Last week at Hethel, lead mechanic Lewis Cullington fired up the ex-Graham Hill Lotus 38/8S for the first time in 50 years, in readiness for a test track shakedown.
Classic Team Lotus’ Cullington and Aaron Banks spent considerable time restoring the Champ car raced by the late Graham Hill in the 1967 Indianapolis 500 for its owners, the Missouri, USA-based Can-Am Cars Ltd.
Eight of the Type 38s were built 1965-1967, the chassis well-remembered for being the first rear-engined car to win the Indianapolis 500 (in the hands of Jimmy Clark). Its 4.2-liter quad cam Ford runs makes a mighty roar as you will here in the video forwarded by the UK’s Classic Team Lotus.
The plan is to run 38/8S at the forthcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it will be be driven by Can-Am Cars Sales and Marketing Vice-President Jeff Downes (who told the CTL crew he would be happy to stand aside for Damon Hill if the latter fancies a go in his father’s Lotus Champ Car …)
Watch the video HERE.
