That is my view at least.
Being born and brought up in the motor trade by a Lotus enthusiast father, owning our Elan in the 70’s we ‘knew’ that black badges were fitted to commemorate Jim Clark following his death at Hockenheim on the 7th of April 1968.
It came as quite a surprise on joining the internet forums almost 50 years later for me to find that this ‘knowledge’ was now in dispute…apparently due to Graham Arnold’s talks to Club Lotus meetings in which it is reported on various forums that GA told the gathering that it was simply down to a shortage of green/yellow badges and that Graham reported black was cheaper and Colin Chapman liked that… and also his 2001 position statement… 'Black Badge Baloney’… below.
‘’ I will explain at length how black badges came about. You would be right in one respect that John Berry ( Home Sales) suggested that we should do this after Jim Clark died. Martin Long Purchasing Manager , ordered six because we at that time starting down the road with John Player towards the then secret black & gold JPS deal. At the same time I was still insisting on breaking the rules and Running black cars for my own use. Colin ordered me to stop as this was not a production colour. So I loaded the line with twenty black elans with red interiors.
These all needed black badges. When John suggested the black badge to Colin he replied ‘how many of the old green and yellow do we have?’ When told it ran into thousands all talk on those lines ceased. Then we submitted an Elan for US crash testing and the old badge exploded into razor sharp shards of enamel. When the black badges were tested they were of a softer material and presented no problems. Soon all US cars had black badges and these spread across the range eventually. At NO TIME did a black badge commemorate anything- except that they were safer than green and yellow and that John Berry had hoped that we would emulate Rolls Royce after Rolls was killed.’’
I found elements of the pieces contradictory and decided to try and determine the facts using evidence already reported elsewhere in the various forums, with contemporary accounts from the recently available newspaper archives coupled with evidence from people who were at the heart of Lotus at the time.
Fortunately Hethel had a youthful workforce, and despite the events being over half a century ago, many key people are still around.
My conclusions.
-
Lotus communicated press releases in August 1968 to the news outlets, both national and provincial…From The Daily Mirror, Britain’s biggest selling national newspaper of the day… to the Scots/ Northern Irish press…now available through the online British Newspaper Archive, confirming that the black badge was to commemorate Jim Clark.
From The Lurgan Mail, August 1968, an Ulster paper
that carried many Lotus press releases. Also The Lothian Courier -
I have contacted Malcolm Ginsberg , Lotus’ Director of Press & Publicity in 1968.
Malcolm reported on motor racing for Autosport, the motor sport weekly. He caught the eye of
Colin Chapman and was invited by Lotus Cars (at the time World Motor Racing Champions) to become press officer and publicity manager. In 1973 he founded Malcolm Ginsberg Associates (MGA), public relations consultants, with Moonraker Boats (owned by Colin Chapman).
Mr Ginsberg said ‘’ the Black Badge should only be associated with Jim Clark’’. -
An already well known article by Eoin Young, from his ‘Straight from the Grid’ column in The Autocar of August 1968. Young was a close friend of Jim Clark, touring the motor racing circuit together for years.
Eoin was an invitee to Jim’s funeral, flying back from France to attend.
The photo from Young’s 1996 book ‘It Beats Working’ shows the closeness of their friendship.
Jim clowning about with Eoin’s hat at Teretonga during the 1965 Tasman series. -
Another already documented account written in 2007 by Nick Fulcher.
Nick began his career at Lotus making Graham Hill’s racing overalls, he rose to become Head of the Trim Dept on the Esprit project.
‘’I just thought you might like like to know… After the tragic death of Jim Clark, Colin Chapman was truly devastated as was the rest of the Team Lotus and Lotus Cars personnel,. Colin Chapman ordered a batch of Black & Silver Badges to put on all Formula 1 and production cars as a mark of respect to the Great Driver. This took about 2 months to happen from conception to implementation. This mark of respect was then used further with the death of Jochen Rindt and then Mr Chapman himself.
I hope that this throws some light on your queries, thoughts, myths etc.’’ -
Although a second hand account, the 2010 evidence of Mike Kimberley, former Lotus CEO should carry some weight.
‘’The Black and Silver nose badge was first used, I was told by Colin himself, to respect the death of Jimmy Clark, I didn’t join Lotus until September 1969 from Jaguar, so have to rely on what he told me. When Ronnie died in that Milano hospital, I got Colin’s OK to use it again ,out of respect to Ronnie, for production-including clothing/Accessories/Lapel pins-out,etc.
We then never stopped it as it made a good colour match for some shades of paint. It’s not cheaper to make-and is not the official Corporate Lotus Colour.
Hope this helps!!’’ -
John Berry, Lotus team driver and Lotus Home Sales Director in 1968.
After being one of those named in Graham Arnold’s ‘Black Badge Baloney’ position statement back in 2001 I contacted John for his opinion on the piece.
‘’Thanks for your question re Black Badges…
Colin and I had a close relationship. Our respective families frequently “holidayed” together, usually skiing, often chilling out in the Chapman Villa in Ibiza on the way back home to the UK.
Graham Arnolds’ version is pure imagination, a true “Arnoldism”.
I was skiing in Vilars when Jerry Juan, Swiss Lotus Dealer based in Geneva, phoned me at my hotel to tell me that Jim Clark had a fatal crash while racing.
Upon returning to Hethel, I immediately approached Colin to offer my condolences re Jim’s death. I also asked Colin whether he would think it a good idea to produce a limited number of Jim Clark commemorative Elans with black badges. Colin simply said “do it, John, go and tell Martin Long”. Now, my conversation with Colin was impromptu, no others present or within earshot. Indeed, Graham Arnold was not involved and has not ever said he was part of that conversation. So, how then was Graham able to quote Colin as asking “how many green and yellow badges do we have in stock” …(neither would Colin be guilty of such a small minded response).
John’’ -
With the kind assistance of John Elwin, highly respected motoring writer and Sales manager at Hethel from 1970, Martin Long, the other person referenced in ‘Black Badge Baloney’ has been contacted.
John Elwin’s email to me.
‘’Hi Andy, I’ve been in touch with Martin Long.
He recalls that after Jim Clark’s death Colin Chapman decreed that all Lotus badges (inc. steering
wheel & even lapel badges, cuff links etc) should be black with immediate effect. As Chief Buyer,
Martin was tasked with the job, & with suppliers Fattorini in Birmingham, managed to come up with the goods in two weeks.
As far as he remembers, that continued for a year, but of course there was later production after Martin moved on.
He suggests that Fattorini’s may have some records, but after all this time…
Kind regards
JOHN’’.But what of GA’s assertions to the contrary…The first question must be which one of Graham’s stories?
Although I never heard him say this at Club Lotus meetings myself, it seems agreed that others heard the account that the ‘factory was running short of badges and that on being told black was cheaper, Colin liked that,’ and that was the reason for the black badge.
Martin Long has stated he was Head of Purchasing and makes no reference to ordering Black Badges prior to Colin Chapman’s express orders for commemorative badges after Clark’s death.
GA then said in Black Badge Baloney that there were thousands of Green/Yellow in stock…a shortage of badges in one statement and thousands in stock in his position statement? …both cannot be true and no-one from the time has corroborated that story.
As to the earlier use of badges, Roger Putnam (sales director after GA left Lotus in 1970) has said by email to me…’’I cannot be sure but I think a small run of black badges were fitted in 1967/8. I am also sure it was Graham Arnold’s initiative rather than Colin or Fred.’’ ( Bushell)…
In my view that explains the small number of pre Clark badges that GA confirmed Colin Chapman told him to cease using.
Interestingly however, Roger also said ‘’The enamelling on the green and yellow badges was prone to crack and I used to have an example of a damaged badge which has long since disappeared. I think some of them even delaminated on the way to the production line.’’…albeit with no mention of damage in US Federal crash testing.
Graham’s case in Black Badge Baloney was based on the fact that US testing took place after Jim Clark was killed, however his memory seems to have let him down.
According to contemporary press reports now available from The British Newspaper Archive, that is incorrect.
Lotus’ press releases appeared in the newspapers on 23rd March 1968… before Clark’s death, stating that following 12 months of work, Lotus had already passed crash testing at the first attempt. Had there been a problem with shattering enamel It must have been resolved sometime in the 12 months before Clark was killed.
From The Ulster Star 23rd March 1968.
It appears there have been claims in later years that cars with black badges were somehow ‘Special Edition’ models, with added cache and value, carrying a premium, I can find nothing to support that, no factory press releases or advertisements, and certainly no employee corroboration. I consider it a disrespectful myth.
In August of 1968, Colin Chapman featured in the BBC2 documentary ‘Millionaire’, during the Interview Chapman says… ‘’I did get very very close to Jim Clark, I would say he was my best friend…the best friend I ever had’.
It is clear that the Black Badge reflects the thoughts expressed by Colin Chapman to the BBC, and that the evidence confirms that unequivocally… a simple mark of respect on every car.I’d like to thank those former Lotus employees that took the time and trouble to kindly assist me and hope the above work resolves the matter.
Andy Pickering
