Lotus 20/22
Chassis # 20-J-??







Originaly supplied to Jim Russell driving school of the UK this car was built and raced by Frank Gardiner in the UK with moderate success.

Originally fitted with an 1100cc Holbay enginge.

Purchased by Jon Leighton of Victoria and raced in the UK where it was damaged at Goodwood. The car was repaired by Neville McKay in the UK and it was then imported into Australia where it raced in late 1961. The car participated at the first meeting at Calder where it won the first open wheeler race driven by Jon.

Meets

Hume Weir

26.12.1961

3rd, 2nd

Calder

14.01.1962

1st, 4th (spun), 4th

Phillip Island

29.01.1962

3rd, 1st

This Car was built as a Lotus 20 with a primitive rear suspension where the half shafts were the top link. It had a wet sump and drum brakes.  In 1962 Lotus released their Lotus 22 model using a similar chassis but with better rear suspension (same as most of the cars through the 1960 and early 1970). They fitted four wheel disc brakes and a dry sump engine. Many of the owners of the Lotus 20s were able to buy the upgrade to Lotus 22 specifications either from Lotus or similar producers.  Hence these cars became known as Lotus 20/22 (a Lotus 20 upgraded in the period to a Lotus 22).  Renmax upgraded the Lotus to the 22 specifications fitting a fully rose jointed suspension in 1963.
Wally Higgs purchased the Lotus from the eastern states in 1966 and fitted a 3.5 litre Buick V8 engine with dry sump and 4 twin choke webers carbs. He ran it for a few meetings before exploding the engine. The car was then sold, less engine to Bill Downey who fitted a twin cam Lotus engine in 1967.

Sold to Bill (Wally) Higgs of W.A. where it was fitted with a 3.5 litre Buick V8 engine with dry sump and 4 twin choke webers carbs

Caversham

25.09.1966

Caversham

20.11.1966

Debut with Buick 3.5L V8 (DNF – crank case trouble)

Caversham

29.10.1967

Blown engine

In 1999 Neil McCrudden acquired the Lotus 20/22 from Bevan Neaves, with Bevan continuing to drive the car at regularity events, hill climbs and tuning days. The car also participated in a number of races at Wanneroo raceway driven by Glen Caple.

In 2004 the car started full restoration back to its Formula Junior days of the mid 1960’s.
The Lotus participated in the World Series for Formula Juniors in 2008. The car ran at Pukekohe New Zealand where it dropped a valve and destroyed the engine. A replacement engine was fitted and the  it was able to compete at Taupo New Zealand the following week. From New Zealand the car also ran at Calder and Phillip Island.  In 2009 the Lotus also participated in the World Series in South Africa and ran at Zwartkops, Killarney and East London.   In 2010 the car was also upgraded to its Formula 2 Specifications of the late 1960’s and ran at Hampton Downs and Pukekohe  in New Zealand.  The car was driven by Neil McCrudden in the world series events

It is intended to have the car in both the Formula Junior and Formula 2 configerations so the car can be changed easily to run in the appropriate events.  It is expected that the Lotus will run as a Formula 2 in West Australia but be changed to a Formula Junior for National and international events.  In West Australia, there is not enough small capacity cars to have our own class and the car would be running in Formula Classics with such cars as Ralt RT4s and Indy Cars.  The speed differential makes running a formula junior quite scary.  The car in its F2 status has been driven by Colin McKee.

Refer to http://www.australianformulajunior.com/

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