Tag Archives: 31

Wedge Evolution – Lotus 61

The 1969 Lotus 61 Formula Ford chassis origins can be traced back through the Lotus 51 Formula Ford, Lotus 31 Formula 3, and to the Lotus 22 Formula Junior designs.

Lotus Ford 61, Brooklands Double Twelve

The main external difference between the broadly cigar shaped Lotus 51 and the 61 is the introduction of the wedge shaped body which was first seen on the Pratt & Whitney turbine powered Lotus 56 Indy Car of 1968.

Lotus Ford 61, Brooklands Double Twelve

The last Lotus 51’s were in fact built concurrently with the first Lotus 61’s under the wedge body the 61’s have a slightly stiffer chassis thanks to additional chassis tubes that optimised the triangulation of the structure.

Lotus Ford 61, Brooklands Double Twelve

Further differences between the 51 and 61 models can be seen in the mounting of the steering rack, easier to adjust on the 61, and the brake master cylinder resevoirs, integral on the 51 and remote on the 61 which was not always considered an advantage when they needed topping up on the latter.

Lotus Ford 61, Prescott

Above Les Buck is seen at Prescott Hillclimb competing in the Pre 1972 Classic Racing car class.

Australian Dave Walker and Brit Ian Ashley drove for the works Lotus Formula Ford team in 1969, Walker won the British Formula Ford Championship and came third in the European Formula Ford Championship.

Lotus Ford 61, Brooklands Double Twelve

There were three variants of the Lotus 61 with M and MX featuring aerodynamic updates to improve the efficiency of the cooling system, the MX nose finished up with a lower nose than the original and no engine cover was supplied as most customers had found their cars were quicker without them.

Lotus Ford 61, Brooklands Double Twelve

Despite Dave Walkers championship success and sales of 248 Lotus 61’s this would prove to be the last but one Lotus model built for Formula Ford a class that would be come dominated by a new breed specialist Formula Ford suppliers.

Thanks for joining me on this “Wedge Evolution” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me for a Concours d’Elegance edition tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Open Wheel Trainer – Lotus 31 Ford

The Lotus 31 was built to comply with the new for 1964 Formula 3 regulations which replaced the previous Formula Junior.

Lotus 31 Ford, Race Retro

Featuring a space frame chassis similar to the Lotus 22 the 31 was outclassed by new Formula 3 cars built with monocoque chassis, disappointingly only 12 Lotus 31’s were built in 1964/65.

Lotus 31 Ford, Race Retro

However the simple construction and low price meant the Lotus 31’s were ideal training cars and in 1966 19 Lotus 31’s were built with the chassis numbers starting 22-F3-.

Lotus 31 Ford, Race Retro

Motor Racing Stables at Brands Hatch and Jim Russell Racing Drivers School at Snetterton, took delivery of four and five of these cars respectively.

Lotus 31 Ford, Race Retro

Power for the Lotus 31 came from a 997 cc 60.8 cui Ford Cosworth tuned Ford 109E motor that gave 97 hp at 8000 rpm. Andrew Thorpe’s ex- JRRDS school seen here at Race Retro was restored by Jon Waggitt.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Open Wheel Trainer’ edition of ‘Getting’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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