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Lola GT - the ingenious but failed forerunner of the Ford GT 40

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Created on June 28, 2013

Reading time 11min

Written by:

Stefan Fritschi

Photos:

Robin Adams - Courtesy of RM Auctions

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Archiv

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Robin Adams - Courtesy of RM Auctions

13

Archiv

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola GT (1963) - beim ersten Einsatz auf dem Nürburgring

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Lola Mk 1 (1960) - erfolgreicher Frontmotor-Rennwagen, der den Lotus Eleven schwer zu schaffen machte

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Lola GT (1963) - die Ähnlichkeiten mit dem späteren Ford GT sind nicht zufällig - hier bei der ersten öffentlichen Präsentation an der Londoner Rennwagenausstellung 1963 zu sehen - fuhr auch mit Startnummer 6 in Le Mans 1963

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Lola GT (1963) - der neue GT von Broadley tauchte einige Tage nach Eröffnung an der Londoner Rennwagenausstellung 1963 auf - Mit Richard Attwood als Fahrer war er dann auch am Start der 24 Stunden von Le Mans 1963

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Lola GT (1963) - Blick in das spartanische Interieur, gesehen an der London Motorshow 1963

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Lola GT (1963) - Blick in das Reich Eric Broadleys

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Lola GT (1963) - Broadley (Mitte) scheint zu fragen, ob das Getriebe wohl halten werde

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Lola GT (1963) - draussen vor der Werkstatt stehen noch Teile des neuen Rennwagens herum

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Lola GT (1963) - Eric Broadley (Mitte) erörtert mit einem Mitarbeitern wohl die Probleme mit dem Colotti-Getriebe

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Lola GT (1963) - Hinterachse und das störrische Getriebe

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Lola GT (1963) - Hinterachse

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Lola GT (1963) - vorne ist der Wasserkühler und das Reserverad untergebracht

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Lola GT (1963) - der Wagen mit dem Ford 4,7-Liter-Motor im Bau

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Lola GT (1963) - mit Strassenregistrierung

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Lola GT (1963) - Eric Broadley überwacht die Fertigstellung seines Sportwagens

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Lola GT (1963) - beim ersten Einsatz auf dem Nürburgring

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Lola GT (1963) - mit handgepinselter Startnummer, wie es damals üblich war

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Lola GT (1963) - nach einigen Änderungen durfte der Wagen in Le Mans starten

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Lola Mk6 GT (1963) in Le Mans 1963 - Lola Besitzer Eric Broadley (links) mit der Rennleitung im Gespräch - der ultratief liegende Lola musste noch einige Änderungen über sich ergehen lassen

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Lola Mk6 GT (1963) in Le Mans 1963 - Richard Attwood und David Hobbs schieden nach zirka einem Drittel Renndistanz aus.

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Lola GT (1963) in Le Mans im Jahr 1963 - die verlorene Heckhaube nach dem Unfall im "S" von Tetre Rouche

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Ford GT 40 (1964) - stolz zeigen John Wyer, Eric Broadley (Lola) und Roy Lunn kurz vor dem Verladen für den Transport zur New York Autoshow den neuen GT, später soll er dann am Nürburging seine Talente zeigen

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Ford GT 40 (1965) - formlich erinnern die ersten Versionen noch stark an den Lola GT

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Lola Type 70 Mark III (1967) - kommerziell ein erfolgreiches Produkt war der T70, hier an der London Racing Car Show 1967 zu sehen

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Lola Mk 6 GT (1963) - Chassis LGT-2 - angeboten an der RM Auction Monterey am 15./16. August 2014

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Summary

50 years ago, the Lola Mark VI GT developed by Eric Broadley celebrated its premiere with the aim of shaking up the international GT and endurance racing scene. It did so, but not under its own name. The ideas flowed into the Ford GT 40, which won several times at Le Mans and ended Ferrari's dominance. This report goes in search of clues and shows the history of the Lola GT's development. Many pictures, some of which have never been shown before, show the ingenious racing car under construction and on the race track.

This article contains the following chapters

An engine revolution for sports cars
LGT-P with steel chassis, 4.2 liter V8 and GRP bodywork
When racing cars were still beautiful
Presentation London Racing Car Show 1963
From the back of the field to 9th place
LGT-1 and -2 with aluminum chassis and 4.7 liter V8
Teething troubles lead to failure
Broadley becomes GT40 midwife...
... but not happy
Where have the three cars gone?
LGT-1 in later racing condition
LGT-2 with Chevy engine
What if...?
Further information

Estimated reading time: 11min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Eric Broadley originally numbered his Lola racing cars. The first "Special" from 1957 was followed by the Mark I. In 1963, Lola competed in Le Mans with the Mark VI (also known as the "Lola GT"). After 15 hours, the race had to be abandoned in fifth position. Nevertheless, Broadley was hired by Ford as a consultant for the GT40 project. From then on, the Lola GT was rightly regarded as the birthplace of this sports car of the century. In the 1960s, which had just begun, motorsport was in a state of upheaval. The mid-engine had slowly but surely established itself in monopostos and vehicles with smaller engines. It was only a matter of time before the new configuration also became established in sports cars. At that time, the term "rear engine installed in front of the rear axle" was still used. The term "mid-engine" was not yet common.

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