Lola T280

[Kojima_KE007]

That is very interesting.

A story I heard is that the first T286 built was designated as chassis 06 by Lola. Therefore there should be no more than 5 T280s and T282s combined in total.

[Jeremy Jackson]

We thought on page 4 of this thread that HU05 was the prototype T282 or T280/2, and there weren't many customers for the T282, apart from the Filipinetti/Gitanes chassis (Would this have been HU5 or 6?)

Autosport's 1975 article on Lola had a table which had the total of 6 T280/T282s. So with 3(+1; HU10) T286s in '77 (From HU10 advert on race-cars.com: "In 1977, Lola built on 3 T286s, but after an order by Alain de Cadenet, a 4th was built."), that would work.

However, I don't know where the T284 fits in - Schulthess' car is called T284 or T286 at various times, but delivered just before Le Mans 1974. An update perhaps, or HU6, IF the Gitanes car was HU5?

[Michael Oliver]

Originally posted by Jeremy Jackson
We thought on page 4 of this thread that HU05 was the prototype T282 or T280/2, and there weren't many customers for the T282, apart from the Filipinetti/Gitanes chassis (Would this have been HU5 or 6?)

Autosport's 1975 article on Lola had a table which had the total of 6 T280/T282s. So with 3(+1; HU10) T286s in '77 (From HU10 advert on race-cars.com: "In 1977, Lola built on 3 T286s, but after an order by Alain de Cadenet, a 4th was built."), that would work.

However, I don't know where the T284 fits in - Schulthess' car is called T284 or T286 at various times, but delivered just before Le Mans 1974. An update perhaps, or HU6, IF the Gitanes car was HU5?

Maybe the prototype T280/2, which was crashed at Kyalami and described as a write-off, was rebuilt. It those days it was quite unusual for a car to be junked unless nothing could be salvaged from it, and the identify of a previous chassis was often used in order to be able to use the same paperwork. So perhaps the Gitanes car from 1973 was given the chassis number HU05? Does anybody have any information to the contrary? Also, maybe the Schulthess car was the Gitanes car updated to 74 spec? Just thoughts off the top of my head BTW, without reference to any journals!

Michael

[Jeremy Jackson]

Hi Michael,

I agree with the Kyalami car possibly being rebuilt using HU05, but (with the benefit of referring to journals!) the ex-Gitanes car was used by Jolly Club in 1974-75 and driven by Lella Lombardi / Giorgio Pianta in 1977 (I'm assuming still entered by Jolly Club, but nothing to confirm that).

[Dan Rear]

What about the T380(s), I thought the de Cadenet 1975 car was one of these, rather than a T280 variant. It ceratinly looked more like the T390 2-litre cars than the 280/290 series. Or did you mean Jeremy that the 77 "de Cadenet LM" car was built around a T280/286 tub ?

Would a list of cars, T280-86, plus T380 be useful to update us at this point, its all getting a bit complex for me !

[Jeremy Jackson]

Dan,

de Cadenet's 75 car was T380-based. His 1977 order for a T286 was cancelled/not taken up, so that chassis sat at Lola until Wallis used it for Thundersports

There's not much more than the summary Michael used on about Page 3 of this:

HU01 - Ecurie Bonnier (c. Jan 72)
HU02 - Ecurie Bonnier (c. Jan 72)
HU03 - Noritake Takahara (Mar 72)
HU04 - Carlos Gaspar (c. Jun 72)

HU01 goes to Rouveyran at end of 72 then ? (Willy Widar?) (Swedish guy Alain mentioned)
HU02 was written off Le Mans 72
HU03 stays in Japan and is still there
HU04 goes back to Ecurie Bonnier (hence ex-BIP references in race reports) then to Lord, then Zaborowski, Malcolm Johnstone, Brian & David Auger (hence reference to HU04), then Geoffrey Marsh/Marsh Plant and then ? (Rosso Bianco?)"

T286: HU7-10? HU10 built 77, but unused until 1986

T286 also sold to Xavier Lapeyre, T284 (Or T286) to Heinz Schulthess in 1975 as I mentioned.


Not sure of much re:T380s, de Cadenet's 75 chassis was based on HU4, I believe, but was re-numbered LM-2 (LM-1 being the 1972-74 chassis, nee "Duckhams Special"

His 77 & 78 builds were completely new (i.e not Lola-based), AFAIK

Jolly Club had HU2 according to Autosport, and I think messrs Casoni/Capoferri may have raced this, despite it being referred to as a T390, but not totally convinced. May have actually been a T390 with a DFV.

[Michael Oliver]

Originally posted by Jeremy Jackson
Hi Michael,

I agree with the Kyalami car possibly being rebuilt using HU05, but (with the benefit of referring to journals!) the ex-Gitanes car was used by Jolly Club in 1974-75 and driven by Lella Lombardi / Giorgio Pianta in 1977 (I'm assuming still entered by Jolly Club, but nothing to confirm that).

Jeremy

From what you say, it doesn't leave very many options for the Schulthess car... If we assume for now (always dangerous!)that the Gitanes T282 was HU05 rebuilt, which was then used by Jolly Club subsequent to 1973, the T284 must have been HU06? Unless it was HU07 and this car was later updated to T286 spec and given a chassis plate to reflect that. To sum up:

T280 HU01 Ecurie Bonnier, Rouveyran
T280 HU02 Ecurie Bonnier, written off Le Mans 72
T280 HU03 Takahara in Japan
T280 HU04 Gaspar, Jolly Club, Lord etc.
T282 HU05 Ecurie Bonnier/Gitanes, Jolly Club
T282 HU06 possibly T284 HU06 Schulthess
T284 HU07 possibly T286 HU07 ??

And after that I'm lost, as I haven't really looked into anything other than T280s and a bit of T282!

Michael

[Jeremy Jackson]

Michael,
Yep that looks OK to me, with HU08/09 being Lapeyre...

The type for Schulthess' car was inconsistently reported at the time, (due to inconsistent entries?), but I think it's place in the list is OK

[Dan Rear]

Chaps, thanks for the lists, all looks OK. Are we saying only 2 T380s were made, one to AdC, the other to Jolly Club both in 1975. When you say Jeremy that AdC's was built on -04 tub, di you mean T280-HU4, ie that it was an update rather than a brand new one?

[Jeremy Jackson]

AdC's 1975 car was apparently based on T380-HU4, re-numbered LM-2.

I've no idea re T380 nos 1 & 3. I doubt the T390s shared the chassis numbering. I would have been happier if AdC's chaasis was based on HU1! That still might be the case, as the source I had for HU4 isn't beyond errors...

T380-HU2 was Lolas 1001st chassis, according to Autosports; Nur. 75 report. According to Autosport's article in 1975 when 1000 was reached, the list has 1 x T380 and 2 x T390s upto that point (May 75)

[Dan Rear]

As I recall the T390s were Edwards(Caravans International etc) and Raymond (Fisons?). No others sold, possibly just as well, given that Lola reverted to the T290 series for 76-onwards ?

[Jeremy Jackson]

Reudi Jauslin raced one at the 1975 Hockenheim 2-litre race, so that would be a third chassis,

Raymond only raced his a couple of times, reverting back to Chevron, with a new B31, quite quickly!

[Alain HACHE]

about the T286 # 21 entered in the 24 H of Le Mans 1976 :
the annual book of C Moity and JM Teissédre tell that this car was just out from factory for the race , the owner was
Mr PAINVIN , Co drivers X Lapeyre and Chevanne , Cosworth engine from G Hill (?) , X Lapeyre made only a test before the race in Karland . The 2 reporters are very serious and I think that this info is correct but what can be the chassis number of this car out from factory in May or June 1976 ?

[Michael Oliver]

Originally posted by Alain HACHE
about the T286 # 21 entered in the 24 H of Le Mans 1976 :
the annual book of C Moity and JM Teissédre tell that this car was just out from factory for the race , the owner was
Mr PAINVIN , Co drivers X Lapeyre and Chevanne , Cosworth engine from G Hill (?) , X Lapeyre made only a test before the race in Karland . The 2 reporters are very serious and I think that this info is correct but what can be the chassis number of this car out from factory in May or June 1976 ?

Alain

Maybe this was Lapeyre's 1975 car, which had gone back to the Lola factory to be freshened up and to have any latest updates to the specification added?

Michael

[Jeremy Jackson]

The LM yearbook that Alain mentions says of this car "...(evolution of the T294 2-litres)"

Wonder if that means this was an upgraded 2-litre, as the T286 would logically be an evolution of the T284?

Only other option is that the 3 T286s made in 1977 is not quite 100%, and at least one was made in 76?