‘If she would just ease her grip a smidge it really would be perfect’…
Seems to be the look on Jackie Oliver’s face. He and the delightful young lady are aboard Jackie’s ’74 Can Am Championship winning Shadow DN4 Chev. It’s the London Olympia ‘Speedshow’ on 2 January 1975.
By 1974 the heyday of the greatest motor racing spectacle on the planet was over, the Porsche roller-coaster effectively did that in 1972/3 as well as some poor decision making by officialdom which drove the likes of Jim Hall from the series. Sans Chaparral the show was never quite the same.
Longtime Don Nichols driver Oliver didn’t have an easy time of it in 1974 though, his teammate and ’72 Can Am champ George Follmer gave him a serious run for his money. Oliver won 4 rounds, George followed him home in 3 of them. Scooter Patrick won the other round in an old McLaren M20 Chev.
Road America 1973. Oliver DNS in the championship race after an engine failure in the sprint event. Compare and contrast the 1973 DN2 with the 1974 DN4 below. Donohue won in a Porsche 917/30. #47 is Ed Felter McLaren M8E Chev DNF and #51 is not on the results data-base i have if anyone can assist (unattributed)
New cars for 1974, the DN4 design (below) was fundamentally smaller than the ’73 DN2 (above) and built around fuel cells of only 45 gallons, the legislators reaction to the oil crisis of the time. Track, wheelbase and overall width were less than the DN2. Southgate used some DN3 F1 hardware in the DN4, ‘the last great CanAm car’, but the layout-aluminium monocoque, Hewland LG ‘box and ally-block Chev, which still gave a reputed 800bhp were all CanAm standard issue. Albeit a brilliantly executed one which was driven mighty well by a couple of Group 7 veterans in Ollie and George…
Credits…
J Wilds, nwmaracing
Tailpiece: The ole DN4 one-two. Oliver from Follmer at Mosport on 16 June 1974, they finished in that order with Scooter Patrick 3rd in a McLaren M20 Chev…
The spare Lotus 48 Ford FVA, chassis 48-2 during the Eifelrennen Euro F2 round in theNurburgring pitlane on 24 April…
Oliver’s Lotus Components entered Lotus 41B was the most successful of the Lotus works entries, he finished 11th. The Team Lotus duo of Graham Hill were 15th with Clark retiring with fuel metering unit failure. The latter two drove Lotus 48 Ford FVA’s, Oliver’s car was an update of Lotus’ 1966 contender. Jochen Rindt won the race in a Brabham BT23 FVA.
Oliver on his way to 4th place and first F2 home during the Oulton Park Spring Trophy. His Lotus 41B was behind the Brabham Repco’s of Jack and Denny Hulme, and the Honda RA273 of John Surtees. 15 April 1967 (Brian Watson)
Oliver raced for the Charles Lucas factory Lotus F3 team in the second half of 1966, driving a Brabham BT18 Ford and Lotus 41 Ford finishing third in the Les Leston British F3 Championship, Harry Stiller won it from Chris Lambert.
For 1967 Oliver contested the British F2 Championship, finishing 5th, as well as many Euro F2 rounds, for 1968 he was a member of the ‘works’ F2 team racing Lotus 48’s together with Jim Clark and Graham Hill.
Lotus Team compound during the 25 June 1967 Reims GP weekend. The white car is Ollies Lotus 41B 7th. Jim Clark is talking to Jackie beside his car #8 Lotus 48 DNF, the car under the cover is the spare carrying #8. Hill is talking to the mechanics next to his chassis, 2nd. The race was won by ‘F2 King’, Rindt in a Brabham BT23 FVA (unattributed)
Then, in the worst of circumstances he ascended to the F1 team upon Jim Clark’s death at Hockenheim on 7 April during the second round of the 1968 Euro F2 Championship.
Oliver was 5th in the championship won that year by Henri Pescarolo’s Matra MS5 Ford, Rindt the dominant driver, as ever, in the category but ineligible for the title as a graded driver.
Olivers first Gold Leaf Team Lotus F1 race was the Monaco Grand Prix in which he qualified his Lotus 49B Ford 13th but was out on the first lap after colliding with Bruce McLaren.
Oliver Q10 in the Dutch dunes where the Lotus 49B made its victorious debut in Clark’s hands the year before. He was non-classified having done insufficient laps. Jackie Stewart won in a Matra MS10 Ford (unattributed)
In a character building year, he had a monster accident at during French GP practice when the cars rear wing support failed-pinging the fence of a chateau on an amazing 125mph trip thru the Rouen countryside. He was able to walk away but the car was hors ‘d combat, so that was his meeting.
Oliver reflecting on life after a wild, wild, wingless ride thru rural France. Whilst his mechanic reflects on the long night ahead (sic) Jackie is sussing out his DG300 box and rear suspension which is 50 metres back up the road from whence he came (unattributed)
The chateau gates Oliver hit are to the right past the Lotus 49’s rear end (unattributed)
Chapman, Hill and Oliver during the tough 1968 season (unattributed)
His best result from a year in which Graham Hills tour de force of leadership gave him and the team world titles was Q2 in his home race at Brands Hatch, the race won by Jo Sifferts Rob Walker Lotus 49B, and 3rd in the season ending Mexican GP, Hill was the winner of that race.
Oliver DNF gearbox after qualifying 2nd, ahead of Jo Siffert 1st both in Lotus 49B’s, Chris Amon 2nd, Ferrari 312, the last car in the group Surtees Honda RA301 5th (Getty)
Oliver leads Pedro Rodriguez BRM P133, 3rd and 4th in the 1968 Mexican GP, 3 November. Hill won from Bruce McLaren (unattributed)
For 1969 Jackie was off to BRM, Jochen Rindt took his Lotus seat for 1969 in an ‘all star’ team with Hill. It was a tough year in 1969 as BRM had ‘lost their way’ in a design sense, the P133/138/139 uncompetitive, better was to come in 1970 with the Tony Southgate designed P153.
Oliver, BRM P133 Monaco GP 1969 , Q13 and DNF with an accident of lap 1. Hill won in a Lotus 49B Ford (Schlegelmilch)
Jack Oliver giving his brand new BRM P153 V12 plenty during the season opening South African GP weeeknd at Kyalami in March 1970. Car looks gorgeous without its Yardley branding! Brabham won in a Brabham BT33 Ford, Oliver DNF with gearbox dramas (unattributed)
Chapman waxed and waned between monocoques and space frame chassis for his ‘small bore’, production single-seaters throughout the 1960’s…
Whilst the marketing advantage of a you-beaut monocoque ‘just like Jim Clark’s Lotus 25’ was clear, equally the relative cost of repair of a spaceframe, especially in the field, a long way from the Norfolk was something which wasn’t lost on a lot of customers. Local garagiste ‘Louis the Torch’ may have been able to fix bent RF corner tubes, but he was less likely to be able to assist with curved sheet metal/aluminium complexities…
Statistically the most successful FJ/F3/F2/FB cars of the 1960’s were Ron Tauranac’s spaceframe Brabhams which were built to a consistent design philosophy throughout.
The cars were simple, strong, fast and forgiving straight outta the box. The latter because Jacks ‘finely tuned arse’ in testing contributed the ex-factory suspension settings which could be relied upon as a competitive, starting position by customers. Plenty of championships were won by not straying too far from them.
Jim Clark, Pau GP, 25 April 1965, victorious in his Lotus 35 Cosworth Ford SCA from Richard Attwood’s Lola T60 and Jochen Rindt’s Brabham BT16, both also SCA powered (unattributed)
Lotus Components 1965 F2/3 car was the monocoque 35, a modified version of the 1964 32, with Clark winning plenty of races in the car including the Trophee de France, the Scot won 3 of the 4 rounds.
Aussie John Joyce (later the designer of magnificent Bowin racing cars when he returned to Australia) with assistance from Dave Baldwin were briefed to build a spaceframe F3/F2 frame for 1966 designated the 41. The Lotus brains trust were having second thoughts about monocoque chassis suitability in the junior classes. Issues were cost, weight and utility and expense of repair. The 41 was raced from 1966 to 1968 and whilst a good car didn’t have the factory support needed to further develop it, the exception the Lotus Components 41 raced by Oliver. The chassis was also raced in the US FB class.
Pau GP, ’65 JC ponders setup changes on his monocoque Lotus 25 inspired 35 (unattributed)
The works Lotus F2 car for 1967, the first year of the 1.6 litre F2, the Lotus 48 was a monocoque, the car Oliver raced was the customer 41B, a spaceframe.
Both cars were comprehensively blown off by Tauranac’s Brabham BT23 which had some mighty fine pilots; aces like Rindt, but also coming drivers who extracted all the performance the car had to offer. The Matra F2’s, the MS5 and MS7 were also fairly tidy, fast (monocoque) devices…
Leo Geoghegan, Australian Gold Star Champion in a Lotus 59 Waggott 2 litre in 1970. Here at Oran Park, Sydney that year (oldracephotos.com)
Chapman’s 1969 F3/F2 car, the Dave Baldwin designed 59 was a spaceframe. Its successor, the final Lotus production racing cars produced in volumes, the 1970 69 was a spaceframe for FF/F3 (spaceframe chassis are mandated in FF) and a monocoque for F2. Go figure!? Mind you, the 59 and 69 were very effective, successful tools whatever the variant.
Jochen Rindt doing his thing in his Lotus 69 FVA during the Crystal Palace Euro F2 round, the ‘London Trophy’ on 25 May 1970. Jochen’s car DNF battery lead, Jackie Stewart’s John Coombs Brabham BT30 FVA won the race. The 69, a monocoque, was a mighty fine car in the hands of the works and customers, competitive into 1971 (unattributed)
These Lotus chassis changes are only of arcane interest over the decade I guess. Perhaps the reasons for the choices were simply the opinions and preferences of the individual designer who worked on each cars design or layout, not that I am suggesting Chapman ever lacked clarity about design direction or objectives!
In terms of the general specifications of F2 cars of the early 1.6 litre Formula, those and that of the engine de jour, the Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 litre unit are well covered in my article on the Lotus 48, click here to read it, there is no point repeating it all;
Lynn Oliver, Monaco 1968. Husband Jackie and Bruce McLaren collided on the first lap, both DNF. Car is Lotus 49B Ford, Graham Hill’s sister car won (Schlegelmilch)
Credits…
Rainer Schlegelmilch, Brian Watson, oldracephotos.com, Getty Images
Tailpiece: Ollie’s Lotus 48 aerobatics at Klostertal during the ’67 German GP weekend, he was the F2 category winner…
(Schlegelmilch)
In a great performance Jackie was 5th in a Lotus 48, the race won by Denny Hulme’s Brabham BT24 Repco
Lotus stand at the ’69 Racing Car Show, sports-racer Type 47 and F3 Type 59 to the fore…
Both models are Loti i always had a hankering for, there were several 47’s which raced for years in Australia in a variety of classes and a 59 won the Australian Drivers Championship, the ‘Gold Star’ in 1970.
Emerson Fittipaldi contesting the 1969 Guards Int Trophy at Brands Hatch on 1 Sept 1969. His Jim Russell Lotus 59 Ford was 3rd to Reine Wisell Chevron B15 Ford and Tim Schenken BT28 Ford, all racing in F1 in 1971- Emerson and Reine for GLT Lotus, Tim for Brabham (unattributed)
Back to the UK in 1969, the works ‘Gold Leaf Team Lotus’ 59’s were raced by American Roy Pike and Brit Mo Nunn (later Ensign F1 designer/supremo) with Aussie Dave Walker in a ‘Lotus Components’ entry (the constructor of Lotus customer racing cars).
Emerson Fittipaldi raced a Jim Russell Lotus 59 entry winning the 1969 British championship and making his GP debut at Brands Hatch in 1970.
Dave Walker in the GLTL Lotus 59 during the 1970 Monaco F3 GP, 9 May. He is threading his 8th placed car thru typical Monaco carnage. Tony Trimmer won in a Brabham BT28 Ford, Walker dominated F3 in 1971 including a GLTL Lotus 69 Ford Monaco F3 GP win (Simon Lewis)
The Oliver/Miles GLTL Lotus 47 is depicted ahead of the Bonnier/Sten Axelsson Lola T70 Mk3 Chev 6th and winning Ickx/Redman Ford GT40, Brands 6 Hour, 7 April 1968, the day of Jim Clark’s death (Michael Turner)
The 47 was raced in the 1968 Brands Hatch 6 Hours in GLTL colorsby Jackie Oliver and John Miles finishing in tenth place in the race won by the Ickx/Redman Ford GT40.
In 1969 the works team raced the Lotus 62 with the GM derived Vauxhall/Lotus LV220 DOHC 4 valve engine, the 47 powered by the venerable Ford/Lotus twin-cam, a Hewland FT200 gearbox used in place of the standard Renault unit.
Whilst the 62 looked a bit like the 47 it shared a few body panels only; its spaceframe chassis was bespoke (2 built) and engines as noted above totally different.
John Miles Lotus 47. ‘Silverstone Players Trophy’ meeting 27 April 1968 (Simon Lewis)
Lotus 47 cutaway; backbone chassis, front suspension upper and lower wishbones and coil spring/damper units. Rear suspension top link, lower wishbone and radius rods. Engine Ford/Lotus twin cam 2 valve, power depending on spec from 160-190bhp. Gearbox Hewland FT200 5 speed , Brakes ventilated disc all round (unattributed)
Lotus 47 engine, gearbox and suspension detail (B Hayton)
Geoghegan’s Sporty Cars 47…
It was inevitable that the Geoghegan brothers would import a Lotus 47 to Australia albeit the cars didn’t fit neatly into our sportscar class structure where the majority of races were short sprints rather than the longer events for which the cars were really designed.
(C Haigh)
The point is illustrated by Leo’s challenge in keeping up with the Lotus 23B Ford at Lakeside above circa 1968, whilst the gorgeous silhouette of the car is shown in the shot below at Hell Corner, Bathurst where he is trying to hold off his old Elan 26R being driven by Niel Allen.
(C Haigh)
(C Haigh)
The last two shots are at Lakeside, the one above is Leo and the 23B lapping slower machines- get in touch if you can identify the cars/drivers.
Jackie Stewart passes the burning molten alloy remains of Jackie Oliver’s BRM P153 and Jacky Ickx’ Ferrari 312B, fortunately both drivers escaped with only minor injuries, burns in Ickx’ case, lucky, it could have been much worse…
On the first of the 90 lap 19 April 1970 event Oliver had a suspension failure at the Ciudalcampo, Jarama, Madrid circuit, ploughing into Ickx and puncturing his fuel tank. The other P153 BRM of Pedro Rodriguez was withdrawn as a precautionary measure, Ollie reported stub axle failure as the accident’s cause.
#2 Ickx Ferrari 312B and Oliver’s white BRM P153, inside an inferno. ‘Bag type’ safety bladder fuel tanks mandated from the start of the 1970 season. The FIA at this time, pretty much year by year changed the regulations to improve safety around fuel tanks; safety foam around tanks in ’72, crushable structures around tanks in ’73, self-seal breakaway tank/hose coupling in ’74. (unattributed)
The full horror of the situation confronting the two drivers; Oliver has punched the release on his Willans 6 point harness and is jumping out of the BRM, Ickx is in the process of popping his Britax Ferrari belts. Johnny Servoz-Gavin’s Tyrrell March 701 Ford 5th passes. (unattributed)
Ickx disoriented and on fire in search of a marshall (Automobile Year 18)
A soldier beckons in Jacky’s direction. (Automobile Year 18)
The soldier, not a marshall puts Ickx’ overalls fire out. At this stage foam is being sprayed on the car fire but the foam extinguishers were soon emptied leaving water only, the impact on the molten magnesium componentry was to make the fire worse. (Automobile Year 18)
Jack Brabham’s Brabham BT33 Ford was on pole, reinforcing the speed of Ron Tauranac’s first monocoque GP contender, but Jackie Stewart won the race in one of his least favourite cars, the March 701 Ford.
The accident happened at the ‘Esses Bugatti’, a stub axle failed and Oliver’s BRM rammed Ickx’ Ferrari puncturing its fuel tanks and releasing 45 gallons of avgas, a similar amount aboard the BRM. Oliver got out quickly, Ickx finally emerged with his overalls on fire, the flames were put out by a soldier. Ickx suffered as a result of keeping his fuel soaked overalls on.
‘The accident created race havoc, not only the visibility being dangerously reduced for drivers…but the flaming petrol constituted another hazard. The fire-fighting was abysmal, vast quantities of water being hosed on the flames for a long time-a procedure which caused the magnesium elements to ‘gas’ and flare up time and time again. The BRM was still burning at the end of the race, but miraculously no-one was hurt’ the Automobile Year race report said.
Stewart didn’t have the race to himself; he initially pulled away from Brabham and Hulme, electronic dramas causing the Kiwi’s demise. Despite spinning twice Jack chased Stewart and Pescarolo, taking second when the Frenchman’s Matra V12 seized, he was five seconds behind JYS. Only a few metres separated them when Brabham’s Ford Cosworth failed, allowing Jackie to ease off to take victory.
Bruce McLaren was second, McLaren M14A and Mario Andretti in another privately entered March 701, third.
The 1970 speed of BT33 was reinforced by Jack’s pole. He won the season opening South African GP. Here spinning on the ‘extinguisher foam rink’. He spun twice but despite that was right on Stewart’s tail when his engine blew. Jarama 1970. (unattributed)
Jarama 1970 was also notable for the race debut of Chapman’s latest design the Lotus 72.
Jochen Rindt qualified his 8th, John Miles in the sister car did not make the cut. Rindt was out of the race on lap 8 with ignition failure.
It would take intensive development by Colin Chapman and his team to make the car competitive, the cars monocoques had to be ‘unpicked’ to make the suspension changes to eliminate a lot of the anti-dive/squat geometry and many other modifications but by June they had a winning car; victorious for Rindt in the sad Dutch Grand Prix, unfortunately the fire on that day had far more serious, fatal consequences for Piers Courage and his De Tomaso 505 Ford.
The sad reality of days like Jarama and Zandvoort in 1970, look how ill equipped in terms of fire protective clothing the marshalls are in the photos above, was the acceptance that safety standards in every respect; circuits, car construction and race support services had to improve to societal levels of acceptability. Thankfully we are on a different level in every respect today…
Rindt, Lotus 72 Ford, Jarama 1970. Look at the suspension travel on that early 72! (unattributed)
Jochen and Colin making a long joblist during Spanish GP practice. The car which won at the Dutch GP in June was a 72C which shows how much change there was in 2 short months. ‘Sol’ pitboard is Alex Soler-Roig who failed to qualify a Lotus 49C. (unattributed)
John Surtees ran as high as 3rd in his ex-works McLaren M7C Ford but faded and then retired with gearbox problems. Back at base his team were building John’s first F1 car the ‘TS7’ which made its debut at the British GP in July. (The Cahier Archive)
Piers Courage during Jarama practice 1970. His Frank Williams De Tomaso 505 Ford non-started after a practice accident. (The Cahier Archive)
Tailpiece: Stewart’s winning March 701 passes the conflagration…
Jackie Oliver’s Shadow DN6 Chev on its way to 2nd place, Road America, 27 July 1975. (Richard Dening Jr)
Exactly 12 months later Oliver goes one better in the Dodge engined DN6B, winning the Road America race on July 25 1976. (Richard Dening Jr)
Jackie Oliver takes an historic win in his Shadow DN6B Dodge at Road America on 25 July 1976…
Chev engines won every championship F5000 race in the US from Riverside on 25 April 1971 when Frank Matich took a Repco Holden win in his McLaren M10B through until Oliver’s long overdue Shadow victory, the Lola T332 Chevs of Al Unser and Vern Schuppan were second and third.
Whilst the Dodge was more powerful than a Chev it was also heavier making the packaging of the car and its big cast iron V8 a challenge for designer Tony Southgate.
The Lola T332 was their 1974 production F5000 but was continually developed, the subsequent Lola T400 and T430 not quicker cars, a good 332 was as quick as an F1 car on the common circuits upon which both categories raced in North America. ‘Twas a remarkably good, very fast racing car the Shadow was competing against driven by the likes of Brian Redman, Mario Andretti, Alan Jones, Al Unser and others…
Shadow DN6 Chev. Car based on Tony Southgate’s very quick DN5 1975 F1 contender. Aluminium monocoque chassis. Front suspension lower wishbone and top rocker actuating inboard mounted coil spring/damper. Rear single top link, lower twin parallel links, two radius rods and coil spring/dampers. Adjustable roll bars front and rear. 5 litre cast iron OHV Chev here, Dodge V8 from the Road Atlanta round in August 1975 , Hewlands TL200 gearbox, developed as an endurance racing tranny used rather than the F5000 standard, the ‘brittle’ DG300. Road America July 1975. (Richard Dening Jr)
5 litre cast iron, mechanical fuel injected, OHV Chev V8 engine developed circa 530bhp@7800rpm. Rocker covers removed here for Road America July 1975 prep, one rocker missing. Magneto, its yellow ignition leads and fuel metering unit all visible. (Richard Dening Jr)
The Shadow DN6 was based on Tony Southgate’s very competitive DN5 F1 design and was first raced in 1975 powered by the ubiquitous Chev V8. Oliver took 4th place in the championship won by Redman’s T332, the car raced well at both Watkins Glen and Road America.
Gordon Kirby in his 1975 season review in Automobile Year said; ‘Almost immediately the Shadow proved to be competitive and in the last part of the season (the last 4 races) it became even more of a threat when after a long development program the team switched to Dodge engines, based on the same powerplant used in NASCAR by Richard Petty’. (in 1975 the Grand National Stockers were compelled by a carburetion ruling to use 355 cubic inch or 5.8 litre engines). The Dodge developed some 30 bhp more than the Chevys’ but was much heavier. The Shadows were not completely tuned and set up and did not win a single race. The whole of the 9 races were taken by the Lola Chevrolets.’
Jean-Pierre Jarier lines up on the Watkins Glen grid with Brian Redman 13 July 1975. Shadow DN6 Chev and Lola T332 Chev. JPJ DNF with a broken oil line, Brian was 1st, Oliver in the other Shadow also DNF with a blown Chevy. (Gary Gudinkas)
F1 drivers Jean Pierre Jarier, Tom Pryce and Jody Scheckter each raced a second car in three rounds at Watkins Glen, Long Beach and Riverside respectively.
All three qualified in the top 5 but retired with mechanical maladies.
Business end of the Shadow DN6 Chev. Engine magneto and fuel metering unit, Hewland TL200 gearbox to which the wing is mounted, neat duct for inboard disc and additional oil cooler all visible. Road America July 1975. (Richard Dening Jr)
1976 Season…
The following Shadow press release written by Rob Buller prior to the Mosport round, the second of the 1976 season, reproduced on the My Formula 5000 website outlines changes to the car and program over the 1975/6Winter.
‘Development work on the DN6 5000 car has continued over the winter under the direction of Chief Mechanic Ed Stone and Engine builder Lee Muir.
Stone joined the 5000 effort late in 1975 and immediately set about making chassis and suspension changes.’Basically the 1975 season progressed with little development, there wasn’t much time.’ Stone said in a recent telephone interview, ‘I was asked to make some suspension changes and the car was more competitive at the last 1975 race at Riverside with Jody Scheckter driving.
Oliver in the Road America pitlane, July 1976. Shadow DN6B Dodge. (Richard Dening Jr)
‘But the heart of the Shadow development is the new Chrysler power-plant, a joint venture between Shadow and Chrysler’s Plymouth Division.The engine starts life as a 340 cu. in. stock block that is down-stroked to 305 cu. inches. It is fitted with the same injection system that is used on Richard Petty’s NASCAR Dodge.
Chrysler, which is heavily involved in NASCAR and Drag Racing, is new to F5000 racing, a class that has been dominated by the rugged Chevrolet 5 litre engine. As a part of their new kit-car package now under development, Chrysler has contracted with Shadow to do the engine development and sorting.
They supply the engine components to Shadow engine expert Lee Muir, who then hand builds and dyno tests each engine. Chrysler also helps with technical information and advice to Muir, who came to Shadow from McLaren’s engine department.
Race debut of the Dodge engined Shadow DN6 chassis ‘2A’ at Road Atlanta 31 August 1975. Oliver 4 th, race won by Al Unser’s Lola T332 Chev. Specs; Dodge 340cid V8 taken back to 305cid by reducing the engines stroke. 5 litre cast iron, OHV, mechanical fuel injected V8. Bore/stroke 4.04 inches/2.96 inches, power circa 550bhp@7800rpm. Hewland TL200 ‘box. (unattributed)
‘The first outing in 1976 for the Shadow Dodge DN6 was at Pocono, Pennsylvania for the Series opener. Although they weren’t quite ready for the Pocono race, they were very encouraged with the results. Oliver was lying third in his qualifying heat when a connecting rod developed terminal stretch. As they only had one dyno’d engine a spare practice unit was installed for the feature. However, a fuel pump seal split on the grid and it took 5 laps to change. By the time he joined the fray Oliver was hopelessly behind but by charging hard he was able to run with the leaders.
With that encouraging performance Stone and Muir returned to Phoenix Racing headquarters in Chicago and started preparation of the Shadow for the Mosport race. Further chassis mods have been made utilizing new springs, roll bars and revised suspension settings. To help weight distribution, the water rads have been moved forward a la McLaren Indy car. Muir will have three completely dyno’d engines ready for Mosport’.
‘Sponsorship for the F5000 effort is a problem for Shadow. Since the departure of UOP, Nichols has been unable to get the full 5000 program underwritten. Various sponsors are now supporting the Formula One effort on a per race basis while only Goodyear, Valvoline and, of course, Chrysler are behind the 5000 effort. Thus Shadow must watch their budget closely and this, the team feels, will restrict the amount of development they can attempt. Nonetheless the 5000 effort has Don Nichols full support and he won’t field cars unless he can be competitive. And with the driver, new engine and chassis changes he plans to be competitive’.
Oliver lead at Mosport but was held up by a backmarker, Alan Jones snaffling the win, inevitably in a Lola T332 Chev.
Three weeks later he lead at Watkins Glen but a cracked sump ended his race, the Shadow finally won at Road America, Elkhart lake, Wisconsin. It was a good win as Ollie had to overcome diff and flat tyre problems in his heat which meant he started 14th on the grid of the final.
Oliver on the way to victory, Road America July 1976. Shadow DN6B Dodge. Behind is Al Unser’s 2nd placed Lola T332 Chev. (Richard Dening Jr)
After 16 laps he was 3rd, within 3 laps he was past the Lolas of Al Unser and Brian Redman and took a strong win for the team.
Oliver took 2nd place at Mid Ohio on 8 August 1976, Shadow DN6B Dodge. 1976 champ Brian Redman won in a Lola T332C Chev. (Richard Dening Jr)
Two second places at Mid Ohio and Watkins Glen secured third place in the championship again won by Redman’s Haas/Hall Lola T332.
With the demise of F5000 in the US at the end of 1976 and its evolution into 5 litre central seat Can Am from 1977 the Shadow’s raced on into 1977 and 1978 but without success, Lola’s T332/T333 the dominant cars in the early years of the class.
Jack Oliver ready to go Road America 1975. CanAm Champ for Shadow in 1974. (Richard Dening Jr)
Road America pitlane on a beautiful July 1975, Wisconsin day. Redmans Lola T332 at front. (Richard Dening Jr)
Etcetera…
Comparison of the specs of the F1 Shadow DN5/7 and F5000 DN6 from the 1975 Long Beach GP race program. (Fred Bernius)
Tailpiece…
Jackie Oliver Fan Club President? Road America July 1975. (Richard Dening Jr)
Photo and other Credits…Richard Dening Jr, Gary Gudinkas, Fred Bernius, My Formula 5000 website, http://www.myf5000.com/index.html, Peter Brennan and Glenn Snyder for research assistance
(Graham Howard ‘History of The Australian Grand Prix’)
Jim Clark and Graham Hill swap notes prior to the start of the 1967 Australian Grand Prix, Warwick Farm, Sydney. It would be a good season for them both…
Their new F1 Lotus 49’s await their return to Europe, the Ford Cosworth powered cars established a package of integrated design which became the F1 standard for the duration of the 3 litre formula. Their is plenty of press interest in the two stars, teammates for the first time in 1967 and Hill’s #5 Lotus 48.
Behind them in the ‘Farm pitlane is Kevin Bartlett’s Brabham BT11A Climax, KB just in shot with his foot on his front Goodyear. Sixth in the race for him, an excellent result in the old car.
Start of the 1967 AGP. #5 Hill Lotus 48 FVA 1.6, #6 Clark Lotus 33 Climax 2.0 V8, #3 Jackie Stewart on pole, BRM P261 2070cc V8. (autopics.com.au)
The 48 was Lotus’ new car for the inaugural 1.6-litre F21967 season. Designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe, it was in essence a ‘mini’ Lotus 49 which made its successful debut in the ’67 Dutch Grand Prix on June 4.
Keen to get in some early season testing of the new car, Colin Chapman sent the first chassis to Australia for the Warwick Farm round of the Tasman Series, the Australian GP that year, held on 19 February for Graham Hill to drive. Hill was popular at the Sydney circuit, the promoters paying plenty of money to get the Brit and his new Lotus to New South Wales for just one race. Of added local interest was that Hill had just returned to Lotus having been a BRM driver since 1960. Mind you, in Australia he raced in our internationals the Ferguson P99, Brabham Climaxes owned by ‘Scuderia Veloce’ as well as various BRM’s.
Jim Clark did all of the Tasman rounds in New Zealand and Australia that summer. He won the title in a Lotus 33 Climax, his 1966 F1 mount ‘R14’ fitted with the 2 litre Coventry Climax FWMV V8 engine with which he started the 1966 F1 season, the first year of the 3 litre F1. He used the car until the BRM engined Lotus 43 was ‘ready’ to race.
The new 48 F2 car had a full monocoque chassis made from aluminium sheet with steel bulkheads front and rear. Bolted to the rear bulkhead was a tubular steel subframe which carried the unstressed FVA engine and ZF gearbox. Front suspension used top rockers operating inboard mounted springs and dampers. The rear suspension was also conventional; single upper link, reversed lower wishbone, twin radius rods and coil spring/ damper units.
The 48 used the Ford Cosworth FVA, one of two engines contracted from Keith Duckworth and Mike Costin by Ford. Significantly the engine proved Duckworth’s design direction for his F1 V8, the Cosworth DFV which made its race debut at Zandvoort in the back of the equally new Lotus 49. The FVA’s design commenced in July 1965, its first bench test was in March 1966 and its first race in July 1966. The engine was well tested prior to its trip to Australia in the summer of ’67.
The remarkably successful unit combined a four-cylinder cast iron Ford Cortina block with an aluminium Cosworth head. FVA was an acronym of the ‘four valve assembly’ or ‘four valve type A’ of the engine’s new head. Twin overhead camshafts were used of course, driven from the crankshaft by gears. Equipped with Lucas fuel injection, the dry sumped engine developed circa 220 hp @ 9000rpm.
Ford Cosworth FVA Engine Cutaway drawing by Theo Page.
Graham Hill qualified Lotus 48 chassis ‘R1’ well amongst the Tasman Formula 2.5 litre engined cars, 3rd on the grid with only the V8 engined cars of teammate Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart’s BRM in front of him. He may only have had 1.6 litres but the chassis was clearly good and Hill was always been quick around Warwick Farm, the Sydney circuit a very technical one.
Stewart was very fast throughout the Tasman, he won it in ’66, but the BRM’s gearbox was at its limits with the greater stresses of the P60 BRM V8, now at 2070cc and developing much more power and torque than the same engine in its original 1.5 litre F1 guise ever produced. But the car held together at the ‘Farm, Jackie won from Clark and Frank Gardner in a Brabham BT16 Climax FPF, the old 2.5 litre F1 Climax four cylinder engine well and truly outclassed by ’67.
Hill’s new Lotus 48 expired with gearbox maladies on lap 25 but he gained valuable miles on the brand new chassis in advance of the European F2 season, which both he and Clark contested.
Intended as a customer car, the 48 was exclusively campaigned by Team Lotus during 1967, privateers used uprated 41’s. The new Lotus was quick but encountered the Brabham BT23, one of Ron Tauranac’s most successful designs. The 48 won four F2 races in 1967, three in Clark’s hands, the fourth by Jackie Oliver in the combined F1/F2 German GP at the the Nürburgring.
Whilst the Brabham BT23 was the car of the season many of its victories were taken by ‘graded drivers’, notably the ‘King of F2′ Jochen Rindt, whilst graded drivers did win races they could not score championship points. The 1967 title was won by Jacky Ickx using both Matra MS5 and MS7 chassis’, FVA powered.
Lotus continued with the 48 in 1968, 4 chassis were built in total, but struggled again with the dominant Brabham BT23’s. Jean Pierre Beltoise won the ’68 title in a Matra MS7 FVA. 1969 would be a ‘different kettle of F2 fish’, the Dave Baldwin designed Lotus 59 a much more competitive tool.
Graham Hill tucked into the comfy cockpit of his beautifully finished Lotus 48. He is on the grid of the ‘Guards 100’, Snetterton in March 1967. Hill was 2nd to Rindt’s Brabham BT23. (Max Le Grand)
III Gran Premio Barcelona, Montjuic, Spain 31 March 1968…
Jim Clark, Lotus 48 FVA, Montjuic, Barcelona 1968. (Unattributed)
Jim Clark aviating his Lotus 48 during practice for the first European F2 event in 1968.
He started the season strongly with victories in his Lotus 49 in both the South African Grand Prix held at Kyalami on 1 January and the Tasman Series, including the Australian Grand Prix at Sandown Park, Melbourne. Jim won 4 of the 8 Tasman rounds, his Lotus used the 2.5 litre Ford Cosworth V8 variant, the ‘DFW’ so he came to this F2 event ‘razor sharp’.
Despite Clark’s speed, Jackie Stewart won the race in his Matra MS7 FVA, Jim was tagged by Jacky Ickx at the first turn, a ‘bonzai’ move down the inside taking out the innocent Scot, deflating a tyre and rearranging the rear suspension. Ickx was involved in another accident on lap 2 and retired. Karma at play!
The shot below is of #1 Clark, with Hills nose in shot, in the middle is an innocent Jochen Rindt, Brabham BT23 FVA. Ickx shot off down the road in his Ferrari 166. The next F2 round was the ‘II Deutsche Trophae’ at Hockenheim the following weekend.
Hill’s Lotus 48 nose, Jochen Rindt caught up in the melee in his Brabham BT23 FVA and Clark, Lotus 48 FVA. (Unattributed)
End of Clark’s race, flat tyre and shagged rear suspension. Lotus 48 FVA. Barcelona 1968. (Unattributed)
YouTube Footage of the Barcelona Race;
Hockenheim 7 April 1968…
Jim Clark before the off and (below) in the early stages of this fateful, awful race and the probable high speed tyre deflation which caused the accident that claimed the champions life.
Jim Clark, relaxed before the off and Dave Sims. Hockenheim 7 April 1968. Lotus 48 FVA. (Rainer Schlegelmilch)
Clark, Lotus 48 FVA, Hockenheim 7 April 1968. (MotorSport)
Lotus 48 Technical Specifications…
Chassis; aluminium monocoque with rear subframe. Front suspension; lower wishbones, top rocker actuating inboard coil spring/dampers, roll bar. Rear suspension; reversed lower wishbones, top links, twin radius arms, coil spring/dampers, roll bar
Steering rack and pinion, Brakes, discs all-round, Gearbox ZF 5DS12 5 speed.
Weight 420 kilo / 926 lbs. Length / Width / Height 3,797 mm (149.5 in) / 1,727 mm (68 in) / 762 mm (30 in)
Wheelbase / Track (fr/r) 2,330 mm (91.7 in) / 1,473 mm (58 in) / 1,473 mm (58 in). Wheels (fr/r) 13 x 8 / 13 x 10
Ford Cosworth FVA…
Pretty much the ‘engine de jour’ of the 1.6 litre F2 from 1967 to 1971, the FVA won all of the European titles in that period.
Cast-iron Ford Cortina 1600 ‘116E’ 5 bearing block, aluminium head, 1,598 cc. Bore/Stroke 85.7 mm/69.1 mm, DOHC, 4 gear driven valves per cylinder, Lucas fuel injection and electronic/transistorised ignition. Circa 220 bhp @ 9000rpm.
Those with a strong technical interest in the Cosworth FVA and its role in relation to the subsequent Cosworth DFV V8 Design will find this treatise of interest;
Mini Lotus 49 indeed! Clark in his svelte Lotus 48, Pau GP 1967. 4th behind 3 Brabham BT23’s; Rindt, Hulme and Alan Rees. (Unattributed)
Clark in his Lotus 48 from Jackie Stewart’s Ken Tyrrell entered Matra MS7, both Ford Cosworth FVA powered, 1st and 2nd, Chris Irwin’s Lola T100 3rd, Jarama, Spain July 1967. (Unattributed)
Jackie Oliver jumping his works Lotus 48 into 5th place, and first F2 finisher, German GP August 1967. He drove a great race, Hulme victorious in his Brabham BT24 Repco. (Unattributed)
Hill on the way to 3rd place in the Oulton Park ‘Gold Cup’ in September 1967 amongst the F1 cars, Jack Brabham won in his BT24 Repco from Jackie Stewart in a Matra MS7 FVA F2 car. (Brian Watson)
Graham Hill in the Tulln Langenlbarn, Austria paddock in July 1968. NC with insufficient laps. Rindt won the race in a Brabham BT23C. ‘Chequered Flag’ truck contained the McLaren M4A driven by Robin Widdows also DNF. (Unattributed)
For the sake of completeness…this is the Dave Baldwin designed, spaceframe chassis F2 Lotus 59 which succeeded the 48. ‘Twas an FF/F3/F2 car, much more successful than the Lotus 48 but again the Brabham BT 28/30 gave it a good run for its money! Here G Hill at the Pau GP in April 1969 with high wings having only weeks to run before being outlawed by the FIA during the Monaco GP weekend. Hill DNF with fuel metering unit failure, Jochen Rindt victorious in the other Winkelmann Racing 59B. (Unattributed)
Credits…
Graham Howard ‘History of The Australian Grand Prix’
Max Le Grand, autopics.com.au, MotorSport, Rainer Schlegelmilch, Theo Page, Brian Watson, Roger Linton
Tailpiece: 1967 AGP Warwick Farm…
(R Linton)
Start of the race from the pit counter.
Hill’s Lotus 48 FVA at right, Clark, Lotus 33 Climax and Jackie Stewart, BRM P261 on the front row. Brabham is behind Stewart and Denny Hulme behind Jack in Repco ‘640’ V8 engined Brabhams
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