Lap 06 - The "Blotus" (Buick powered Lotus 15)

The 2 litre Climax engine in the 15, like any race-bred, performance tuned engine, was a needy engine, requiring continual maintenance and spares which were not easily obtained in the States. With the newly available all aluminum Buick V8 3.5 liter to tempt him, its 100 extra horsepower, equal weight, and over-the-counter parts availability, Sy pondered whether or not to depend on the Climax motor one more season.

Sy decided to take advantage of the new V8. Of course some modification to the 15 was carried out at this point as the engine did take more space in the engine bay than did the Climax, and also required a larger radiator to keep it cool. The modification to the bonnet of the 15 can be seen in the accompanying photo. Sy won his first race out with the car at Vineland New Jersey, but with the already small driver's footwell minimized to fit the new, larger engine and transmission, Sy was not able to wear his usual driving shoes. Sy dutifully taped his socks so they would stay on his feet, but socks and tape alone were not enough to prevent third degree burns to his feet which he noticed only after successfully completing the race!

"...It made the engine hood stick out -- bloating."

The "Blotus" became Sy's favorite race car. It was the Lotus 15 "into which we forced a Buick engine. It made the engine hood stick out -- bloating." It was with this car, both in Climax and in Buick guise that Sy had great success, perhaps prompting him to pursue the relationship with Lotus which became known as Grand Prix Imported Cars.

Marlborough (?) SCCA event July 22-23, 1961

Buick power photographer unknown

The End of the Blotus photo: Dick Poe SCCA Sports Car Oct. 1961

The October 1961 edition of the SCCA magazine "Sports Car" reported that on Sep. 4, 1961, at Thompson Raceway in Connecticut:

There were some frightening moments when Sy Kaback's Buick-powered Lotus XV froze up and flipped violently just past the pit area. But in spite of the fact that the car wound up in three pieces, Sy hopped out without a scratch, his only comment being: 'It's a ______ of a sensation."

In 1960 Sy also raced an OSCA Maserati 1000cc Formula Junior car purchased from Italian importer Luigi Chinetti, but took no victories. The car was a gorgeous piece of Italian engineering, but the era of the front engined FJ car was coming to an end end. Sy also raced an 1100 cc Lotus 15 at this time, but without significant success.