Lot 75
1964 Lotus 23B Sports-Racer
Sold for US$ 92,400 inc. premium
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Quail Motorcar Auction14 Aug 2020, 11:00 PDT

Los Angeles
1964 LOTUS 23B SPORTS-RACER
Chassis no. 23-S-103
1,600cc DOHC Lotus-Ford 4-Cylinder Engine
2 Weber Twin-choke Carburetors
est. 196bhp at 8,000rpm
5-Speed Hewland Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*A very successful contender both in period and at current vintage racing events
*Thoroughly researched in comprehensive report compiled by noted historian Michael Oliver
*Expertly prepared and maintained by Epifani Restorations
*Eligible for a host of prominent vintage racing events around the globe

Previewing at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California by appointment. Please contact motors.us@bonhams.com?subject=Sched...torcar Auctionfor scheduling.


THE LOTUS 23

John Blunsden, much respected Associate Editor of 'Motor Racing' magazine in the UK, wrote in 1962 that "The Lotus 23 is the closest thing to the 22 Junior that it is possible to make, that will carry a scaled-down and smoothed out Appendix C (Lotus 19-type) Monte Carlo body...".

This was in fact the last purebred small-capacity sports-racing car to be designed from the ground up by Colin Chapman and his team. Upon its launch at the 1962 London Racing Car Show, the Lotus 23 emerged as the neatest, sleekest sports-racing car ever seen. Although it was intended essentially as an 1,100cc class contender, up-to-1,000cc engines were another option and early in the 1962 season Lotus developed its own twin-cam headed version of the Ford engine, which emerged as a 1,498cc unit. The first of these went into a works Type 23 which Jim Clark drove in the ADAC 1,000Kms World Championship round at the Nürburgring. There his performance in the little car was nothing less than stupendous, as he led the entire field until being overcome by fumes from a broken exhaust pipe.

Two works-backed Type 23s were then entered for the Le Mans 24-Hour race, one with 997cc and the other with 745cc engines, but the French scrutineers rejected them because while the front wheels had four-stud fixing the rears used six-stud. This contravened a requirement that the statutory spare wheel should fit both front and rear. Colin Chapman had the rear fixing modified to accept four studs only and so match the fronts, but the scrutineers then ruled out that ploy on the basis that if six studs were required in the original design, the Lotus would be plainly unsafe on only four. Concluding that the organizers were favoring rival French entries, and despite support from the British RAC, Colin Chapman was forced to withdraw the two 23s, vowing that his Lotus team would never race at Le Mans again; a vow he kept.

This did nothing to discourage tremendous sales success for the design. Into 1963 a Type 23B version was offered with more robust chassis and a 1,558cc Lotus-Ford Twin-Cam engine as standard. Lotus 23s in the 1-litre, 1,100cc and 1,600cc racing categories at everything from the most modest club to the most major International level raced throughout the UK, Europe, the Americas, Southern Africa and Australasia and proved immensely successful. Production 1962-64 ended with 131 cars produced, and many more have been assembled both in and out of period by outside specialists.


THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This highly successful Lotus 23B Sports-Racer, chassis no 23-S-103, is offered with a comprehensive, 58-page report compiled by noted Lotus 23 historian, Michael Oliver. The report is well-detailed and contains scans of the factory invoices and build sheets from Lotus, and neatly documents the car's impressive racing and ownership history. First owner, Paul Webb, campaigned the Lotus at prominent club events around the UK during the 1964 and 1965 racing seasons, including outings at Snetterton, Brands Hatch and Silverstone. There are some lovey pictures on file from this period, showing 23-S-103 at speed. The car was sold by Mr. Webb to Peter Beach in 1965, who would continue to race the competitive Lotus, before selling it to Peter Beaver in 1968. Mr. Beaver also raced the Lotus, which at this time had received some modifications to the bodywork and proved to remain competitive as he won at Silverstone with the car in 1968.

By the early 1970s, 23-S-103 migrated to Canada, where it continued its racing career in the hands of Barrie Bratt, Alan Downing and Greg Griffiths. American race car driver and car broker Dirk Layer acquired the Lotus in 1987 and campaigned it at vintage racing events around the US, before selling it in 1990 to Joe Graziano, with whom the car would remain for about 15 years. Noted Bay Area collector Peter Read purchased the car in 2005, and entrusted renowned specialist Jim Groom and Epifani Restorations to prepare and maintain 23-S-103 for vintage racing, a tradition which has been kept until this day. Additionally, Dan Marvin has helped keep the Lotus sorted and track-ready. Offered from decade-long ownership in the hands of a noted vintage race car driver and enthusiast, this successful Lotus 23B is ready to continue its impressive track record and is eligible for the most prestigious vintage racing events around the Globe.

Footnotes

• Offered on bill of sale

Saleroom notices

• Please note this lot is offered on bill of sale

Condition