1956 Lotus Eleven Sports Racer

This Lotus 'Eleven' is chassis #202 and is one of about 250 cars of this type built by England's Lotus Ltd between 1956 and 1959. Lotus #202 was purchased 'at cost' by Peter Ross in 1956 from his friend Colin Chapman, as a favor for work Peter had done for Chapman in designing the early Lotus cars. This Eleven first had a Ford 803cc engine, solid rear axles and drum brakes, and was raced in 1956 at Silverstone and Mallory Park, England.

In 1957, Peter put in a SOHC FWA Coventry Climax engine and drove the car into Vienna where he placed second overall. Later that year he ran at Rouen and Monthlery. Peter crashed the car heavily in Germany and drove the damaged Lotus back to London. In 1958 Lotus rebuilt te car to meet FIA 'Appendix C' specifications, adding longer doors and full width wind screen. Peter then advertised the car for sale in February, 1959 issue of Road & Track.

The car was sold to its first American owner later that year, and in 1960 was raced by new owner Hal Stalgren of Colorado. The next owner, Les Gaylord, put in a deDion and disc brakes and successfully ran the car in Mountain division class championships and in 1964 qualified for the first SCCA 'Run-Offs.' In 1980 the car was retired and sold to Bob Colaizzi. The Lotus then went to Atlanta where restoration was begun in 1988 by Duane Davenport. In 2000, Roland Johnson Consulting of San Diego returned the car to its 1958 FIA specifications.