1958 Lotus 16 Chassis 363 The “Mini Vanwall”

 “A works drawing survives today, drafted by Ian D. Jones, dated 28/1/58 and entitled ‘Lotus F1 and F2’. It depicts a tubular single-seat space-frame as shallow as the type 12’s but broader. Effectively it marks the birth of the Lotus 16. Embodying remarkable sophistication, this was perhaps the most advanced front engine 2½ litre GP car to be raced.” Doug Nye from his book Theme Lotus.

The Lotus works team entered two prototype 16’s for the 1958 French GP at Reims in July. Graham Hill drove Chassis 363 ran as an F1 car with a 2.0 Climax and Chassis 362 (later retitled 364) ran as an F2. These cars were thereafter known as the Reims Prototype cars. It was an extremely hot day and the combination of the “laydown” engine and the exhaust running inside the sleek bodywork led to engine and driver overheating! Hill claims the gearbox became so hot that “the solder which held the gearbox oil filler cap in place simply melted” splashing oil onto his thigh and making him lift himself out of the seat in the fast Reims right hander. Motorsport Magazine published a photo with Graham Hill halfway out of the cockpit mid corner! The retirement was put down to engine failure much to the annoyance of Coventry Climax who had expressed displeasure with the extreme angle of the engine.

1958 British Grand Prix driver Alan Stacey

 The car made one more outing with the ”Laydown” engine at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Driven by Alan Stacey the car again overheated and Chapman decided to abandon the idea. 

 With the German Grand Prix barely two weeks later, there was insufficient time to develop a solution, so Graham Hill drove the car as an F2 with the smaller engine. This did present its own issues as the engine and clutch position had altered and the water header tank had to be moved to the side. Hill started at the back of the grid as he had not made qualifying. In the race an oil line split causing a retirement.

At the Portuguese Grand Prix Lotus had a torrid time, Cliff Allison destroyed 362 having crashed after losing control crossing the tramlines on the street circuit. Several laps later Graham Hill lost control at the same point on the track and as he struggled to regain control his hand caught against his thigh, causing the car to attack the straw bales. Hill and Chassis 363 ended up embarrassingly balanced on top of the balees right in front of the pits! The car was lifted off but was unable to contiunue. Hill complained to Chapman that the cockpit was too cramped. Chapman ordered the mecchanics to hacksaw the dashboard and it was raised and rewelded in time for Monza. 

At Monza it was so hot on race morning a hole was cut on the engine cover to aid cooling. Hill complained of a missfire in the race coming into the pits and, according to the legendary Jenks “Hill stopped at the pits to find out where the sparks were going as they clearly were not going to the plugs!” Rectified he went back out and finished 6th! 

Final race at Casablanca is most remembered for Hawthorn winning the Championship from Moss by one point, Chassis 363 came home in 16th.

Chassis 363 Race Record 1958-59

7/7/58                 French GP Reims                   Graham Hill         Climax 2.0  DNF

20/7/58     British GP Silverstone                     Alan Stacey         Climax 2.0  DNF

3/8/58                 German GP Nürburgring F2          Graham Hill         Climax 1.5  DNF

24/8/58     Portuguese GP Oporto          Graham Hill         Climax 2.2  DNF

30/8/58     Kentish ‘100’ Brands Hatch F2      Graham Hill         Climax 1.5  DNF

7/9/58                 Italian GP Monza                   Graham Hill         Climax 2.2  6th

19/10/58   Moroccan GP Casablanca               Graham Hill         Climax 2.0  16th

 30/3/59     Goodwood Glover Trophy F1         David Piper Climax 2.0  9th

18/4/59     Aintree ‘200’ F1/F2                         David Piper Climax 1.5  DNF

25/4/59     Syracuse GP F2, Sicily                     David Piper Climax 1.5  8th

18/5/59     London Trophy F2, Crystal Palace  David Piper Climax 1.5 DNF

18/7/59     British GP Aintree                           David Piper Climax 1.5  DNF

3/8/59                 John Davy Trophy, Brands Hatch   David Piper Climax 1.5 DNF

23/8/59     Preis von Zeltweg F2, Austria            David Piper          Climax 1.5 2nd

29/8/59     Kentish ‘100’ F2 Brands Hatch        David Piper          Climax 1.5  DNF

26/9/59     Gold Cup, Oulton Park           David Piper Climax 1.5 7th

11/10/59   Silver City Trophy, Snetterton            David Piper Climax 1.5  4th

David Piper and Bob Bodle bought 363 from Team Lotus to be campaigned in F2 events under the Dorchester Service Station banner. At Goodwood’s Easter Monday Glover Trophy, Chassis 363, fitted with a 2.2 Litre Climax raced in turquoise and white livery. Shortly after the car was

changed to Piper’s now distinctive BP green. The car struggled to keep up with the dominant Cooper race cars.

At the end of the 1959 Season David Piper took Chassis 363 to New Zealand for the 1960 Tasman series “as a source of spares” for his later 2.5 litre Chassis 368. The Source of spares aka 363 was offered to local drivers as a rent a car. At the 7th International New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore in January 1960 Piper was struggling to find anyone interested in the now 1500cc engined 363. Eventually Frank Shuter agreed and having put in an impressive qualifying time, he had to pull out with appendicitis and Arnold Stafford stepped in to drive. Stafford had retired from racing three years before and wanted one last race. After a large spin he sensibly retired!

David Piper “I had Graham Hill’s Lotus 16 with a 2½ litre engine. I did all sorts of F1 races, and managed to finish 12th in the 1960 British Grand Prix at Silverstone – but it was pretty hard work. There were as awful lot of politics in F1 even in those days. For instance, you had to be with Esso to get the right Climax engines, but I was with BP! But I enjoyed it, I then joined forces with Bruce McLaren and Reg Parnell to do the Tasman Series. But I could never see myself making a serious impact on the scene.”

 For the 1960 season Piper raced Chassis 368 and sold 363 to Privateer Barry Eastick. The car was still in “BP green” and free of any obvious battle scars! Having just taken over his father’s business he was not in a position to seriously campaign the car but Barry used the car fro sprints and hill climbs and kept the car for 2 years before selling it onto Mike Pressley. Little is known of what he or indeed George Whiston and Roy Cook did with Chassis 363. In 1965 the car was owned by John le Sage who campaigned 363 regularly in historic events with VSCC until the late 60’s when he sold it to Tom Wheatcroft and the car was placed on static display in the famous Donington Collection.

The car remained in the Collection until 2010 when successful historic racer Roger Wills prised it out of Donington and actively campaigned the car again. In Roger’s vary capable hands the car has won at many prestigious events including the 2014 Goodwood Revival Richmond Trophy and Monaco Historique

In 2017 Roger sold the car to Max Hilliard Smith and the car has been raced regularly at Goodwood Revival and Monaco Historique.

The car was sold to the current owner by Max Hilliard Smith in 2021 and 363 again took part in 2022 Monaco Historique when it won the best placed Lotus. The car is sold with a very extensive spares package and current HTP. Given its importance in the Lotus history it is welcomed at any prestigious event.