1965 Lotus-Ford Race Car
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Scotsman Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 with this rear-engine car in 1965. After his victory, a traditional front-engine car never won that race again. The Lotus-Ford combined a European Formula One-inspired lightweight chassis with a big Ford V-8 engine. The Lotus-Ford's success effectively killed the traditional Indy roadster and established a new design for American race cars.
Scotsman Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 with this rear-engine car in 1965. After his victory, a traditional front-engine car never won that race again. The Lotus-Ford combined a European Formula One-inspired lightweight chassis with a big Ford V-8 engine. The Lotus-Ford's success effectively killed the traditional Indy roadster and established a new design for American race cars.
Artifact
Racing car
Date Made
1965
Subject Date
31 May 1965
Creators
Place of Creation
United Kingdom, England, Hethel
United States, Michigan, Dearborn
Creator Notes
Chassis made by Group Lotus in Hethel, England and designed by Colin Chapman. Engine made by Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan.
Keywords
United States, Indiana, Indianapolis
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.)
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America
Object ID
77.21.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Aluminum (Metal)
Fiberglass
Leather
Rubber (Material)
Vinyl
Color
British racing green
Dark green
Yellow
Black (Color)
White (Color)
Red
Dimensions
Diameter: 2.76 in (Bore)
Length: 2.87 in (Stroke)
Height: 34 in
Width: 74 in
Wheelbase: 96 in
Length: 161 in
Weight: 1250 lbs
Inscriptions
on nose: Lotus emblem on each side of body: LOTUS POWERED BY FORD (painted on body)
Specifications
Make & Model: 1965 Lotus-Ford (oval track racing)
Maker: Lotus Cars, Cheshunt, England, and Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan
Engine: Ford V-8, double overhead cams, 256 cubic inches
Transmission: 2-speed manual
Height: 31 inches
Width: 73 inches
Wheelbase: 96 inches
Overall length: 156 inches
Weight: 1250 pounds
Horsepower: 495 at 8800 revolutions per minute
Pounds per horsepower: 2.5
Competition History: Qualified second for the 1965 Indianapolis 500 and finished first, averaging 150.686 miles per hour. Driver: Jim Clark.
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