DOWN THE WORKSHOP

1961 LOTUS 21 Ex-jim Clark F1 car Current owner: John Delane

It’s the ex-clark F1 car “It is the last of the works 21s and Jim Clark was the only person to race it in period. They saved it for a brief appearance at the 1961 Modena non-championship race where he qualified it but elected not to race it and saved it for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.”

It is very original “I’ve lusted after Jim Clark cars and owned another one. This one is special as it is a car that unequivocally was his car, and only his car. He raced it that fateful day [where Clark was involved in an accident which killed rival Wolfgang von Trips and 15 spectators] and the reality is that the car was only mildly damaged. You can see the repairs that were made to two of the chassis tubes. They were sleeved and the aluminium upper bodywork was damaged. Beyond that, the lower and rear bodywork was saved.”

It was stored in Italy “After the accident with von Trips, the car sat in an Italian lock-up at Monza for seven years. Colin Chapman was apparently able to get the engine and gearbox, because the ZF gearbox was on loan and had to go back and the engine had to go back to Climax.”

Tom Wheatcroft acquired it “When the seven years was up, Tom Wheatcroft decided to write a letter to Colin Chapman and enquire if he would consider selling the car, as Tom was starting his collection. Colin wrote back and said: ‘I’ve told the authorities to dispose of it. If you can get it, you can have it. I’ll donate it to the museum.’”

It went to Donington Park “Tom Wheatcroft despatched his lads and they returned with the car. They repaired the chassis damage, had a new aluminium upper body made and the car sat on display at Donington Park for 30 years. Everyone got to see it in the Donington Collection. He somehow acquired a ZF gearbox and a proper motor.”

It came back to racing four years ago “Then, as they began to release some of the cars, Tony Best acquired it. Tony owned it for about three years and if you count Lotus, I’m the fourth owner, which is very special. It is such a low mileage car, so original and completely unmolested. It is unbelievably special and I’m very thrilled to own it. I hope Jimmy, rest his soul, doesn’t mind as I like to wear a helmet with his colours.”