Lotus 19


The Lotus 19 or Monte Carlo is a mid-engine sports-racing car designed by Colin Chapman of Lotus and built from 1960 until 1962.

Lotus 19

The 19 is a mid-engine, rear wheel drive sports racer with a fiberglass body over a space frame, originally designed with 1.5 - 2.75L Coventry Climax FPF engine built for Grand Prix cars, mated to Lotus' own five-speed sequential transaxle nicknamed 'Queer Box' which gave a lot of problems on the Lotus 15, but was improved in its reliability for the Lotus 18.
Chapman named the car Monte Carlo to honor Stirling Moss for his win at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix. Lotus' first F1 victory. This is said to have mimicked and declared competition against the Cooper Monaco, which was named after a win at Monaco in 1958.

19B

Towards the end of 1963, John Klug, founder of Pacesetter Homes Racing, commissioned Lotus to build a special 19 to be Ford V8 powered. Ford's new lightweight iron block 289 c.i. engine was chosen over Oldsmobile's smaller aluminum V8. Roy Campbell finished the car in southern California. Dan Gurney, who had enjoyed considerable success at the wheel of the Arciero Brothers Lotus 19-Climax was the driver.
Because of its unique specification, it was known as the 19B, the only 19 with this designation. Originally delivered in red livery, the car first appeared at Nassau in December 1963. In 1964 it was the fastest sports car in the world, but the car's weak spot was its Colotti transaxle, the failure of which led to a number of retirements. By mid-1965 it was obsolete. It continued racing in southern California and eventually dropped out of sight. Wayne Linden of Roseville, California, found it in a semi trailer waiting to be turned into a dune buggy. He restored it to its early-1964 configuration, except for the Colotti, and ran it in mostly Cobra club events. He sold it to Gordon and Nancy Gimble. Today the car regularly appears at vintage car events in the US.

Chassis numbers

There were seventeen Lotus 19s built, however many were wrecked and some were completely rebuilt.
ChassisOriginal ownerMotor
950British Racing Partnership2.5 Climax
951Arciero Brothers2.5 Climax
952British Racing Partnership sold to Team Rosebud2.0 Climax/Ferrari V-12 3.0 in 1963
953British Racing Partnership2.5 Climax
954J. Frank Harrison2.5 Climax later as Harrison Special-289 Ford
955Jack Nethercutt2.5 Climax
956Charles Vogele2.5 Climax changed to 2.0 Climax for hillclimbs
957Tom CarstensEmpty - 3.5 Buick fitted changed to Chevy V8
958Roy Schechter2.5 Climax
959Peter Ryan2.5 Climax
960Robert Publicker1.5 Climax
961Harry Zweifel2.0 Climax for hillclimbs
962Rod CarvethEmpty - 3.5 Buick fitted
963Henry Olds/Bob ColombosianEmpty - 3.5 Buick fitted
964John Coundley2.5 Climax
965Mecom Racing Teamempty - 2.0 Climax fitted changed to 3.5 Buick
966John Klug289 Ford

Racing victories