Description:

SOLD - SOLD - SOLD - SOLD - SOLD

We are proud to offer this rare (one of 15) and magnificant ex-Mecom Lola T70 Mk1 for sale. The car has current FIA HTP papers and is in race ready condition evidenced by its win at the inaugural Daytona 24hr classic event!

The history of SL70/12, which was driven by Mark Donahue, Walt Hansgen and Parnelli Jones, is detailed below (see the History section).

The specification of the car is top notch :

• Dual FIA-compliant FT3 fuel tanks,
• Fresh LG-600 5 speed gearbox,
• Koni double adjustable shocks,
• aeroquip lines,
• brake balance adjustment,
• MSD electronic ignition,
• Correct chevy 5.7 ltr wet-sump engine with a custom made sump (to avoid oil surge). The engine is fresh and has been rebuilt by Savannah Race Engineering. Dyno sheets and engine detail specs are available.

The car’s livery is as raced by Mark Donahue/Walt Hansgen at Road America in 1965.

Since its full restoration a few years ago, SL70/12 has been raced sucessfully on the US historic racing scene at Laguna Seca, Road America, Sebring and Mont Tremblant.

In 2014, the engine was rebuild by renown engine builder Ted Wenz. SL70/12 finished the season by winning the inaugural Daytona 24hr Classic event which is testimony to it going very, very well ! 

The car was also driven by well known racing driver and Daytona winner Jim Pace who said:

“I had the opportunity to drive the ex Hansgen/Donohue ZEREX Lola at the HSR test day. Beautiful  car! Engine performed flawlessly and handling & braking was well balanced. Great car!”  

SL70-12 comes with an extra set of magnesium wheels and gear-ratio's. It also comes with an extensive history file, paper-work (prior ownership invoices, Bills of Sale, cheque copies, etc.) as well as a file containing restoration description & pictures, electrical schematics, gearbox maintenance manual, etc..

The car is absolutely race-ready and is eligible for most historic race events around the world including Goodwood Revival, Masters Series, Classic Endurance Racing, FHR, etc.. It is currently based in Virginia, USA and can either be sold there or as EEC-good, i.e. imported and delivered in Europe with all duties and taxes paid. Please enquire and we will be happy to advise.

History: 

SL70/12 was delivered new to John Mecom Racing as a spare chassis at the beginning of June ’65 more or less on the same day that Walt Hansgen wrote- off Mecom Racing’s original T70, SL70/3, during practice for the Players 200 at Mosport Park.

Mecom built up the newly delivered spare chassis using the engine, gearbox and running gear from SL70/3; the build being completed in a little over three weeks since the Mosport crash. The newly built SL70/12 made its debut at the Galveston Regional SCCA race in July ‘65 in the hands of the now fully recovered Walt Hansgen.

At the Road America 500 in September ’65, Mark Donohue, who had made his professional racing debut in the Mecom Ferrari 250LM earlier in the year at Sebring, was invited back to partner Hansgen. They qualified the car in pole position, but in the race retired after 83 laps. In the five week break before the traditional run up to the end of the year US Professional Fall Series, also called the “Autoweek Championship”, SL70/12 was stripped down and fully rebuilt with all components beefed up to Mk2 spec for multiple Indy 500 winner and all time American racing hero, Parnelli Jones.

In the three big money events at Laguna Seca, Riverside and Las Vegas, Jones qualified and ran well at the front end of the field in each race, but poor reliability saw him fail to finish any of the races.

SL70/12 was scheduled to take part in one more event in ’65, at Nassau for the Bahamas Speed Week with up and coming Scottish driver Jackie Stewart nominated to drive. Mecom scratched the entry after Walt Hansgen wrote-off the sister chassis, SL70/13 at the Las Vegas event.

SL70/12 underwent a further rebuild and was prepared for sale the following year when it was bought by Leroy Melcher Jr of Houston, a close friend of John Mecom. Leroy raced the car solely in the south east divisions of the SCCA winning his class championship in 1966. In October of that year he offered the car for sale.

It was bought by the Dodge dealership located on Highway 59 in Houston, and then next turns up the following year with Henry Hoyos of Venezuela. He raced the car in South American events for the next year or so then sold it to Tony Bancroft. He rarely used the car and kept it until 1975, the year he sold the car to AE Russell, who also did little with it.

In 1979 it was bought and placed in storage by T70 collector and restorer Mac McClendon, who sold the car to its present owner in 2007. In 2010, SL70/12 was restored in the original Mecom livery as raced by Walt Hansgen and Mark Donohue at Road America in 1965. Since then, the car is being successfully raced on the US Historic racing scene.

Race History :

Mecom Racing Team

22/07/65:   Galveston Regional SCCA, #11, W.Hansgen, Rtd

12/09/65: Road America 500, #11, W.Hansgen/M.Donohue, Rtd 83 laps

17/10/65: Monterey GP, Laguna Seca, #15, Parnelli .Jones, Rtd clutch

31/10/65: LA Times GP, Riverside, #18, Parnelli Jones, Rtd, 30 laps

14/11/65: Stardust GP, las Vegas, #18, Parnelli Jones, Rtd.

04/12/65: Nassau Trophy, Bahamas, #12, J.Stewart, DNA (withdrawn)

Melcher Racing Team

00/02/66: Polar Prix, Green Valley SCCA #24 L.Melcher Jr,  1st

Venezolana Aerea De Craga

10/12/67: Caracas 6 hours, Venezuela, #3, H. Hoyos/P.Gunn, 3rd

19/05/68: Venezuela Lagullinas des Merida,  #111, H.Hoyos, 1st

29/12/68: Circuito Los Proceres, Venezuela, #111, H. Hoyos, 1st