Lotus 22
Encyclopedia
The Lotus 22 was a racing car built by Lotus cars
in 1962, and a total of 77 cars were built. It was developed from the 1962 Lotus 20
, with the major differences that it had disk brakes all round, had a top link to the rear suspension, and had a dry sump
engine that was canted over to lower the centre of gravity.
The 22 is a single seat race car primarily for the Formula Junior
series and most had a 1098 cc Cosworth MAE engine with about 100 hp. However, 7 of the Lotus 22's built were sold with the then newly introduced 1500 cc Lotus Twin-Cam engine then powering the just introduced Lotus Elan sports car, but these were ineligible for Formula Junior. The 22 was very successful and the works car driven by Peter Arundell won nearly 75% of the races for the FIA Formula Junior European championship in 1962. The car was also successful in 1963, the final year of FJr, and up against the new Lotus 27
, a full monocoque
car, the 22 won several races early in the season before the stiffness problems that plagued the 27 were solved.
The 22 chassis also later was reintroduced several times, although modified, as other "new" Lotus models becoming first the Lotus 31
F3 car in 1964 and then, most famously, the Lotus 51 in 1967, the first Formula Ford
race car created for the Jim Russell racing school in England.
Also the Lotus 22 was the car from which the Lotus 23
was derived, being essentially a two-seat 22 widened in the middle but using the same front and rear suspension, engine bay, and gearbox as the 22 did. The 23's famous introduction at the legendary Nurburgring 1962 driven by Jim Clark, where he led many laps in the tiny 1,000-pound 23, with only a 1500 cc engine, against cars with many times the displacement, at one point leading by a minute or more.
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...
in 1962, and a total of 77 cars were built. It was developed from the 1962 Lotus 20
Lotus 20
Lotus 20 was a Formula Junior car built by Lotus for the 1962 season as a successor to the Lotus 18.The chassis was a spaceframe, clothed in fibreglass bodywork. It had front double wishbone suspension, but the rear had a lower wishbone with the driveshaft being fixed length and therefore used as...
, with the major differences that it had disk brakes all round, had a top link to the rear suspension, and had a dry sump
Dry sump
A dry sump is a lubricating motor oil management method for four-stroke and large two-stroke piston internal combustion engines that uses external pumps and a secondary external reservoir for oil, as compared to a conventional wet sump system....
engine that was canted over to lower the centre of gravity.
The 22 is a single seat race car primarily for the Formula Junior
Formula Junior
Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...
series and most had a 1098 cc Cosworth MAE engine with about 100 hp. However, 7 of the Lotus 22's built were sold with the then newly introduced 1500 cc Lotus Twin-Cam engine then powering the just introduced Lotus Elan sports car, but these were ineligible for Formula Junior. The 22 was very successful and the works car driven by Peter Arundell won nearly 75% of the races for the FIA Formula Junior European championship in 1962. The car was also successful in 1963, the final year of FJr, and up against the new Lotus 27
Lotus 27
Lotus 27 was a Formula Junior version of the Lotus 25 Formula One car for the 1963 Formula Junior season. All aluminum monocoque with steel bulkheads...
, a full monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
car, the 22 won several races early in the season before the stiffness problems that plagued the 27 were solved.
The 22 chassis also later was reintroduced several times, although modified, as other "new" Lotus models becoming first the Lotus 31
Lotus 31
The Lotus 31 was a racing car produced by Lotus for the new 1-litre Formula 3 introduced in 1964, replacing the expensive Formula Junior. The chassis was a multi-tubular spaceframe, of similar design to the 1962 Lotus 22 Formula Junior. A 997 cc Ford Cosworth 109E with Single Choke Weber or SU...
F3 car in 1964 and then, most famously, the Lotus 51 in 1967, the first Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
race car created for the Jim Russell racing school in England.
Also the Lotus 22 was the car from which the Lotus 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...
was derived, being essentially a two-seat 22 widened in the middle but using the same front and rear suspension, engine bay, and gearbox as the 22 did. The 23's famous introduction at the legendary Nurburgring 1962 driven by Jim Clark, where he led many laps in the tiny 1,000-pound 23, with only a 1500 cc engine, against cars with many times the displacement, at one point leading by a minute or more.