Help needed to trace the history of my Lotus
Discussion
Hi there gents
I’m trying to research the early history of my 1956 Lotus Eleven and have drawn a blank. I purchased the car 3 years ago from Seattle USA and brought it back to the UK. I have history for the car going back to 1980 and the car has been seen by the HLR registrar but no early records exist. Unfortunately the car has lost its chassis plate, not unusual with these cars as they weren’t actually attached to the chassis!
The only clues I have are some unusual build features on the car, an old UK registration plate that came with the car but is not of the same year and a name.
The registration plate is ROV 511G which is 1968, and comes from Birmingham, which destroyed all of their old records. The ‘story’ I was given as to why the plate is much newer than the car was that all used cars being imported into the states at that time had to be registered, so an old race car was road registered and exported. I’ve written to the DVLA but they definitely have no records, even in storage, of that registration.
When rebuilding the back axle of the car I came across a name scratched into the inside of the hub. The name reads Bill Wintree or Winfree. I’ve asked as many old Lotus people as I can but no one has heard this name. The location of the name means it could only have been written when the car was dismantled.
The unusual build features follow characteristics only seen on some Team Lotus cars (which unfortunately mine is not). The car has twin fuel tanks, twin fuel pumps (SU with green end caps), additional reinforcing across the width of the car in the cockpit beneath the drivers knees and bracing between the rocker cover and inlet manifold. These features are very similar to some found on the 1956 Le Man cars. My personal belief, plucked from the ether, is that someone saw those team cars and wanted similar features built into their car. The car has definitely been modified for endurance racing rather than short sprint races, the twin tanks hold 9 gallons each, a lot for a 1098cc car.
If anyone has any info or ideas of where else I could look I’d be very grateful.
Thanks in advance
Jon Adams
I’m trying to research the early history of my 1956 Lotus Eleven and have drawn a blank. I purchased the car 3 years ago from Seattle USA and brought it back to the UK. I have history for the car going back to 1980 and the car has been seen by the HLR registrar but no early records exist. Unfortunately the car has lost its chassis plate, not unusual with these cars as they weren’t actually attached to the chassis!
The only clues I have are some unusual build features on the car, an old UK registration plate that came with the car but is not of the same year and a name.
The registration plate is ROV 511G which is 1968, and comes from Birmingham, which destroyed all of their old records. The ‘story’ I was given as to why the plate is much newer than the car was that all used cars being imported into the states at that time had to be registered, so an old race car was road registered and exported. I’ve written to the DVLA but they definitely have no records, even in storage, of that registration.
When rebuilding the back axle of the car I came across a name scratched into the inside of the hub. The name reads Bill Wintree or Winfree. I’ve asked as many old Lotus people as I can but no one has heard this name. The location of the name means it could only have been written when the car was dismantled.
The unusual build features follow characteristics only seen on some Team Lotus cars (which unfortunately mine is not). The car has twin fuel tanks, twin fuel pumps (SU with green end caps), additional reinforcing across the width of the car in the cockpit beneath the drivers knees and bracing between the rocker cover and inlet manifold. These features are very similar to some found on the 1956 Le Man cars. My personal belief, plucked from the ether, is that someone saw those team cars and wanted similar features built into their car. The car has definitely been modified for endurance racing rather than short sprint races, the twin tanks hold 9 gallons each, a lot for a 1098cc car.
If anyone has any info or ideas of where else I could look I’d be very grateful.
Thanks in advance
Jon Adams
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minor5 said:
contact the factory they have an in house historian (sorry cant remember his name)
Lotus Archives - agraham@lotuscars.com Andy Graham
Lotus Archives (Longwater)
Lotus Cars Ltd.
Potash Lane
Hethel
Norwich, Norfolk
NR14 8EZ
England
Phone number: (01603) 732178
Edited by lotus-types on Saturday 19th October 12:38
You could try asking on these two forums lots of knowledge available
http://forums.autosport.com/forum/10-the-nostalgia...
http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f...
http://forums.autosport.com/forum/10-the-nostalgia...
http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f...
Try Classic Team Lotus - run by Clive Chapman (Colin's son)
http://www.classicteamlotus.co.uk
They have all the records etc for those old Lotuses & anything from the original Team Lotus.
http://www.classicteamlotus.co.uk
They have all the records etc for those old Lotuses & anything from the original Team Lotus.
Hi there
I've asked Clive and even managed to speak to Hazel but they have no records going back that far. All the machanics working for Classic Team Lotus are really from the 60's onwards.
I think I'm probably out of luck but trying to be optimistic and hoping some one will say "I've got an old photo of that" or "thats old so and so's car".
Thanks for the help
Jon Adams
You could try Ten/Tenths, perhaps the Chassis History Forum:
http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f...
John
http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f...
John
Hello there, I was following the tread over on the Autosport Nostalgia Forum a while back, I think. Is this the car that had 'Lone star' livery when found?
'Wintree' or 'Winfree" are fairly unusual names - if you know roughly the area the car was located, perhaps it's worth trawling Facebook. Search for the name, and see if any people of the right age group apprar in the right part of the world? Maybe more likely to get sons / daughters, but I wouldn't think there would be too Many.
Might be a bit hit or miss, but if all else fails in the search, it might be worth a go?
Best of luck with it,
Al
'Wintree' or 'Winfree" are fairly unusual names - if you know roughly the area the car was located, perhaps it's worth trawling Facebook. Search for the name, and see if any people of the right age group apprar in the right part of the world? Maybe more likely to get sons / daughters, but I wouldn't think there would be too Many.
Might be a bit hit or miss, but if all else fails in the search, it might be worth a go?
Best of luck with it,
Al
Sorry to pull an old thread back to life, and hope 56 Lotus is still checking this tread. Pre-1970, my uncle and father were part of an ad hoc pit crew for that car during races (Virginia International Raceway I expect). I have contact information for Bill Winfree, the Virginia based owner of the car during that period, if 56 Lotus would like to reach out to me.
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
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