Eric Broadley’s Bromley, Kent-based Lola Cars Ltd, began as early as 1958 when he introduced the beautiful small bore Mark 1 Sports Racer. When these began to best Colin Chapman’s all-conquering Lotus 11’s on a regular basis, Broadley’s reputation was made. Single-seater, front and rear engined Formula JR cars followed, all based on standard space frame tubular steel chassis.
In 1963, enamored with the compact size and performance potential of the new American pushrod V8s, particularly Ford’s version, Broadley designed a mid-engined GT car based on this motive power. Commissioned by Ford of Detroit, this Lola MK 6 and a sister car became a test bed for Ford which eventually led to the production of their own GT40 racing car. Tiring of the corporate politics that accompanied his Ford dealings, Broadley debuted his own sports racing car, the incomparable Lola T-70 Can-Am Spyder in 1965. John Surtees won the inaugural Can- Am Series Championship in one of these and eventually some 50 T-70’s were sold in both open and coupe form. The T-160 followed this in 1968 and then came the improved T-162 and T-163 series.
For the 1969 season, Lola produced two examples of the T-162 Can-Am chassis. They were chassis numbers SL162/13 and SL162/14. Chassis number 14 was sold to Bob Dini Enterprises and raced extensively during the 1969 and 1970 season by Mr. Dini. It campaigned in four of the championship rounds at Watkins Glen, Road America, Bridgehampton, and Laguna Seca. The best result for the car was a 16th place at Bridgehampton. The following season, chassis number 14 continued its racing career under the banner of Dini Enterprises, competing at Mosport and Mt. Tremblant, where the car was damaged in a frontal collision. It would be many years before the car was repaired. In 1987, the car was purchased by Fantasy Junction from a former Dini Enterprises employee and sold it to Can-Am collector and historian Jerry Weichers. Fantasy Junction brokered the same of the un-repaired car in 1996 to its second owner, who commissioned a complete restoration. Harold Drinkwater of Salinas, California was hired to repair the tub and monocoque.
This car, Chassis number SL162/13, is eligible for many of the premier events, such as The Rolex Reunion, The Wine Country Classic, in addition to any HSR events which have an excellent following for historic Can-Am, Group C, and IMSA participants. Each October a Can-Am reunion is held in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin combining some of the era`s fastest cars with one of the world’s best circuits.
This car has a long and rich history in the Pacific Northwest. Purchased in Seattle in 1971 by the successful Oregon racer and car dealer – Monte Shelton - as a pristine and very original race car, Monte used the car to win the Portland “Rose Cup” in 1972. Prior to the race, he damaged the car and only arrived just for the start, but won the race regardless. The following seasons, Monte raced the cars at several CanAm races, most notably the event at Laguna Seca as #57. Since then, it has been owned and raced in many vintage events by the current owner for the past 27 years. Powered by a 400 CID alloy block Chevrolet engine with a Hilborn injection, running through a Hewland LG-600 5 speed gearbox, this fast and beautiful Can-Am Lola has been expertly maintained by J&L Fabrications and is in perfect “race-ready” trim. It is eligible for many vintage race events worldwide and is a rare and fast vintage CanAm car to be driven and enjoyed by an experienced vintage driver or collector. It may be inspected in the Seattle area by appointment.