1966 Lola T70 - $675,000 - Emeryville, CA - In 1966, the hot setup for the Can-Am was a Lola T70 Chevrolet, which won five of six races during the year. John Surtees was the champion and Dan Gurney drove the only Ford powered car ever to win a Can-Am race. In 1967, no one could compete with the speed of the factory fielded M6 McLarens, yet the T70 remained the popular choice for independent teams. This remained the case for several years, both in North America and in Europe. The T70 was first produced in open-top "Spyder" configuration, but ultimately more than 100 examples were built in 3 versions. The open-roofed Mk II was joined by the Coupe-version Mk III, and finally the Mk IIIB, representing Lola’s most developed version of the T70 platform.
In Europe, when the FIA changed the rules for sports car racing that came into effect for 1968, limiting the engine size of prototypes to 3 liters, if at least 50 were made, sportscars with up to 5000cc engines were allowed to compete. This rule allowed the Ford GT40 and Lola T70s to continue their racing successes. The Fords won Le Mans again in '68 and '69, while the T70's most notable endurance win came at the 1969 24 Hours of Daytona where they finished 1 and 2.
In addition to their competition successes, several T70 also made it to the silver screen. During the filming of Steve McQueen's "Le Mans", Lola chassis' were sacrificed, disguised with bodywork from the 917 and 512 that starred in the film. A T70 coupe also appears as a car of the future in George Lucas' first commercial film, THX-1138.
This particular car was originally a Mark II that was set up for Can Am racing, but was later fitted with the closed bodywork and bigger brakes of the Mark III. The car was raced by Jerry Grant during the 1967 Can Am season, and the car raced in Bridgehampton, Road America, the Monterey GP, the Los Angeles Times GP, and the Stardust GP. The car also raced at two USRRC events at Riverside and Kent. The car’s history is partially described in John Starkey’s T70 book. The car was later owned by Jerry Weichers and was purchased by its current owner about 20 years ago. The car was actively campaigned, primarily in California, for a ten year period, and was extensively maintained and prepared by Phil Denney’s PRD Racing, based at Sears Point Raceway. The engine was rebuilt by Crowther at a cost of nearly $25,000 and the car has approximately four weekends on it since. The engine was fitted with ported cylinder heads, a new crank (permitting displacement of 385 cid) dynoed at 598hp (uncorrected, or 650hp corrected). The car has also been fitted with an alternator.
Over $75,000 of invoices are included, which show the replacement of the clutch, gearbox rebuild, extensive suspension work, plus the associated routine maintenance conducted for each race weekend. It was a regular participant at the Wine Country Classic (between 1999 and 2005), Monterey Historics (2000 and 2004), plus a few other outings including Mont Tremblant in 2005. The Monterey 2004 outing was a particularly exciting one, where the car narrowly lost to Brian Redman in a Gulf liveried Porsche 908. The car was also shown twice at the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance. In addition to the invoices, there are also many photos of the car at speed on track, and a log book. A color copy of the factory T70 pamphlet is also included.
Cosmetically, the car is a nice vintage racer example, with some track wear but attractive presentation overall. There are a few superficial stars and chips to the paint, but it is glossy and was done to very good standards. The wheels have been nicely polished. The interior is tidy and clean, with nicely detailed monocoque, attractive vintage Stewart Warner gauges, fire system, and removable Momo steering wheel. The engine compartment and chassis are nicely detailed and reflect the extensive professional preparation that this car has seen.
T70s are the consummate vintage racecar for the capable driver thanks to their performance, historical significance, and aesthetic appeal. They are welcome in a variety of events like the Classic Endurance Racing series, a myriad of events across North America not the least of which is the Monterey Historic Reunion, as well as premier venues such as Le Mans Classic. s/n SL71/46 has amply demonstrated its ability to run at the front of the pack against some of the most distinguished drivers and cars and unlike many race cars of this type, there are no alternative claims to its serial number or ambiguity about its history. After a checkover and service, this T70 would be an ideal example for the competitive individual looking for a reliable, comparatively easy to maintain, fast, turnkey racecar for use in the USA or in Europe.