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Figure 1.Advert poster capturing the essence of the 1965 event with Clark in winning Lotus 38<\/p>\n
Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n Our title the Special Relationship is both a play on words but also expresses the serious connectivity, partnership \/collaboration and teamwork\/spirit that enabled Team Lotus to win Indianapolis in 1965.<\/p>\n The commercial importance is almost immeasurable. The significance of Indianapolis to Lotus and Chapman cannot be overestimated.<\/p>\n It is possibly best summarized in bullet. It provided:-<\/p>\n Ford committed to the total performance programme in the early 1960\u2019s.This was major corporate decision of one of the world\u2019s greatest car makers. Chapman had been using Ford engines from early on in his manufacture of cars. This developed commercially with the Elan engine and the Ford Lotus Cortina of 1962.<\/p>\n It\u2019s with this context in mind we can approach the importance of entry and winning at Indianapolis.<\/p>\n Subscribers might like to see related A&R articles:-<\/p>\n Ford\u2019s Total Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n Editors have paraphrased from the net etc.:-<\/p>\n \u201cTotal Performance was far more than just a slogan or an advertising spiel. It was a universal commitment-from president Henry Ford II down-that the company would develop the cars, engines, and\/or teams it took to win in the world\u2019s most significant racing series. Lee Iacocca, Carroll Shelby, Bill Gay, Colin Chapman, Keith Duckworth and Mike Costin, Don Frey, and hundreds more executed a masterful assault on Indy, NASCAR, Formula 1, Trans-Am, endurance racing, the quarter mile, and others. They were successful (and in several cases, dominating) in all of them.<\/p>\n This story was written in race results for nearly a decade. Here are the archival photographs-iconic and seldom seen-that connect names, faces, and legendary race cars to those all-conquering statistics.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.motortrend.com\/classic\/features\/c12_0612_ford_racing\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n Ford need to do something and it was the guiding hand of Lee Iacocca that would transform the company. He was the first manager to propose an all-encompassing marketing campaigned centered around high-performance. Initially it was a high level proposal; there were no granular details or specific programs. As opportunities arouse they were evaluated and if it fit with the company\u2019s strategy the program was added to the Total Performance mix. In June of 1962 Ford released a six-paragraph statement announcing Ford\u2019s withdrawal from the 1957 AMA Safety Agreement. It was signed by Henry Ford II. It was at this point that Ford went all in on the Total Performance program.<\/p>\n Henry Ford II<\/p>\n Lee Iacocca \u2013 1964 Indianapolis 500<\/p>\n Total Performance was a marketing program and corporate funding would be subject to the marketing groups strategic planning. The company\u2019s motto became \u201cTotal Performance\u201d and was implemented as engineering excellence demonstrated in the heat of competition. Total Performance included programs that directly promoted the production cars and other initiatives that built the brand image. Through the life of Total Performance careers would be built, legends created and lives lost.<\/p>\n Neither before nor after has any manufacture commitments its reputation to as aggressive competition program as Ford did. By the end of the Total Performance program Ford powered cars had won the World Manufactures Championship, the Indianapolis 500 and USAC Championship, international Formula I, II and Formula III series, Sports Car Club of America\u2019s Trans-Am series. Ford also had a significant impact on international Rallying, drag racing and the NASCAR racing series.<\/p>\n Without updated products any marketing program is heading for failure. With Iacocca\u2019s guidance and engineering input from people like Don Frey, Ford revised its product line up. The Falcon lead the way to the Mustang and an entire new market segment, the Pony Car, was born. When the 427ci V8 was introduced it was offered in the Galaxie and the Fairlane. Ultimately there would be a program or multiple programs for each of the product lines and advertising campaigns to promote the success.\u201d<\/p>\n Len Terry<\/strong><\/p>\n The late Len Terry was probably not given all the credit he deserved for the Indianapolis programme. His contribution was structured and integrated, rather holistic and included the car design and race logistics.<\/p>\n From wiki:-<\/p>\n \u201cHe was working on a freelance basis (including for Lotus) when Colin Chapman<\/a> asked him to return full-time to design a car to compete in the Indianapolis 500<\/a>. He produced the rear-engined Lotus 29<\/a> which, driven by Jim Clark<\/a>, finished a close second at the 1963 Indianapolis 500<\/a> and the Lotus 34<\/a> for 1964<\/a> which, although starting from pole-position<\/a> only completed 47 laps (out of 200) due to tyre and suspension problems. Terry later claimed that differences with Chapman meant the car had not been fully developed.[3]<\/sup><\/a> He was also involved in the design of the Lotus 33<\/a> F1 car with which Clark won the 1965<\/a> Drivers’ World Championship<\/a>.[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n For the 1965 Indianapolis 500<\/a>, Terry was given full control over the design of the Lotus 38<\/a>, and the car finished first that year, and second in 1966<\/a>, each time with Clark driving. However, Terry left Lotus before the 1965 race, having already been recruited by Dan Gurney<\/a>‘s AAR<\/a> team to design a Formula One car.[3]<\/sup><\/a> This led to the Eagle<\/a>–Weslake<\/a> V12<\/a>, which has been considered one of the most aesthetic Formula One designs.\u201d<\/sup><\/p>\n Terry has stated with regard to the design methodology for the Indianapolis cars he employed the following including design of the first Lotus Indianapolis car [29 ]:-<\/p>\n For example the cars right hand suspension links were six inches longer than those on the left.<\/p>\n The Design\/Specification<\/strong><\/p>\n Len Terry commented:-<\/p>\n \u201cthe most notable thing about the Lotus 38 was that it was a true monocoque, the cockpit being cigar tube \u2026\u2026the 38\u2019s metalwork wrapped right over the drivers knees and was thus 50% stiffer but there were lots of small details that made the difference\u2026\u2026.I arranged the fuel tanks \u2013there were three of them \u2013so that they drained from the right side first, thus keeping as much weight as possible on the inboard side for as long as possible<\/p>\n Taylor adds;-<\/p>\n The chassis was considerably stiffer than any previous Lotus single seater but it still only weighed 130lb.the chassis contained a rear-mounted fuel reservouir fed by three separate tank bays ,two length ones each side and one behind the seat this allowed fuel capacity to increase by 40% with no expansion in terms of overall width or height<\/p>\n The shape of the 38 was much smoother than the 1963 64 cars \u2026\u2026\u2026.the length increased by 6inches in a longer nose to enhance air penetration. The track was slightly wider at 60 inches. Underneath the running gear remained much as before with the exception of two inch larger ventilated disc brakes and modified suspension geometry \u201c<\/p>\n Ford Engine<\/strong><\/p>\n The Ford engine was an extremely important ingredient of the Indianapolis car both from the sponsorship aspect but also performance to achieve parity with other established brand leaders.<\/p>\n Figure 2.”The engine that won Indy” the modified Ford Fairlane V8<\/p>\n Terry states:-<\/p>\n \u201cThe Ford engine was strong, perhaps a little over \u2013valved or its capacity but more than powerful enough to do the job\u201d<\/p>\n Taylor:-<\/p>\n \u201cthe latest incarnation of the fuel injected Ford V8 engine developed 500 bhp but the difference was that it fueled by alcohol rather than pump fuel \u2026\u2026\u2026alcohol engines run cooler than those on petrol ,a smaller radiator could be fitted \u2026\u2026\u2026.Lotus used Firestone tyres\u201d<\/p>\n Figure 3.Advertisment and cutaway of the basic Ford Fairlane engine<\/p>\n Ford Fairlane Engine<\/strong><\/p>\n The editors have seen a variety of specifications for the Ford Fairlane engine. In an article accompanying the above illustration the specification was outlined as:-<\/p>\n Posthumus [Classic Racing Cars] quotes in relation to Lotus application:-<\/p>\n \u201cThe engine which they supplied was a 4.2 litre version of their Fairlane pushrod overhead valve 90 degree V8 series production unit, giving 375 bhp at 7200 rpm on four Weber twin choke carburetors<\/p>\n Figure 4.Editors sketch of type 38 with representational cross section of Ford V8 engine. Note sponsor decals left of drawing but details provided below.<\/p>\n Technical Specification from Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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