Lotus 34 Indianapolis Race Car

Constructor:	Lotus
Class	Race Car
Years:	1964 to 1965
Designer:	Colin Chapman
Engine:	V8 Ford

The Lotus 34 was a single-seat racing car, which in 1964 Lotus built for the 500-mile race at Indianapolis was developed and used by 1965 in the USAC series.

History

The 1964 Indianapolis car with detail improvements and powered by the Ford engine with twin overhead cam-shafts per bank of cylinders. 

1964 was the second year of the three-year contract between Lotus and Ford, which defined the cooperation between the British motorsport team and the US auto company. It was also the second year of the sometimes-problematic collaboration between Colin Chapman and Len Terry. Terry had developed the Lotus 29 last year, with Jim Clark in Indianapolis reached second place and felt often hampered in his work by Chapman. While Terry had a lot of time developing the Lotus 29, working on the new Indy car had to be quick. Terry therefore developed the 29 further and improved this in some places. The most significant change was the engine. Ford had developed an aggregate with four overhead camshafts, with a Hilborn Travern gasoline injection and low weight. The 4.1-liter V8 engine made 410 hp.

At the 500-mile race, alongside Jim Clark, Dan Gurney drove the second 34. Originally, AJ Foyt was to drive a third car; because of contractual issues - Foyt had a contract with the tire supplier Firestone, while Lotus was contractually bound to Dunlop - this did not materialize. Clark qualified 34 in pole position while Gurney started from the second row.

Clark took the lead and kept it until the second lap, when the exit from the Nort-West Turn was one of the most fateful and fatal accidents in Indianapolis history. As a result of a mass collision, the two American racing drivers Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald died. The race was stopped first and then stopped for 1 ½ hours. After the restart led again Clark, who failed after 47 laps with a damage to the suspension. This breakage was caused by problems with the tires, which were worn too fast and caused strong vibrations. Gurney's car was subsequently taken out of the race for safety reasons. Winner was just AJ Foyt, who drove a front-engine Thompson Offenhauser.

The only victory in 1964 scored Parnelli Jones, who triumphed at the USAC race in Milwaukee. In Indianapolis 1965 Jones and Foyt drove the 34th Foyt led the race for a long time, but had to give up. Jones finished second behind Jim Clark, who was victorious in the new Lotus 38.