Chris Meek & the most winning Lotus ever!...Was a Europa!

[Lou Drozdowski]

Look this guy up..I gather he's about 77 years old by now...

I will start by only touching briefly on his racing the Europa since he has had vast experience in other categories. The story goes that early on he hooked up with the Lotus dealer network in the UK. By chance, Colin Chapman got him two Europa's to race. Meek's Lotus Europas dominated British sport car racing from 1975 to 1977.  His 1976 record is still unmatched !

30 races, 28 wins, 1- 2nd & a 3rd ...17 lap records !

To the best of my knowledge he still has the original ( pictured below ) and the spare ( black) ropa went to auction recently having been exported to Denmark in 78.

[EuropaTC]

I remember that guy, in fact for many years I had an A3 poster of him driving a green/yellow Europa on the wall long before I bought my car.   Unfortunately it wasn't on heavy paper and eventually got torn, so it probably went in the bin at some point.  For some reason I seem to think he was racing the Europa for several years after it finished production before moving on to other cars.

IIRC he was involved with saving Mallory Park, a UK racing circuit, at some point but I've no idea what he's doing now, or even if he's still around.

Brian

[Mecky]

Wow, I'm deeply impressed. I would like to know, how close this Europa was to stock conditions.
Or maybe did he modify the whole suspension or frame or....

Do you know, whether this man available by E-Mail?

[EuropaTC]

My curiosity has been prodded by this thread, so I did a bit of research and think the guy is still around. His company was Titan Properties and he lived in Leeds in the 80s, and a quick scan of company records brings up one Christopher Meek of Leeds who is still a director with Titan.

http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/director/4649603/christopher-meek

According to this info the guy is 80, which is about right I guess. I never knew the guy but he was talked about in Club Lotus circles and that's how I came by the poster I mentioned. Apparently he was a bit of a character and definitely fitted the swinging 60s/70s image. When he took objection to a road tester's report on a Ferrari he took his own car out on our M1 motorway and proved that it really would do 190mph. The speed limit then, as now, was 70mph.......   

For anyone interested I've included a scan which was printed in Octane, it became a poster and I wonder if he ended up in court because of it ? Somehow I doubt it....

[Bainford]

Brian, that is a fantastic story. The poster itself would be neat to have as well. This reminds me of the video that used to be available through motorsport book retailers, of some chap driving his Ferrari through France at crazy speeds. This was pre-internet, when the viewing of such things was still a novel experience, and the unsanctioned event, about 12 minutes long or so, was shot from the view through the windscreen. It was quite popular at the time, and I believe after its release the film maker was arrested by French police and charged.

[LotusJoe]

Trevor you are thinking of "Rendezvous" by Claude Lelouch. A 12 minute short shot in the early morning hours in Paris. I have had various forms of this film since the early 80s. It is avaliable on DVD from Spirit Level Films.

Here is the link
http://muvi.es/w2480

[Bainford]

Cheers Joe. I've never actually seen the film and have been wanting to check it out.

[buzzer]

Guys

I have the black spare car pictured and brought it back from Denmark into the UK . The picture you have shown is of it in Denmark after it was converted to left hand drive. Which I am now converting back to right hand drive. I think Chris Meek only raced the spare car once.  It is in the lotus europa book page page 24 being raced prior to Chris meek owning it
The car has been stripped for years and requires a lot of work. I am  trying to find as much info on it as I can to restore it to the spec it race originally in the 70's in the UK. It was built feb 73, original colour black. So any help advice will be welcome!

Dave

[buzzer]

 And a picture of the car. Well part of the car as it was last week.

[Roger]

RIP. I have just read that Chris Meek has passed away. Very sad.

[EuropaTC]

I never met the guy and only knew him by reputation from Club Lotus events. Very sad, end of an era stuff really.

http://www.brdc.co.uk/Notice-of-Death---Chris-Meek

[EuropatcSPECIAL]

Sad loss, he was legendary in the 70's with that Europa

[StrawberryCheesecake]

From what I understand, Mr Meek lived a full and interesting life... and he still managed to live to 80. Well done, sir!