Fuel filler clue to Clark's Zandvoort winner

A unique fuel filler is thought to have identified the monocoque of a Lotus 49B as R2, the car in which Jim Clark won the 1967 Dutch GP, scoring the famous debut victory for Ford’s 3-litre Cosworth DFV engine.

Owner Pete Lovely, the American ex-Team Lotus driver who bought it from Colin Chapman in 1969, believing it to be the R5 chassis raced by Graham Hill and Mario Andretti, had it renumbered R11 following modifications by the factory.

The exposed filler cap was a feature of chassis R1 and R2 only. For subsequent cars (and R1, rebuilt after it was crashed by Hill at Silverstone in ’67) it was covered by a panel. This and holes drilled drilled for a throttle bell crank to Clark’s preference give it away, and were confirmed by his mechanic Allan McCall at the Watkins Glen F1 reunion.

British researcher, Michael Oliver, whose book on 49s is due out next year, is convinced by the evidence. Classic Team Lotus’ Clive Chapman would not comment on the matter.