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Modified 4-Sep-18
Created 20-May-15
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Louts 49 chassis No. R2 is possibly the most historically significant Formula 1 car of the 3-liter formula era. It was a real thrill to photograph it at the 2015 Barber Historics. When I first saw the Lotus 49 coming over the top of the hill exiting Barber turn 14, I though Jimmy Clark had risen from the dead. When I later visited the paddock and learned it was chassis No. R2, I was even more thrilled.
R2 was driven by Jim Clark to victory in the 1967 Dutch GP, the maiden race for both the Lotus 49 and its Cosworth Ford DFV 3-liter V-8. R2 won two more GPs in 1967. That winter, a 2.5 liter DFV was installed for Clark’s use in the Tasman Series which he won. It 1968, R2 was upgraded to 49B specs and loaned to Rob Walker, the private entrant for whom Jackie Oliver and Jo Siffert drove it in 1968. (Although it was not the 49B in which Siffert won the '68 British GP.)
At the end of the ’68 season, it was sold to American Pete Lovely, Lotus representing it to be a new 49B chassis No. R11. Much later, after it was being raced historically, it was discovered that it was in fact chassis No. R2.
It has been restored to its original 49 specs and is now owned and raced by Chris MacAllister of Indianapolis, Indiana.
For more info about chassis No. R2 see:
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/chassisNum.aspx?carid=21414&idNumID=15154
http://trackthoughts.com/2011/12/13/forward-to-the-past-–-lotus-49-cn-r2/
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/sn/887/Lotus-49-Cosworth.html
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/sn/273/Lotus-49B-Cosworth.html
R2 was driven by Jim Clark to victory in the 1967 Dutch GP, the maiden race for both the Lotus 49 and its Cosworth Ford DFV 3-liter V-8. R2 won two more GPs in 1967. That winter, a 2.5 liter DFV was installed for Clark’s use in the Tasman Series which he won. It 1968, R2 was upgraded to 49B specs and loaned to Rob Walker, the private entrant for whom Jackie Oliver and Jo Siffert drove it in 1968. (Although it was not the 49B in which Siffert won the '68 British GP.)
At the end of the ’68 season, it was sold to American Pete Lovely, Lotus representing it to be a new 49B chassis No. R11. Much later, after it was being raced historically, it was discovered that it was in fact chassis No. R2.
It has been restored to its original 49 specs and is now owned and raced by Chris MacAllister of Indianapolis, Indiana.
For more info about chassis No. R2 see:
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/chassisNum.aspx?carid=21414&idNumID=15154
http://trackthoughts.com/2011/12/13/forward-to-the-past-–-lotus-49-cn-r2/
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/sn/887/Lotus-49-Cosworth.html
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/sn/273/Lotus-49B-Cosworth.html
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© John P. Kernodle