Lotus 19
Encyclopedia
The Lotus 19 or Monte Carlo was a mid-engine sports-racing car designed by Colin Chapman
of Lotus
and built from 1960 until 1963. The 19 was a widened (nominally two-place) version of the successful Formula One
18
.
engine. The cars body was similar in appearance to both the 11
and the 23
while having the engine behind the driver.
Chapman named the car Monte Carlo to honor Stirling Moss
for his win at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix
, Lotus' first in F1. This is said to mimic Cooper
's naming of the Cooper Monaco after a win with their Formula One car at Monaco in 1958.
, who had enjoyed considerable success at the wheel of the Arciero Brothers Lotus 19-Climax, had another Lotus 19 built with a King Cobra Ford 289 engine.
This was specially adapted by the Lotus factory for Gurney, reportedly with larger diameter frame tubes and different engine mounts. Because of its unique specification, it was known as the Mk19B, the only 19 with this designation. Originally delivered in red livery, the car first appeared at Nassau in December 1963. Later, in 1964, Gurney secured sponsorship from Pacesetter Homes and the car was re-liveried in white and blue.
The car's weak spot was its Colotti
transmission, the failure of which led to a number of retirements; eventually, in 1965, Gurney sold the car. It went through several owners before being acquired by Gordon and Nancy Gimbel. Today the car regularly appears at historic events in the US. (Gurney later joked about Chapman's penurious approach to his requested modifications, saying, "Well, Colin, this is the first time I've ever paid extra for an 'optional' brake pedal!")
Although the 19B was the first 'factory-approved' effort using an American V8 engine, several other owners experimented with conversions. Bob Colombosian, and Rod Carveth all powered their 19s with aluminium 215ci
(3.5 liter) Buick V8s as early as 1962. Canadian Norm Namerow was the first to actually compete in a 289-powered 19, in October 1963, although Lloyd Ruby
raced the Harrison Special (a converted 19) with a 289 one week earlier.
Alan Green Chevrolet of Seattle fielded a Lotus 19 using a 377ci Traco-modified Chevrolet and McKee transaxle in 1964. It was driven by Jerry Grant
. While fast in the extreme, the car broke frequently. It was said to produce just over 500 hp and tested at Westwood Raceway in early 1965 at an unofficial 224 mi/h with the aid of some makeshift spoilers.
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
of Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
and built from 1960 until 1963. The 19 was a widened (nominally two-place) version of the successful Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
18
Lotus 18
The Lotus 18 was a race car designed by Colin Chapman for use by Lotus in Formula Junior, Formula Two, and Formula One. It was the first mid-engined car built by Lotus and was a marked improvement over Chapman's early and only moderately successful front-engined formula cars, the 12 and 16. It was...
.
The Lotus 19
The 19 was a mid-engine, rear wheel drive sports racer with a fiberglass body over a tube frame based on the 18, and was originally fitted with a 2496 cc Coventry ClimaxCoventry Climax
Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, and speciality engine manufacturer.-History:The company was started in 1903 as Lee Stroyer, but two years later, following the departure of Stroyer, it was relocated to Paynes Lane, Coventry, and renamed to Coventry-Simplex by H...
engine. The cars body was similar in appearance to both the 11
Lotus Eleven
The Lotus Eleven was a racing car built in various versions by Lotus from 1956 until 1958. The later versions built in 1958 are sometimes referred to as Lotus 13, although this was not an official designation...
and the 23
Lotus 23
The Lotus 23 was designed by Colin Chapman as a small-displacement sports racing car. Nominally a two-seater , it was a purpose-built for racing with a driver alone. The 23 used a wider version of the Lotus 20 space frame, with the same suspension, clothed in a fibreglass body...
while having the engine behind the driver.
Chapman named the car Monte Carlo to honor Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
for his win at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix
1960 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1960 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 29, 1960.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Stirling Moss - 1:36.3*Fastest Lap: Bruce McLaren - 1:36.2*First win for a Lotus in a World Championship Formula One race...
, Lotus' first in F1. This is said to mimic Cooper
Cooper Car Company
The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
's naming of the Cooper Monaco after a win with their Formula One car at Monaco in 1958.
The 19B
Towards the end of 1963, Dan GurneyDan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
, who had enjoyed considerable success at the wheel of the Arciero Brothers Lotus 19-Climax, had another Lotus 19 built with a King Cobra Ford 289 engine.
This was specially adapted by the Lotus factory for Gurney, reportedly with larger diameter frame tubes and different engine mounts. Because of its unique specification, it was known as the Mk19B, the only 19 with this designation. Originally delivered in red livery, the car first appeared at Nassau in December 1963. Later, in 1964, Gurney secured sponsorship from Pacesetter Homes and the car was re-liveried in white and blue.
The car's weak spot was its Colotti
Valerio Colotti
Valerio Colotti was an Italian automotive engineer, known for his early work with Ferrari and Maserati chassis and transmission systems....
transmission, the failure of which led to a number of retirements; eventually, in 1965, Gurney sold the car. It went through several owners before being acquired by Gordon and Nancy Gimbel. Today the car regularly appears at historic events in the US. (Gurney later joked about Chapman's penurious approach to his requested modifications, saying, "Well, Colin, this is the first time I've ever paid extra for an 'optional' brake pedal!")
Although the 19B was the first 'factory-approved' effort using an American V8 engine, several other owners experimented with conversions. Bob Colombosian, and Rod Carveth all powered their 19s with aluminium 215ci
Buick V8 engine
Like its sister General Motors divisions, Buick produced its own family of V8 engines to replace its straight-8 engines. These engines came in many of the same displacements as those from other divisions, but were entirely different.-Buick "Nailhead V8":...
(3.5 liter) Buick V8s as early as 1962. Canadian Norm Namerow was the first to actually compete in a 289-powered 19, in October 1963, although Lloyd Ruby
Lloyd Ruby
Lloyd Ruby was an American racecar driver.Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958-1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including every Indianapolis 500 race during 1960-1977. He finished in the top ten 88 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was 3rd in 1964...
raced the Harrison Special (a converted 19) with a 289 one week earlier.
Alan Green Chevrolet of Seattle fielded a Lotus 19 using a 377ci Traco-modified Chevrolet and McKee transaxle in 1964. It was driven by Jerry Grant
Jerry Grant
Jerry Grant , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1977 seasons, with 54 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1965-1968, 1970 and 1972-1976...
. While fast in the extreme, the car broke frequently. It was said to produce just over 500 hp and tested at Westwood Raceway in early 1965 at an unofficial 224 mi/h with the aid of some makeshift spoilers.
Chassis Numbers
There were 17 original Lotus 19 cars built however many were wrecked and some were completely rebuilt. More cars are reported today than were built.| Chassis | Original Owner | Motor |
|---|---|---|
| 950 | British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership was a racing team, and latterly constructor, from the United Kingdom. It was established by Alfred Moss and Ken Gregory — Stirling Moss's father and former manager respectively — in 1957 to run cars for Stirling, when not under contract with other firms.BRP ran a... |
2.5 Climax |
| 951 | Arciero Brothers | 2.5 Climax |
| 952 | British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership was a racing team, and latterly constructor, from the United Kingdom. It was established by Alfred Moss and Ken Gregory — Stirling Moss's father and former manager respectively — in 1957 to run cars for Stirling, when not under contract with other firms.BRP ran a... Sold to Team Rosebud. |
2.0 Climax/Ferrari V-12 3.0 in 1963 |
| 953 | British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership British Racing Partnership was a racing team, and latterly constructor, from the United Kingdom. It was established by Alfred Moss and Ken Gregory — Stirling Moss's father and former manager respectively — in 1957 to run cars for Stirling, when not under contract with other firms.BRP ran a... |
2.5 Climax |
| 954 | J. Frank Harrison | 2.5 Climax later as Harrison Special-289 Ford |
| 955 | Jack Nethercutt | 2.5 Climax |
| 956 | Charles Vogele | 2.5 Climax changed to 2.0 Climax for Hillclimbs |
| 957 | Tom Carstens | Empty - 3.5 Buick fitted changed to Chevy V8 |
| 958 | Roy Schechter | 2.5 Climax |
| 959 | Peter Ryan | 2.5 Climax Engine |
| 960 | Robert Publicker | 1.5 Climax |
| 961 | Dr Harry Zweifel | 2.0 Climax for Hillclimbs |
| 962 | Rod Carveth | Empty - 3.5 Buick fitted |
| 963 | Henry Olds/Bob Colombosian | Empty - 3.5 Buick fitted |
| 964 | John Coundley | 2.5 Climax |
| 965 | Mecom Racing Team Mecom Racing Team The Mecom Racing Team was led by John Mecom, Jr. and was active between 1960-1967 in the World Sportscar Championship racing, Formula One, and American Championship Car Racing scenes. The Mecom Racing Team and later the Mecom Group led by John Mecom, Jr., John Mecom III and Stephen Charsley worked... |
empty - 2.0 Climax fitted changed to 3.5 Buick Buick Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make... |
| 966 | Dan Gurney Dan Gurney Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager... |
289 Ford |