The 1958 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans featured four Lotus 11 teams. This example is from one of those teams.
Specifically, this Lotus 11–chassis No. 515–is reported to have been a privateer entry piloted by Bill Frost and Bob Hicks.
Fitted with a 1098cc Coventry Climax …
A gorgeous little car! I googled the '58 LeMans results on Racing Sports Cars: the winning Ferrari 250TR (Hill/Gendebien) covered 305 laps at an avg speed of ~ 106 mph.
There were, as stated, four Lotus Eleven-Climax cars entered, two from the factory and two privateers; three of the four failed to finish. This particular one (carrying #39) DNFd ("spun") after just 28 laps; a sister car DNF'd ("accident") after only 19 laps; and a third succumbed to "ignition" issues after 162 laps.
The fourth Lotus Eleven-Climax, one of the factory entries, was classified as the final finisher, in 20th place after 202 laps.
I first attended LeMans in '61. Somehow it doesn't seem that long ago.
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