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The T580 at a snowy Lola factory.
The T580 without bodywork and Tippexed rear wing!.
The works Lola of Mike Blanchet
The prototype T580, note the differing bodywork to the production cars.
The prototype featured a narrow nose and adjustable wings.
Celebratory advert from Lola in Autosport magazine.
Export Document for the first T580.
THE LOLA T580
All pictures copyright Lola Heritage unless otherwise stated.
The T580 at a snowy Lola factory.
Formula Ford 2000 was introduced on the 1st January 1975 as the next step up the motor racing ladder and it was intended to fit in between Formula Ford 1600 and Formula 3, both in cost and performance. Like its smaller 1600cc brother the regulations demanded a spaceframe chassis and a Hewland gearbox but racing wheels and slick racing tyres were permitted as were aerodynamic wings at the front and rear. Finally a Ford NE Series 2 Litre SOHC production engine was employed which produced 135 bhp, about 20bhp more than the 1600cc cars.
Lola's first entry into the FFord 2000 class was with the 1979 T580 and, unsurprisingly, it was based on the successful FFord 1600 T540E, it employed the same chassis and the same suspension configuration At the front were upper and lower wishbones, anti rollbar and outboard coil/dampers with a top link, at the rear reversed lower wishbone, twin radius rods and outboard coil/damper units. However the most noticeable change was a much narrower track, 48.5" (123cms) front and 50.75" (120.9cms) rear on the T580 while the T540, was 56" (142.2cms) and 55" (139.7cms) respectively.
The T580 did not make its debut until late in the 1978 season and it was driven my Lola Sales Manager Mike Blanchet and he was immediately a front runner taking five wins to finish third in the APG/Lords Taverners series begging the question of where he would have finished if he had been there from the start. The results were especially noteworthy given the strength of FFord 2000 that year with Crosslé, CTG, Delta, Reynard, Van Diemen and, not to forget Syd Fox in "The Old Nail" (an aging Palliser) all winning races. The following season saw Peter Morgan, who had had so much success in the T540E, driving a works supported T580 and in a season dominated by Delta and Reynard, the talented young driver was able to take three wins despite being hampered by a lack of finance.
Year(s) of Construction: 1978-1980
Total Built: 17
T580 CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
YEAR |
CHAMPIONSHIP |
WINNER(S) |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Benelux FF2000 Championship | Maarten Henneman | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1984 | Sabre Fabrications British Pre’80 FF2000 Championship | David Jacklin | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1984 | Flint Motor Engineers FF2000 Championship | Martin Wood | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1985 | Sabre Fabrications British Pre’80 FF2000 Championship | Tony Halliwell | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1986 | Phoenix Banner-Towing Pre’81 FF2000 Championship | Peter Boutwood | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1986 | Flint Motor Engineers FF2000 Championship | Peter Ware | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1987 | Universal Racing Services Pre’82 FF2000 Championship | David Jacklin | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1995 | URS Pre-'83 FF2000 (Pre ’81 class) | Simon Loynes | Lola T580-Ford |
| 1999 | URS Classic FFord 2000 (Class B) | Eric Hoult | Lola T580-Ford |
The T580 without bodywork and Tippexed rear wing!.
T580 SIGNIFICANT RACE WINS
1978
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28th August | Brands Hatch - BRSCC | Mike Blanchet | Allied Polymer Lord's Taveners Formula Ford 2000 Championship round |
| 24th September | Mallory Park - BRSCC | Mike Blanchet | Allied Polymer Lord's Taveners Formula Ford 2000 Championship Super Round - Winner Part 1 |
| 24th September | Mallory Park - BRSCC | Mike Blanchet | Allied Polymer Lord's Taveners Formula Ford 2000 Championship Super Round - Winner on aggregate of two Parts |
| 22nd October | Snetterton - BRSCC | Mike Blanchet | Allied Polymer Lord's Taveners Formula Ford 2000 Championship Super Round |
| 11th November | Thruxton - BARC | Mike Blanchet | Plastic Padding Formula Ford 2000 race |
1979
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th April | Brands Hatch | Peter Morgan | BARC Ford 2000 Championship Race |
| 3rd June | Mallory Park - BARC | Peter Morgan | Computacar Ford 2000 Championship Race |
| 29th July | Oulton Park - BRSCC | Peter Morgan | Computacar Ford 2000 Championship Race |
| 14th October | Mallory Park - BARC | Ray Edge | Formula Ford 2000 Qualification Race |
1980
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th March | Nürburgring | Maarten Hennemann | Opening round of EFDA Formula Ford 2000 Euroseries |
| 14th September | Snetterton BRSCC | Rob Cooper | Round of the Motorcraft FF2000 Chsampionship |
| 14th September | Ingliston - SMRC | Keith Lawrence | Round of the Calor Transport Clubmans Register Class B Championship and Sports 2000 Cars - First Overall and Winner Sports 2000 Cars |
| 5th October | Lydden Hill | Norman Paine | Formule Libre |
1981
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th March | Thruxton - BARC | Ian Briggs | Round of the Pace British FF2000 Championship |
| 28th March | Oulton Park - BARC | Ian Briggs | Round of the Pace British FF2000 Championship |
| 28th June | Zandvoort | Huub Vermeulen | Golden Lion FF2000 Euroseries |
| 6th September | Lydden Hill - BARC | Nick Cole | Formule Libre |
| 25th October | Lydden Hill - Astra MC | Nick Cole | Round of the Cinque Ports Flying Club Libre Championship |
1982
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th April | Lydden Hill - Astra MC | Tony Davies | Round of the Lydden Formule Libre Championship |
1983
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29th May | Oulton Park - BRSCC (NC) | Richard Peacock | Round of the BRSCC Northern FF2000 Championship |
1984
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th March | Donington - BARC | Martin Wood | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 27th May | Snetterton - BARC | David Jacklin | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 3rd June | Lydden Hill - Astra MC | Martin Wood | Round of the Flint Motor Engineers Pre '82 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 10th June | Lydden Hill - 750 MC | Martin Wood | Round of the Flint Motor Engineers Pre '82 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 17th June | Lydden Hill - BARC | Martin Wood | Round of the Flint Motor Engineers Pre '82 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 24th June | Cadwell Park - BARC | Martin Wood | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 8th July | Thruxton - BARC | David Jacklin | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 15th July | Lydden Hill -Astra MC | David Jacklin | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 5th August | Lydden - BARC | Tony Halliwell | Round of the Flint Motor Engineers Pre '82 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 5th August | Lydden Hill - BARC | Peter Boutwood | BARC Formula Libre |
| 19th August | Lydden Hill - 750 MC | Martin Wood | Round of the Flint Motor Engineers Pre '82 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 26th August | Snetterton - BARC | David Jacklin | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 8th September | Oulton Park - BARC | David Jacklin | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
1985
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24th March | Snetteerton - BARC | Peter Boutwood | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 24th April | Lydden Hill - BARC (L&HC) | Peter Boutwood | Round of the Lydden Libre Championship |
| 28th April | Brands Hatch - BARC | Tony Halliwell | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 26th May | Snetterton - BARC | Tony Halliwell | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 17th June | Lydden Hill - BARC | Peter Boutwood | Lydden/BARC Formula Libre |
| 14th July | Lydden Hill - BARC (L&HC) | Peter Boutwood | Round of the Flint Motor Engineers Pre '82 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 26th August | Thruxton - BARC | Peter Boutwood | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre '80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship and Monoposto A - First Overall and winner FF2000 Class |
| 1st September | Snetterton - BARC | Tony Halliwell | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
| 7th September | Oulton Park - BARC (NW) | Tony Halliwell | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre' 80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship and BARC (NW) FF2000 Challenge |
| 20th October | Snetterton - BARC | Peter Boutwood | Round of the Sabre Fabrications Pre '80 Formula Ford 2000 Championship |
1986
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21st September | Thruxton – BARC | Peter Boutwood | Round of the Phoenix Banner Towing Pre '81 FF2000 Championship |
1987
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th April | Brands Hatch GP Circuit - BARC | Nick Owen | Round of the Universal Racing Services Pre '82 FF2000 Championship |
| 10th May | Brands Hatch - BHRC | Seamus Doyle | Round of the F4 Class B FF2000 Championship |
1988
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd July | Brands Hatch - BARC | Seamus Doyle | Round of the F4 Class B FF2000 Championship |
1992
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16th April | Brands Hatch | Tim Jones | Universal Racing Services Pre-'83 FF2000 Championship - Winner Class B |
2000
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17th-18th June | Croix-en-Ternois - HSCC Meeting | Seamus Doyle | Derek Bell Trophy - Class D FF2000 winner |
2008
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th-11th May | Silverstone - HSCC | Russel Love | Historic FF 2000 |
The works Lola of Mike Blanchet
2010
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15th May | Silverstone - HSCC Meeeting | Neil Fowler | Specsavers Historic FF2000 - Race 1 - First overall and Winner Class A |
2011
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th August | Croft - Nostalgia Weekend | Andrew Huxtable | Historic F Ford 2000 - First Overall and Winner Class A |
| 7th August | Croft - Nostalgia Weekend | Andrew Huxtable | Derek Bell Trophy - Race 1 - Winner Class G |
| 7th August | Croft - Nostalgia Weekend | Andrew Huxtable | Derek Bell Trophy - Race 2 - Winner Class G |
| 29th August | Oulton Park - Gold Cup | Andrew Huxtable | Derek Bell Trophy - Race 2 - Winner Class G |
2017
DATE |
VENUE/MEETING |
DRIVER |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21st May | Silverstone - International Trophy | Jeremy Caine | HSCC Classic Formula 3 supported by MB Racing Wheels Inc. URS Classic FF2000 - Race 1 - Winner URB Class |
| 6th August | Croft 'Nostalgia Festival' Historic Race Meeting | Anthony Denham | HSCC Historic Formula Ford 2000 with Lackford Engineering Inc. URS Classic FF2000 - Race 2 - Winner Class B |
| 23rd September | Snetterton 200 Historic Race Meeting | Jeremy Caine | HSCC Historic Formula Ford 2000 with Lackford Engineering Inc. URS Classic FF2000 - Race 2 - Winner Class B |
The prototype T580, note the differing bodywork to the production cars.
The prototype featured a narrow nose and adjustable wings.
Celebratory advert from Lola in Autosport magazine.
Export Document for the first T580.