1965 Lola T60 Formula 2 Monoposto
Chassis no. SL60/2
Engine no. 120E-6015

The Lola T60 Formula 2 car offered here, chassis number 'SL60/2', is only the second monocoque single-seater built by the Slough-based constructor. Most of the T60's design was the work of Tony Southgate, company boss Eric Broadley being occupied by the T70 Can-Am car project. 18-gauge sheet steel was used for the original tub, which would soon be changed for a slightly longer one fitted with bladder-type fuel tanks. Front suspension was by an upper rocker arm with inboard damper and lower wishbone, while at the rear there was a conventional outboard layout consisting of a single top link, inverted lower wishbone, and top and bottom radius arms. Anti-roll bars were fitted at both ends, the rear being adjustable, as were the Armstrong dampers. It is estimated that only 11 T60s were built.
Powered by a fuel-injected BRM Type 71 twin-cam engine, 'SL60/2' was delivered to the Midland Racing Partnership (MRP) - the official factory team - and made its racing debut in March 1965 at Snetterton, driven by Tony Maggs. In mid season the BRM engine was replaced with Cosworth's Ford-based SCA 'screamer', so called because its ultra-short stroke permitted very high (10,000-plus) revs. Other highlights of the 1965 season (MRP's most successful) included a 2nd place for 'SL60/2' at Vallelunga (Maggs) and Reims (Frank Gardner) and 3rd place at Karlskoga (Jo Bonnier). 'SL60/2' was mostly driven by Frank Gardner during 1966, while other drivers to have raced the car in period include Chris Amon, Richard Attwood, Paul Hawkins and David Hobbs. Indeed, there can be few surviving Formula 2 chassis with a roll call of drivers to match this one's.
At the season's end, MRP sold 'SL60/2', minus its engine and gearbox, to Brian Nelson in Ireland. With a Lotus twin-cam engine installed, the Lola was raced successfully in Formula Libra events until the end of 1969 when it was sold to glassfibre specialists D&A Shells in London. In 1972 next owner New Zealander Keith Laney acquired the Lola, which was shipped to his home in Christchurch, intending to race it in local national series events. In 1976 he sold 'SL60/2' to Henry Holt, who, rather than race the car, displayed it on the wall of his lounge! By late 1977, 'SL60/2' belonged to Mattt Carroll, an Australian film producer. Matt Carroll registered the Lola with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) and raced it, fitted with a Cosworth MAE engine, for several years. In 1985 he sold the car to Don Black of Galston, New South Wales.
While awaiting delivery/installation of a Cosworth SCA, Don Black raced the Lola with a 1,600cc Lotus twin-cam engine installed up to September 1994. The SCA had still not been fitted when Don Black sold 'SL60/2' to saloon car racer Robert Tweedie in 2001. Over the course of the next few years, Robert Tweedie restored the car and fitted the SCA engine. Frank Gardner was guest of honour at the party held in Sydney to celebrate the restoration's completion in 2006. Robert's son Tom Tweedie briefly raced the Lola but there was no suitable category for it in Australia and the car was sold to the current vendor (a former MRP mechanic, who had serviced it in period), arriving back in the UK in July 2013 together with a substantial quantity of spare parts.
Writing in Vintage Racecar (copy on file), the vendor recalled: "Thankfully, the car was basically very original and unmolested, and due no doubt to the benign Australian climate there was no rust or rot in the monocoque tub." Referring to numerous in-period photographs to confirm the original specification, he had the car restored again, on this occasion by historic racing car specialists Andrew Tart Motor Engineering, which included repainting the tub in the correct grey colour. To comply with current regulations, the roll bar height was raised and a fire extinguisher, seat belts and a silencer added during the rebuild.
'SL60/2' has been displayed at both Race Retro and Cosworth Engineering, and has Goodwood history past and present (1966 and 2018). Eligible for HGPCA, FJ and HF3 events, the car comes with a large quantity of spares and a huge history file (perusal recommended). With its engine refreshed and ready for the rest of the season, 'SL60/2' represents a rare piece of early Lola history.