History of a Lola T492 Sports 2000 chassis?

[911thillclimber]

Just spoken to the ever helpful Paul Wilkins.

Getting the body front on friday.

This will allow getting under the dark red and seeing the gel colour.
It should have the race number on it for that '82 race with Caribbean Airlines sponsorship.

Memories can be foggy sometimes:

Paul said he thinks Bernie Garwood bought it in 80/1 and Bernie lived in Seyers Common.

The car had the dark red tatty body front but the base car was in good condition and came with side pods off a Lola 592 (new). These were too long for the car so new ones were made and fitted, so the originals must have been tatty?

HU 62 has a date of 28 Dec 1978, so if Peter Sadler raced a 492 in 78, then it was NOT this car!! Unless he raced in someone else's, loved it so much he bought a new one...

So;

HU 62, bought by J Sadler (maybe it is actually J Sadler and not Peter Sadler) at Xmas 78 for the 79 season.

Raced/kept it for a year and sold it to Bernie Garwood of Seyers Common.
Hated a Kermit Green car so painted it dark red and entered for the Caribbean sponsored race , but did not race (Steve's account above).

Paul gets the car and refurbs the body and tunes the engine outside of S2000 rules for Thundersports but does not make it and sells to Len and Dennis (etc)

Is Peter Sadler a red herring and there really is a 'John' Sadler or Joe, or Josh or James etc lurking who is unknown and maybe never raced at all??

Still a bit murky to say the least.

Peter S is dead in 2000, he was a very useful driver at Le Mans etc, Bernie is dead, killed in a Healey race/test car, only the one race entered so far as we know, but a Bernie Garwood Memorial Trophy exists for formula Junior cars. I've emailed them for info.

The car is not giving in easily!

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Dan Rear

Graham there wasn't a Caribbean Airways series at all. They just backed a few races in the 'British S2000' series in 82. And there was only that 1 series.

In 81 there were 3 or 4 Long-Distance S2000 races that didn't count for the main series, I'm not certain whether these made up a championship in its own right.

See my other comments re 'Bernie Garwood'. And re J Sadler ordering the T492 for the '79 season, surely thats related to Peter Sadler, maybe his initial?

The long distance (200 mile) series was over 5 Rounds - Mallory, Oulton, Brands & Snetterton, the finale being the Brands round of the championship of makes 6 hour race.

According to the Autosport FF seasonal Review 1982 which confusingly deals with 81, the cost of competing ensured small grids and the smaller teams did not complete in the first few rounds.

However by June 20 teams pitched up at Brands. however it was such a car breaker, only 3 or 4 cars completed enough distance to score points. The next round at Snet was cancelled leaving just the 1000k's at Brands.

This was won by Ian Taylors Tiga Team which also gave them the series. None of the names you are looking for feature in the review.

In the main S2000 review, the only Lola T492's to get a mention are those driven by, Peter Hall, Paul Butler, Pancho Webb, Mark Scott, Chris Williams and John Tait.

However mention is made of Frank Sytner driving Peter Sadler's Tiga in which he claimed 3rd place in the series. So Sadler had sold his Lola and swapped it for a Tiga in time for the 81 season.

It may have been kept as a spare, or for use in the long distance races but there is no clue in the article.

What is evident the 81 series was poorly supported with only 15 cars starting some races.

[MGDavid]

it would be logical for Peter Sadler to put his race entries in under the entrant's name of J Sadler as that was the company name and they probably paid the bills.

[911thillclimber]

I do hope you are all correct!

HU 62 according to the Lola sales ledger I have a copy of was sold to a J Sadler.

The teapot company run by a Peter Sadler was very old, and was J Sadler and Sons.

I have sent an email to Neil Sadler, I think Peter's son.
It was Neil who watched the Silverstone races, but in the Google info on him/the Company, there is no mention of motorsport even though P Sadler was an ace.
Indeed, Neil's favourite sport is Golf...

Are we thinking it is Potteries Sadler just because you can find this info on the net or is there another J Sadler?

I have asked Lola Heritage for info on the Sadler they sold to. If the address is Burslam then that will be great! The Lola site is not the quickest as they are part time on the Heritage side.

In all this the S 2000 site is watching like mad but few have responded to my history questions. They must all be under 30!

Paul did say he thought Bernie bought the car in 80/81, so almost straight after Sadler took delivery.

How did the body get so tatty in a short time + a re-paint? It must have suffered a racing shunt?
I know from Paul that the car had dark red front and rear body.
He has a before and after photo he took in 84 ish and is trying to find it for me before Friday. Could be helpful.

[ogits]

"Business profile: Neil Sadler by Andy Stanistreet 1999

By this time it was just assumed by my family and myself that like my elder brother Peter, who is now chairman, I would be going into the family business.''

[ogits]

"Chassis: 30/S2/9

J. C. Bamford of excavators fame acquired this Series 2 Lotus 30 for Trevor Taylor and Peter Sadler in 1965. It is believed to have been one of the original works cars and raced by Jim Clark at Silverstone in March 1965. Repainted in the familiar 'JCB yellow' it was campaigned in many of the major events during 1965 and 1966. In recent the car was meticulously restored by Classic Team Lotus. Chassis 30/S2/9 was subsequently raced at various events including several editions of the ......... "

I bet Classic Team Lotus know a thing or two .....

[911thillclimber]

Just found this obituary of Peter's:

"But really he was a softie. He may have upset people at times in his life, but if ever he discovered that he had upset them, he was always very sad about it himself.

"He was a frustrated engineer and an adventurer. Really he always liked to be one of the lads."

Mr Sadler was a successful motor racer and took part in a number of championships, notably the Le Mans 24-hour race and the Porsche Euro Sports Championship, both in 1969.

He was also a keen amateur pilot and, after emigrating to the Caribbean island of St Martin in 2000, he ran a business

[911thillclimber]

Just received an email from Gerald on Lola Heritage ref: Peter Sadler.
Not much info except this:

Hello Graham,

Thanks for the update and I’ve added the details to the Chassis Register.

Nothing in the Archives I’m afraid but I had a look at the Autosport end-of-year report and it mentions “Peter Sadler’s fabulous emerald green T492, former GT40 pilot Sadler being one of the real characters of Sports 2000 and a gentleman”.



But for me the best bit is this edited off the Chassis Register site:

Graham Loakes HU62 Sports 2000 1979 UK



Got there at last!

Off to Paul's farm and Brighton way for the nose cone tomorrow, maybe those before and after pictures too.
It will be so good to have this shattered nose, a real part of the cars history.

[spd(john)]

Fantastic news, you must be over the moon, now the car has no choice but to behave and give you the enjoyment you deserve.

[MGDavid]

may I be second (first) to congratulate you, it's been a long haul.
what will we amuse ourselves with next off-season?

[911thillclimber]

Thank you both (you at Loton this weekend john?)

I will have to ask MYSELF what will i do in the off season if this car behaves itself??

I will consider the job really done when I rivet the fresh Lola chassis plate to the car.
I am going to ask for one.

The car oddly came with a new proper blank plate which has a chassis 'number' on it for insurance purposes.

I left enough room to stamp HU 62 on it.....

And of the pic below, i know the rear wheels are on the wrong sides!

[Nordic]

Very pleased the quest has reached a happy conclusion, but must confess to a slight sadness it is over.

Hopefully now the cars secrets have been revelled she rewards you with much enjoyment.

If not sell it and buy another unknown and we can all start again.

[911thillclimber]

I too am a little sad it is almost over, it has been a great chase. Never done anything like it before, never had anything 'historical' before either!

I am certainly not finished with the thread, a few things to do yet..one of which is to enjoy the car as much as I can.

[ogits]

Well done.
Can you condense it to a brief outline of the history? One line per year/owner/change... would do for me. Perhaps that should wait for end of season.

[Simon Hadfield]

May I add my congratulations - there should be an award or at least some kind of recognition for your tenacity! This is the best thread I have ever followed and I am so pleased you were able to connect the dots, really, really well done Graham

[Groupc]

What they all said. I've made a point of catching up with the latest news and dead ends for ages and have thoroughly enjoyed reading your, and the numerous other detective's, posts.

Bloody well done !

[911thillclimber]

Thanks to you all. It has been 'entertaining' I think for a few...

I will collate the raw facts a little later.

Just back from an 8.5 hour round trip to Brighton and the Farm.

Shame Paul was away on business but along with the body he left me with two great pics.
One is the side view of the car bought in 82 in red (picture is faded) and clearly shows the Caribbean Airlines and Bernie Garwood's business based in Seyers Common. Car is number 26 and the front has clearly been crunched goo and propper.
There is an interesting shape to the front wheel arches i want to investigate further.

Most telling is it is KELLY GIRL GREEN in gel coat! (thank god for that). Sure is a lime green...

Second pic it the restored Lola along side a great looking DRW Clubmans. No wonder Len and Dennis bought them both!

When I've mastered the scanner I will post them. They are crackers.

[Andy Clegg]

I won't have anything to do now. Even at work I was wondering if you had found out what you wanted. Let us know how you go on this and the seasons to come.

[Clive Brown]

I might be able to offer an explanation as to the odd shape of the trailing edge of the wheel arches on the Kelly green (but red) front. I recall you having mentioned that at some point, the car was fitted with modified T590 sidepods. Now if you look at pictures of a T590, you will see that the front arch and sidepod arrangement is somewhat different to that on a T490/2. I suggest that the front has been modified so as to adapt a T490/2 front to a T590-like appearance.

[911thillclimber]

Correct Clive.
Paul told me the car came with spare side pods from the 590 (of which very few were made) why 590 pods I'll never know. Paul did not fit them. He made 492 pods so the new factory front fits.

The arch on the 492 is a tight fit to the wheel but at the leading edge, not the trailing edge.

Yet more mystery to this car even now.

Paul bought the car off Bernie in 82, finished the restoration in 83.
We know the car ran in the Caribbean sponsored race in 82 and that it was # 26.
Be good to find the driver out. My guess it was Peter Sadler 'on hire'.

Bernie ran a business, Garwood Group Research and Development according to a sticker on the side of the tub in the pic.

Away from this detective stuff, I run the car this weekend at my club's practice weekend, specifically this sunday.

Good track to shake it down nice and easy....

[Clive Brown]

In the picture of Lola and DRW, although the car appears to be completely restored, it looks to me to be red, rather than orange. I thought Paul had the remaining original panels of the dark red (but originally Kelly green) Lola refinished in orange to match the colour of the new front bought from Lola, or is this part of some cunning subterfuge to confuse the innocent?

P.S.: Kelly green is very, er, green, isn't it?

[Clive Brown]

So if we believe that the original purchaser of T492/HU62 (YES!) was J. Sadler (information from Lola Sales Ledger) which was the family firm of Peter Sadler, who actually raced the car, are you saying that after the late Bernie Garwood bought the car from Sadlers, he then hired the car back to Peter Sadler on an ad hoc basis in 1982, as your last posting seems to suggest?

Interestingly, you stated that Peter Sadler bought a T590 for 1980; might this not explain a certain cross-fertilisation of parts to the car we believe Bernie Garwood acquired from him/ his family firm.

Very nearly there, but still a few 'i's to be dotted and 't's to be crossed.....

[911thillclimber]

The 'Dark Red' of Paul Wilkin's is to me as red as my current red body.
Kelly Girl Green sure is a vibrant Kermit Green, no wonder Bernie (I presume) painted it.

It was my presumption that the #26 guise of this car was raced by Peter only because Bernie is so absent.

The body is well crumpled, either a head -on or good nose shunt, but from the period pic the nose looks pretty good apart from the usual apex of the arch cracks.
I think a lot of damage was done to the nose as it was shifted about the farm.

Maybe the driver of # 26 in the Caribbean Airlines race had a crunch and for Bernie that was that.
I have never asked Paul WHY he bought it other than him telling me he fancied Thundersports.

The shape of those wings are bugging me.
As you say, some details yet to be sorted!

[Tim Wilkinson]

Can you say again where the chassis damage and subsequent repair is on your car? Do you know if it was like that when Paul bought it, or if it has happened since then?

I'm currently looking through the Autosports I have from mid'81 onwards to see if there's any leads in classifieds or "sports extra", as well as race reports. I've already found reference to Peter Sadler being a prime mover in getting the 200-mile S2000 races going in 1981, so it makes sense that a car he owned ended up with a long-distance tank.

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by Tim Wilkinson

I've already found reference to Peter Sadler being a prime mover in getting the 200-mile S2000 races going in 1981, so it makes sense that a car he owned ended up with a long-distance tank.

Now according to 911thillclimber, who I believe got his information from Lola, Peter Sadler had a T590 for the 1981 season, so did he use this car in the long-distance races in 1982, or had he retained T492/HU62 for this purpose?

Secondly, when exactly did HU62 become orange? I'd thought it became orange when in Paul Wilkins' ownership; was it not orange when Dennis Humphries bought it from Paul, and similarly hued when Alan Humberstone in turn acquired it from Dennis?