Named “Lolette” — “Lo” for Lola (Eric’s wife) and “Ette” inspired by the Chevrolet Corvette.
Eric built the Lolette to compete in South African sports car racing. It made its debut at Kyalami in 1962
The chassis was a Protea chassis, number 14 or 15, built by John Meys for his short production run using Ford Anglia components. Originally, the Lolette was fitted with a Studebaker three-speed gearbox and a De Dion rear axle. The car proved to be highly competitive in its day.
So much so, that in 1963/64 Eric and Lola took the Lolette to the UK, campaigning it in open form while touring and racing at circuits such as Brands Hatch, Snetterton, and Oulton Park. Towards early 1964, the car was returned from UK competition and entered into the South African 9 Hour race with Frank Randel as co-driver. By then, the Lolette had been converted to coupé form and, from the rear, was particularly good-looking. It was also upgraded with a four-speed gearbox and a Jaguar transaxle. Although the car finished the race, it was well down the order due to electrical issues during the night hours.
Over time, the Lolette was continuously modified—often in an undignified manner—and earned a reputation as the “ugly duckling” of racing. Eventually, it ended up being used as a dragster before being rediscovered by Peter du Toit in the 1980s. Peter rebuilt the car and raced it successfully at Zwartkops and other circuits. While spectacular, it was never well suited to ultra-fast tracks like Kyalami or Welkom.
In the mid-1990s, Peter suffered a serious accident at Midvaal, giving him the fright of his life. The car then took 16 years to rebuild. Today, the Lolette once again resembles its original character. It remains a dangerous racer—boasting plenty of power, but always ready to surprise when pushed to the limit.
