Description:

The Lotus 31 is the rarest of the Lotus Formula Fords. Only a dozen cars were originally built
as school cars for the English Jim Russell Racing Drivers School at Snetterton. When Formula Ford was
first concieved these cars were the first to be converted to the formula and comprised the bulk of the
grid for the first ever Formula Ford race. This car is one of a handful of precursers to the most
successful race car formula ever.
This car was completely restored last year and no effort was spared in its reconstruction. It has
the best of everything including a 1 race old Farley uprated.


History

The Lotus type 31 was intended as the 1965 successor to the Type 22 Formula 3. Sales brochures
announced the new type but no one bothered to tell the assembly line and the new F3 cars for that year
bore Type 22 continuation numbers. In 1966 cars actually badged as Type 31s emerged from Lotus Components,
but not in F3 specification but rather as Jim Russell Racing School cars with 1500cc. non-crossflows,
in a fairly mild state of tune (probably Lotus 7 series 2 engines). Some of these cars were cobbled up
to look like Ferraris, Coopers, and other F1 cars for the movie "Grand Prix". Several were crashed for
scenes in the film. This particular car survived this fate and was among the first group of ten or so
cars converted to the new for 1967 Formula Ford, using the 1500 non-crossflow but with standard Cortina
cam and induction. The 1500s were almost immediately replaced with 1600 crossflows from the Cortina GT,
the standard powerplant still in use today. (The 1972 uprated version is now more common however).


Competition History

SVRA Mid Ohio '97, Jefferson 500 '97

Engine

• For Kent 1600cc. Uprated
  
• Curtis Farley prepared
  
• 1 race since new
  
• dry sumped
  

Fuel System

• fuel cell
  

Oil/Water System

• front rad
  

Electrical System

• electronic tach
  
• wired for radio
  

Body

• glassfibe, original integral cockpit cowling and nose, undertray, tail cover
  

Chassis

• multitubular spacefram of mostly round tube
  
• double wishbone, coil over
  
• top link, lower reverse a-arm, dual trailing arms, outboard coil overs
  
• modified Triumph rack and pinion
  
• girlin disc outboard all around
  
• steel, Wellers on car
  

Interior

• fire system
  
• 6 point belt system
  
• removable steering wheel
  

Spares

• original Cortina steel wheels