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Lola T400

After the success of the T332 in 1974 (18 out of 21 top-3 finishes in the US), much was expected of the high-tech new T400. With heavily revised aerodynamics and a rising rate suspension, the T400 baffled and perplexed. Haas and Vel's Parnelli, the top two US teams, quickly forgot about it and wheeled out their 1974 T400s. In Australia, the two leading drivers had returned to their earlier cars mid-way through the Tasman series but later persevered with the T400s and eventually made decent cars of them. In the UK, VDS also pressed on and got one of their cars working really well at the end of the season; four wins in the last eight races securing a second F5000 title for Teddy Pilette.

Of 27 Top 3 finishes in the US, the T332 took 20, including all nine wins, the T400 just three and everyone else put together shared the other four. Stateside, the T332 was simply too good an act to follow.

It appears that two of the 14 T400s were wrecked in accidents but we can account for the whereabouts of ten of the eleven survivors. Particular thanks go to Teddy Pilette, Shayne Windelburn, Marc Rauchfus, Marcus Pye, Richard Fried, Mike Engstrand, Dan Bowden, Chris Townsend, David Craig, Ken Shirvington, Gareth Williams, Jeremy Jackson and Norbert Vogel for their help getting this far. There are still gaps in several of the histories and updates would be appreciated on the ownerships of some of the cars. Please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com if you can add anything.

Chassis	History	Current owner
Lola T400 HU1	Invoice date 23 Dec 1974 (sold to 'Abbey', colour 'Red'). Kevin Bartlett (Aus) for 1975 Tasman but abandoned as uncompetitive. Tasman 1976 (see 1976 Surfers Paradise program p8) ... much modified and called "T400B" ... driven by Lyndon Arnel Australian Internationals 1978 ... for Alf Costanzo at Australian GP Sep 1978 and Rose City '10,000' Oct 1978; Australian Internationals 1979? ... for Jon Davison Oct 1979 ... Subsequent history unknown. Dan Bowden spoke to Kevin Bartlett about this car in 2004 and Bartlett recalled selling it to "a bloke with the last name of Campbell in Melbourne". Campbell raced it once (Bartlett thinks it was at Sandown) where he crashed it. At some point it was bought by someone in Wollongong (NSW) who to use the rear suspension on a Barry Lock-built sports car. The T400 was then bought by Ken Shirvington, whose T400 HU4 had been wrecked in 1977. Shirvington fitted the rear end from his T332 and raced in the penultimate 1982 F5000 race, at Oran Park on 21 Mar 1982, taking a creditable second place. Retained 2005.	Ken Shirvington (Aus) 2005
Lola T400 HU2	Invoice date 23 Dec 1974 (sold to 'Abbey', colour 'Red'). Max Stewart (Aus) for 1975 Tasman but abandoned as uncompetitive. Won Australian GP August 1975. New Zealand and Australian Internationals 1976. Probably the car heavily damaged in practice at R3 Sandown Park 1976 but this may have been HU3, in which case HU2 was the car in which Stewart was killed in 1977 (see HU3). The surviving team car was bought from the estate by David Craig (Adelaide) and sold on to John Briggs. David believes John Blanden later had this car. Subsequent history unknown but advertised in US in mid-2001. Sold by Bruce Trennery of Fantasy Junction to Charlie Agg (UK) 2001 or early 2002. To Steve Fitzsimmons (Barrow-in-Furness) 2003: debuted in the Euroboss race Donington 5 Oct 2003 ... at auction? ... Ian Higgins 2005.	Ian Higgins (UK) 2005
Lola T400 HU3	Invoice details unknown. Haas Racing for Brian Redman US 1975 (one race only: third place at Riverside) - Max Stewart December 1975 (see 1976 Surfers Paradise program p8): driven by Paul Bernasconi in New Zealand Internationals 1976 and in Australian Internationals 1976 ... thought to be the car used by Stewart at Aus GP and Rose City '10,000' late 1976 ... Max Stewart Australian Internationals 1977 (see Autoweek 5 Mar 1977 p13). Destroyed in the accident at Calder 19 Mar 1977 that killed Stewart but it is also possibly that it was the car comprehensively wrecked in practice at Sandown Park the previous year (see HU2).	Destroyed
Lola T400 HU4	Invoice date 16 Jan 1975 (sold to 'VDS', colour 'Red'). VDS for Peter Gethin UK 1975 - Ken Shirvington (Aus) Australian Internationals 1976; Australian Internationals 1977; Australian Gold Star 1977: crashed badly at Calder 16 Oct 1977. Rebuilt on a new Polley T332 [EP3] chassis for 1978 Internationals (appeared at Oran Park only where Shirvington retired due to driver fatigue). Then crashed at the Mount Panorama round of the NSW Hill Climb Championship in March 1978 when Shirvington lost control in the wet and ran off the track, hitting a tree. The tub was destroyed and the driver suffered compound leg fractures. With two wrecked tubs, Shirvington then considered having a tub built locally to use the Lola's running gear. According to an unpublished copy of Cars and Drivers No 4, provided by Barry Lake, it was planned that this tub would be wider than the Lola with deformable structures and heavier rollover bars. In the end, Shirvington bought the ex-Bartlett T400 HU1, which had earlier lost its rear suspension in the creation of a sports car, and fitted the rrear end from the wrecked T400/T332. Shirvington has retained the T400 HU4 tub and, in 2005, was having it rebuilt.	Ken Shirvington (Aus) 2005
Lola T400 HU5	Invoice date 17 Feb 1975 (sold to 'R. Oaten', colour 'Black'). Richard Oaten Racing for Ian Ashley UK 1975 but abandoned as uncompetitive and replaced by T330. Later crashed in testing and believed to have been written off. A car with this chassis number advertised by Car Amigo (Dallas, TX) in 2002.	Destroyed?
Lola T400 HU6	Invoice date 27 Mar 1975 (sold to 'Haas/VPJ', colour 'White'). Vels Parnelli Jones. Presumably the car used by Al Unser at R2 Mosport 1975. One of these T400s was said to have been "kitted" to T332 specification for R6 Road Atlanta but it is unlijkely that either T400 was called upon to contribute any parts. Both cars sold by VPJ to Barry Blackmore (date unknown) and one or both raced in historics. One T400 advertised by Blackmore "complete restored" Mar 1990. Presumably the car raced at HSR Mid-Ohio Aug 1993 and at HSR Mid-Ohio July 1994. HU6 was later reported to have been sold to Yugoslavia ... Peter Kormann (Germany) 1998 and driven by Brian Herta at the opening of the Lausitzring. Believed to be retained by Kormann 2003.	Peter Kormann (Germany) 2003
Lola T400 HU7	Invoice date 27 Mar 1975 (sold to 'Haas', colour 'White'). Vels Parnelli Jones back-up 1975? One of these T400s was said to have been "kitted" to T332 specification for R6 Road Atlanta but it is unlijkely that either T400 was called upon to contribute any parts. Both cars sold by VPJ to Barry Blackmore (date unknown) and one or both raced in historics. One T400 advertised by Blackmore "complete restored" Mar 1990. HU7 sold to John Delane (1990 or early 1991): raced in historics from March 1991 or maybe earlier to about 1998. Sold to Steve Young: tested only once at Willow Springs. To Marc Rauchfus (Simi Valley, CA) autumn 2001. Sold to George Stevens (Seattle, WA) late 2003. A 'HU7' bought by Frank Lyons in the Seattle area Dec 2006 and being shipped back to England for the 2007 season.	Frank Lyons (UK) 2007
Lola T400 HU8	Invoice date 24 Mar 1975 (sold to 'McKechnie', colour 'White'). McKechnie Racing Org (but probably owned by sponsor Durex) UK 1975: raced by Richard Scott (from R2 Oulton Park) and Bob Evans (two races only, from R15 Mallory Park) - Len Gibbs for Keith Holland UK 1976 and R1 1977 (then replaced by a new T332C). Sold to Gerry Amato ... Allan Kayes G8 1977 ... 'found in a garage in Cambridge' by Mike Connor: raced in a libre at Castle Combe Apr 1980 ... to Mick Hill 1982 and converted to "BMW M1" with 7.4-litre Chevrolet V8 for "GT" racing: raced in Donington GT series 1983 (shared between Hill and Kevin Riley): Track Date Driver Result Donington 30 Apr 1983 Hill (3rd in class) Donington 22 May 1983 Hill (3rd in class) Donington 26 Jun 1983 (not mentioned) Brands Hatch 10 Jul 1983 Riley 5th? (2nd and FL in class) Donington 14 Aug 1983 Hill Retired Donington 19 Sep 1983 Riley (2nd in class) Donington 9 Oct 1983 Riley (3rd in class) Mick Hill 's Lola T400-based 'BMW M1' at Donington Park in August 1984. Copyright Jeremy Jackson 2007. Used with permission. Also raced in Thundersports, co-driven by Riley 1983 (2 races, including the European GP support race at Brands Hatch on 25 Sep 1983) and 1984 (4 races) ... advertised by Straight Six (Tony Hildebrand) 1986 ... David Sheppard: raced in Thundersports, co-driven by Gary Dobbin, 1989 (4 races) ... Ian Higgins about 1990 and taken apart to recreate Lola T400. To Shayne Windelburn (Auckland, New Zealand) around 1991; retained 2002. Ran at the TACCOC Autumn Classic 2002 12 May 2002.	Shayne Windelburn (NZ) 2002
Lola T400 HU9	Eppie Wietzes in his Lola T400 at Mosport Park in June 1975. Copyright Don Markle 2007. Used with permission. Invoice date 27 Mar 1975 (sold to 'Formula', colour 'Blue'). Eppie Wietzes US 1975 (nine races; two third places) and 1976 (only one race). Retained until 1986 but used as show car by Canadian Tyre in mid-1980's. Sold to Horst Kroll for 1986 season and converted to Frissbee specification for Can-Am as "Frissbee KR4" for Can-Am 1986: driven by Bill Adam (Mosport 1 Jun 1986: 2nd) and 17-year-old future CART star Paul Tracy (Mosport 14 Sep 1986: 1st). Used again in CAT 1987: driven by Jacques Villeneuve Snr (Sainair: 2nd) and Mike Engstrand (Phoenix: 5th). In Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame 2001. Reported still there 2004.	Unknown (Canada) 2004
Lola T400 HU10	Invoice date 27 Mar 1975 (sold to 'Haas/Woodner', colour 'Black'). Interscope US 1975: driven by Jon Woodner (two races only), Danny Ongais (four races), then replaced by T332. Subsequent history unknown but said to have been written off by Ted Field at some point while testing.	Wrecked?
Lola T400 HU11	Invoice date 16 Jan 1975 (sold to 'VDS', colour 'Red'). VDS for Teddy Pilette UK 1975. Sold to Pilette as a show car December 1976. Presumably the T400 rolling chassis advertised by Pilette (Brussels, Belgium) in Autosport in Mar 1977. Also matches one of Ted Walker's photographs of a T400 on display in Europe in 1976. To Michel Pilette (Belgium), Teddy's brother in 1978 and retained at his house before moving to the Stavelot Museum (nr Spa, Belgium). Retained by the family 2006.	Pilette family (Belgium) 2006
Lola T400 HU12	Invoice date 21 Apr 1975 (sold to 'Haas', colour 'White'). John Morton US 1975 (three races: debut R5 Mid Ohio). Then "kitted" as T332 for R8 Laguna Seca. Subsequent history of T400 components unknown. T400 said to have gone to Ed Swart (by 1997). Sold by Swart to Ed Jowsey (UK) 2003. Used in historics 2004 until damaged by a fire at Snetterton in mid-summer; back up and running by October 2004. Sold to Mark Dwyer (Huddersfield) Nov 2006.	"Kitted" T400 with Mark Dwyer (UK) 2006
Lola T400 HU14	Yvon Grenson's Lola T400 is prepared for the 1978 Fléron hillclimb in Belgium. Copyright Norbert Vogel 2007. Used with permission. The ex-Gillet T400 at the Yvoir hillclimb in Belgium, most probably in 1982. The driver at this event is unknown. Copyright Norbert Vogel 2007. Used with permission. Invoice date 16 Jan 1975 (sold to 'VDS', colour 'Red'). VDS for Teddy Pilette UK late 1975. Teddy says this was "a newer chassis, stiffer and a little quicker" to assist his bid for the title. Probably the car driven by Pilette at R14 Snetterton. Sold by VDS to Tony Gillet (Gembloux, Belgium): Belgian hill climbs 1977 (first known outing Condroz 27 Mar 1977 - won; runner up to Marcel Tarres in championship); Belgian hill climbs 1978 (again runner up to Marcel Tarres in championship). Gillet won 10 hill climbs in the T400, his best win probably coming at Troz Morets in 1978, when he set a course record in damp conditions. Sold to Yvon Grenson (Belgium): Belgian hillclimbs 1979 and 1980. Later sold to unknown French owner but the car returned to Gillet's ownership at some later point. Gillet's PA, Veronique Vervinckt, has confirmed that this car is chassis HU14. Retained 2004.	Tony Gillet (Belgium) 2004
Lola T400 HU15	Invoice date 24 Apr 1975 (sold to 'Haas', colour 'White'). Sold by Haas to John Leffler Jan 1976 (see 1976 Surfers Paradise program p8) ... John Wright Feb 1979?, Oct 1979, Australian Internationals 1980, Gold Star 1980, Gold Star 1981, Arco Graphic series 1981/82 ... Subsequent history unknown but with Mike Glynn in Australia by 2001. Raced at a historic meeting at Eastern Creek in Sydney around 2003.	Mike Glynn (Aus) 2003

The mystery cars

Until the kind intervention of Teddy Pilette, two mystery cars were listed on this page, 'the Gillet car' (now see HU14) and 'the Michel Pilette car' (now see HU11).

To muddy the VDS picture a little, Richard Fried, who worked for VDS from 1982 to 1984, recalls a T400 being in storage and heard that it had been bought by VDS Indy mechanic Carl Dean (Chicago, IL) when the team folded at the end of 1984. Shayne Windelburn thinks this is more likely to be one of the team's T333s, used in F5000 spec by Warwick Brown in 1978 and 1979.

Mike Engstrand recalls seeing a T400 "in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in 1985 owned by Larry Clain. It was apart but looked complete". Clain entered a T400, latterly a T400 Frissbee, in two Can-Am races in 1984 but did not arrive on either occasion.

Also in 1985, John Bladen drove his newly-restored Lola T400 at the Australian Grand Prix meeting but hit the concrete wall at the chicane. This is believed to have been HU2.

Shayne Windleburn remembers hearing of a surviving T400 in England somewhere.

These histories last updated on 2 December, 2007 .

A note on chassis number identification

Chassis numbers are mainly based on Lola invoice records. The 1976 Surfers Paradise race program was helpful in identifying the three Australian cars (HU1, HU2, HU3 and HU15) as was a race report in Autoweek 5 Mar 1977 p13. As OldRacingCars.com has not yet compiled race results for all races in Australia after 1975, the race results quoted here are partly based on the Formula 1 Register Fact Book: Formula 5000 1972-1981.

Copyright © Allen Brown 2000-2008. All rights reserved.