Exoto 1968 Lola Chevrolet T70 MkIII #8- Motschenbacher- Sebring

The Sixties were a time of high drama and rapid change. The battle between Ferrari and Ford for dominance at Le Mans, the steady but inexorable rise of Porsche and the development of new ways to harness air flow. It was the time of rule changes that suddenly shifted the playing field. Changes were also coming due to the rise of television and the beginnings big dollar team sponsorship. All of these forces were the backdrop for Eric Broadley and Lola cars that shaped the launch their Lola T-70.

Lola never had a “works” team. They built cars for the independent teams, “privateers”, to campaign on the worlds race tracks. Broadley worked for a time with Ford on the GT40 project and some of that knowledge was applied to Lola, in hopes that it would eclipse the “big three”. The T70 was shaped less by the wind tunnel more by experience and aesthetics with a look less like the Chaparral and more like the Jaguar XJ13 the net result was one of the best looking cars of this or any era. Additionally its sale to numerous teams resulted in the Lola showing up is a wide variety of colors, liveries and configurations.

In cooperation with John Surtees Lola built a series of roadster versions that won five of the six races and the championship of the inaugural Canadian – American Challenge (known thereafter as simply the CanAm series). The Lola roadsters would be a fixture of the CanAm series run by a number of teams using many different power plants and body modifications.

The T70 Mk3GT coupe was designed to compete in FIA endurance races where it would compete against Ford, Ferrari and Porsche. The appeal to at least some privateers was that they knew they were getting the best Lola had, not factory seconds or last year’s car. The Lola was also a relative bargain when compared to buying a Ferrari and the absence of any affiliation between Lola and any major suppliers, although their base design was around Chevrolet V-8 engines, meant that teams were free to use engines, transmissions or other pieces that they were familiar with or had affiliations to.

The Mk3GT coupe was not very successful in the long distance races that it was built to contest. John Surtees teamed with Aston Martin in 1967 to attempt Le Mans and though the AM powered T70 was third fastest in the trials the cars were both gone with engine failures within the first 25 laps. They did manage victories in 20 of the shorter “sprint” races in 1968 & 1969 and the James Garner backed A.I.R. team had some fair results at Daytona and Sebring. During that time the car sprouted all manner of front and rear fins, foils and spoilers as teams attempted to improve air flow and increase “ground effects” over the cars body. The Lola T70 Mk3B that followed was at once more successful as it was redesigned to have a more wedged shaped nose that while less attractive was more efficient. The 3Bs went on to another 23 victories worldwide before a combination of rules changes, the nature of sponsorship and the cost of producing winning race cars ended the Lola T70s career. Lola moved on and continued to build winning racing cars including F-1 and Indy cars adding to a legend that continues today.

Exoto has chosen the two American International Racing Team (A.I.R.) 1968 Sebring entrants as its first models in their series of Lola T70s. They are to an extent following GMP, which put out a series of both roadsters and coupes several years ago. The GMP cars have been popular with collectors even though they are a bit short on detail by current standards. To enter in to this already well covered market Exoto really needed to have something special. In other words “furious detail” needed to be more than a catch phrase.

From any angle you choose, Exoto has gotten the shape and stance of this car “right”. Those used to the look of the GMP cars might wonder if the Exoto’s more “bread van” rear section is accurate and the answer is a resounding YES. The wheels and tires, always a big deal for me, are first rate. The fit and finish is likewise flawless. Tight seams, precise fit and excellent paint and graphics make this car a jewel as befits one of the most attractive race cars ever built. Door handles, body fasteners, racing mirrors, great headlights and headlight covers and an opening fuel fill cap are all present and accounted for and all done flawlessly.

Gripes? Missing safety harness, hinges for the gull wing doors when the doors closed are too obtrusive when looking through the rear window. This is the price you pay to get a “clean” look on the roof. Also on a car I’d like to see a metal rather than a plastic windshield wiper, and it would have been great fun if they had included the FIA suitcases. Other than that this car has it all.

The other thing that Exoto has going for them – if they choose to go further down the road with this car – is the ability to make this car is all the colors of the rainbow, as privateers raced this car in just about every color and some really great color combinations. And then there is always the T70 Mk3B. Exoto has had great luck with Penske/Donohue/Sunoco cars and would likely have a sure winner with the 1969 Daytona winner.

This car, at its price, may not be for everyone but for the hard core Lola fan, the 60 era race car collector or people, like me, who just love the lines of this car, it is one that you need to add to your collection.

-Frank Lemire