How the 1965 Lotus-Ford Racecar Revolutionized the Indy 500

[@BigBadLoneWolf]

No could of about it. Jim Clark IS the Greatest Driver Of all Time. in 1965 he won F1 world championship, Indie 500, British F2 championship, French F2 championship, and the Tasmin series

[@WootTootZoot]

The year Jimmy Clark won Indy in that car, they brought the car to the Portland Auto Show at the Memorial Coliseum. I was 15 at the time, I was admiring the car and one of the guys there told me I could sit in the car. I got in, and sat there stunned and amazed and still remember the experience vividly

[@flugplatz21]

My family had a membership to the Henry Ford all through my childhood in the late '70's early '80's. Every time we went, I would stare at this car, and I wanted nothing more than to sit in it. I am so jealous! The Mk IV GT40 was about 20 feet away. That was always the next thing to stare at and dream about. I need to go back.

[@insolentstickleback3266]

I was born in 1965, I am a tad bit jealous you were a teen in those times with those cars : D

[@Loulovesspeed]

@ROB112 - Absolutely, I was so taken back when I entered the Museum because there was so much more than just cars. Certainly one of the most amazing museums I've ever been to!

[@goslonomo]

Lucky kid!

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

My dad was in Indy during the week prior to 1964 race. He had purchased a few post cards of Jim in the Lotus, then wandered down toward the pits. Both Jimmy and Colin were there, and signed one of the cards. I was a Lotus nut kid, and dad presented me the cards upon his return home. I still have those cards.. It is still amazing to me to have the signatures together on one card. Precious to me as both have left the world. I briefly met Colin at the Long Beach Grand Prix in the 1970s... By then I was also a Lotus owner.

[@bloqk16]

That was a remarkable era in motorsports in that the living legends were approachable by their fans.

[@lynnwright3993]

I was a Lotus nut kid too. Broke my heart when Clark was killed.

[@marksimpson2689]

The great ones, Colin Chapman and Jimmy Clark

[@patrickgriffitt9136]

I was at Indy in '65, awesome. End of an era but with honor. At that time Lotus,Ford, and Jimmy Clark were virtually unbeatable. Colin Chapman was an engineers engineer(even if he did have a resemblence to David Niven). Utmost respect to both men.

[@andrewdrabble8939]

Shows just how loved and respected Jim Clark was to be able to still illicit emotion all these years since his untimely passing

[@f4tweet]

I was at the race in 1965. Clark started lapping the field in 10 laps.

[@ast3rickk31]

Dang

[@stevenjones7202]

Clark didn't lap the field after 10 laps. He started lapping the back markers after 10 laps, as did Foyt, Jones, and some other front runners soon thereafter.

[@gunnnzz6230]

Actually Clark should’ve won in 63 with a rear engine car!!! Parnelli got a Christmas gift!!

[@davidthompson5460]

@@stevenjones7202, but Clark finished the race two full laps ahead of 2nd-place Parnelli.

[@Johnnycdrums]

How did they get 495 hp. out of 256 c.i. V-8?

[@JeffW77]

I was in grade 4 then. Jim Clark's number 82 Lotus-Ford was about the coolest race car I had ever seen. Probably still is.

[@creepingdread88]

A race car is the designated car for the race, just as the T car is the spare. They're collectively called racing cars.

[@javierbarrientos9927]

Greetings to Dan Gurney a gentleman and a top racing champion driver too!

[@dalecomer5951]

Personally, I always thought Gurney as well as Phil Hill were very unfriendly towards the regular racing fan. They acted like they thought they were both above it all.

[@375GTB]

RIP! Dan Gurney For President 1964! J.C.

[@robertsullivan4773]

​​@@dalecomer5951et Phil Hill briefly at Sebring he seemed fine to me he was with a group of us pre race and he was graciously. As for Dan I never heard or read a bad word about him. I have learn from my Dad when I was young don't speak ill of someone you don't have personal knowledge of and certainly not of the dead

[@swb31763]

My dad was one of 6 design engineers on this motor, fixed a slew of problems. Still remembers it like yesterday.

[@razorsharp8549]

A car built specifically for this race, a wonderful job and great piloting. RIP Jimmy and Collin.

[@satinder2486]

Beautiful car driven by the best ever driver

[@wildgoobsid5]

One of the golden moments in racing history when brains talent and cunning come together for perfection and a game changing experience.

[@michaelthomas8617]

My college roommate was a HUGE road racing, formula 1 and Jim Clark fan. He converted me from drag racing to road racing. He was in mourning for weeks following Clark’s death. He made a memorial plaque with numerous news articles regarding the accident.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@Michael Thomas - Your roommate did you a big favor in my book! I followed drag racing as a teenager, but progressed up to road racing, a far more interesting and exciting form of racing to watch than 1/4 mile stuff.

[@nathancooper8092]

Been lucky to see her go up goodwood hill and go around the goodwood circuit. When she came home to be restored

[@MrMiD.Life.Crisis]

6:29 - shame they didn't explain how Jimmy (an incredibly shy man), followed Macdonald for a lap or so and followed him into the pit to tell him to stop driving the Allstate special car ( "Get out of that car, mate - just walk away." - Clark). I bet it took a lot for Clark (a sophomore foreigner) to go up to a load of Americans that he didn't know and speak with Macdonald. It shows that he wasn't just the most naturally talented driver of his (and in my opinion, every) era, but also how much of a decent guy he was. Hope you're all well and good and staying safe.

[@andyharman3022]

Very interesting. I've never heard that story. This was the '64 race where Dave McDonald was killed?

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

@@andyharman3022 Its a true story Andy. Yep, the tragic 64' race.

[@michaelharbison8499]

When Clark won the pole, I knew that the roadsters were finished. I was sad to see an era end. But it was exciting to also see the future laid out in front of us.

[@BritIronRebel]

Thank you for uploading this! I've been a huge fan of all things Lotus and Jim Clark since a young age. I actually have Mr. Chapman's autograph and Jim Clark's mirrors from his Lotus F-1 car that the team was throwing away at Watkins Glen.

[@bobdrooples]

Colin Chapman changed motorsport in the direction we still follow today. Suave Gent too.

[@snaprollinpitts]

thank you, that style of race car is without a doubt my favorite, and of course Jim Clark was the first to race it!!!

[@loboestepario-cl]

I'm convinced that if Jim Clark have'nt die prematurely would have been the greatest of all times (BTW that was Fangio's opinion after his accident)

[@sbc1t]

You are correct .. Fangio did say that.

[@barryfowles-zl5ib]

Jim Clark WAS the greatest driver of all time.

[@gunnerlangy]

@@barryfowles-zl5ib Well, I think it was one or the other of them, undoubtedly.

[@jennifersman7990]

Definitely, Clark was as good as Andretti

[@barryfowles-zl5ib]

jennifersman, In all honesty, I admire Mario Andretti for what he has achieved, but Jim Clark was by far the better driver, the best ever.

[@johnbutler4235]

Jim Clark is one of the TOP 5 drivers of all time. I was 13 and I went to a closed circuit of the race at a theatre in downtown Omaha, I sat with a couple hundred other men and watched the race on a pretty small TV setting up on the stage. Ill never for get it.

[@frankiedogturner1516]

Clark was the best ever. No contest.

[@lynnwright3993]

@@frankiedogturner1516 Some Fangio fans might disagree with you.....but I don't.

[@JB91710]

At Bryar Motorsport Park in New Hampshire in the early Trans Am days, that car was inside a big tent on display. When I arrived early that weekend, the tent was closed but being a teenager, I was curious to see what they weren't letting me see. I went around back and stuck my head under the tent and couldn't believe my luck. I went inside and walked up to the car which had a rope surrounding the car which was telling me, Do Not Cross. So being the Good Boy I was, I didn't cross the rope and gave up my chance to sit in a car that my Hero had driven. I still get shocked up every April, 7th. Kind of like right now! RIP Jimmy!

[@clansome]

I remember the day vividly 51 years later as it was my 10th birthday. We were having tea over at my Nan's house that day when it came over on the news that he'd been killed. Etched into my mind forever.

[@wysiwyg2489]

look at the wheels offset to compensate centrifugate loads 0:56

[@fredkruse9444]

Yes! I built a model of this. I was maybe 11, and someone had to explain that to me.

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

Was happy to see Dario getting a ride in this Lotus @ The Brickyard

[@tracylemme1375]

Jimm Clarke would have been the best driver of all time if not for his early demise. I cried upon learning of his death.

[@PAVANZYL]

Jimmy WAS the best.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@Tracy Lemme - Over 50,000 people attended his funeral! Few, if any, heads of state can claim that. An incredibly loved and respected man.

[@michaelburke5907]

Jim Clark was the greatest,

[@p28-e7j]

He still did enough anyway to be the best ever.

[@TheRorstar]

Why there has never been a film made of Jimmy’s life is beyond words. He quite literally was and is the best driver the world has ever seen. Senna and so many others idolised him.

[@robertwoodliff2536]

The edit is soo nicely done. Music backed off, so you can hear the dialogue. Lovely work.

[@jettrink7510]

Dan Gurney contributed more to auto racing innovation and advancement than anyone... He was a great man.

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

Not a very accurate claim my friend. Dan the Man was a fantastic driver no doubt. A car developer - not so much. For the 1965 Indianapolis 500, Colin Chapman gave Len Terry full control over the design of the Lotus 38. However, Terry left Lotus before the 1965 race, having already been recruited by Dan Gurney's AAR team to design a Formula One car. The F1 Eagle-Weslake V12, which has been considered one of the most aesthetic Formula One designs ever. Dan had nothing to do with its design. He used hired guns to design all his Eagles.

[@1183newman]

In the first race with Parneli jones car leaking oil. It was customary for a car leaking oil to be black flagged off the track which would result in Clark being first. However due to the political climate and corruption of Indianapolis at that time Parneli was not black flagged. This actually resulted in a few crashes due to the oil and one of the drivers who suffered due to Parneli's car ended up in a fist fight in the pits afterwards with Parneli. When Chapman noticed the oil leak he reported it to the officials but was ignored and both Ford and Lotus missed out on what should have been an easy first Indy 500 victory.

[@rscottenglish]

It makes me wonder if these good old boys didn't have a separate oil reserve to"leak" on the track.

[@russbellew6378]

Afterward, Dan Gurney referred to Jones as "Parnoily".

[@healthyone100]

ithink Parneli punched Eddie SAchs in the mouth!

[@joekurtz8303]

3yrs old and this race made me a young motorsport fan, one of my first toys was this race car

[@michaelmartinez1345]

Awesome footage!!! Great story behind these cars, designers and drivers... Colin Chapman did a lot to bring good handling into sports car development... It would be very cool to see a story of another great racing car designer named Len Terry... He designed racing car chasis for several companies and teams...

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

For the 1965 Indianapolis 500, Len Terry was given full control over the design of the Lotus 38, and the car finished first that year, and second in 1966, each time with Clark driving. However, Terry left Lotus before the 1965 race, having already been recruited by Dan Gurney's AAR team to design a Formula One car. This led to the F1 Eagle-Weslake V12, which has been considered one of the most aesthetic Formula One designs ever.

[@DL-ls5sy]

Yes don't forget Len Terry

[@michaelmartinez1345]

@@DL-ls5sy Yes!!! Len Terry wrote a book called 'Racing Car Design & Development' that was a really good source to what ideas inspired Len Terry designs of racing car chasis... It emphasized the main things that racing cars needed to go very fast; Strength & rigidity, light weight, as simple as possible...

[@regenmeister9646]

Jack Brabham was the first to take a rear engine car to Indy in 1961 | Gurney drove for Brabham in 64 and it was Brabham's influence that inspired Gurney in conjunction with Chapman and Ford to run a rear engine car at Indy

[@sugarnads]

Yeah he had a climax engined car didnt he

[@Doctorj63]

Cool, my dad helped design the oiling system on that motor.

[@ivanjulian2532]

And a pretty impressive engine too for the times. 495hp from a 256ci engine, racing flat out for 500 miles.... that was an outstanding bit of design. I would love to read up more on the development of that engine.

[@JanitorIsBack]

fake story

[@Doctorj63]

@@JanitorIsBack Not!

[@MrMiD.Life.Crisis]

@@Doctorj63 dont rise to it. The fact that people who may have - or know those who had - involvement in a particular subject, would be interested in watching a video on that subject, is obviously such a far fetched thing for some people to believe. I like the fact that you posted that comment at a guess out of pride for what your old man (or your father) did? Maybe even around the time you were born at a guess? Anyway, hope you're good and staying safe.

[@Doctorj63]

@@MrMiD.Life.Crisis What in the hell are you talking about? I was around and Ford honored him for his contribution. Still have the awards. SHM

[@351wmustanggt]

Such a loss to the motorsports world, RIP Jim Clark. This car was one of the most beautiful cars ever built.

[@stevefowler2112]

Regarding the Wood's Brothers Nascar pit crew...they have stated before that they learned about wheel offset at Indy and took it back to nascar and had a big advantage for a few years until the other teams picked up on their secret.

[@cameltube-vk7el]

I had that car on my wall as a kid....been a fan of racing green since!

[@matthewwilson2369]

Those are gorgeous cars. I saw one of Jack Brabham's F1 cars recently - a work of art. Not at all safe to drive, but a work of art :-)

[@brucescammells2817]

Yes, and it was Jack Brabham who really started the switch from front engined Indy cars when he ran the Cooper there.

[@chrismac2234]

Jim Clark - the natural. The greatest natural driver ever.

[@T0mmyTune]

Good Golly. How'd I ever miss this precious video? Spectacular!

[@jimvandemoter6961]

In 1966 My dad took me to the Detroit auto show where I saw this car on exhibit. If my memory serves me right it had offenhauser valve covers. I was amazed at how small it was. I was 14 years old, about 5'4" and the tires barely came up to my thigh. I was totally awestruck.

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

LOL Nope! It did not have Offenhauser valve covers. LOL

[@BobbyOfEarth]

Ford engineers were genus by flipped the heads over, switching the carbs down low and the exhaust flowing from the center of the engine. Impressive how Fords "better ideas" has earned them major wins in the worlds most prestigious races.

[@andyharman3022]

Ford was serious about racing during this era. After the '63 race, which was run with a modified Fairlane pushrod V8, they completely redesigned it into the 4-cam with 4 valves per cylinder for the '64 race. It is interesting to watch all of the Indy 500 race highlight videos from 1962 to 1980 to see the changing technology. Every year, there was something new. Rear engine revolution. Methanol fuel. Four wheel drive. Granatelli's turbines. Turbocharging. Wings. Cosworth V8. Ground effects.

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

This carb and exhaust layout was used by the Europeans for years. Notably Ferrari. It was not a Ford "better idea" LOL In fact the DOHC can V8 was pretty unimaginative. Ford just copied the state of the art of racing engines at that time

[@PFLEONARDI0906]

Absolutely! I was able to talk with Unser at the museum. That race you either had the choice of gasoline or methanol. They chose methanol for the energy potential but downside was heat. The reasons for the flipped heads was aerodynamics and the heat sink issue on yellow/caution laps.

[@lynnwright3993]

@@andyharman3022 I think it's sad what they've done to auto racing over the years. The requirement for only pre-approved engines and chassis seems to limit the innovation we saw every year during my childhood.

[@MGB18]

@@DennisMerwood-xk8wp: Can't "copy" patented designs genius. Ford had their designs, Ferrari had theirs, etc, etc. Too bad Ferrari got raped by Ford at the 24 HR Le Mans 4 years in a row. LOL.

[@michaelotten2724]

Dad treated me to a lotus indy slot car for my slot car track..he wouldnt run any other slot car and ALWAYS won with it. Nice to get a better understanding of the dynamic of history of it!!

[@williemccoy259]

Who's Dad??

[@michaelotten2724]

@@williemccoy259 waddya ignorant

[@williemccoy259]

@@michaelotten2724 Learn the King's english.

[@michaelotten2724]

@@williemccoy259 I'd sooner be a hatfield..

[@williemccoy259]

@@michaelotten2724 It shows

[@tweetieindiana]

During this time I worked for Ford Steering gear plant in Indianapolis. When the cars need new parts made, they would come to the Ford's tool room in Indy we they would make the parts or remanufacture parts the car needed,

[@ivanjulian2532]

There must have some sweet machine shop lathes in that tool room I would wager!

[@tvos5888]

English Ave?

[@tweetieindiana]

@@tvos5888 Yes sir, on English Ave. That plant has now been torn down. Lock stock and barrel. I worked there for 38 years. It's a shame, we made every steering gear for all of Ford's cars and trucks up to the F-350 and we also made RV gears. We also had the largest bolt making plant in America under one roof. All gone, thanks to free trade and the electric steering gear.

[@dennisesplin3285]

Ford did what Ford do. Smash the opposition. Unbeatable. Clark. Chapman. Lotus. Ford. Unbeatable.

[@Daz555Daz]

"One of the best drivers of the 60s." Perhaps the most insulting thing I've ever heard said about the great Jim Clark.

[@displaychicken]

Daz555Daz an understatement to say the least

[@williamd4707]

What about Jackie Stewart, "The Flying Scot." I would consider Sir Jackie Stewart the best.

[@kevinshort3943]

Jim Clark, possibly the greatest driver ever. He wasn't Chapmans best driver, he was THE best driver.

[@buckhorncortez]

Well. I guess your a sensitive little flower who's easily insulted...

[@williamd4707]

@@buckhorncortez My gosh, you sound like a liberal trying to be insulting--NOT- and cannot reply without negative language. Besides that, who are you addressing this comment to? Besides that Sir Stewart is the best.

[@8253gunner]

You failed to mention that after the 1964 fiery crash, in addition to rule changes about the number of pit stops and the amount of fuel allowed in the cars, the use of gasoline was banned beginning in 1965.

[@larrydrozd2740]

Jimmy was once asked out of all the other drivers he raced against, who did he fear the most? His answer......Dan Gurney.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@MusicMadMaurice - I have to think you aren't much of a follower of motorsports. Virtually all racers who have ever been asked that question knew it was fear of losing to.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@MusicMadMaurice - First up, you don't put into quotation marks what was never said! Second, if you had any knowledge whatsoever, and you clearly don't, about the late, great, Dan Gurney, you wouldn't have made that comment. Gurney was not that type of driver at all. Third, I have been following MOTORSPORTS for at least that long. Fourth, don't try to predict how someone would have thought, that's both dangerous and inaccurate! Fifth, in my country, motorsports is plural of motorsport - it covers many or all racing events, i.e., various motorsports. Finally, GFY, Maurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrice!

[@Loulovesspeed]

@MusicMadMaurice - You are just not worth communicating with when you utilize so much double talk, more than usual I might add! Since you are inclined to think that you are proficient at it, what am I thinking now? See ya, Dilbert!

[@barryfowles-zl5ib]

@MusicMadMaurice Jim Clark did not fear Dan Gurney but had the utmost respect for him as the only driver of the era who was as fast as Clark himself.

[@barryfowles-zl5ib]

@MusicMadMaurice I am pleased to read that you don't need my help, I too have followed F1 since 1958, and in all honesty I don't really follow other forms of motorsport other than what is now called MotoGP, but may I point out journalists normally load a question to a sportsman in such a way as to get an emotive response, but believe me Jim Clark would have been the last person to bandy words like fear when talking about a fellow driver, he Clark was too much of a gentleman and too intelligent to fall into Journalists traps. Have a happy new year.

[@joestephan1111]

F1 World Champion Jack Brabham brought a specially-built, mid-engined F1 Cooper-Climax & ran Indy a couple of years before Gurney.

[@DL-ls5sy]

YES ! in 1961

[@superseven7947]

Now THAT'S a race car

[@noodlesnoodles1]

I have the 'Matchbox' Lotus on my dashboard of my pick-up...British racing green, yellow trim and #3

[@johnglenn30csardas]

JohnGalt$ I gave my green Lotus to my son and he still has it. Just sent him this video.

[@barryfowles-zl5ib]

@JohnGalt$. At the risk of being pedantic the Lotus is not painted BRG, but a very nice lighter green which became known as Lotus Green and always looked great with the bright yellow wavy- web wheels, true BRG is the colour of the works D-Type Jaguars and F1 Vanwalls of the 1950s which is much darker.

[@dalecomer5951]

@@barryfowles-zl5ib Thank you.

[@NPA1001]

Clark is up there with Fangio, Senna, Schumacher in any discussion about the greatest of them all.

[@chrisjohnson4165]

Yes, and don't forget Lewis Hamilton.

[@michaelnelson3752]

Two of those drivers .......Fangio and Senna both mentioned they thought Jimmy was the best there ever was

[@prakis1958]

The most beautiful race car in history.

[@mikecastellon3022]

Absolutely correct. I’m 76 yrs old and have seen them all. Unsurpassed beauty

[@ivanjulian2532]

Pffffffft.... not even close. The 1966 Ferrari 330 P3 wins that award by a country mile. Followed by the 1971 Martini sponsored Porsche 917. Even Lotus themselves built a more beautiful race car in 1978 and 1985.

[@barryfowles-zl5ib]

Have you never seen a Gurney Weslake Eagal F1car from 1967?

[@dalecomer5951]

It was nice but there have been many other great lookinng race cars. Need look no further than the Lotus 33 from the same year.

[@claraengl9471]

I was 13 and remember listening to it on my transistor radio. I dont remember there being wire to wire TV coverage back then. Even LeMans and nascar you just got snipets on Wide World of Sports. I remember my dad calling the local newspapers sports dept to get updates of LeMans in 64 and 65. It was a different world back then. Racing during Fords "Total Performance" era was practically ignored by the media. We were racing fans before it was cool.

[@JohnMagee-qc6zp]

Our neighbor would go up for the qualifiers at Indy every year. He had an MG TD that he'd drive up every year with his son Mike, my Dad, and me. This was from St. Louis MO. to Indianapolis with me and Mike in the jump seat of that MG. This is in 1963 and '64 and '65. In '65 we went up to the qualifiers because Dick ( the MG owner) didn't like the crowds at the race itself. I remember the sounds of the lotus Fords howling by and it made the offenhausers sound like trucks! The Lotus Fords sounded like jet airplanes. The Fords had the fastest laps (I think). The crowd didn't like it because the Fords were 1/2 non American and by golly the Offenhaussers were American with American drivers.

[@americanpride9733]

I wish there was a front mounted engine indy series. That would be cool to see

[@bloqk16]

From my familiarity of 1960s motorsports, I'd give credit to this car's predecessor, the Lotus 29 in 1963. That car make/model was the first rear-engine car to be a contender for the Indy 500 win in '63. Later in the USAC Champ Car season, the Lotus 29 was dominating in the two races it entered, winning at Milwaukee.

[@twillis449]

If I recall correctly, Jimmy lapped the entire field at Milwaulee

[@timtravasos2742]

Class and innovation.

[@ScottHillsmusclecargarage]

I would love to have a replica of this car in my garage.

[@davidthompson5460]

Jim Clark's two-minute winning advantage in 1965 meant (at 150 mph = 2.5 miles, one lap, per minute) he finished two laps ahead of 2nd place Parnelli Jones. But Jones and places 3, 4, and 5 were allowed to keep running after Clark got the checkered flag until they had finished 200 laps. A silly USAC convention.

[@JR1300r]

Excellent video cheers

[@blxtothis]

Isn’t it funny that Cosworth never get a mention for the ensuing development of Ford based blocks.

[@dee3368]

Dan gurney that man could drive anything one of the greatest American drivers of all time ...i hope to see a winning American in f1 in my lifetime ..

[@juliataylor2623]

Mario Andretti, Italian by birth but did his racing in USA 1978 f1 champ.

[@Mike-ky9jz]

Gone way to soon Jim Clark....

[@richman61]

man i love those cars.

[@mikegecan192]

Did I miss something? I didn't hear any mention regarding the entirely new Ford engine used every year after the original 1963 effort. So vastly different in basic design and architecture that zero parts from '63 could be used in any of Ford's post-63 Indy racing engines.

[@stevefowler2112]

Yeah they kind of skipped over that, huh? Not sure if you know or not but the '63 and '64 Indy Ford V8's were based on the Ford 260 OHV V8...of course the '65 was the famous 255 CI double overhead cam engine built specifically for indy.

[@mikegecan192]

@@stevefowler2112 '63 was the 1 and only year Ford used the 260c.i. based OHC engine. The revolutionary DOHC engine debuted in 1964. Check the pictures of the 1964 starting field. "Bed of snakes" exhaust pipes on top of the engine and intake stacks exiting the bodywork at approximately 10 & 2 positions are a sure tip-off it's a 4 cammer.

[@stevefowler2112]

@@mikegecan192I stand corrected...learn something everyday....thanx for the update, I had always thought it debuted in '65 but just checked GT40.net and you are correct.

[@andyharman3022]

Yeah, the big increase in speed between '63 and '64 was due to the introduction of the 4-cam V8. The '63 engine was basically a hot-rodded Fairlane V8, still pushrod, cam-in-block, 2 valve-per-cylinder, with Weber carbs. Then the 4--cam engine came in '64, with the outside cams being for intake, and the inside cams for exhaust, with the headers in the Vee, and mechanical fuel injection. This engine had a pretty long life at Indy, being destroked when turbocharging came in 1968, and renamed the Foyt engine. AJ won his fourth 500 with that engine in 1977, in a car of his own construction. The coming of the Cosworth DFX in 1978 doomed the old 4-cam.

[@dalecomer5951]

The "bundle-of-snakes" exhaust looks great but I always wondered why they didn't use a flat crank V-8 as was common in short track racing at the time.

[@albertschultz7151]

As a kid I had either a Corgi or Dinky car of this Lotus, not to forget the Jim Clark poster.

[@piasite]

"One of the best drivers of the 1960's". Hahahaha!!!! Try Greatest of All Time. Yes, Ford, Gurney and the Woods Brothers were a big help, but this story is heavily about Clark and Chapman. Jimmy won by TWO LAPS.

[@geek49203]

Comparisons are tough, particularly in an era when many would-be drivers were disabled / killed on a regular basis. Current era I think it tougher in that quality drivers stay in the game longer due to safety advances, and therefore the competition is stronger.

[@Tyler-mc5mt]

Foyt, Mears, and Fittipaldi also won by 2 laps...

[@davidviner4932]

Stewart even didn't admit Jim was the superior driver, but we who know don't care, we know Jim was the best and Stewart was lucky to be alive

[@kevinmoore4887]

The video kind of ignores that Dan Gurney raced for the Wood Brothers in 1964 and placed 3rd in the 1965 Indy race.

[@karlmtinsley8297]

Keith Dewey... Glad you caught that too! This Guy is an auto museum currator and doesn't even know racing car history. Pathetic!!!

[@philmanson2991]

I was eight when my dad and his high school buddy, Jim Trueman, took me to the "time trials" as they were called back in 1965. Gasoline Alley was wide open! You could just walk up to the cars and drivers like you were at the local hardware store. Nothing like today when the drivers and teams don't mingle with the great, unwashed masses.

[@DL-ls5sy]

Jack Brabham, Cooper climax, 1961. rear engined car In 1963, Dan Gurney joined Jack Brabham's team in formula 1 and won twice

[@DL-ls5sy]

Len Terry made this car. He was a true genius. Later he made the Eagle for Dan Gurney.

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

In 1963, Jones was dropping oil big time, but the Harlen Fengler, Chief Steward did nothing about it... Recommended reading (no affiliation) with the author: "TeamLotus : The indianapolis Years" by Andrew Ferguson

[@mightylonesome9426]

Not the first rear engine car to appear at Indy but the car that dictated Indy car's future more than any other. A car design based on genius and driven by the best driver in the world at that time.

[@velocita8842]

Jim Clark changed the game at Indy.

[@ivanjulian2532]

Maybe... but keen historians will recall one Mr Jack Brabham in 1961 was the first ever driver to campaign a mid engined race car at Indy. He raced a then current F1 Cooper and finished 9th.

[@dennisdobin1918]

Jack Brabham actual changed the Indy,he almost won it in 1961 after that the writing was on the wall.

[@dalecomer5951]

@@dennisdobin1918 Then where were all the rear engined cars in '62?

[@67daltonknox]

Might have mentioned the Gulf-Miller in 1939 and Brabham's Cooper which finished 9th in 1961 despite having only a 2.7 liter engine and was clearly faster in the corners than the front engined roadsters.

[@davem5333]

Foyt's car should have been black flagged off the track for dropping oil. Some say he would have been but the officials didn't want a foreign driver beating an American driver in the flagship American race.

[@stevenjones7202]

You mean Parnelli's Jones' car, not Foyt's. Jones' car suffered a horizontal hairline crack in the oil tank, a couple inches long, about 1/3rd the way down the tank. It quit leaking after several laps, the oil level having dropped below the crack, while the Chief Stewart, Harlan Fengler, debated the point with JC Agajanian, Jones' car owner. Jones had been the dominant car all month and was much faster than Clark in the Lotus. It would have been a shame to deny Jones that victory because his car leaked oil for a few laps when he was clearly the class of the field and almost every other car was leaking oil too.

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

Was Parnelli Jones, 1963. And yes I'd heard there was a lot of ribbing of Clark before and during the race, Clark came right up on Parnelli, and would have passed him, except with so much oil on the track from Parnelli it was too risky. And yes, the officials didnt want a 'foreignor' with a 'funny car' to win. To Jimmy's credit he didn't whine and make a big deal of it afterwards. In the '65 race, Jimmy swooped up to lap Foyt, who'd been one to rib him a lot in '63. In '65, Jimmy toyed with Foyt, :rather than just lap him right away, he staying right behind him, tucked up close. Till finally Foyt waved him (Jim Clark) by.

[@stevenjones7202]

@@carlcushmanhybels8159 I've never heard this story. Let's be clear, Foyt won the pole in '65 and was faster than Clark even though Foyt was running a Lotus 34 and Clark had a 38. But Foyt fell out midway with rear diff failure. Clark lapped Parnelli Jones, also in a Lotus 34, and closely followed the second place Jones late in the race, but never lapped him twice, although he probably could have. Possibly that's the "toying" incident you refer to? Jones had excessive fuel consumption problems and had to pit 5 times; otherwise, he probably would have been competitive with Clark. The finish in '65 would have been something if Foyt and Jones hadn't had those mechanical problems.

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

@@stevenjones7202 My source, as a kid, was Car mags of the time (Road & Track or Car & Driver). I've heard the gentle-revenge on Foyt story (1965) since then, on a Clark tribute documentary and histories of his racing. Clark was so dominant in 1965 (with the whole package: Lotus, Ford, the Wood Bros), he...

[@dalecomer5951]

@@stevenjones7202 It might have been something in "64 if Lotus had not had those tire problems and in "63 if ...

[@revolutionrip-off2759]

Does anyone have the full 1965 race? Jim is my dads favorite and we would like to watch the whole race if possicle.

[@arnoldsanders6878]

My brother built this model. I played with it a little too much !! Hehe...!!!!!!!!

[@charlesanzalone5846]

Woods brothers used some nascar tricks lol

[@markdinkel9006]

Maybe my favorite car

[@twwtb]

Everybody is saying rear engine, but isn't it a mid engine.

[@gchampi2]

Technically, yes. To be totally accurate, it was a rear-mid engine (behind the driver, ahead of the rear axle). For those who are wondering what we're talking about, a front engine car has it's engine wholly or partly in front of the front axle line (think most modern FWD cars). A front-mid engine car has it's engine behind the front axle line, but ahead of the driver (think most indy roadsters). Rear-mid - see above, and a rear engine car has it's engine wholly or partly behind the rear axle line (think Porsche 911). A true mid-engine car has the engine alongside the driver, wholly between the axle lines (think 1967 STP/Paxton special indycar - there were others). A minor detail, but to us OCD types, an important detail...

[@375GTB]

FAHRT!

[@dalecomer5951]

Odd that the film doesn't cover the evolution of the Ford engines which powered those cars.

[@goslonomo]

Keep in mind, in the 1960s, it was a matter of honor (and pit protocol) that tires would last the whole race, as Clark's did in 1965. (The last time the winner didn't change any tires, according to Donald Davidson, was on Bobby Unser's 1975 win, incidentally in an all-American field. (Eldon Rasmusson was Canadian, but that's North America, right?)

[@wmw3629]

Junk Dunlop tires.

[@vs800rider]

This car is at the Indy 500 museum. I was almost in tears when I saw it.

[@wmw3629]

It’s at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan

[@robertmfairley6737]

Gentelman Jim

[@davidfoster1762]

Pity that there is no reference to Jack Brabham who pioneered the F1 style mid engine car at Indy a year or so before Lotus. I speak as a great Clark/ Lotus fan.

[@DL-ls5sy]

yes ! I agree ! Jack Brabham was a pionneer in 1961

[@davidfoster1762]

I used to work just off Oxford St and got Jack Brabham’s autograph in McDonalds by Bond St tube station. Sometime around 2000 . Nobody else had recognised him. I remember a Clark ( Lotus Cortina ) Brabham ( Ford Mustang ) dice at Brands in ‘65. Afterwards the mechanics really struggled to get the Mustang up the car transporter’s steep ramp.

[@mikemullay5622]

When these cars first arrived at Indy all of a sudden the Watson roadsters which had dominated Indy for years were ancient and obsolete.

[@sugarnads]

They were obsolete when jack brabham arrived in a climax engined car.

[@bbb462cid]

Flower of Scotland, shall we see your like again?

[@johnpyle702]

"FORD PERFORMANCE"

[@375GTB]

Lotus Type 38 Out of 1962 Lotus 25 F-1 With 1.5 Liter Coventry Climax V-8 1963 World Champion Lotus 27 1963 Indy car 255 CID alloy ohv V-8 Lotus 29 1964 Indy Car DOHC 255 V-8 Begetting the Lotus 39 1966 Indy Car 255 dohc V-8 1967 Lotus 47 F-1 car with Cosworth-Ford 3.0 liter DFV V-8 1968 F-1 World Champion World beaters, into the 1970s... J.C.

[@DL-ls5sy]

Lotus 27 is a car for formula junior, not indy car. Lotus 29 : 1963 Lotus 39 was built for flat 16 coventry climax '1500 cm3" (FWMW). four valve per cylinder. Lotus 47 europe is not a F1 car but a car for Le Mans. it raced in 1967 at Le Mans (ACO or automobile club de l'ouest if you prefer) Lotus 49 is a F1 with DFV be more accurate, my friend !

[@tosgem]

They kind of screwed up the line near the end when they said a rear-engined car had never won until the Lotus-Ford in 1965. They should have added, a rear-engined car never won again after that.

[@colinpate3059]

I wish there was more info on the powerplant. Weren't the first Indy lotus's powered by a pushrod V8 s and the 65 winner the DOHC motor? It's hard to find info on the development of the DOHC. Who was behind the engineering of it? What was the inspiration for such a radical powerplant? What's the history of it becoming the FOYT and how long was it competitive? I do remember one of the NASA astronauts putting one in a 67 Mustang fastback. I think it was Hot Rod mag article. Long time ago, correct me if you know.

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

The design was all done in-house by Ford. Hardly radical. The old Novi V8 was the same architecture - many year before. Actually, the DOHC engine was pretty ordinary for a European racing engine. It became Foyt when Ford Motor company sold the whole engineering package to AJ. AJ did not make anything. Just rebadged the rocker box castings "FOYT".

[@geraldhannibal7654]

Why no mention of the unique asymmetrical suspension? Look again and see how much wider on one side it was to cope with the curved banking. Just another example of Chapman's brilliancy.

[@DennisMerwood-xk8wp]

Indy cars had asymmetrical suspension long before Chapman arrived Gerald.

[@paspax]

Photo at 9:58 features Jack Brabham standing to (our) right of lady.

[@Aotearoa_Kiwi]

No image of "Black Jack" at that time stamp. 9:58 is the length of the video.

[@rohancaldwell2091]

@@Aotearoa_Kiwi Black Jack is at 8:24

[@Aotearoa_Kiwi]

@@rohancaldwell2091 Yip! That's definitely Jack.

[@dalecomer5951]

Nice lady.

[@thedavincikid]

In 1961 Jack Brabham became the first driver to start an Indi race with a mid engine car when he drove a Cooper Climax ......... www.auslot.com/forums/index.php?/topic/19357-paving-the-way/

[@caribman10]

Uh, yeah, wasn't Colin Chapman the same guy who showed up at Indy with monocoques made from sub-strength aluminum? So soft they flexed and couldn't be used? That guy? Same one that got a letter from Jochen Rindt asking him why he couldn't design in just a LITTLE more structural strength in his cars, just a few years later?

[@stephensmith1794]

Ford people, so one eyed... Jack Brabham took the first true rear engine car to Indy in 1961 with Ron Tauranac .. a modified cooper climax... then again in 62/63/64/ then Clarke winning in 65.

[@stevenjones7202]

I agree that Jack Brabham doesn't get enough credit for the rear-end revolution at Indy, but he didn't run there in '62 and '63. He came back in '64 and again in '69 and '70. Honestly, I think he contributions at Indy get overlooked because he never ran up front at Indy, in the four years he was there. Still, one of the greats of all time and underappreciated even by F1 fans given his tremendous accomplishments in F1.

[@jamesherbertharrison9655]

Ford should get back to Indy. Perhaps Roger Penske and company could do something about that.

[@Thomcrib]

Thats a beauty!

[@renatosoares2169]

Grande Lotus Ford Team

[@markmark5269]

So god chose one side and said fuck the others did god? What, were all the others sinners or something?

[@markmark5269]

@@samuelcooke2678 LOL, tell that to half of America! Morons. My comment still stands, religious people use it all the time, like a plane crash where you have one survivor, "God was looking down on them", yeah, and God fucked up the other 200 onboard.

[@peterf1]

OK, so it's Ford content so they're gonna tell it their way, but the Lotus team was years behind Cooper and Brabham in understanding the potential for European GP cars to come over and dominate the old-tech American machines. Yes, Gurney was the link between Lotus and Ford to begin their efforts, but it didn't begin with Gurney.

[@russphoto]

I think the Wood Brothers have always been out of Charlotte NC not from Virginia as they said. Correct me if I'm wrong, please......

[@pawleymediaconsultantsllc5]

Wikipedia says they are based out of Virginia . . .