RE: PH Heroes: Lotus Cortina

[Bizzarini]

Correctly identified..third in the line..JTW 498C..Clark/Whitmore/Sears Team car. We borrowed this car for our charity bash in August. The owner had recently paid £136,000 for it. It was as new.



Here just arrived before dinner. In front of the trailer 'in period' drivers Sir John Whitmore and 'Gentleman ' Jack Sears. Also with them Team Lotus mechanics Bob Dance and Cedric Selzer.

[Bizzarini]

The loveable Sir John Whitmore was our auctioneer...he coaxed just under £30,000 from our Lotus owning guests in 90minutes.All for the local childrens hospice



Sir John was European Touring Car champion in 1965 driving the Red/Gold Alan Mann Cortina.He slaughtered the works Alfas and BMWs.

[Bizzarini]

I took this snap of the Whitmore car at Snetterton I think in 1965 or 66
Fairly sure Alan Mann is the fella sitting on the wing.

Edited by Bizzarini on Friday 9th January 11:14

[aeropilot]

Bizzarini said:

First car, an early pre-Airflow model, was owned by the 'master criminal' Bruce Reynolds..of Great Train Robbery fame.

Aah......OK, I remember when this was sold with very little mileage on it. Must have been why the number plate looked familier.

Glad to see Cedric still around...

Back in the eighties, the best mate of a close work collegue, who used to come out with us on nights out, worked at Cedric's Merc restoration workshop.
Because of my Lotus interests, he arranged a few fun visits there at the time.

[Bizzarini]

My Dad's new Lotus Cortina in 1965.....£995. Hence my interest in them

[jollygreen]

And rear lights from a TVR Vixen!

Or was it the other way around...

[Bizzarini]

Aeropilot....Cedric has recently retired ( at 75) and is writing a book. He was Clark's F1 mechanic in the glory years 1960-64.

Retirement eased by selling his Ex Clark F1 Lotus 25 for £485,000 2 years ago to a friend of mine.

[dinkel]

Oh please keep 'em coming . . . great stuff.

[Bizzarini]

Off topic a bit but in the same place a few years later a Ford of another kind



In the background,not to be left out Mum insisted Dad bought her a 4.2V8 Sunbeam Tiger which she drove ,nose up against the windscreen,with terrifying abandon. It did 90 in second she said.

[aeropilot]

Bizzarini said:

Aeropilot....Cedric has recently retired ( at 75) and is writing a book. He was Clark's F1 mechanic in the glory years 1960-64.

Retirement eased by selling his Ex Clark F1 Lotus 25 for £485,000 2 years ago to a friend of mine.

Yes, I know he was Jim's mechanic. It was a conversation about cars and racing one night over a few beers as you do about Senna, Mansell etc at the time, and I must have said something along the lines of 'still not as good as Jim Clark' etc and Paul chimes in with 'my boss used to be his mechanic'
Yeah, yeah....etc., say I, until he said his name and my jaw dropped.
Didn't take long to get the workshop visit arranged to go see the 25.....
At that money I'm sure it's gone to a good home.

[Bizzarini]

Cedric Selzer donates to our charity auction each year. Here he presents a signed photo of Clark which I framed with a Nick Loudon snap of JC in the Lotus 25/33 at Brands British GP in 1964.The lucky auction winners on this Lot paid £1300.

[Bizzarini]

Full on..........Norfolk August 2008

[aeropilot]

Bizzarini said:

I took this snap of the Whitmore car at Snetterton I think in 1965 or 66
Fairly sure Alan Mann is the fella sitting on the wing.

Yup, does look like it is him.

Compare with this photo taken a year ago, when he was presented the keys at the Pistonheads show, to the Continuation GT40 he's ordered.



http://www.gt40spf.com/news_view.aspx?articleid=22

[Bizzarini]

Alan Mann also has one of the 28 UK specced Ford GTs that went to 'special' people in 2005

Clarkson 'special' I think not.
David 'Calamity' James 'special I think not...

Here is chatting to his driver Whitmore at The Revival. He flew JW from Oz to drive his Mustang.



And this how he repaid him whilst leading !

[tlracing]

Wonderful car, wonderful pics! My father worked on the rally Mk1's at Boreham in the 1960's.

[Bizzarini]

How we remember Clark...?



This photo taken by the late, great Michael Cooper at Oulton Park 1966.
Clark agreed to this lurid slide..pre-arranged with Cooper.

I was desperate for a copy of this photo 10 years ago and asked Cooper for some discount.He offered £10 off the £300 price tag.
Stupidly I didn't buy....seemed dear at the time.

HOWEVER...... I should have one by the year end.

Edited by Bizzarini on Friday 9th January 13:58

[Bizzarini]

A Boreham made Roger Clark Rally Escort. Pretty sure this was BDA powered.
£80,000



Who suggested the blue car was a Cobra !

The green Aston DBD4GT made a tad over a million.

This Ford publicity shot...Whitmore in his distictive 'sit up' style chased by Sears in the sister Team Lotus car.



Sears is a friend....here at his country estate in Norfolk loving my Aston

[aeropilot]

tlracing said:

Wonderful car, wonderful pics! My father worked on the rally Mk1's at Boreham in the 1960's.

Must have known the legendary Mick Jones then....?

[duggan]

Bizzarini said:

A Boreham made Roger Clark Rally Escort. Pretty sure this was BDA powered.
£80,000



Who suggested the blue car was a Cobra !

The green Aston DBD4GT made a tad over a million.

This Ford publicity shot...Whitmore in his distictive 'sit up' style chased by Sears in the sister Team Lotus car.



Sears is a friend....here at his country estate in Norfolk loving my Aston

Have these car's come up for sale (given the price references)? I thought this was the collection of a well known (in LC Circles) collector?

[Bizzarini]

Not a collector
They are all for sale...at a price.