Lola T 60 & 62

[HayesCages]

I found the notes I took last time I spoke with a prior owner of our car.
The guy that drove it last name is Robert 'Bob' Tracy. He now lives in Quicy, WA. (About 150 m. from our home. Before that I spoke to him in Phoenix, AZ. Not sure why he moved. Had to do a people search to find him again!)
He told me that he ran the car for just a couple of years in the late 70's and early 80's as an FB. The person he bought it from was named "Sams", from the Portland, OR. area. Bob said that this Sams person had purchased it from an R. J. (Richard J.) Schmidt, a retired military person, also of Portland.
Schmidt aquired the car in '71 from an unknown source and ran it for a number of years in the NW.
Bob also said that it had a Brian Hart 'small valve' engine in it.
Bob's ex-wife, Sharon Tracy (Also in the Portland area), was invaluble in sourcing information as to the where-abouts of Bob. At the time I first attained the chassis I had no idea what it was. I posted pictures at a Historic event in Portland in the ealy 90's and had an immediate response from a friend of Sharon. Incidently she also worked for the group Global Events that was organising the meet. I had actually met her at registration earlier that day.
That is all I know of our chassis.
If you can get me the name of the person in the Oregon Region I will get in touch with them re. this chassis. Who knows, maybe we can find more out about it.
Lawrence

[Chris Townsend]

Lawrence

I reckon Pierre Phillips could help you. He was the Lola agent on the west coast in period and is listed as running Schmidt in FB races in 1969 and 1970 at Kent. The L&M stickers suggest that the car ran these races because their sponsorship ended in 1971. My hunch is that yours is Schmidt's car from 69 onwards.
Pierre is still in the Seattle area. I'll try and get you a contact.

I can't find a Sams in SCCA results mid 70s but the car may have run regionals rather than nationals. How about Sans Thompson of Seattle?
I correspond with Sans, who ran a Lola T360 after 1975 and still runs pro rallies very effectively. This might have been his first car. Will ask.

Also, am a bit surprised at Bob Tracy's dates. Bob had a March 75B in 1976 and was quite a quick competitor with it in SCCA, so a Lola T60 after that would have been a bit of a step backwards. Bob and Sans Thompson were friends, and I think Sans crewed for him.

Would you mind letting me have Bob's details [or forward him mine] as I'd like the chance to get some history on that March.

Chris

[rkshanahan]

Lawrence,
I am wondering if your car could be the ex-Robs Lamplough 62-8? His car was sold to the US by John L'amie at about the right time and it had blue bodywork like your car. The easy way to identify 62-8 is that it had two aluminum scoops on the bodywork just above the driver's knees. Robs added these scoops himself, so it is doubtful they would be present on any of the other cars. If your car still has its original bodywork I thought these scoops might still be present. My car has a replacement nose section, so these features don't help me in identifying my car.

Regards,

Rob

[HayesCages]

Chris and Rob,
Pierre Phillips' name kind of rings a bell, although I'm quite sure I've never spoken to him. It would be nice to find out if he can help ID the car. I have spoken to Sans at some time but don't recall the conversation or what he had to say. I may have gotten his name fron Bob's ex. I do remember that he was living on a boat in Portland at the time. (As I remember now, I did get Sans' ex-wifes name and number from Bobs' ex-wife. Funny racer-types!) Anyway, I can't think of what Sans may have told me at that time. I probably wrote it down somewhere....once.
The dates I got from Bob were not too specific and I may have wrote them down wrong also. He wasn't really happy about me tracking him down and did not want to dredge up those memories. He is the epitome of an old, crotchety man. (Just my opinion, so you know)
The nose on our chassis is not original but must've been replaced at an early time with the FJ nose that's on it now since it has the L&M stickers on it.
Sams may have been the guy Tracy sold the car to.
Brian, if you want to contact Bob I'll try to get his phone number again. I may still have it filed somewhere. Not too sure if he'd want to actually talk racing again though.
Lawrence

[Chris Townsend]

Lawrence

From what Sans has told me of his ex wife you may not want to make that call! [I don't think she's too interested in forwarding anything except hate mail.]
I'll contact him and see what he has to say.

If Bob Tracy is that cranky maybe I'll pass on talking to him.

Chris

[HayesCages]

Chris,
And why did I call you Brian? Beats me, sorry.
Lawrence

[allenbrown]

I was at Watkins Glen on Monday and spotted the following in 1970 Autoweek adverts:

Lola T63 Formula B ex-Surtees/Attwood; Glen Racing Ltd, Watkins Glen [NY] (coincidentally) Autoweek 3 Jan 1970 p35

Lola ex-MRP F2 69 CenDiv champion John Marshall Sandusky, OH Autoweek 24 Jan 1970 p35

[HayesCages]

After speaking with Pierre Phillips (Portland, Oregon) we've decided that our car was imported from the UK with a few others and purchased by him. He does have some pictures of the car at Laguna Seca in the 60's, although I haven't seen them.
If I can get a hold of them I'll try to post them.
Lawrence

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

I've got a Lola of unidentified provenance entered for an R.J. Schmidt #13 by Pierre Phillips [know him?] at Kent, 7 June 70; not in race but might not have qualified. He also appears, finishing 8th, at Kent in the pro race 6 July 69, with a Lola-t.c (the only FC in that race is Wayne Jamieson's Manic)

The 6 Jul 1969 Seattle entry list includes a red #4 Lola T62 driven by RJ Schmidt of Portland OR.

Allen

[HayesCages]

That's our chassis.
Schmidt raced it for Phillips I believe.

[rkshanahan]

I spoke with Frank Scurria (motorcycle racer from the 60's) about Lola T-62/11, which he owned and raced in the late 60's. Frank first saw the car at Frank Williams garage in '67, but ended up buying it in '68 or '69 from the guy who bought it from Williams. Scurria imported it to the US to try his hand at auto racing. He was moderately successful with it and sold it a couple of years later. It is now restored and in a collection here in So. California.

I was also informed recently that Scurria was involved in a road accident while riding a motorcycle in Motogiro America event and was in critical condition. I have not heard since about how he is doing.

I am finally finishing up my Lola restoration. I have the car entered for the Quail Lodge Concours during the big Monterey Historics weekend at Laguna Seca. I figured entering an event and having a hard deadline was the only way I was ever going to get it finished.

[rkshanahan]

I have an updated chassis list for the T-60/61/62 attached. I found 60/4 listed on the Lola website as currently owned by Gerald Hudson, and have asked Lola to put him in touch with me. I also found a reference in a book that said 60/3 was rebuilt by Lola for MRP in '66 as 61/6, which might explain why there was only one chassis listed by Lola as a T-61.

I believe this leaves only 62/7 and 62/9 unaccounted for. Lola lists both of these chassis as sold to "Dragoni", and I am told that several chassis were sold to Italy for F3 racing.

There is still one chassis I am trying to find here in the US. It was reported converted to a Super Vee, and it should be easy to identify as it had the monocoque cut off behind the roll bar and a tubular rear subframe attached. I will post photos of my car once I have it complete and update the chassis list as I learn more.

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

Lola ex-MRP F2 69 CenDiv champion John Marshall Sandusky, OH Autoweek 24 Jan 1970 p35

Marshall finished sixth in the 24 Nov 1968 Run-Offs in a "Lola F2" in Formula C.

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

I think Marshall's car was a T54 [BRJ63] later sold to Carl Ianalla of Geneva Illinois

Chris

[HayesCages]

I've been in contact with Gerald and may still have his contact info. I assumed it was already known. I'll get it to you guys if you desire.
Lawrence

[SteveTracy]

Originally Posted by fv55inSpokane

I found the notes I took last time I spoke with a prior owner of our car.
The guy that drove it last name is Robert 'Bob' Tracy....

That's the car. He was a F-101, then F-4 pilot, good amateur SCCA regional talent racer, a lot of things, all of which went fast.

Bob Tracy is my father, and yes, he's probably a cranky hermit.

But, he wasn't always like that, and while this car was his "learner", he did very well with the March cars, winning an SCCA Regional title, IDK the year, just recall the trophy. It's too bad because I know he had tons of photos, some trophies, etc. from his FB days with this chassis, but I am guessing they found a dumpster courtesy of his somewhat, ahem, disturbed wife, like a lot of our family history did. He remarried in ~1982 in Scottsdale to a classic golddigger closer to my age than his. He went into seclusion 20 years ago, I never hear or see anything of him.

His years are all wrong, he never raced again after about 1976 or 1977 season. I know that for certain because I was in Stockholm, Sweden in 1977-78 as a student, when I came back, he had packed it in for good and the cars were all gone. He moved to Seattle in 1980 then to AZ (as did I). This was his first car, later followed by a March 722 and a March 75B.

He only raced the car a few seasons in the early 1970's after Schmidt, then moved to a used March 722 previously owned by "Mike", another pilot with the Oregon ANG. Sans Thompson, and R.J. Schmidt owned the car, Pierre Phillips brought them in, and it ran SCCA Formula B #92 or #91 when my father owned it. The fuel bladders were shot and I remember him putting together something else to replace them, IIRC after trying to repair the originals with mixed results. I think the car had outboard fuel tanks that didn't really match the chassis' look.

I have scans of the car in I think Seattle, with the "N" on the side for Novice, shows exactly how the car looked at the time - I will look for them.

It was red the entire time he owned it, as was the Oregon ANG-sponsored March, seen here at PIR:



After he bought the March 722, some military buddy took the car to SIR for Rookie school, stuffed the car and didn't pay for the damage. I think the damage was all suspension, but Dad never drove it again before it was sold, so I don't know for sure.

So, it sat in the bay of our North Plains, OR garage for awhile, then it was sold. Dad bought a 75B chassis and the 722 moved over as a roller into that spot.

For the March fans, another shot - notice the "Maj. Bob Tracy" and "The Job Shop" on the wing.



The 722 was a great car, the BDA/BDD motors hadn't come into play with electronics, dead reliable, he did his best driving in that car.

Old thread, just thought I'd add my personal recollections. With my Dad in FB, Mom in promotion with CART, IMSA, Vintage, you name it for 25 years, I still hit the track and local autocross, I live not too far from Lime Rock in CT.

No Lola's in my garage, just my classic Nissan B13 SE-R, my co-driver won a DSP Tri-states (CT, NY, NJ) championship last October, beat me by a full two seconds in 41 second run, ouch



last month chalking up some practice time at Roebling Road Raceway down in Savannah, GA:



Hope whomever has the car today enjoys it well, it has a history for certain.

- Steve

[SteveTracy]

Originally Posted by fv55inSpokane

After speaking with Pierre Phillips (Portland, Oregon) we've decided that our car was imported from the UK with a few others and purchased by him...Lawrence

I'd love to see those. Pierre Phillips did import the cars, through another party whose name escapes me. Somehow he was involved I think with 2 or 3 of the cars, I asked Mom last year, don't remember. Some real characters there, Sans Thompson, Pierre, and Schmidt. It was Sans, Schmidt, and Mike Fisher (now I remember) who got Dad interested in racing - "hey, we have this car here...", LOL.

When he first got it, I remember asking him "wasn't this a GP car?" and a slew of other questions, I think for him it was more of a tool, as he never had much in the way of attachments or nostalgia for classic cars. I'd trade a body part for any of the three cars he raced, besides this Lola, the 722 was one of about 20 made, period, the 75B March only 1 of 12.

Sigh.

[SteveTracy]

Originally Posted by fv55inSpokane

I've been in contact with Gerald and may still have his contact info. I assumed it was already known. I'll get it to you guys if you desire.
Lawrence

It was Deb Ward who took the car up for school from Portland, another military guy in ORANG. Damage wasn't too bad as it came back with all 4 wheels on the trailer and sort of rolled into the garage. The FB motor was pulled for spares and it sat for awhile surrounded by tires and other spares back in OR.

Maybe with the fuel cell thing and whatever damage Deb did as a rookie to it that makes someone question if it was rebuilt. IIRC Pierre imported the car direct from UK, so unless it was damaged there, Schmidt didn't kill it during the time he drove it.

It took some knocks but I noticed "rebuilt?" in your list, I don't think so. Repaired and molested, definitely, not sure what the definition of rebuilt is in this context. I just recall it was such a sleek car with those fugly tanks on it, ouch.

Have to find my scans at home, I am sure I still have pics from when Dad owned it.

[HayesCages]

Steve,
Nice to meet you!
I have the highest regard for your father and was only saying it like I saw it ("crotchety old man") when I spoke with him.

It sounds like he was a real competitive guy back in the day!

Pierre is so busy that he's not contacted me regarding the photos for some time now. If I get a chance in the next few weeks I'll try to wrestle them from him again. We're attending all of the regional vintage races this year so I'll no-doubt bump into him somewhere.

Your infomation is invaluble to researching the history of these cars.
Lawrence

BTW We had a very rare Sentra SE-X for awhile. Nice little cars!

[SteveTracy]

Thanks, he had his better points. Here at Kent in April 1974, must have been year one looking at the N on the car. The hoop seems overly tall, and what a beautiful car it was w/o those stupid pontoon tanks

Note the de-luxe dual sheets of plywood for a paddock, and the rock catcher on the Webers, a few cans of race fuel. Definitely first year. I also recall he was pretty keen on getting that N off the car.



My brother's comments:

Notice the external fuel tanks as the original bladder tanks in the cockpit were to far gone to use and too difficult at the time to find or manufacture. The photo is at Kent. There was an oil episode at that track in this car. The oil cooler was in the nose I think and one of the oil lines sprang a leak somewhere near the seat. Just coming out of "little indy" if I remember correctly.

I'll have to dig around for some better car photos. None of them are going to be really good quality given those were shot with an "Instamatic" camera, but there might be some more. I'd love to see what it looks like now.

- Steve

[HayesCages]

Nice picture Steve!
Here's what it looks like now. Pretty sad condition and all of the suspension bits have disappeared over the years. I think it was found in a barnyard outside Portland. Not too sure.

[Simon Hadfield]

I got one of these in a deal from Peter Bloore in the early eighties, the engine bay had been gas-axed off behind the seat back bulkhead and I dealt it on and I think it ended up with Peter Denty. The fuel tanks would have leaked because there were no bag tanks - the welded steel monocoque was simply sealed with a rubberised product ( as the later Matra tubs were) and as the steel rusted the rubber perished and the fuel fell out! It struck me that it was very much Lotus 25 inspired and as it was in steel really pretty heavy.

[SteveTracy]

Originally Posted by fv55inSpokane

Nice picture Steve!
Here's what it looks like now. Pretty sad condition and all of the suspension bits have disappeared over the years. I think it was found in a barnyard outside Portland. Not too sure.

Wow, now that is a sure case of "be careful what you wish for". That's surely the car, with the "B" and the hoop w/welded in support, no doubt. IIRC my Mother cut out the lettering for the "B" and the numbers.

I have to admit I'm stunned. On its worst day while it lived with us, it was babied, cleaned, garaged, even as a roller it never sat outside even. My brother and I waxed the shell and polished the metal bits, the wheels, etc.

I find it utterly incomprehensible that among its subsequent owners, someone missed out on what a significant, rare, and beautiful car it was to allow it to fall into that state.

I used to think the car was slumming running the FB series, I remember thinking as a kid it looked more to me like it belonged in a Gran Prix series in Europe, which it obviously did.

Have you seen this post? It list's Schmidt's car (my father's) as SL62/8.

SCCA Continental Championship for Formula B/C Race
Seattle, 6 Jul 1969

8 Robert J. Schmidt Lola T62 [SL62/8]

" Lola T62 [SL62/8] (Robert J. Schmidt) : John Surtees' 1966 F2 according to Lola records and raced only at Karlskoga in August 1966. To Robs Lamplough at the end of 1966 and raced in 1967 F2 and libre. Then to John L'Amie in Ireland for 1600cc class racing. Sold to the US in Sep 1968. Believed to be the car owned by Rob Shanahan in 2005."

Without question that is the same car, but IDK about the Rob Shanahan part (same person as rkshanahan?). The rest is quite credible as the car was nearly new, and both the timeline and prior owners before Dad fit, no question. Fits the earlier posts on first page of the thread. Sold September 1968, shows up in Pacific NW race results in starting in 1969, identified as T62/8.

Which makes it this car, if the posting identified L'Amie correctly as the driver. I think it was blue with yellow or white nose, until Phillips had it, then spent the rest of its life to date as red - otherwise the stickers would be gone from when Dad owned it:



http://www.oldracingcars.com/results...hp?RaceID=Q69E

I am very certain my father's car came from the UK to Pierre, Schmidt raced it, Sans Thompson (affiliated with the "Job Shop" in Portland, OR) sold it to my father or facilitated the sale. The connection to Schmidt was through the military, my mother confirmed how my father knew Schmidt.

I don't mean to dispute Rob's list, but don't see how this can be correct:

T62/8 Surtees F2(SCA) Blue Lamplough, L’Amie Rob Shanahan, US

when Schmidt raced T62/8, according to results transcribed by Chris Townsend. I can tell from what's left of your car that is w/o question the same red car that started its life as blue. The L&M stickers, "B", the position of the SCCA sticker, that's Dad's old car, same car Schmidt drove.

Pierre Phillips purchased his two (?) T-62 cars from the UK somewhere direct, I assume that one was probably L'Amie. Schmidt raced with/for Pierre, who was heavily into SCCA FF at the time, and was known as an importer of Lola cars for the Western USA.

My brother had an idea of where the car went from Dad, but the idea that your car or what's left of it came from outside of Portland, OR makes it pretty likely to me that's T62/8, unless the race results are incorrect in attributing the chassis to Schmidt. The trail from Surtees -> L'Amie -> Schmidt/Phillips -> Thompson ->Tracy is really pretty clear unless the Townsend post is wrong.

The less clear path is where did the car go in ~1976 timeframe after Dad sold it? I somewhat doubt given where you got it that it ever went very far from Portland. It looks too much like it did in 1974 minus a lot of parts, as if someone stuffed it and subsequently stripped the car for parts.

Its current condition, I can still tell for certain that's the car, but I have to admit it's quite a blow to see it in like that. Between that and his 722 March, both were deserving of preservation and restoration - they had a lot of history between the two. I guess I get a bit more attached than I should, which is why I compete with a 18-year old Nissan, some things never change

[SteveTracy]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Lawrence

I reckon Pierre Phillips could help you. He was the Lola agent on the west coast in period and is listed as running Schmidt in FB races in 1969 and 1970 at Kent. The L&M stickers suggest that the car ran these races because their sponsorship ended in 1971. My hunch is that yours is Schmidt's car from 69 onwards.

It is. My father got the car from Sans Thompson. He didn't have it long, maybe 1-2 years, I think you're probably correct in that it was his first year car.

Dad (Bob Tracy) had it two seasons '73/74, one as his Rookie year then as a backup car to the 722 March previously driven by Mike Fisher, who held the course record at PIR in the March for quite some time. '74-75 he drove the March 722, picked up the 75B used after one season, in 1976 as you noted.

Also, am a bit surprised at Bob Tracy's dates. Bob had a March 75B in 1976 and was quite a quick competitor with it in SCCA, so a Lola T60 after that would have been a bit of a step backwards. Bob and Sans Thompson were friends, and I think Sans crewed for him.

You're right and his dates are way off. The Lola left when the white w/blue/red trimmed March 75B came along, my father and brother drove down to Long Beach to pick it up as a roller. The 722 swapped over to the 3rd bay of the garage as backup car and sometimes engine donor.

He drove the 75B at Westwood, Seattle, PIR, and Sears Point. Mostly at PIR and Seattle. It was quick but never as reliable as the 722 in the engine department, IIRC due to the Atlantic series engine changes (e.g. electronic ignition) complexity went up, as did cost.

Self-funded, Dad stopped altogether after 1977 season, I think the cost to stay competitive was prohibitive and he always said he would never race if there came a time when he couldn't win. I remember seeing him so unhappy with 2nd or 3rd place finishes, you'd think he'd cratered the motor or stuffed the car level "unhappy".

In his world, you either finished first, or you didn't. He won numerous laurels during his time in the Air Force then Air National Guard, somewhere these is still a photo of him receiving an award from the President in Colorado, along with about 22 other Air Force officers honored that year, for achievement of the highest possible rating in his role - Dad had a classic 'there's no prize for second place' fighter pilot attitude.

[HayesCages]

I'm going to call the guy in Portland that I got the chassis from today and see if he remembers where they got it. Maybe they'll be able to fill in some gaps for us as to where it went after it left your dad's.
Lawrence