Description:

Silverstone testing was by Chapman, Hill and Flockhart on 11/3/1957 and later at Brands Hatch. It was raced by Herbert Mackay Fraser at Brands Hatch 9/6/1957 and later at Crystal Palace where it finished in second place. 

With testing completed satisfactorily it was set aside and a run of 6 Twelves put under way, these cars were fitted with the Queerbox whereas 351 had an MG gearbox and conventional diff which  proved more serviceable in later racing.

It was sold to Ern Tadgell in Australia late in 1957 who raced it until June 1960 and renamed it Sabakat in a ruse to avoid customs duty when it arrived in Australia. Eventually it was fitted with an aero engine but crashed and burnt at Lowood in June 1960.

Graham Howard commenced recostruction of 351 in 1972 armed with a set of Lotus factory drawings and the services of an ex Lotus factory technician all of which was to ensure that 351 was rebuilt to exact factory specifications and using many original components including some from the original car, it was running again in 1979.

Since then it has enjoyed a career in Australian Historic racing withseveral owners. It has always been maintained in excellent condition and come with Australian Cerificate of Descripion which cerifies its authenticity and it has FIA papers expiring in 2029 enabling it to race anywhere in the world.

It comes with a quantity of spares, a spare set of wheels (very valuable) a detachable roll over bar  and a comprehensive documented history.

A copy of the history and further particulars is available from me by email, willisrg@smartchat.net.au.

At the price offerred it surely represents great value due to the rarity and desirability of Lotus Twelves and the unique characteristic of being the first Lotus open wheeler to race and with  fully documented history to substantiate it.