: John-W Collection.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - Starting the 1969 season America's Roger Penske has great plans with the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/139 he received on December 30, 1968 as first. He installed a Traco Chevrolet 305, developping 510HP in it, opted for a Lucas injection, plumbed the car, made a new exhaust system and painted it in dark blue with golden lettering. If John Wyer tries to win the FIA Manufacturer's Worlds with a rejuvenated 5.0 Ford GT40, why Eric Broadley's new Lola should have no chance to beat that Ford GT40, is the reasoning followed at Penske's. Contrary to the British gentleman drivers he considers that the new Lola is too good to loose energy in local sprint races. This is a car to beat the best works teams. Penske knows very well that Porsche has several splendid factory machines for the new season, its 3.0 908-01LH, but he is convinced that his professional approach may be decisive in the threesome factory combat Ford-Porsche-Lola. His intention is thus to enter all rounds of the Manufacturer's Worlds. Here we see the Chevrolet Camaro pace car leading the 63-car field on the parade lap. PICTURE: O'Malley J.J., op. cit., p. 72.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - It's a fast bird this 510HP Penske/Sunoco 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/139, shared by Mark Donohue (USA) and Chuck Parsons (USA). Parsons is the stand-in for Ronnie Bucknum who broke his thumb in a motorbike accident. Here, shortly after the start, the car is surrounded by 4 factory 3.0 Porsches 908-01LH and followed by Ulf Norinder's Lola T70Mk3B with chassis SL76/141. PICTURE: Sport Auto (French version), March 1969, #86, p. 76.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - One by one the 4 factory Porsches will run in trouble with splitting exhausts. Here Mark Donohue, in the Sunoco/Penske 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/139 is glued to the 3.0 Porsche 908-01LH of Vic Elford. He's followed by the A.I.R. 5.0 Lola T70 Mk3 GT of Dave Jordan and by an old Alfa Romeo. After 240 laps the Sunoco Lola was 4th and at once suffered a pit stop lasting 1h 19 mins as the exhaust manifolds began to break up. However, by 330 laps, the Penske car was up to 7th. When, in the early morning, the leading cars retire, the car moves in 3rd position. After 469 laps the remaining 5.0 JWA Gulf Ford GT40 of Jacky Ickx, leading the race, brakes a part of its suspension Donohue/Parsons are 2nd behind the sole surviving Porsche. Then, 13 laps later, the leading Porsche will be retired with an intermediate shaft failure, the same problem which caused the retirement of the other Porsches. Eventually the Sunoco Lola will win its maiden race, despite spending an inordinate amount of time in the pits. In hands of a professional the Lola is much more worth than winning minor sprint races. PICTURE: O'Malley J.J., op. cit., p. 72.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The Sunoco/Penske 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/139 qualified again as 2nd, just as at Daytona. After 3 hours the car, driven by Mark Donohue and Ronnie Bucknum was leading the Amon/Andretti works 3.0 Ferrari 312P Barquetta, but an half hour later it was retired with a broken radious arm mounting. John Starkey reports in his book, op. cit., p. 103: "Roger Penske had been going to contest all the big endurance races in Europe in 1969 but the Lola and its transporter were stolen from outside a truck shop on its way back to Pennsylvania. It was several weeks before Donohue, after offering a reward for information, was able to track down the thieves and retrieve the equipment. Unfortunately, by that time, the car had been so cannibalised that the Penske team gave it up as a bad job. They turned the SL76/139 into a road car, complete with air-conditioning, and sold it." That ends the racing history of the Mk3B at big endurance races. Other private teams missed the racing knowledge of Roger Penske to make it the quite terrible potential winner it was at those days. On the picture below we see the restored car.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1970 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/140 was delivered to Penske Racing as spare car. After the SL/139 was stolen from the trailer after the Sebring 12 hours, too much time was wasted in recovering the stolen car, so that it was impossible to set up the second car for the Le Mans trials, the BOAC 500 or Monza. So Penske stopped his efforts to conquer the Manufacturer's Worlds. The car was sold to Randy's Auto Body Shop, entering it at the 1970 Daytona 24 hours for John Cannon (USA) and George Eaton (USA). They qualified as 10th, but an oil leak provoking "a diabolic handling" made it was retired before one lap was covered. It came back at the Sebring 12 hours (with yellow pîn stripes), qualified as 22nd with Bob Brown (USA) and George Young (USA) as drivers, finished the race but was not classified. At the 1970 Le Mans 24 hours the car failed to qualify. In 1971 it was entered at the Watkins Glen 6 hours but was retired after 2 laps with a broken throttle cable.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1969 - The #60 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/141 of Ulf Norinder was entered under those colours only once, at the Daytona 24 hours of 1969 where the car qualified as 5th but failed to finish. PICTURE: Sport Auto (French version), March 1969, #86, p. 76.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/141 of Ulf Norinder - entered by Sportscars Unlimited - showed at its second outing under those colours. Bonnier/Norinder qualified as 7th but failed again to finish.  Same sad story at the BOAC 500-mi and the Monza 1,000-kms of 1969. At 3 sprint races the car finished as 4th (Magny Cours by Picko Troberg, S), as 6th (Anderstorp by Jackie Oliver, GB) and as 8th (Mantorp Park by Ulf Norinder, S). In 1970 the car, driven by Jackie Oliver/Carlos Reuteman was 11th at the Buenos Aires 1,000-kms. At the Buenos Aires 200-mi the car was 4th (Oliver). PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 103. If one compares the race car with the model above it stirs that several details are wrong: there are no mirors, the light on the roof is missing, the interior of the nose opening is in the wrong colours, a decal before the front wheel fender is missing, etc.

ADERSTORP 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/141 of Ulf Norinder has certainly be raced in other colur schemes. Here we see the car behind a trailer on September 14, 1969, where it was raced by Jackie Oliver, finishing 6th. Ulf Norinder was a special man, heavy with long hair, who let paint in 1962 his 3.0 Ferrari 250 GTO in the famous Swedish colours. He also contested the complete 1970 Tasman Series with a 2.5-litre single seater Lola. He was as much in artist as a racer. PICTURE: Lennart Jarmyr (S).

FRANCORCHAMPS 1,000-KMS 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/142 of Paul Hawkins qualified as first and was leading the race during the early stages. Eventually it finished as 8th despite engine bothers.

FRANCORCHAMPS 1,000-KMS 169 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/142 having started from a surprising pole position. Above a model with the wrong body underside at the rear. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 111. The body on the coloured picture hereunder has the correct rear, except that it was raced without the spare tyre, no longer obligatory in 1969.

BOAC 6 HOURS MILES 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/142 of Paul Hawkins leads here one of the JWA Gulf Mirages, entered by John Wyer. Qualified as 9th the car was retired after 133 laps with a broken rear wishbone. "Hawkeye", son of an Australian Church Minister, had sold his personal Ford GT40 with the ambition to win the R.A.C. Sports Car Championship at the wheel of his new Lola. Hired in 1967 as works driver for Ford, Porsche and Ferrari, and having contested 3 F1 races, "Hawkeye" finished as 3rd of round #1 (Silverstone), won round #2 (Snetterton), was 3rd at the Embassy Trophy, didn't finish at the BOAC 6 hours (round #4), was 4th at the Martini Trophy (round #5) and took immediately ofter the start if the famous Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park on May 26, 1969 (round #6) the lead. Unfortunately he had to come in twice to let control his front wheel suspension. A sudden rain had just stopped when Hawkins pitted to change onto dry covers. Now in 7th place he carried on driving as hard as he could. At Island Bend he slid wide and hit a tree, his car catching fire. Poor "Hawkeye" was burnt alive. Since his car blocked the whole track the race was stopped after the accident. The SL76/142 is reputed to be buried in a gravel pit at Slough. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 107.

EMBASSY TROPHY TRUXTON 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/143 of Joachim Bonnier (S) entered the 3 first rounds of the R.A.C. Sports Cars Championship, finishing twice as runner up, e.g. here at Thruxton where Brian Redman in Sid Taylor's Mk3B will succeed to pass the Swede to win. PICTURE: Starkey John, op.cit., p.107. The above model is again no more than a rough approximation of the race car. Mirors are missing, the upright rear spoilers are not correct, the rear is in two body parts instead of one, etc.

NÜRBURGRING 1,000-KMS 1969  - In 1969 the 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/143 of Joachim Bonnier was entered in 3 endurance races of the Manufacturer's Worlds [At 5 other rounds he raced George Filipinetti's SL76/145 and SL76/151]. At Monza the car was retired with an overheated motor, but at the Francorchamps 1,000-kms he and Herbert Müller (CH) finished 5th. Here, at the Nürburgring the car was practiced with a fuel injected engine as 9th but was retired after 23 of 44 laps with a broken drive shaft. Still in 1969 the car was entered in several sprint races, winning one week after the Nürburgring at Montlhéry (Bonnier) and one month later at Magny-Cours (Ron Peterson, S). At the Nuremberg 200 on the Norisring Bonnier won the first heat but couldn't finish the second. At the 3 rounds for the Nordic Cup it finished res. 3rd, 4th and 6th. Before being shipped to the Kyalami 9 hours Bonnier finished as runner-up at the Hockenheim 300. In South-Africa the car was raced with a 5-litre engine, but was eliminated by accident. PICTURE: Födisch Jörg-Thomas and Michael Behrndt, ADAC 1000Km Rennen, Nürburgring Langstrecken-WM 1953-1991, p. 110.

BOAC 6 HOURS 1970 - In 1970 Bonnier entered his own 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/143 at 3 rounds of the Manufacturer's Worlds: Brands Hatch, Spa and Watkins Glen. One other round was disputed with Filipinetti's SL76/151. At the BOAC 1,000-kms Bonnier and Reine Wisell finished 7th, at Watkins Glen 8th. Spa could not be finished. earlier in 1970 Bonnier's car, driven by Ronnie Peterson/Jorge Cupeiro was 7th at the Buenos Aires 1,000-kms. At the new 1970 Interseries he raced 3 rounds with his own car equipped with a 7.6-litre motor. He finished all 3 with a 3rd place at the Hockenheim 300-mi as best. In 1970 Bonnier wins for the 3rd time a sprint race with his car, at Illandsringen (DK) [not mentioned by John Starkey]. PICTURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

WATKINS GLEN 6 HOURS 1970 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/143 which finished in hands of Bonnier and Wisell as 8th. PICURE: Racing Sports Cars Archive.

THE RESORED BONNIER CAR AT A RECENT RACE FOR CLASSIC CARS - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/143 was later equipped with stabilisation fins and (horrible) yellow wheels. Here it is followed by a Chevron B8.

SNETTERTON 1969 - The dark blue 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/144 was sold in 1969 to Team Elite of Trevor Taylor. It entered the 8 rounds of the 1969 R.A.C. Sports Car Championship, including the Brands Hatch 6 hours, but finished only twice: the prestgeous Tourist Trophy was won after the race was stopped due to Hawkins's accident, and at the Wills Trophy at Croft Taylor was 2nd. Although the car didn't finish the BOAC it was classified as 17th. In September the car was sold to Barrie Smith who finished 6th at the Hockenheim 300-mi. In 1970 it entered the Buenos Aires 1,000-kms, but failed to finish. Smith entered the car also for the 1970 BOAC 1,000-kms, but during the first lap, in very wet conditions, it was seriously crashed and the monocoque destroyed. PICTURE: Peter Quinn's Wheels Archives.

BRANDS HATCH 6 HOURS 1969 - The red 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/145 sold to count Georges Filipinetti was entered only once for Herbert Müller and Jo Bonnier. At the BOAC 6 hours the car qualified as 3rd but was destroyed by Bonnier after a serious crash. PICTURE: Starkey John, op. cit., p. 109.

BUENOS AIRES 1,000-KMS 1970 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/146 was sold to John Woolfe, who initially let it race by Richard Attwood, who finished with it 4th at the 1969 Nuremburg 200. After Woolfe's fatal accident at Le Mans the car was sold to the Belgian VDS Racing Team. Under those colours it was entered at the 1969 Montlhéry 1,000-kms but failed to start, due to a deficient oil pump. At the 1970 Temporada in Buenos Aires the car started from the front row with David Piper's 5.0 Porsche 917K. Eventually Teddy Pilette (B) and Nestor Garcia-Veiga (ARG) finished 4th overall. PICTURE: Champion.

MONZA 1,000-KMS 1970 - After Buenos Aires the VDS 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/146 was shipped to Monza for the 1,000-kms. Despite a blown engine, changed after practice, the car finished 16th (Pilette/Gosselin). Then it went to the Francorchamps 1,000-kms where it qualified as 11th but was victim of a puncture, followed by a broken suspension wishbone, after 31 laps. Four days later Pilette finished 2nd with it at the Montlhéry 500-kms, won by Richard Attwood with Mike de Udy's SL76/149. At the Nürburgring 1,000-kms - the car's 3rd entry at the Manufacturer's Worlds - the car didn't start, due to a broken differential at practice. But one week later it won for the first time at the sports car race of Vila Real (Teddy Pilette). PICTURE: Curami Andrea, Daniele Galbiati and Luca Ronchi, 1000 km di Monza, trofeo Filippo Caracciolo, Storia Fotografica, Soncino: Edizioni dei Soncino, 1998, p. 55.  

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1970 - The VDS 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/146 was also entered at the 1970 Le Mans 24 hours, where it qualified as 27th, but was retired during the 9th hour with a broken gearbox. One week later Teddy Pilette won with it the Montlhéry G5/G6 race. On July 5 he offered the car its 3rd victory at the Vila Real 500-kms (PT). Pilette entered the car, equipped with a 6.2-litre Chevrolet, bought from Bonnier, at 5 of the 6 rounds of the Interserie. He finished twice 6th, once 7th. At the 1970 Montlhéry 1,000-kms the car was retired with clutch bothers. PICTURE: Rafa.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1971 - The VDS 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/146, having finished at a fine 6th place of the 1971 Francorchamps 1,000-kms, will do a last trial to finish in 1971 the Le Mans 24 hours. Alas, from 1967 to 1971 no less than 8 times a Lola T70 entered the race at La Sarthe, but never one of them could be brought home, even not reach mid-race. For Pilette/Gosselin the last attempt is already over after less than one hour: broken piston. PICTURE: Speed Merchants.

FRANCORCHAMPS 1,000-KMS 1970 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/147 was sold to Louis Morand (CH). It never could finish a race it entered, among them the 1969 Österreichring 1,000-kms, the 1970 Monza 1,000-kms and the 1970 Francorchamps 1,000-kms. In those 3 races less than ...3 complete laps could be achieved. At the 1,000-kms of Buenos Aires again no lap could be achieved, due to an accident at practice. Probably the worst of all Lolas T70. Above a model of the car which was black flagged at Spa after 2 laps. PICTURE: J-W Collection.

THRUXTON INTERSERIE 1970 - In 1970 Barries Smith entered the ex-Troberg 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/148 at two endurance races, not counting for the Manufacturer's World Championship. At the Buenos Aires 1,000-kms he and Ed Swart (ZA) failed to finish, but at the Kyalami 9 hours he and Jack Pretorius (ZA) finished 7th. Two rounds of the Interseries could be finished as 9th and 14th. But Smith's best results were noted at short sprint races. So he finished 4th at the Montlhéry G5/G6 and 4th at a sprint race at Thruxton.

GOLD TROPHY OULTON PARK 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/149 was sold to Mike de Udy (GB) for Bahamas Racing. It had a 435HP Bartz Chevrolet engine and was in 1969 only entered at the R.A.C. Sports Car Championship for Frank Gardner (who finished only once: 2nd at Thruxton), at the Gold Trophy (which was won by Gardner) and at the Springbok Series for Mike de Udy himself, with Gardner as team mate. At the Kyalami 9 hours Gardner/de Udy were 2nd, but they won the Cape Int'l 3 hours and the Lorenço Marques 3 hours, bring the total on victories at 3. In 1970 the car entered the Sebring 12 hours but was retired after the first hour. The model on the above picture is a good illustration of the pure commercial approach of Fly using for all its Lolas the same body, just painted in other colours. Again the mirors are missing. But forgetting the persiscope air conducts on the roof, so typical for de Udy's Lolas, is just a shame. PICTURE: John-W Collection.

BULAWAYO 3 HOURS 1969 - The 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/149 on the front row before the start. One recognises the stereotypical periscope air conducts on the roof. Mike de Udy and Frank Gardner won the race with the #7. PICTURE: Autosport  (English edition), Vol. 40, #1, January 1, 1970, p. 20.

MONZA 1,000-KMS 1969 - The green 5.0 Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B with chassis SL76/150 of David Piper leads here the 4.7 Ford GT40 Coupe, entered by IGFA Racing Team for Helmut Kelleners and Reinhold Joest, finishing 4th. At the wheel of the #41 owner David Piper. Having been qualified as 13th by Paul Hawkins, the car will be retired after 51 laps with a broken bearing. One week earlier Piper won at Montlhéry a sports cars race with it, the car's lonely victory in 1969. The car reached several times the podium in 1969 since it was 2nd at the Tourist Trophy, 2nd at the Salzburg GP, 2nd at the Trophy of the Dunes in Zandvoort and 3rd at Magny Cours, each time with Piper behind the wheel. It failed to finish the 2 rounds of the Manufacturer's Worlds (Brands Hatch and Monza) it entered, but finished, off-championship, 10th at the 1969 Montlhéry 1,000-kms. PICTURE: L'Automobile, June 1969, #281, p. 113.

MONZA 1,000-KMS 1969 -

LE MANS 24 HOURS 1969 -

ÖSTERREICHRING 1,000-KMS 1969 -

THRUXTON INTERSERIE 1970 -

STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION