The T550, Lola's 1977 Formula Two design, is arguably the company's least successful model with regard to what it was designed for, the record: 'One Did Not Start' and three 'Did Not Arrives'. It followed on from the, almost as unsuccessful previous Formula Two model, the 1976
T450.
There are no details of the T550 design in the Lola Archives but photographs indicate the tub was the same as the
T450 with some changes to the suspension. It is likely that these changes were the same as those between the
T460 and the
T560 Formula Atlantic models, (more details can be found on the
T560 page). Additionally the chassis was significantly lighter by some 130lbs (59kgs).
The T550's one and only Formula Two race appearance was at the 1977 Silverstone International Trophy where it qualified nineteenth out of twenty-six cars but did not start as it blew both of its Holbay-tuned Abarth engines in the two days of practice. Comparing the picture of Marazzi above and the display car below (which shows the same tub design as the
T450) it appears the car at Silverstone was trying some new sidepods while David Render's car (see the text below) has a different design again with brushes on the bottom to give an element of ground effect.
The T550 did salvage its reputation somewhat when the car was sold to Allan Humphries who took a class win at the Brighton Speed Tials in 1979 and then to David Render who used it for several years in the British Sprint Championship. Initially, it continued to use the Abarth engine taking two victories and two class win until, in 1983, David fitted a 2.8 litre Hart engine and he took two more class wins as well as numerous second and thirds until he retired HU2 at the end of 1985.
The reason for the one and only T550 having the chassis number HU2 is that it appears that the car was originally constructed as one of the two
T560 Formula Atlantic cars built and then converted to Formula Two specification and renamed as a T550 by Lola. It was then fitted with a 2.8 litre Hart engine by David Render and entered in competitions as a T560.
For details of the individual chassis histories please visit OldRacingCars HERE.
Year(s) of Construction: 1977
Total Built: 1