Chassis no: SL70/7
Traco Chevrolet engine
LG500/6 gearbox
Built as a tub only, as a replacement for SL70/4 to Stirling Moss Auto Racing Team (SMART) for BOAC pilot Hugh Dibley on 13th April 1965. Repainted in SMART colors (Light Green with Dark Green racing stripe) during 1965 race season.
Hugh Dibley raced this T70 both in the U.K. and America in 1965 and 1966. After this, he loaned the car to Scooter Patrick for a race and then sold it to the Smothers Brothers for Hugh Powell to drive. SL70/7 then only had 2 subsequent owners in the USA during a period of more than 30 years(!) after which the car came back to Europe in 2004 where it is currently being restored using its original tub and all original mechanicals.
19th April: Easter Monday Goodwood, Lavant Cup: Hugh Dibley, #33; 4th.
15th May: Silverstone International Trophy: Hugh Dibley, #22; 2nd.
6th June: Player's 200, Mosport Park: Hugh Dibley, #5; Qualified 8th, DNF.
Dibley was lying 2nd and catching John Surtees when – with 3 laps to go – he was forced off the road by a Lotus 19…which he thought would not pull out in front of him despite having done so every time before!
Car repainted in “SMART” colors (light pea green with dark green stripe).
12th July: Silverstone F1 Grand Prix Support Race (Senior Service - 25 laps): Hugh Dibley; DNF when the engine blew.
“At the F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone on 12th July 1965 we qualified fastest and I think would have been on the second row of the Grand Prix. Then the Traco engine blew and was irreparable - what really hurt was that this also jettisoned £500 Import Duty, eg about 10% of the value of the car. I did not have the funds for another Traco so on a BOAC trip to Montreal I bought a less potent Chevy from a friendly dealer. So the rest of the season could not be to the same standard !” (H.P.K. Dibley – November 2005)
24th July: Martini Trophy at Silverstone: Hugh Dibley; Race Result - DNF. Gearbox split when 2nd at 29 laps.
9th August: Brands Hatch, 10 laps: Hugh Dibley; Race Result - DNS car not ready.
15th August: Croft. Daily Mirror Trophy Race, 40 laps: Hugh Dibley; Race Result - DNF. Gear-selector problems.
30th August: Brands Hatch. Guards International Trophy: Hugh Dibley; Race Result - DNF. Broken Piston.
Having shipped the car to the USA, Dibley picked up the car at Friendly Chevrolet, San Bernardino, CA and installed the engine from Tony Sargent’s crashed T70.
19th September: Mont Tremblant-St. Jovite. Players Quebec Trophy: Hugh Dibley; Race Result - DNF. Blown head gasket.
10th October: Pacific Northwest G.P. Hugh Dibley; #69; Race Result - DNF.
30th October: Riverside Times G.P: Hugh Dibley; #69; Race Result - 7th.
22nd April: For sale in "Autosport": £3,400 with 5.5 Chevrolet engine - £3,600 with 6.2 Chevrolet engine.
24th September: Can-Am round 3: Mosport Park. Hugh Dibley, Grid Position 30th (determined by Qualifying Race). Race Result - 7th.
9th October: Kent: Hugh Dibley; Race Result - 18th.
16th October: Can-Am round 4: Laguna Seca. Hugh Dibley; Qualified - 20th. Race Result - 10th.
Loaned to Scooter Patrick (U.S.A.)
30th October: Can-Am round 5: L.A. Times G.P. Riverside. Scooter Patrick, #53. Qualified - 24th. Race Result - DNF. Broken Gearbox.
13th November: Can-Am round 6: Stardust Grand Prix, Las Vegas. Hugh Dibley, Qualified - 24th (determined by finishing 5th in Consolation Race). Race Result - DNF. Broken left wishbone.
Sold by Bob Winkelman to Hugh Powell with the Smothers Brothers.
3rd September: Can-Am round 1: Road America 200, Elkhart Lake: Hugh Powell; Race Result - DNS. Broken oil line.
17th September: Can-Am round 2: Bridgehampton: Hugh Powell; Qualified - 31st. Race Result - DNS.
15th October: Can-Am round 4. Monterey G.P. Laguna Seca. Hugh Powell, #24; Qualified - 30th. Race Result - DNF.
29th October: Can-Am round 5. Los Angeles G.P. Riverside. Hugh Powell, #24; Qualified - 35th. Race Result - DNF. Dragging nose section.
12th November: Can-Am round 6. Stardust G.P. Las Vegas. Hugh Powell, #24; Qualified - 26th. Race Result - Crashed in first lap "coming together". DNF.
At the end of the 1967 season Powell sold the car to his friend Tony Settember.
28th April: USRRC Riverside: Tony Settember - 13th. Race Result - 10th.
5th May: URSCC Laguna Seca: Tony Settember; Race Result - DNF. Gearbox.
30th June: URSCC Pacific Raceways, Kent: Tony Settember; Race Result - DNF.
13th October: Can-Am round 4: Laguna Seca: Tony Settember; #76; Qualified - 13th. Race Result - 14th.
27th October: Can-Am round 5: Riverside: Tony Settember; #76; Qualified - 18th. Race Result - DNF. Broken Wheel.
10th November: Can-Am round 6: Las Vegas: Tony Settember; #76; Qualified - 18th. Race Result - DNF. Blown Engine.
SL70/7 was used in the making of the film "The Challengers" (1st CBS movie) which was broadcasted on Februari 20th, 1970. During the filming, the nose of SL70-7 got damaged. After the filming, the car was sold to John McGuire (Hemmit, CA) for USD 3,000. He was a paraplegic who tried to modify the car for hand controls. Car stored in a barn.
In 1974, McGuire gave the car to his brother-in-law Jim Schield (Ponoma, CA) who owned it for eleven years.
Sold by Jim Schield to Phil Schmidt of Californa.
When Jim collected the car, a tree which had grown up in front of the barn where the car was stored had to be cut down to remove it and black widow spiders were in the car!
The car was then restored to 1968 specification and had Mark 3B front from Dan Gurney's shop and rear bodywork from George Follmer's Mark 2 Spyder which was crashed at Riverside in 1968. 9 inch front and 16 inch wide Halibrand wheels were fitted.
Phil Schmidt has raced the car in various vintage events for over 3,000 miles.
After almost 20 years of ownership by Phil Schmidt, the car was sold to its current Belgian owner. Upon its arrival in Europe, the car was inspected by Lola specialist Clive Robinson who proclaimed it to be the most original and correct T70 Mk1 he has ever seen.
The car is now being fully restored to its original specification and in the original Lola “green with dark green stripe” livery as raced early on in 1965. The restoration will refresh the car’s mechanicals while preserving all its original components, including the chassis and the car will make its re-appearance on the European historic racing scene after an absence of 40 years!
