Loading your Lotus the right way

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It's the one of the problems that sadly puts a lot of people off from buying a historic racing car: "Just how am I supposed to transport it?" And if you manage to find a suitable transporter, the next question becomes "Where am I supposed to park it?"

It just might be that the situation isn't quite as bad as you think. You've probably been thinking that you need something like the Ecurie Ecosse Commer or the 1950s Mercedes-Benz Renntransporter, but you've been making a big mistake. Just follow the example demonstrated here by Pete Lovely and the aptly-named Mrs. Lovely, who have found that an ordinary Volkswagen makes for a perfectly adequate transporter, motorhome and headquarters.

Lovely was a Volkswagen dealer by trade, but in his free time he was an extremely active figure in American club racing throughout the 1950s and '60s. We see him here in 1969 with his new toy, a Lotus 69 Formula Two car into which he has crammed a Formula One-specification Cosworth DFV engine. This car would make him a very happy man for the next few years, as he raced it extensively across North America and also occasionally in Europe.

The late '60s and early '70s were bittersweet for Formula One, witnessing as they did the twilight of the noble privateer racer, whom politics and corporate greed were about to banish from the sport forever. Lovely was born just in time to make the most of his opportunities as a privateer, racing in 11 Formula One World Championship races with very respectable results.

As Formula One and the enthusiasts started to part ways, Lovely moved into historic racing, ultimately enjoying a competitive career which lasted for over 50 years. That, we think, was a life very well lived.

Words: Zack Stiling
 

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