Always liked this one... Euro in period...
Always liked this one... Euro in period...
Chuck Miller
Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
R Gruppe #88
TYP901 #62
'73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
'67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild
’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
’15 GTI – Commuter
Around 1968 Jackie Oliver took-up seat in the similar colour gold leaf livery Lotus F1 following Jim Clark death. Maybe a coincidence of the livery; but probably not? Oliver is a Dagenham boy — home in U.K. for Ford. The car used the Cosworth DFV designed by ex Lotus man Duckworth (and Costin) and the F1 engine was paid for using Ford funds, so plenty of possible connections. Not least being Escort’s driver being contracted to Gold Leaf. I wouldn’t be surprised if dealmaker Chapman somehow influenced if his new man Oliver was to also drive the Escort in the very year the F1 gold leaf deal was done?
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The gold leaf livery is arguably at one time one of the most significant in racing although these days overlooked— somewhat overshadowed by Imperial’s black and gold livery when they raced later as JPS Team.
Around 1968 the FiA removed a ban on sponsorship in Formula One so the enterprising Colin Chapman was quick of the mark signing what is often said to be the pioneering sponsorship with livery sponsor deal in the Formula One paddock with Imperial Tobacco — Gold Leaf. Introduced at Monaco race of 1968. Hence the distinctive colours Oliver drove in F1 that year (other greats drove in that livery including world driver’s champions: Hill, Andretti and Rindt iirc). The deal was clearly lucrative enough fir Chapman to switch from British racing green to the sponsor’s red gold white Gold Leaf Team for several years.
I too like that colour scheme and a shame it has lost its prominence compress to some often seen — when I was the Group Operations Director at Lotus Cars plc we were aware of Lotus F1 heritage so decided to introduce a gold leaf Elise 49 edition as a homage to that 49 F1 racer and a nod to a piece of motorsport sponsorship history — iirc that edition was launched at the British motor show around 1999. Photographed below was taken at Ketteringham Hall the former base of the Lotus F1 team — a property still owned by the Chapman family and where I kept an office at that time in addition to my main office at the nearby Hethel Lotus factory.
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In fact my good pal the former head of Lotus Cars at that time who being in marketing and sales side would’ve approved the Elise in that paint scheme told me he has one of the ones built at Hethel on my watch in his collection — coincidentally we were chatting about it when we caught up at the goodwood revival last autumn.
Can’t be sure but with the Jackie Oliver driving both and Ford connections from
funding DFV the red-gold-white combination on both same year seems more than a coincidence. Even if doesn’t say gold leaf on the Escort I expect fans of racing might’ve made the connection. I don’t know but Jackie Oliver often goes to Goodwood so maybe my pal and I should ask him when we see him in the paddock — see if it is coincidence or there was some link?
Steve
Last edited by 911MRP; 02-01-2022 at 07:19 PM.
Cheers.
I still have Frank Gardner’s driver’s manual of 1973 on my shelf:
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I’m partial to “fast Fords” having had a RS Cosworth in eighties as mentioned in write up as being one of their fastest road offerings — don’t recall full registration plate but had a characteristic Ford Essex factory registration plate “YOO” that knowledgable Ford fans noticed on the car; had others fast Fords when younger too. Still got my “RS owners club” members lapel badge somewhere
The Lotus - Ford - Cosworth links founded in those early days remained close for years — at Lotus Engineering in my era we did significant engine testing for Ford in our bank of test cells and talents on chassis team optimised ride and handling on various Ford models. More generally a very significant role in numerous design ans development of the Aston Martin Vanquish for Ford Premier Auto Group where significant Lotus IP is to be seen. Drove the prototype of it around Hethel. Other Ford/Lotus stories that can’t be told because of client confidentiality. Having been a kid who enthralled by these performance Escorts it nice to be involved with Ford in my automotive engineering career.
Steve
Last edited by 911MRP; 02-02-2022 at 03:36 AM.
The Lotus Cortina is a Ford Great Britain / Lotus road car collaboration aimed at motorsport that preceded the Escort by about five years or so. This from 1963
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Also note the comment in the article about the Hazel Chapman award for Ford powered Lotus same year.
I wonder if the drivers debagging Colin Chapman replacing his trousers with nylon panties at the party on Taggs Island just a couple miles up the Thames from here is an example of the Chapman adage “simplify, then add lightness” ?
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Steve
Last edited by 911MRP; 02-03-2022 at 04:37 AM.
Currently exploring the English Ford rabbit hole.
Seven1 .jpg
'66 912 with a 2.2
'62 Lotus Seven S2
'66 Lotus Elan
'63 Karmann Ghia convertible
'76 Alfa Spider
“I am not a number; I am a free man.” ― Patrick McGoohan / the Prisoner No 6
Came across my RS owners label badge ( pin) from when I had an RS Cosworth in my younger days.
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It was a car as employee benefit under a company car scheme so there were shock-waves when the insurance quote for me came though as the “Cossie” was infamous in those days! Used it to commute Monday to Friday London to Belgium using cross channel hovercraft first thing; pastry breakfast in Bruges each trip was civilised start to the week.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jqKzo555_2s
Lots of continental touring often meeting my girlfriend ( now my wife) at some pre- arranged airport on some country we planned as the weekend loop route then dropped her back on Sunday night / Monday morning for her to head back when I returned to work. Not much passed it except clapped out Fiat 500 always barrelling around totally blind bend very narrow road on wrong side in places like Italian lakes but they were in a suicide mission and didn’t car about oncoming.
Steve
Last edited by 911MRP; 02-05-2022 at 09:57 AM.
I've said before...
If I didn't get into early 911's over 30 years ago, I probably be driving a hot rod street version of one of these.....
But now I'm very happy to drive what I have....
Chuck Miller
Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
R Gruppe #88
TYP901 #62
'73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
'67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild
’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
’15 GTI – Commuter
friends car....
zulu82.jpeg
These taken at the 'Coronado Classic' vintage races at the North Island Navey Air Base ...
The same car at the same events from 2007 to 2014 ....
This '70 Escort is owned and driven by retired automotive executive Francois Castaing out of Michigan...
It runs a 2 liter with either fuel injection or carberators...
I really fell in love with this VERY dialed-in and buttoned-up race car...
Unfortunately, we lost Coronado as a vintage race venue about 5 years ago....
Last edited by Chuck Miller; 02-05-2022 at 04:19 PM.
Chuck Miller
Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
R Gruppe #88
TYP901 #62
'73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
'67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild
’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
’15 GTI – Commuter