Lola 142 #23

I think it’s amazing how small New Zealand is, yet how… umm … enthused everyone is about motor sport. This Formula 5000 car, coming all the way from South Africa is residing 5 minutes walk from where I live. Up the road from me is a replica Mclaren M6B, further up the road is a historic Formula Ford and on the other side of our small North Shore suburb is a few Lotus Seven-esk style open wheelers.
My suburb isn’t very big but you know, sometimes it feels cramped… and I love it.

Parked up between a mint Sunbeam and the next project is chassis number 23, a 1968 Lola 142.This particular example, funnily enough comes from the other side of the planet (South Africa) and has been raced throughly in it’s time of being. Carrying on from my ‘cramped of cars’ talk, my old man Simon shot this very car in his youth with his Pentax 35mm. We were digging through his old negatives not long ago and he has a huge wad of F5000 cars. Surprisingly, between the non existant barriers and track side onlookers is the Lola 142.

Fittingly painted in Ford-esk blue and all together with new Avon slicks waits this ~42 year old open wheeler. Note the external radiator piping running alone the bodywork, which had to be moved from the cockpit after drivers were being scolded in crashes.

Today it was pushed on to a trailer and taken down to NZ’s newest and première track, Hampton Downs for testing on the fresh track in preparation of the NZ Festival of Motor Racing – Celebrating Bruce Mclaren which you can be assured I will be taking photos of.

#23 is powered by a 5300CC Ford V8 and fed by a period mechanical fuel injection. Crossover octopus legs feed into twin trumpets which make for a truly chest beating king kong yell. The surge tank system is squeezed between the lower wishbone. The upper wishbone is a bit more exposed, possibly one of my favourite thing about the classic formula cars.

The work place. The thrill house. King kong’s nerve centre.

The heavy-duty inboard suspension system, the dinner plate non-ventilated disks, the spring latched bodywork and 15″ steam roller slicks… there are so many cool parts to look at I could have sat there starring so much longer.

I did a little bit of internet searching for this car and came up with some interesting photos and stories, I suggest you give it a go if you’re interested.

I’d like to thank Lester for letting me shoot the car, I have a great fondness for old open wheelers that some of you might have caught on to by now. I can only wish that someday I will be able to shoot this car out in the wild. Hang out for some track photos in a few weeks.

– Chris