Lola...Mother to the Ford GT
- Thread starter Joehand1
- Start date
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
You didn't know that? Ford and Shelby "borrowed" from the Lola design for the shape and the air flow from the front through the front to hood over the cowl. It's a brilliant design that survives to this day.
I'm sure today there would be huge patent law suits over this kind of derivative design, but back then we just got along...
I'm sure today there would be huge patent law suits over this kind of derivative design, but back then we just got along...
I think I've posted these before, but for the newer members -
The Lola GT at Le Mans in 1963, driven by David Hobbs and Richard Attwood -
View attachment 34449
View attachment 34450
As you can see, the door cutouts in the roof were retained - it utilized a small block Ford (4.2 L) with 4 dual throat Webers (they drove it to Le Mans on the roads from England). Ford saw this and bought it from Eric Broadley, who consulted for a couple of years to Ford (but couldn't deal with the bureaucracy). Unfortunately, it didn't finish, but, neither did the '64 and '65 GT40 Mark I's.
The Lola GT at Le Mans in 1963, driven by David Hobbs and Richard Attwood -
View attachment 34449
View attachment 34450
As you can see, the door cutouts in the roof were retained - it utilized a small block Ford (4.2 L) with 4 dual throat Webers (they drove it to Le Mans on the roads from England). Ford saw this and bought it from Eric Broadley, who consulted for a couple of years to Ford (but couldn't deal with the bureaucracy). Unfortunately, it didn't finish, but, neither did the '64 and '65 GT40 Mark I's.
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twobjshelbys
GT Owner
Maybe the door cutouts were Lola's and the front cowl was Brocks? We were talking about it the other day and Gary Patterson came over last eweek and said it was his idea from the coupe. I thought it was one of those "great ideas from multiple people at the same time" things.
In any case, there are no new inventions, only refinements of old ones. Been that way for a long time.
In any case, there are no new inventions, only refinements of old ones. Been that way for a long time.
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
FourFather
GT Owner
The Lola coupes are beautiful, timeless cars. I traded mine for my Ford GT Heritage, a new Ultima Can-Am, and a new Ariel Atom, and have really had a blast with all three, but I still get a twinge of seller's remorse everytime I see a picture of the Lola.
Eddie
Eddie
Fast Freddy
GPS'D 225 MPH
AtomicGT
GT Owner
There's virtually nothing in the book about the Lolas, only a tiny bit on two pages ....
FourFather
GT Owner
On our wedding day, my wife Ercie and I drove ours through downtown Wichita Falls, with a police escort, in 1984. Fun Stuff
My car was originally James Garner's, and the AIR on the nose was his American International Racing team.
And Robert Duval drove it in George Lucas' first full length movie, THX1138.
Lots of cool memories--
Eddie:biggrin
My car was originally James Garner's, and the AIR on the nose was his American International Racing team.
And Robert Duval drove it in George Lucas' first full length movie, THX1138.
Lots of cool memories--
Eddie:biggrin