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1954 Lotus Mark VI

Roadster
Chassis number: Mk6/95
Engine number: D21815AD

The Lotus MK6 was first offered in 1952 and were known as Colin Chapman's first production car, however, they were mostly sold in component or 'kit' configuration. This allowed the buyer to select their powertrain and configuration to conform to a variety of racing formulae.

The MK6 was a dual-purpose automobile that enjoyed commercial and competitive successes.

The MK6 had a Chapman-designed multi-tubular chassis constructed by Progress Chassis. The aluminum bodywork was shaped by the firm of Williams and Pritchard, while the mechanical components were sourced from the Ford Prefect. The tube-frame chassis weighed a mere 25kg with the total weight (depending on the drivetrain) being 432 kg. Engine displacement ranged from an 1172cc side-valve Ford four up to a Coventry Climax.

This particular example was purchased in the United Kingdom by its current owner. Restoration was initiated in England, and the body was refurbished by Len Pritchard of Williams and Pritchard, using as many of the original panels as possible. It has an MG TA engine which has been refurbished, and a new convertible top was fabricated as well as new side panels with windows.

The current owner brought the car to the United States in the late 1980s and it is currently registered in California.

The engine is a 1,292cc inline MG TA four-cylinder engine fitted with twin SU carburetors and produces 50 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

The Lotus Mark VI was produced from 1952 through 1957 with approximately 110 examples produced. Colin Chapman had built several trials and road going cars before the introduction of his first 'production car' the Mark VI. This new vehicle incorporated many features from Chapman's background in engineering including the space frame chassis. This design resulted from a stress analysis of loads in the frame and was extremely lightweight, yet very strong. The prototype chassis was construed by the Progress Chasis Company. The aluminum body was built by William and Prichard.

Many of the mechanical components were sourced from the Ford Perfect; this helped keep costs low and was easily available.

The Mark VI was a compressive kit package that included most of the parts needed. It had mounting points for several different engines including Ford, MG, Consul and Coventry Climax units. Some vehicles were customized for the owner's specifications and Lotus even went so far as to customize parts per owner's demands.

The Lotus MK6 proved to be an inexpensive and competitive vehicle that helped establish Chapman and his Lotus car company as a producer of specialty cars.

by Dan Vaughan