The Lotus Grand Tourers

Here are a couple of original photos of the vehicles used as testbeds for the 9xx prototype engines. I believe that they still, at this stage, used the Vauxhall iron block rather than the alloy Lotus block. Shown are the Lotus 62, Vauxhall VX4/90, Viva GT and the Lotus Bedford CF.

Very kindly shared by Bruce Wellings.





Cheers, Richard

Great photo's, being a bit of a Lotus 62 anorak who thought he'd got pretty much all the photo's, I've not seen these before, may ask how you came by them ?

I want that bedford van!! It would be great for delivering stuff to the NEC and could be left on the stand for storage. Is the logo on the side the one used by lotus at the time? I have never seen that style of logo for lotus

AndrewWebber wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 13:52

Great photo's, being a bit of a Lotus 62 anorak who thought he'd got pretty much all the photo's, I've not seen these before, may ask how you came by them ?

They are from Bruce Wellings’ private collection. He was on the Winterbottom Run, is ex Lotus and had worked with Oliver on safety systems. There look like original factory prints and I’ve never seen them before either. They will feature in the imminent Club Lotus News.

Cheers, Richard

Tanz wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 14:08

I want that bedford van!! It would be great for delivering stuff to the NEC and could be left on the stand for storage. Is the logo on the side the one used by lotus at the time? I have never seen that style of logo for lotus

I’m sure Mr Morgan could be persuaded!

Cheers, Richard

Thanks Richard. Is there any date on them?. By May 1969 I think the 2 off 62's were running prototype alloy blocks. Fascinating air cleaner arrangement on the Viva!

AndrewWebber wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 15:35

Thanks Richard. Is there any date on them?. By May 1969 I think the 2 off 62's were running prototype alloy blocks. Fascinating air cleaner arrangement on the Viva!

Afraid I don’t have any dates Andy.

Tanz wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 14:08

Is the logo on the side the one used by lotus at the time? I have never seen that style of logo for lotus

Don’t know - I haven’t seen it before but it looks like an adaptation of the Eurostile MN font that was used quite extensively in the seventies and eighties.

Cheers, Richard

Fantastic photos Richard! Love that 62

Pete

richardw wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 17:14

AndrewWebber wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 30, 2022 15:35

Thanks Richard. Is there any date on them?. By May 1969 I think the 2 off 62's were running prototype alloy blocks. Fascinating air cleaner arrangement on the Viva!

Afraid I don’t have any dates Andy.

I’ve just gone back to my notes and found this from Bruce Wellings:

“The two B & W photos are the early mileage development vehicles in 1969. I think these would have started life with Vauxhall blocks and Lotus head then subsequently changed to the new aluminium block. These were essentially engine mileage durability vehicles

The Lotus 62 had the 904 race engine developing about 220 bhp, using modified Vauxhall cast iron block and Lotus aluminium head. It was later marketed as the LV220 then uprated to LV240”

Sorry, a bit distracted at the moment!

Cheers, Richard