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Post by charleselan on Mar 10, 2018 13:48:53 GMT
Some absolutely stunning photos and comments already gentlemen. The Cahier photos posted by Mikael are outstanding and evoke memories that will never die, from that amazing drive in the torrential rain at Spa in 1963 to Jim's incredible drives in the 2 litre Lotus 33 Climax during the 1966 season, many of which pass by the likes of certain journalists who are around today, but not DSJ in his pomp. The reference to Ayrton is profound; he was indeed a mighty complex character but underneath was a very different person who genuinely appreciated and respected the past. In so many ways there are similarities in the way both Jim and Ayrton looked, and I will leave it at that. René the photo you posted of Jim at Zandvoort was from the year that he had the infamous run in with one of the overzealous policemen that were common at that venue in those times. Jim was spectating on the inside of Tarzan during a practice session and was physically manhandled away by this police person as it was deemed that he did not have the correct pass. I have some great photos of the occasion in one of my books of Jim wrestling with this "gorilla", wearing the same leather "bomber jacket". I believe one year later it was Colin's turn to get the same treatment in the pit lane, that didn't go down well! This leads me to a certain occasion that surely marked Jim as something truly extraordinary, his one off performance in the 1966 RAC Rally driving the works Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1. I suppose it would be a bit trite to say that no other driver in history could have produced such a drive, but I feel confident that no other from Jim's generation, or since could have come close. It leaves me to ponder what would have been a few years later had he been still alive; just imagine Jim on the Monte Carlo Rally in a factory Ford Escort "twin cam" Mk1, the mind positively boggles.   |
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Post by chrisb on Mar 10, 2018 14:04:24 GMT
Indeed Charles, I had a very long conversation with the late and great Henry Liddon about Jimmy and Graham, who lest we forget was also on the rally, Henry was saying all the established stars were swept away by Jimmy, his modesty and his speed, they weren't expecting this and a few were genuinely concerned Jimmy would win, how about that for a triple? I think Jimmy would have loved the Escorts and could well have been the 1st rally champion in 78, he had fun doing this and to stay around helping out after you retired - says so so much
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Post by René on Mar 14, 2018 16:50:01 GMT
The sportscar racer.  The F1 Grand Prix racer.  The famous personality.  The farmer.  The champion.  |
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Post by charleselan on Mar 14, 2018 18:00:27 GMT
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Post by chrisb on Mar 14, 2018 21:21:26 GMT
great photos chaps,
whilst wading through myriads of paper I also had YT on, I had come across [in French] the 1963 Monaco GP in full, it is brilliant and seeing what else is available I came across the Castrol film of the 1967 German GP which was very interesting and really worth a look - this led me to the 1965 race with Jimmy dominant -well dominant in both really
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Post by Carl on Mar 14, 2018 23:08:58 GMT
Gentlemen, Great photographs and wonderful memories! I have alternate theories about the photograph taken at Riverside. Someone may have gone off or dropped their inside wheels at Turn 7, which Clark is entering, or the dust may have been caused by the ferocious wind that sometimes bedeviled drivers. I also think it may be the cool-down lap as Clark has removed his goggles. That was the 1964 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix, a 200 mile race won by Parnelli Jones, driving for Carroll Shelby in a Cooper King Cobra Ford (amazing name), #94 below. Another of Clark in the same race (also entering Turn 7) Cheers, Carl Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted |
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Post by charleselan on Mar 14, 2018 23:22:19 GMT
Carl,
Having looked at the photo of Jim at Riverside I would suggest that you are indeed correct about the high winds and dust. Your expert knowledge go Riverside has come to the fore once more, thank you.
I also notice that the radiator intakes have been taped over (well two of them) so I would say that wind and dust were a problem all race.
The Lotus 30/40 was a lovely looking car but sadly Colin Chapman was enthused by the beam chassis idea that was so successful with the little Elan; failing to understand that it wasn't up to the job with a wacking big V8 mounted mid ships.
John Charles
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Post by Carl on Mar 15, 2018 0:18:26 GMT
Like many motor sport enthusiasts of vintage years, on April 7 I will several times think back to my very clear memory of that day half a century ago with traces of the same stunned disbelief I felt then.
I was enroute to my job at a grocery store, eastbound on Ventura Boulevard in my Sprite, listening to the radio (AM only) when, between Colfax and Tujunga Avenues, the horrible news was announced. It was a sunny morning, the top was down, the sky was blue, the exhaust a dulcet tone, until then all had seemed right in the world. That remains my most distinct memory of driving that car.
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Post by Carl on Mar 15, 2018 0:40:12 GMT
John Charles,
What a wonderful sequence of helmets! The first two look like early American football helmets. My favorite is the last, although with the smooth edged visor. When I rode motorcycles, I chose my Bell Super Magnum visor to have the Jim Clark look.
Why would the last visor have an auxiliary strap? As an anchor to secure the outer rivets?
No detail about this great man is trivial, is it?
Cheers, Carl
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Post by charleselan on Mar 15, 2018 12:37:20 GMT
Carl,
Everything about Jim is compelling and one can even to this very day find out something about the man that is completely unique.
With reference to the helmets I am sure most know the story of why he removed the Peak/visor (isn't it strange that a common language has a different word for the same item) in 1962, it does warrant a mention. It was Spa in 1962 for the Belgian GP where Jim found that the reclined driving position in the "new" monocoque Lotus 25 that the wind air stream got underneath the peak/visor forcing his head back. He therefore ripped the thing off and raced for the rest of the season, and the entirety of 1963 without a peak/visor.
At that time Jim was using an "American Style" helmet and had throughout his career, well before most other drivers who were still using variants of the Herbert Johnson "pudding basin" helmet. The peak/visor he used being silver in colour and taped securely to the helmet. In 1964 Jim changed to the now well documented Bell helmet with snap on peak/visor probably, as discussed in the Jim Clark Indy Thread when he was testing at Indy with Dan Gurney. This Bell helmet design is still to this day my favourite helmet of all time, and did in fact have several different peak/visor designs available.
The Buco helmet that Jim adopted in 1967 has become somewhat iconic and the band that wraps around the helmet to add security to the peak/visor is well noted. I seem to recall that Parnelli Jones also had a similar set up himself, as did JYS.
John Charles
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Post by René on Mar 15, 2018 13:18:45 GMT
I agree about the Riverside comments. Looking at the haze in the background it must have been very windy with a lot of sand and dust in the air and indeed the air intakes have tape on them. That Lotus 30 is a great looking car.  |
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Post by charleselan on Mar 15, 2018 14:33:36 GMT
I agree about the Riverside comments. Looking at the haze in the background it must have been very windy with a lot of sand and dust in the air and indeed the air intakes have tape on them. That Lotus 30 is a great looking car. It was indeed a beauty René. Back in the 1960's when I was building slot cars on very limited funds as a school boy I had a Supershells injection moulded body kit of a Lotus 30. It was so low and shallow in profile that getting a motor and chassis into the thing was a challenge. I ended up using a chassis designed for the kit and a "K's" Mk 11 motor and brass bevel gears, sadly I never got the thing to run well even on my little track. |
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Post by Carl on Mar 15, 2018 15:46:30 GMT
I agree about the Riverside comments. Looking at the haze in the background it must have been very windy with a lot of sand and dust in the air and indeed the air intakes have tape on them. That Lotus 30 is a great looking car. It was indeed a beauty René. Back in the 1960's when I was building slot cars on very limited funds as a school boy I had a Supershells injection moulded body kit of a Lotus 30. It was so low and shallow in profile that getting a motor and chassis into the thing was a challenge. I ended up using a chassis designed for the kit and a "K's" Mk 11 motor and brass bevel gears, sadly I never got the thing to run well even on my little track. John Charles, You encountered the same logistical problems as Colin Chapman in fitting a big engine into a low and shallow car... and the same disappointment. You were in good company and rarified atmosphere.  Cheers, Carl |
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Post by charleselan on Mar 15, 2018 15:54:09 GMT
It was indeed a beauty René. Back in the 1960's when I was building slot cars on very limited funds as a school boy I had a Supershells injection moulded body kit of a Lotus 30. It was so low and shallow in profile that getting a motor and chassis into the thing was a challenge. I ended up using a chassis designed for the kit and a "K's" Mk 11 motor and brass bevel gears, sadly I never got the thing to run well even on my little track. John Charles, You encountered the same logistical problems as Colin Chapman in fitting a big engine into a low and shallow car... and the same disappointment. You were in good company and rarified atmosphere. Cheers, Carl Strangely Carl I had not considered the similarity but it was obviously apparent. |
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Post by René on Mar 15, 2018 16:40:06 GMT
I agree about the Riverside comments. Looking at the haze in the background it must have been very windy with a lot of sand and dust in the air and indeed the air intakes have tape on them. That Lotus 30 is a great looking car. It was indeed a beauty René. Back in the 1960's when I was building slot cars on very limited funds as a school boy I had a Supershells injection moulded body kit of a Lotus 30. It was so low and shallow in profile that getting a motor and chassis into the thing was a challenge. I ended up using a chassis designed for the kit and a "K's" Mk 11 motor and brass bevel gears, sadly I never got the thing to run well even on my little track. Sounds like a cool project and I know what challenge it can be to try to fit everything in such a car! I have kind of the same problem with a Ferrari 330P that I am building which is also very small but obviously not as low as the Lotus. I have a nice Lotus 30 shell in my 'to do' box but I am just not finding the time to work on my cars... they will probably all have to wait for my retirement! This is the Lotus shell which is very nice but I think I will order a ftting chassis to avoid any issues!  |
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