Graham Hill's winning Lola

[Brian Skeoch]

I just spoke with the historian at Indianapolis Motor Speedway about the Graham Hill winning Indy lola.

he says a gentlemen named Pat Ryan claims to own this car but all records indicate that the actual car was crushed after being raced and crashed several times to the point of no return.

Brian

[WayneB]

The Lola I saw at Watkins Glen 6 years ago definately was the Graham Hill Indy Winning Lola in original desheveled condition (engineless)and rusty(frame)

Brian, I am not in the habit of inventing storys to entertain people on the internet and suggest that your contact has either got his facts wrong or chose to misslead you (for whatever reason)

Both myself and the late RF (Dick) Baker looked at it for about 2 hours, the paint was its original (cracked) pearl white and all the signwriting and decals were correct.

Whilst I am not regarded as an expert in old Indianapolis cars, I have worked on enough of them over the last 20 years to know the difference between a correct original car and one that was built up last week out of some old parts to be sold to make a quick buck.

Its a shame Mr. Baker is no longer with us , as I'm sure he could have colaborated my "story", that up to 6 years ago the car was definately alive and well (If somewhat desheveled)

[Brian Skeoch]

Wayne, I would never question you. come on..

Its probably the one that Pat Ryan owns. I think I saw that car too at Road Atlanta and the placque said it was Grahams.

its pretty cool stuff.

every year at the Mitty here in Atlanta there are always some really neat historic Indy cars. last year the Mario Andretty # 1 Dean Van Lines car came and it was a Lola and was for sale. cant remember how much but I think it was the real thing too.

every once and a while some guy from Indy brings down some old Watson Roadsters too.

I love the old Indy cars.

[Brian Skeoch]

I am sure it was the real thing then. what the speedway said was that the car they believed to have been the car was crushed after 67 .

I believe you.

eyes on a car are much more reliable that old stories.

[WayneB]

Hi Brian,

I just went and looked through some stuff I had written on the car, and at the time we saw it, it was owned by a Californian guy, Bif Caruso who was trying to sell it for what was alot of money. ($250,000) Mr.Baker ducked out because of the high asking price and the lack of availability of a suitable engine (at the time).

Of course what constitutes a "real" car is becoming more and more open to various interpritations as time goes on, race cars are highly consumable items and during the course of there racing life have alot parts replaced due to failure, or accident damage , so basically sometimes one does find there isnt much (If anything left) from the cars heyday.

If one guy has a car with original suspension , gearbox, wheels and another has one with a original tub but everything else is repro, and both argue there's is the one who is right?

My view is the largest part of the car is the chassis, so whoever has that owns the rights to that car. Re-tubs and re-chassis jobs are not the original so should be viewed as tribute or replica cars IMO.

[Brian Skeoch]

I agree.

the tub is considered the " keel " of a car isnt it ? the Keel is always laid first isnt it ?

suspension bits were changed on a regular basis but the tub is what neverr changes.

Brian

Wayne, what is your personal email address so I can send you what Donald Davidson sent me.

bskeoch@globalcare.net

[WayneB]

Brian,

I am at waynebarratt@msn.com

Thanks

Wayne

[Brian Skeoch]

what sort of gear box set ups did Lola run back then ? were they Hewland's ? or ZF's ?

Brian

[WayneB]

Pretty sure it was a Hewland DG 300, which is quite a strong gearbox.