1970 Lola T190 Formula 5000

History

OldRacingCars.com reports the history of this car, chassis number 190/F1/8, as the ex-Eric Haga Lola T190. Haga raced the car 11 times in the U.S. Pro Series in 1970. He finished in the top 10 six times, with a best finish of 6th against the likes of future champions Mark Donohue, David Hobbs, John Cannon, George Follmer and more. 

At the end of the season, Haga traded the T190 in for a T192. It appears the T190 next went to Don Baker in Southern California. Baker raced it there in local SCCA races in 1971. In 1974, Jim Gustafson purchased a modified T190 from Baker that included a T192 front radiator and low nose. Gustofson raced the Lola to 8th place in the SCCA Southern Pacific Division. He also competed in the SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship that season at the Ontario and Riverside rounds, but failed to qualify in those fields of over 40 cars including the likes of Mario Andretti, James Hunt, Brian Redman, Derek Warwick, Al Unser, Sam Posey, Graham McRae, and more.

Chassis 190/F1/8 was then advertised in February, 1975, and was purchased by Richard Votava, also of Southern California. The first entry in the log book, which as OldRacingCars.com points out, identifies the car as 190/F1/8, is dated February, 1976. Troy Milken drove the Lola in a driver’s school later that same month. (Can you imagine driving a Formula 5000 car driver’s school?!?) Votava continued to race the car in the SCCA Southern Pacific Division from 1976 through 1979.

From there OldRacingCars.com reports the following: “Marshall Tarnow Mar 1980 – Alan Sevadjain (owned with Don Johnstone) and raced at Texas in 1981 – Larry C. Clain (Tulsa, OK) and raced at RIR (Riverside International Raceway) and elsewhere 1982 – Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) 1984 – Chip Boatright (Illinois) 2006. Sold back to original driver Eric Haga (Renton, WA) for historic racing. Shipped to New Zealand for the 2011/12 Tasman Revival series. Returned to New Zealand for the 2012/13 series, but wrecked at Teretonga Park in February 2013. Tony Garmey built a new monocoque for the car, but it was still incomplete when Haga died in November 2021.

Driven by: Eric Haga, Jim Gustafson and Richard Votava. First race: Riverside (US R1), 19 Apr 1970. Total of 18 recorded races.”

After the accident at Teretonga Park in 2013, Haga began collecting parts to restore the car. He had a new tub built and had what is believed to be a second full set of cut and pre bent panels sufficient to build a second tub. New magnesium uprights were acquired. A new CV axle conversion was done including new output stub axles and hub stub axles. A brand new Hewland DG 300 case was obtained and installed, among many other new components.  

Before work on the Lola was completed, Eric passed away. The Lola was then purchased from his estate by the current owner in 2022. The restoration was completed over the next year. 

The Lola was track tested in July 2023. All systems performed well. Additional runs will be needed by the new owner to sufficiently break in all the new bits, and to do a final setup to the new driver’s liking. 

As an historic note, the Lola originally ran with the high rear wing used in the late 1960’s and into early 1970. When the high wings were banned, the Lola’s rear wing was converted to the newer low rear wing style. The car comes with mounts for both the original high wing, and also the low wing configuration.

To see the car running in historic Formula 5000 in its high wing configuration, please refer to the April, 2012, interview with Eric Haga. You can see another few vintage race laps with Eric and the Lola in 2011 at Hampton Downs in New Zealand.

You can also see a recent short video clip of the Lola doing a braking and acceleration run during its track test in July, 2023.

To see a period movie about the 1970 L&M Continental Championship F5000 season, please go to “For Love & Money”. If you look closely, you can see Eric and the Lola in multiple scenes, including going off course at approximately 12 minutes and 20 seconds with Dick Smothers watching!

Description

For an in depth description of the Lola after Eric repurchased it in 2008 and restored it, please refer to the excellent article by BritishRacecar.com. Post-restoration Eric raced the car until having the accident with it in 2013. Since then, the following has been done to the car.

New Tub

New 15 gal right side fuel cell installed, new left hand cell provided.

Rebuilt calipers, new master cylinders, (spares provided)

Freshly rebuilt and dyno tested Koni double adjustable shocks with dyno sheets provided

New fire system

Engine:

Freshened by Ted Wenz

New Rings, Bearings, Valve Springs, Roller Followers.

7/16 stud mount Roller Rockers

Legal 305 cu in displacement 3.0″ stroke x 4.030″ bore

6 inch Crower rods, CP pistons

Ported Brodix Trac 1 heads

Period correct Vertex Magneto

Period correct Hilborn Fuel Injection, fitted with Kinsler bleeds and Vapor separator 

The engine has less than 20 laps on it. 

Gearbox: Hewland DG300

New case

All new internal bearings

New CV output shafts

Rebuilt by Chris Schneider

Less than 20 laps

All four magnesium uprights are new, fitted with new bearings. One new front upright was  damaged in shipping but has since been repaired to spec, installed, and tested. 

Spares:

3 front lower a arms

1 front upright

Multiple new spherical A-arm joints

Pair of new cv output hubs

New CNC wing ribs to fabricate  additional period wing

New cut and bent tub panels

Roll bar assembly 

Lower engine bay brace assembly

High wing strut mounts

Radiator

Steering rack housing and rack

1 Front wheel

1 Rear wheel

A large assortment of good used suspension parts

The new tub has been fitted with the Lola’s original chassis tag. Photos available upon request.

The car comes with log books dated 1974 and 1976

The Lola T190, Lola’s first monocoque F5000, began what was to become a long successful run of cars, race wins, and championships in Formula 5000. The T190 began claiming victories  right from the start in 1970 with Ron Grable winning at Edmonton in just the second race of the season. He would follow that up with another victory at Laguna Seca on his way to finishing 5th in the L&M Continental Championship.

In the meantime, Mike Hailwood and Frank Gardner were both winning with their Lola T190’s in the 1970 Guards Formula 5000 Championship. Hailwood won at the Salzburgring, and Gardner followed that up with a win at Thruxton and again at Silverstone. Hailwood captured 2nd at Snetterton, and Gardner took 2nd at Hockenheim and Oulton Park. Gardner would finish 3rd in the Championship and Hailwood 4th. 

This ex-Eric Haga T190 is one of the few F5000 cars that ran with both the high and low wing setups. As such it can run with either setup in historic racing. The high wing cars are super rare and huge crowd pleasers if you choose to go that direction with it.

This T190 is also an excellent and capable candidate to win the Formula 5000 Driver’s Association Class A Championship (pre-1972 cars). Its new tub, fresh engine and fresh gearbox gearbox were just track tested by one of the best in the business. All it needs is your final setup.

This ex-Eric Haga T190 is also genuine, the real deal. Haga raced it in period, bought it back, and raced it again in vintage races from the U.S. to New Zealand. It still retains its original chassis tag. 

If you have been looking for an opportunity to get into F5000 in a great, authentic, competitive Formula 5000 car, and at a bargain price, this is it. The work has been done. It is fresh. It just needs someone to put it on the grid and be part of the latest renaissance in Historic Formula 5000 Racing.

The Lola is currently located in Georgia. We can help with shipping domestically and worldwide.

All vehicle descriptions are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Corrections, and supplemental information, are always welcome. Buyers are responsible for confirming vehicle histories, condition, and authenticity to their own satisfaction prior to purchase. Motorsports Market is not the owner of the vehicle and assumes no liability for errors and omissions.

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