Race Oddity: Lotus 56 "turbine car"

Turbine powered automobiles have been tried and tested many times as a replacement to the conventional piston engine. Essentially a jet-engine mated to a mechanical drive shaft, turbines allow a vast power curve and relative simplicity. The idea became gained popularity in the late 1950's "Jet Age" and was experimented with heavily by Chrysler in particular. They proved rather impractical on street cars though for various reasons like extreme heat, noise, and high fuel consumption. Even Rover took the technology to LeMans in 1963 with Graham Hill and Richie Ginther, but that of course is another story.

Andy Granatelli's STP-Paxton turbine-powered special came close to winning the 1967 "500" at the hands of Parnelli Jones before dropping out 10 laps from the finish due to a bearing failure in it's unique 1-speed drivetrain. The turbine's wide operating speed range meant changing ratios was unnecessary, but power was sent to the ground with a bespoke Ferguson (as in Massy-Ferguson tractors) four-wheel-drive system. Though it didn't win, Granatelli was sold on the potential of the formula.

(The STP-Paxton chassis and engine)

The next year, Lotus joined STP's efforts with their vast racing expertise and built on Granatelli's idea. This project became known as the Lotus 56. As if the 500+ horsepower Pratt & Whitney turbine (designed for helicopters) wasn't radical or innovative enough, designer Maurice Philippe clothed the car in an unusual new aerodynamic "wedge" shape. Unlike the 56's predecessor, which placed the driver beside the engine, the Lotus had its turbine was mounted in the center behind the driver, which allowed for a completely symmetrical and balanced chassis. Perhaps even early in development, Lotus had plans for the four-wheel-drive car on tracks that were not just ovals. In any case, it seemed like a very promising package and STP's Granatelli was eager for his team to have a victory at Indy.

(Granatelli and his 1967 effort with Chapman, Clark, and the Lotus)

Initially, Chapman intended to have his best F1 drivers and Indy veterans drive the new machine - Jim Clark and turbine veteran Graham Hill. Tragically, Clark was killed early in 1968 in a Formula 2 crash before the Indianapolis event. Chapman then asked Mike Spence to step in, though he too died at the wheel. During practice for the "500" he struck the wall in one of the 56s and was hit in the head with the right front tire. Former motorcycle racer Joe Leonard replaced him and went on to capture the pole, his teammate Hill qualified in second, and relative newcomer Art Pollard took 11th in a third car.

(Spence's fatal crash in the Lotus 56)

When race day came, Hill's car was the first to bow out, losing a wheel at lap 110 and crashing into Turn 2. Leonard was passed after 31 laps of the race, however, he regained 1st after leader Bobby Unser had problems with his car's transmission. At a re-start after the final caution flag, both Lotus 56s suffered from snapped fuel pump shafts and were forced out of the running. Victory once again eluded the STP turbine-car effort in spite of so much promise. To make matters worse, USAC (Indy's governing organization at the time) banned turbine-power as well as four-wheel-drive.

(David Walker in 1971 at the wheel of a 56B - note addition of wings)

Back overseas, Chapman was still trying to get his money's worth. A modified version of the 56 (the 56B) was casually tried in Formula One during the 1971 season. The "B" would only compete in three F1 races where it proved heavy, unreliable, and overly complex. The car looked like a contender in the Dutch Grand Prix where wet-weather allowed the FWD system to come into its own, however driver Dave Walker went off-track and didn't finish. At Silverstone suspension failure put the car out, and finally Emerson Fittipaldi could only manage 8th at the Italian Grand Prix.

(Fittipaldi in Italy with later livery - front wings removed for this high-speed track)

The 56's career was finally over. Lotus had already carried-over the "wedge" design to the very successful 72 F1 car, but turbines whirred away into the history books.

Paperwork from the Past

Ah, the glory days of sports car racing were the early '70s when Porsche 910s and 917s battled with Ferrari 512s and 312s at Le Mans, the Nurburgring, and Watkins Glen. The cars can still be seen today at vintage racing events (or on a DVD "Le Mans" the film with Steve McQueen), but it's always interesting to have a peek behind the scenes of that era. Fortunately for us, some years ago, Watkins Glen International liquidated a great deal of their old records and now they're popping up in area antique stores at reasonable prices. Such an example are these entry papers my dad found in a shop downtown for the John Wyer Gulf-Porsche 917s and SEFAC Ferrari 312s in the 1971 6-Hours of Watkins Glen: (click to enlarge images)

Interestingly, the UK based Wyer team submitted their papers through the R.A.C. - Note various typos such as " (17k " on the visa slip and " MEXCIO " under Pedro Rodriguez's address.

And here, the Ferrari SEFAC (Scuderia Enzo Ferrari Auto Corse) papers. Amusing that even though the paperwork was being sent to the US, the letter is written in Italian. Ferrari also seems a lot more lax in general in terms of filling things out completely.

Roughly translated:
"To whom it may concern, we enclose your model registration for the 6 hours of Watkins Glen of July 24, 1971, drivers Jacky Ickx and Mario Andretti, and we confirm participation in the Can-Am race on July 25, 1971 with a car 312P and a Can-Am car."

Results:

1	30	Andrea de Adamich/Ronnie Peterson	Alfa Romeo T33/3	279	6:00:25,000
2	1	Jo Siffert/Gijs van Lennep	Porsche 917K	277	+ 2 laps
3	2	Derek Bell/Richard Attwood	Porsche 917K	259	+ 20 laps
4	63	Alain De Cadenet/Lothar Motschenbacher	Ferrari 512M	253	+ 26 laps
5	49	Robert R.Johnson/John Greenwood	Chevrolet Corvette	229	+ 50 laps
6	59	Peter Gregg/Hurley Haywood	Porsche 914/6 GT	228	+ 51 laps
7	57	Dave Heinz/Don Yenko	Chevrolet Corvette	221	+ 58 laps
8	41	Bill Schumacher/Bob McClure/Bob Kiefer	Chevrolet Corvette	210	+ 69 laps
9	31	Bert Everett/Bob Beasley	Porsche 911T	168	+ 111 laps
10	68	Pat Keating/Levon Pentecost/Anthony Torgersen	Porsche 911S	162	+ 117 laps
DNF	36	Nanni Galli/Vic Elford	Alfa Romeo T33/3	258	Collision
DNF	67	Pete Harrison/Tom Fraser/Bobby Rinzler/Skip Barber	Lola T212 Ford	226	Collision
DNF	43	Tony Adamowicz/Mario Cabral	Porsche 917K	191	Not classified
DNF	46	Mike Rahal/Hugh Wise/Horst Kroll	Porsche 906	180	Not classified
DNF	14	Sam Posey/Ronnie Bucknum	Ferrari 512M	126	Starter motor
DNF	61	Hugh Kleinpeter/Tony Belcher	Lola T212 Ford	104	Engine
DNF	33	Henri Pescarolo/Rolf Stommelen	Alfa Romeo T33/3	97	Accident
DNF	64	Bob Baechle/Michael Summers/Fred Kepler	Chevrolet Corvette	90	Radiator
DNF	40	Jacky Ickx/Mario Andretti	Ferrari 312PB	55	Starter motor
DNF	6	Mark Donohue/David Hobbs	Ferrari 512M	53	Steering
DNF	87	Tony Dean/Steve Matchett/Chuck Parsons	Porsche 908/02	47	Fuel pump
DNF	32	Jim Locke/Bob Bailey	Porsche 911S	25	Wheel
DNF	48	Herbert Müller/George Eaton	Ferrari 512M	17	Collision
DNF	16	Michael Keyser/Bruce Jennings	Porsche 911T	13	Collision
DNF	50	Richard Hoffman/Frank Cipelle/John Greenwood	Chevrolet Corvette	6	Suspension
DNF	60	Robin Ormes/Bobby Brown/Bob Bondurant	Lola T70 Mk.3	2	Throttle cable
DNS	21	Gregg Young/Jim Adams	Ferrari 512M	0	Fuel leak
DNS	35	Vic Elford/Nanni Galli	Alfa Romeo 33TT3	0	Accident practice
DNS	80	Milt Minter/Rudy Bartling/Fritz Hochreuter	Porsche 911	0