THE FORGOTTEN LOTUS - PART 2
by Peter Ross
sent 17th December 2001
How did you get on with those questions?
Most knowledgeable Lotus enthusiasts will give you the following
answers:
What was the first Lotus with De Dion rear suspension? Answer,
the Lotus Mk VIII 1954
What was the first Lotus with rack and pinion steering? Answer
the Lotus Eleven 1956.
What was the first Lotus Single Seat Racing Car. Answer
the Lotus Twelve 1957
What was the first Lotus with wishbone front suspension? Answer
the Lotus Eleven Series 2 1957
What was the first Lotus with inboard springs on the front wishbone?
Answer
the Lotus 21 of 1961.
It will come as a surprise to learn that ALL these answers are WRONG,
and the first Lotus with these features was built in 1952 by the Lotus
Engineering Company (not Limited in those days) at Hornsey to the order
of Clive Clairmonte for racing in the then Formula 2 class of 2 litres
unsupercharged.
Second person in story
Here I must introduce the second key person in this story. Clive
Molineaux Clairmonte was born in 1921 the youngest of a family of five
children, and his forebears were involved in the sugar plantations in
Jamaica where many people of varying skin pigment still bear the name
Clairmonte (both first name and surname). However Clive, his brothers
George and Edward, and sisters Evelyn and Norma were born in the UK and
are of the Caucasian ethnic group.
I do not know much of his early history, but during the war he and
brother Edward ("Ted", five years older than Clive) ran a successful
light engineering business at Shanklin Road, Crouch End some 3/4 mile
from what was to become the Lotus Works at Hornsey. During the war they
had made parts for aircraft production, and had made enough money to
indulge in expensive hobbies. They were now making baking tins for
Hovis, probably the largest bread manufacturer in Britain at the time,
and they also did electro plating for most of the engineering companies
in the surrounding area.
Clive began to take an interest in motor cars and started importing used
Fiat 500s from Italy. These were the Pre-War Topolino (Mouse) model
with four cylinder front mounted engine, which were later to achieve
fame by being cut in half by Cooper and the two front ends welded
together to make a 500cc racing car. Clive also imported the Cord
saloon car from the USA, and is said to have been the only person in
Britain who could dismantle a Cord electric gearbox. Evidently it was
the biggest three dimensional jig-saw puzzle anybody has ever seen.
To help him with this work he employed a mechanic called Fred Boon, who
was always known as Sorrento, because of his definite Mediterranean
appearance. He had a thin pencil moustache, jet black hair, and always
wore plimsolls. He was never seen in shoes. Clairmonte would not
allow anybody to do any work on his car other than Sorrento. John told
me that he was one of those characters who would probably get up when he
felt like it, which would be invariably after mid-day lunch. When one
uses the term "laid back" today - I'm afraid Sorrento was "laid back" in
the Fifties in a much bigger way!
Dave Kelsey recalls: Fred was absolutely besotted with all things
Italian, and more especially Alfa, even contriving to look Italian with
co-respondent black moustache and black beret - well French-Italian,
anyway!
It was known among the racing fraternity of the day that Fred would
always appear in any photograph of a Grand Prix winner, grinning over
the winner's shoulder as he fondled the trophy. He made more magazine
covers than Jean Shrimpton! [top fashion model at that time-PTR] His
technique was to sling a few tools in a bag, head for the circuit,
whether here or abroad, and talk his way into the pits, attaching
himself to the Alfa or Ferrari camps by helping to change a wheel or
push a car. When the winner was presented with his trophy, there would
be Freddie, looking just like Arthur Haynes with his chin resting on
Fangio etc.'s shoulder, while the world's press snapped away. If he were
still around, he would be up there on the podium with Alain, Damon and
Gerhard being interviewed by Murray Walker!
Clive's first race is said to have been in a Cord saloon, which he won.
If anyone with a complete set of Motor Sport could look through the
period from 1948-1950 I would be delighted to have this confirmed.
Incidentally Autosport did not start until August 1950.
By 1951 Clive had bought himself a Riley Special racing car. The
pictures show what we would now call a 1-1/2 seater, where the driver
sits slightly to the right of the centre line. It had a six cylinder
Riley engine with six Amal carburettors, was unsupercharged, and had an
orange stripe down the side. Contemporary race accounts stated that it
was the ex-Kelley IRA, and I am still trying to find out more about its
history.
With this car Clive entered six races, three in 1951 and three in 1952.
There may have been others, but these were the only ones reported in
Autosport. Most of the races were in the "Racing Cars up to 2000cc"
class which was by then the Formula 2 class, and he was up against quick
cars like the HWM, Alta, BMW, Frazer-Nash and Connaught.
Whilst attending these race meetings in 1951 he could not help being
impressed by the speed of one of the other entries. the little Lotus III
which, despite only 750cc capacity, was often beating cars of much
larger engine size. He must have decided that although the Riley
engine was pushing out a lot of power, he needed the lighter weight and
better cornering power of a space frame chassis if he was going to do
better in Formula 2 for 1952.
End of Part 2 (1010 words)
) copyright Peter Ross. All rights reserved.
--
Peter Ross UK
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