Harindra de Silva became the new owner of BRJ20 in 2015.
Previous owner Brendan Roberts was able to trace the complete history of the car and he recounts the details below.
The car was sold new by Lola to Helmut Fabian in Switzerland and the first race record I can find is June 1961 at Monza. The car has a documented ownership trail from new, all 5 owners being Swiss and the last owner - Hans Matti - acquired the car in 1978 and raced until 1982 when he garaged the car following a gearbox failure at the Nürburgring. He did not want to change the gearbox or alter the originality of the car and he told me that at the time the racing was getting more and more competitive with other cars fitting Ford gearboxes which required alteration to the chassis tubes around the gearbox fitting. The car stayed garaged and unused with a broken gearbox until I bought the car in March 2007.
Ownership History
1960 - Helmut Fabian - imported to Switzerland on 19th September 1960.
1962-63 Willy Franz of Zurich.
1964-65 Edwin Eckert of Windisch.
1966-77 Heinrich Saredi of Kussnacht.
1978-2007 Hans Matti of Rolle.
2007-2014 Simon Goodliff.
The car is complete with the original sales invoice from Lola Cars, the Swiss carnet and correspondence with Lola in 1961 regarding set up.
Lola Mk2 Chassis No: BRJ-20
Helmut Fabian
On 29th June 1961 the car is entered for the Grand Premio della Lotteria at Monza, Pista Junior Autodromodi Monza and listed as a DNF after 1 lap. Position 22, car no 71, Helmut Fabian, entered by H. Fabian. (F2 Register)
On 30th July 1961 the car is entered for the Bergrekord Freiberg – Round 7 of the Deutsche Meisterschaft– at Freiburg Schauisland (11.189km), and finished 10th driven by Helmut Fabian and entered by H. Fabian.(Team Dan-German FJ Championships).
On 3rd September 1961 the car is entered at Sachsenringrennen and listed in the final as 16. Helmut Fabian, entered by H Fabian. (Team Dan-German FJ Ch’ships).
This is also recorded by the F2 register as a DNA at Sachsenringrennen on Sept 3rd 1961.
