Scandinavian Period History
1961 Lotus 20 Formula Junior
1961 Lotus 20 — one of the benchmark Formula Junior designs of the early 1960s.
Chassis 20-J-905, delivered new to Sweden and campaigned in period across Scandinavia.
Fully restored in 2006 with chassis work by Peter Denty and a correct 1,100cc Cosworth MAE engine by Richardson.
Proven historic racer with recent ownership including Andy Prill and Martin Halusa, and recent preparation by Hall & Hall.
Eligible for premier Formula Junior competition including the FIA Lurani Trophy, FJHRA events and upcoming Goodwood Revival Chichester Cup.
A well-sorted and competitive entry into historic single-seater racing, with the potential to a class-winning car in capable hands.
Price: £59,995
Chassis Number: 20-J-905
The Lotus 20
With the entry-level Formula Junior category growing in popularity at the dawn of the 1960s, Lotus created its purpose-built Type 20 in response to the intensifying competition from Cooper, Lola and Elva.
Introduced for the 1961 season and first shown at January’s Racing Car Show in London the 20 represented a clear step on from the multi-purpose Type 18 that had carried the works effort in Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula Junior the previous year.
Far more advanced than its predecessor, the 20 featured a lighter and more rigid tubular space frame chassis while its notably lower, sleeker bodywork reduced frontal area and improved aerodynamic efficiency.
The driving position was more reclined, further lowering its centre of gravit, while refined suspension geometry gave the car greater composure through fast corners. Braking was handled by drums at all four corners, with power most commonly coming courtesy of the ‘MAE’ Cosworth-fettled 105E unit derived from the humble Ford Anglia saloon, producing around 100 bhp in period.
The Lotus 20 quickly established itself as the car to beat in 1961. Team Lotus works driver Trevor Taylor and Peter Arundell were particularly successful, win Ning fifteen races between them across the season, with Taylor’s form securing the Motor Racing British Formula Junior Championship.
Arundell’s standout successes included victory in the Formula Junior race held on the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix, showcasing the 20’s competitiveness on one of motor racing’s most prestigious stages. The car’s effectiveness was equally evident in the hands of capable privateers, with drivers such as Jo Siffert scoring numerous wins in independently run machines.
Such success ensured the Loptus 20’s place at the forefront of Forumla Junior during one of its most competitive periods, while also enforcing Lotus’s reputation for producing accessible yet highly effective customer racing cars. Its influence would carry forward into later designs, most notably the Louts 22, but the 20 remains emblematic of Chapman’s philosophy: light, simple and ruthlessly efficient.
This car, 20-J-905
Chassis 20-J-905 was delivered new to Sweedish driver Jouko Nordell, and it understood to have subsequently campaigned in Scandinavia throughout the early 1960s. Period ownership subsequently passed through a number of Finnish and Swedish hands, including Rouno Virtanen, Raimo Rinne, Lars Widenberg and Åke Axelsson, reflecting the popularity of Formula Junior in Scandinavia during that time.
BY the early 1980s the car was in Finland, at which point it is believed to have run with a modified 1600cc engine before later being returned to its original specification.
The car was later brought to the UK where it passed through Xanthos Cars before being acquired by Dr Mark Green. Purchased by John Boyes in 2006, it was comprehensively restored with chassis work by Peter Denty, and rebuilt with a correct 1100cc Cosworth MAE engine built by Richardson, Hewland gearbox and correct drum brake configuration.
Raced in historic Formula Junior, it was subsequently owned by Porsche specialist Andy Prill from 2012, before passing to Martin Halusa in 2015 who campaigned it across Europe alongside his sons. The current owner acquired 20-J-905 in 2020, with preparation entrusted to Hall & Hall; the car has since appeared electively, including in the prestigious Chichester Cup at Goodwood Revival, and was last run in 2023.
Today, 20-J-905 is eligible for the finest Formula Junior grids (upon renewal of its FIA HTP), including the FIA Lurani Trophy and Formula Junior Historic Racing Association (FJHRA) events, as well as invitation events such as the Goodwood Revival’s upcoming Chichester Cup. Chassis 20-J-905 represents an appealing entry point into top-level historic single-seat racing, while also being a potential class-winner in the right hands.
Get in touch to find out more
Please feel free to get in touch and I’ll be happy to discuss the car with you.
Either fill in the form to the right or call on 0044 (0) 7535 148 470.