In a message dated 98-03-21 04:22:27 EST, you write:
<<
Now, can anyone tell us some history about the 4 cam Ford small block
used in the '65 Indy car? (Lotus 38, right?) <drool>
>>
The 4-cam Ford was originally intended to be used in the 1963 Lotus Indy Car,
the type 29. Chapman elected to use the pushrod version because fuel economy
was better (the 4 cam would have required 1-2 more fuel stops in a 500 mile
race) and because Chapman felt the use of 500 BHP 4 cam rather than the 350BHP
pushrod would be overkill!!! Chapman was right in both counts -- the 29 went
the distance on one less stop and would have won in 63 if Jones hadn't been
leaking oil onto the track. 150 more brake horsepower on an oily track would
not have helped Jimmy Clark at all. Of course Clark finished second
The engine used in the 29 was based in the Ford Fairlane V-8. The race
engines had aluminum blocks and were configured to run on either gas or
methanol. Chapman chose gas. As a aside, Ford had development problems just
before the first test of the 29 and delivered the engines without ancillaries
or a wiring harness. Two rental Ford Fairlanes donated their components so
that the testing could take place.
The 4 cam was first used in the Lotus 34, which was the 1964 Indy car. It was
very fast, but failed to finish due to Dunlop tire problems. The 38 used the
4 cam and won Indy in 1965.
There are two excellent books on the Indy cars. One, by Doug Nye, was The
Single Seat Lotus-Formula One and Indy Cars. This was first published in the
early 1970s and was revised and reprinted as THEME LOTUS in the 1980s. I don't
think it is still in print. The other, the late Andrew Ferguson's LOTUS -
THE INDY YEARS is currently available and is a great book by the Team Manager
during those years. It is one of the best books on Lotus and is a must read
for Lotus fans. Ths antics from those simple days are great. Andrew was a
truly great gentleman and a friend of Lotus. He single-handedly preserved
many of the early Lotus records and drawings.
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