1965/6 Lola-Cosworth SCA T60
Formula 2
Dark Blue - yellow nose (original colours)
Single-Seater monocoque
Hewland Mk 5 - (6 speed) manual
997cc Cosworth SCA 4-cylinder 120 bhp
Chassis No. SL60/2
ELIGIBLE to race in Australia in pre-1967 CAMS Group 'M' Racing and in England Class 'B' in the HSCC Classic Racing Car Championship www.hscc.org.uk and in various other classes in NZ/USA/Japan (worldwide) too many to list.
HISTORY. Eric Broadley’s first monocoque was the T60, designed for the new 1 litre Formula 2 regulations introduced in 1965 (the same year Formula 1 was reduced to a 1500cc limit). The T60 was powered by Cosworth’s SCA one-litre “screamer” with Weber IDF downdraft carburetors (although fuel injection was also trailed) and a Hewland (Mk 5) 6 x speed gearbox. The T60's were campaigned by the Midlands Racing Partnership from Wolverhampton as a quasi works team and the team’s star-studded driver line-up included future World Champion John Surtees running alongside rising stars like Frank Gardner, Richard (Dickie) Attwood, Chris Amon, Paul Hawkins, Jo Bonnier and David Hobbs. Chassis SL60/2 was unique in having an extended tub specifically built for the team’s taller drivers, Tony Maggs and Frank Gardner, both of whom routinely drove this car through 1965 and 1966. Although no match for the dominant Brabhams, the Lola's still tasted success with Surtees winning the Gold Cup at Oulton Park, Attwood the Rome Grand Prix and Amon at Solitude. Gardner’s greatest moment in SL60/2 was undoubtedly at Reims, coming second in one of the closest finishes ever, behind Jochen Rindt’s Brabham and beating Jim Clark’s Lotus to the line.
FURTHER HISTORY. In October 1966 the car was sold (less engine) to via MRP's Bill Bradley to Brian Nelson of Co. Down, Northern Ireland and raced in hillclimbs and club events with a twin-cam, then in Formula Libre events to 1969. Photo's of the Nelson Team are available too. After going to D.A.Shells of London, Keith Laney took the Lola to New Zealand in 1972 and raced it with some success. The car then passed to Harry Holt of New Zealand in 1976, who is rumored to have emigrated to Australia in his yacht with the Lola strapped to the deck! Movie producer Matt Carroll raced the car from 1978 with a 998 MAE engine before selling it to Don Black of Galston, NSW in 1989 and he replaced the motor with a twin-cam but stored the car after just a few races. Black found an original 1 litre and some associated spares but ill health prevented him from completing the project. Discovered as a "farm find" by the current owner in Black’s chook shed in 2001 and was featured in Classic Cars Magazine at the time.
RESTORATION of SL60/2. The complete car was painstakingly restored by John Masala and the owner over a five-year period, using a correct SCA Cosworth motor rebuilt from the "ground up" by renown specialist engine builder Peter Molloy. This engine will happily rev to 10,000 RPM and runs a single overhead camshaft driven by gears (not a chain). All other car parts were fully serviced and correct 6 speed gears replaced the (since fitted) 5 speed Hewland internals together with an original pawl type ZF limited slip differential. The monocoque also was totally restored under the supervision of world renown engineer Dave Mawer at Orangeville (near Sydney) who also examined and crack tested all components including the wheels and repairs effected where necessary.
RECENT RACE WINS. The car won (1st outright) on debut at the Tasman Revival at Eastern Creek in December 2006 and backed up there in 2008 with another "win" against much larger engined cars, also doing demonstration laps at the F1 AGP in Melbourne 2008 where it was well noticed especially by some of F1 people when it passed their pit garages at over 9,500 RPM as it passed them ... a "screamer".
MOST RECENT DRIVER (2005-2012). Tom Tweedie who recently won the Australian National Formula 3 Championship in 2009 and 2010 ... go to www.tomtweedie.com for further details.
CAMS (FIA) PAPERS. The T60 also has the current CAMS logbook and Certificate of Description ... the equivalent to FIA papers issued by CAMS (Australia) ... also see engine variations below.
PS. 4 x Outright Winner at Tasman Revival Eastern Creek November 2010 against mostly larger engined cars ... driver Tom Tweedie. See results www.natsoft.com.au
Second on the grid at Eastern Creek November 2011 in very good company beating all but one 1600 cc twin cam engined cars etc before a slight altercation in race 1 with a well known agitator rendering the car undriveable for the remainder of the meeting ... repairs have since been completed and car is now 100% again.
ENGINE VARIATIONS: Whereas SL60/2 ran a 997cc Cosworth SCA engine whilst competing in UK/Europe championship race meetings it is also documented as being sold late 1966 to Brian Nelson (Ireland) who installed a 1600cc Ford twin cam and raced mainly in hillclimbs.
Now this has been approved by CAMS eligibility (Miller) as previous owner to me Don Black (Sydney) also ran a twin cam before the SCA was re-purchased and installed by us so if we were looking for more horsepower (still Group M eligible) I am sure we could sell the very rare SCA for much more than the cost of building or buying a good twin cam ... an option we however did not wish to persue.
EASTERN CREEK HISTORIC meeting end of June 2012 Tom lowered the under 1100 cc open wheel race car LAP RECORD by 1.8 seconds.
NEWS: GOODWOOOD REVIVAL (UK). In September 2012 Robs Lamplough an "elderly" driver/pilot from the F2 era ran his recently restored 997cc Lola T60 SCA against a strong field of pre 1966 1.5 litre tiny V8 Climax engined period Formula 1 cars etc and finished a fabulous 5th outright emphasising how competative these T60's really are against larger engined cars.
Robs Lamplough (UK) has put a F2 group together for 2013 as the orginisers were estatic I am told and we have received an invitation to race there ... but due to other factors we have as at 06.04.13 not made a final decision to go or not.
OWNERS NOTE: As the car is SOLD we will not be participating in the Goodwood Revival regretably but it is a shame most of our good cars are being recognised overseas and snapped up whereas Australia moves steadily towards "tin tops" with no history or pedigree.
Such is our culture (or lack of it) but then who am I to talk ... but I saw the light eventually and have no regrets except selling this lovely little car simply because there wasn't a place for it except with the larger engined cars as FJ and F3 turned their backs after Tom out drove them conclusively a number of times ... of course they said it was the car.
RT
CONTACT: Robert Tweedie (
Sydney
)
MOB: 0408 162 762
INTERNATIONAL TEL: + 61 408 162 762
FAX: +61 2
9879 5224.
Email: ibcholdings@bigpond.com
Web: www.ibcholdings.com.au/cars
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