1967 Lola T70 MKIII Roadster

After a brief partnership with Ford's Roy Lunn to develop the GT40, Eric Broadley's Lola Cars introduced the Lola T70 in 1965. Originally offered in open two-seater form, the T70 chassis mainly consists of an aluminum and steel sheet monocoque center section with side-mounted fuel cells, a front bulkhead to mount the suspension and steering and dual rear extensions for mounting the engine and rear suspension. The bodywork was smoothly rendered in fiberglass.

The T70 was designed to house nearly any American V-8 engine. It incorporated a conventional independent suspension and disc brakes, the latter mounted inboard at the rear. The T70 immediately demonstrated its effectiveness, winning the first Can Am series championship for John Surtees in 1966.

This particular example is one of four Can-Am Lola T70 Mark IIB Spyders produced in 1967. It was campaigned through the 1967 Can-Am season by Dan Gurney. Gurney never qualified with a position less than third. It was raced during the 1968 season by Swede Savage. IN 1971, it was converted to a coupe by Jerry Weichers.

Bruce Trenery of Fantasy Junction later acquired the car and raced it until 1996 when it was damaged. The current owner acquired it and a new tub in 1998. A two-year restoration was completed in 2010, returning it Spyder configuration.

Powering this car is a 351 cubic-inch Ford engine fitted with Weber 48mm carburetors and mated to an LG600 5-speed transmission. It currently wears Dan Gurney number 36 livery.

In 2010, this car was a class winner at Road America. It participated in the Monterey and Sonoma races in 2012. It was Second in Class at the SVAR Championship at the Circuit of the Americas in 2013. It was also on display at the 50th Anniversary of Can-Am at Road America to recreate the 1967 grid.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2017