And one particular machine is set to get historic racers’ and/or collectors’ juices flowing when the bidding begins on Sunday March 19th.
A highly original Mk1 Lola T70 Spyder – the second chassis built by the Slough-based single-seater and sportscar manufacturer in 1965 – tops the bill.
It was supplied new in 1965 to Harold Young Racing for versatile Brit David Hobbs, a man who’d go on to race in Formula 1 with BRM, Honda and McLaren, as well as take two third-place finishes at Le Mans with Ford in 1969 and Porsche in ’84 – among numerous strong results in the World Sportscar Championship. ‘Hobbo’ also tackled Can-Am, Formula 5000 and Trans-Am in a long and varied career.
More than 50 years ago Hobbs used SL70/2, powered by a Ford V8, to great effect, finishing second in the prestigious RAC Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park, in fact only denied a victory by a timekeeping blunder, and tackling races in the UK and the burgeoning Can-Am series for Group 7 projectiles during that ’65 season.
The following year it was sold to US racer Monte Shelton, who continued to run it in Can-Am. SL70/2 would spend the next 35 years in the US, with two further owners, but would return home in 2001 to join the stable of well-known touring car champion and historic racer Frank Sytner.
After enjoying a full restoration and the fitting of a more powerful Chevrolet powerplant by Simon Hadfield, the car flew in Sytner’s hands; he won in Macau in 2003, at the Grand Prix de l’Age d’Or at Dijon in ’05 and took it to two Goodwood Revival Whitsun Trophy wins.
It’s one of the most-prized and original examples of an iconic sportscar from a golden era that has a guide price of £200,000-300,000.
If you’re heading to 75MM, don’t forget your chequebooks or that remortgage application form!
75MM
lola
t70
Bonhams
2017
