1960 Lotus Type 18 Formula Junior

1,100cc OHV Ford Cosworth Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Twin Weber Side Draft 40 DCOE Carburetors
Approx. 125bhp
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Double Wishbone Front with Upper and Lower Radius Arm Rear Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*A Mike Gent restoration
*Delivered new to the United States
*Eligible for countless vintage motor races internationally
*A truly fine example of the venerable Lotus 18

THE LOTUS TYPE 18

'I always regard the Lotus 18 as my first Grand Prix design... forget the earlier front-engined cars, the Lotus 16s, they were really Formula 2 designs stretched for Formula 1. As far as I am concerned when they kept breaking, we eventually threw the whole bunch of ingredients up in the air and started again – and the result was the 18, and it started winning...' – Colin Chapman.

Introduced for the 1960 season, the Type 18 was Lotus's first mid-engined Grand Prix car design. 1960 was the last year of the 2½-Litre Formula 1 and the Lotus 18 won that year's Monaco Grand Prix, driven by Stirling Moss. The same car/driver combination triumphed again at Monte Carlo the following year, the first of the 1½-Litre Formula 1, and the highly versatile Type 18 would prove adaptable to both Formula 2 and Formula Junior applications.

As its name so aptly suggested, Formula Junior was the main 'feeder' racing class for Formula 1 and other more senior forms of motor sport in the early 1960s. The spaceframe Type 18 was Lotus's first foray into this hotly contested series and it proved to be the class of the field. Team Lotus works drivers Jim Clark and Trevor Taylor dominated the 1960 season.

The most successful of the Ford-engined Formula Junior tuning companies involved with these cars was Cosworth Engineering, whose power units breathed through twin-choke Weber 40 DCOE 40 carburettors, and which revved to a safe limit of 9,500rpm. These units drove through a Renault Dauphine-derived 4-speed close-ratio transaxle unit.


THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Sold new on the 24th of November, 1960, Lotus 18 chassis number J-815 was delivered onto U.S. shores through the company's agent, Jay Chamberlain. The subsequent competition history has remained veiled in mystery. However, we can report that roughly 30 years ago the Lotus was received into the hands of monoposto gurue, Mark Gent. His work is responsible for the fantastic condition the vehicle can be found in today. The car was fully restored and plenty of the original componentry replaced during the process remains boxed up with the car today.

Upon inspection, the Progress frame, 102, is correct to the car and contains a selection of new and old welds from the typical areas one would expect of a car fielded in competition for so many years. Furthermore, the Cosworth Ford motor is mated to a correct Renault gearbox and further possesses the correct wet sump lubrication.

In more recent times, the Lotus has resided in the Pacific Northwest. The environment in the region facilitates wonderful preservation of vintage cars, and despite being barely run since the completion of the restoration, the little 18 shows wonderfully today. That being said, having been in stasis for such an extended period means that the car is due for some mechanical commissioning. Of note are sevel rose joints on the radius arms that need replacing. Prior to the sale of the car, Mike Gent will carry out the necessary inspection and turn the motor over.

The Lotus 18 is an incredibly user friendly machine and can be enjoyed by veterans and rookies alike, and thanks to its accommodatingly large frame, a wide variety of sizes can be sat behind the wheel. In the 1960s the 18 was the car to have due to its competitiveness, and today the story is still very much the same as the model is eligible for countless vintage races across the world. Bonhams is proud to offer what is quite possibly one of the finest 18's to attend one of our sales.