Lotus Cortina (merged with Alan Mann Lotus Cortina)

stein johnsen · 1 Mar 2006, 16:57 (Ref:1534044)

A.Mann Lotus Cortina 1965
Reg.no KPU 384 C.
Engine 8465031 BRM
Chassi BA 74EV/59025

Car was sold by A Mann the 21.1.66 to a Swedish Ford dealer.
I have the invoice for GBP 1000 !!!!

I have the Swedish History of the car reasonably well covered but would like help with the earlier history.

Could somebody please help me with the earlier history of this car

stein johnsen

Anuauto · 2 Mar 2006, 10:54 (Ref:1534561)

There were a few remaining questions when the thread on the Mk2s dried up. I was trying to put some data together on "works" Mk1 identities but the rallying situation is probably lost to history with so much re-shelling of "KPU" registrations. Seems likely the race cars retained their original identities but problem seems to be that the one Mann car that did all the winning in 65 is the one always featured in photos etc. Graham Robson probably has the best overall records now but there's not enough for a full book solely on competition Cortinas?

zefarelly · 2 Mar 2006, 11:14 (Ref:1534576)

Sir John Whitmores ETCC winning car is alive and well, as is Sir John and Alan Mann.

I don't know if there's an 'official' record of cars prepared by AM, if the organisation was anything like Willment then I'd expect not.

As for reshelling, it was done when they where new, and obviously is still done today. I'm not convinced there are many if any genuine original race cars still in use, some of those that are have been built as replicas and originals either 'museumed' or scrapped

TimD · 2 Mar 2006, 11:37 (Ref:1534589)

Well, I'm not a Ford person as such, but there's something about the Alan Mann and Willment cars which has always appealed.

I'd buy the book!

Carlos Guerra · 2 Mar 2006, 18:37 (Ref:1534819)

Sorry Stein if I am nitpicking a bit but, it must be an U, not a V, in that KPU 384C chassis number.

And yes, count me in too for the Cortina book!

Andrew Kitson · 2 Mar 2006, 18:47 (Ref:1534824)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimD

Well, I'm not a Ford person as such, but there's something about the Alan Mann and Willment cars which has always appealed.

I'd buy the book!

Yes indeed, such as the famous Gardner Escort XOO 349F and the gorgeous F3L.

**chunterer** · 3 Mar 2006, 12:40 (Ref:1535400)

There was certainly some superb Ford touring cars prepared by both camps in the 60's.

The Cortina, Escort, Mustang, Galaxie, Fairlane?! I think even the Zodiac/Zephry was considered at one point early in the decade?!

The F3L is an interesting car Andrew, the story is something like if AMR had been properly funded by Ford after the GT40 programme it could well have gone on to achieve notable success. I think there were some concerns about the DFV's longevity and some vibration problems caused by it's installation? Len Bailey's basic concept was sound however.

I think Frank Gardner, and Graham Hill did a fair bit of shakedown work with the car. Actually the relative merits of this car versus say the GT40 and other prototypes of the time warrant another thread which would be superb!!

Stein, if you can find Mr Mann, still has some premises by his airfield in Surrey, then he would probably be able to help out with more info on your car.

Otherwise, if someone can find out if Alan fancies posting then get on it!!

roger saretzki · 3 Mar 2006, 19:30 (Ref:1535624)

did this car hillclimbs as well in switzerland ? i think to have photos........

regards roger

Anuauto · 3 Mar 2006, 19:40 (Ref:1535638)

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger saretzki

did this car hillclimbs as well in switzerland ? i think to have photos........

regards roger

The European Touring Car Championship that the team competed in (and won in 1965) included hillclimbs then - but it was KPU392C that seemed to do all the winning.

Anuauto · 5 Mar 2006, 15:38 (Ref:1536712)

To add to the complicated story, I found mention that the new 1965 leafspring car first appeared at Mont Ventoux in standard white/green colours and carrying the registration number of 1964 A frame car. This new Whitmore car then became KPU382C but not sure whether this was only after the next ETCC round, the Nurburgring 6 Hours, when presumably it also became red/gold. By Zolder there was a second car for Peter Proctor and there was also a second car at Karlskoga, Snetterton 1000K (Proctor) and the final round, Zandvoort (Proctor). Only found Sears mentioned as second driver to Whitmore in the races that required two drivers. The penultimate round was "a Swiss hillclimb" (Ollon-Villars?), where Whitmore won the class and another earlier round class win for Whitmore was the Olympia hillclimb in Austria. Can find no mention of a second car at the hill climbs. So, a second car is mentioned as appearing at Zolder (second to Whitmore), Karlskoga, Snetterton (sixth to Whitmore) and Zandvoort (third to Whitmore and the Ljungfedlt Mustang). Question is, were there more than two 1965 cars? If not, the second is, presumably, KPU384C.

Anuauto · 5 Mar 2006, 20:41 (Ref:1536909)

Last post 392 not 382.
Oh for an edit facility that is more than just instant....

stein johnsen · 7 Mar 2006, 17:16 (Ref:1539688)

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger saretzki

did this car hillclimbs as well in switzerland ? i think to have photos........

regards roger

Roger
If you could find the photo of the car I would be very pleased to receive it
Pls use my email
steinjohnsen@gmail.com

stein johnsen · 7 Mar 2006, 17:18 (Ref:1539691)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

Stein, if you can find Mr Mann, still has some premises by his airfield in Surrey, then he would probably be able to help out with more info on your car.

Otherwise, if someone can find out if Alan fancies posting then get on it!!

I have contacted A.Mann but he recommended me to contact some Cortina clubs, may be they could help me !!!!!

Anuauto · 7 Mar 2006, 20:31 (Ref:1539783)

Frank de Jong's ETCC site has a picture of the start of the final 65 ETCC round at Zandvoort with what may be the second Mann Cortina leading the Whitmore car. Reg no not clear.

Further to earlier posts, the second car was driven:
Monza (64 cars), Henry Taylor
Mont Ventoux, Peter Proctor
Zolder, Proctor
Olympia, Taylor
Karlskoga, Jackie Stewart (DNF)
Snetterton, Proctor
St. Ursanne (not Ollon -Villars as previously presumed), Taylor
No evidence of a 3rd Mann Cortina running anywhere (they were running Mustangs too).

imull · 7 Mar 2006, 21:53 (Ref:1539826)

Can someone please tell me if there was ever a Lotus Cortina raced or rallied in the John Player Special colourscheme of black and gold?

Sure that I once read of one but cant find any info on it now

I suspect that it was a one off appearance at some sort of special event...

cheers, Sandy

VIVA GT · 7 Mar 2006, 22:38 (Ref:1539857)

Hi,
Now I don't really know the answer, but surely, the Lotus Cortina would have been well out of date by the time of JPS Lotus'?

No doubt someone out there in ten-tenths land will have the definitive answer...

Anuauto · 7 Mar 2006, 23:18 (Ref:1539897)

Only Dave Brodie's Mk 1 Escort?
(but there was a 1 April spoof magazine article many years ago that involved JPS-liveried DFV-engined Capris?)

Frank de Jong · 8 Mar 2006, 08:51 (Ref:1540082)

No JPS Cortina as far as I know. As been pointed out, the timing doesn't match.
There has been however a black and gold Capri II version on the market (as a street car, mond you), probably somewhere around 1975-76

Dan Rear · 8 Mar 2006, 10:35 (Ref:1540177)

Brodie's Capri 2 Superllon of 1974 was black when it came out, may have had some gold in it too. I don't recall any JPS saloons tho'.

Chris Griffin · 8 Mar 2006, 11:23 (Ref:1540212)

JPS sponsored a BMW635 at Bathurst in the 80s driven by a Count von something or other. It stands out in my memory as being a fantastic looking car and the first time I ever saw footage from an on-board camara located in one of the headlights. Brilliant!

inpitlane · 8 Mar 2006, 13:22 (Ref:1540287)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Griffin

JPS sponsored a BMW635 at Bathurst in the 80s driven by a Count von something or other. It stands out in my memory as being a fantastic looking car and the first time I ever saw footage from an on-board camara located in one of the headlights. Brilliant!

JPS sponsored the Australian works BMW team run by Frank Gardner for several years, many of the cars are still running today in their original livery in Historic racing including the 635 and an M3. They had a wild looking 320i Turbo as well in Sports Sedans which I think was the ex David Hobbs IMSA car.
Our TV show here in Australia "in pit lane" did a story on one of the M3s at the recent Phillip Island Historic meeting, but I haven't got around to editing it yet.

zefarelly · 8 Mar 2006, 16:04 (Ref:1540515)

there was a MK2 Capri in JPS colours. As far as I know LC's never ran with sponsorship as wroks or team cars in the 60's at least

zefarelly · 8 Mar 2006, 16:11 (Ref:1540517)

The Ford in Touring cars book has lots of snaps . . . you can pick out a lot of the works registrations from that, however number plates would move from car to car on a regular basis. Alan Mann was the only person to get shells from lotus in anything other than white.

Anuauto · 8 Mar 2006, 23:02 (Ref:1540805)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Alan Mann was the only person to get shells from lotus in anything other than white.

Did he? Graham Robson records the two new Alan Mann 65 leaf spring cars as first appearing in white/green and initially carrying 64 reg nos (including the car that became KPU392C). Only later red/gold. The cynical might be tempted to consider whether initially using the earlier identity may not have been entirely unrelated to when homologation actually came through for leaf springs (not until June 65?).

**Peter Mallett** · 9 Mar 2006, 13:55 (Ref:1541729)

The 2.0S was produced in JPS colours but it was a road car.

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