Chris Barber RIP, favored early customer

[baileyman]

Chris Barber died yesterday at 90, a very successful English jazz trombonist in the traditional or "Dixie" style. He also apparently was a buddy of Colin Chapman, as he got the very first Elite off the line and raced it with some success. He was so successful as a trombonist that he was able to run his own racing team. ("Successful trombonist" is a kind of oxymoron, ask me how I know...) There are lots of obits out there, but few talk about his Lotus life.

The car recently auctioned:
https://justbritish.com/first-productio ... auctioned/
https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/lo ... 958/772236

His website:
https://www.chrisbarber.net/intro.htm

John

[trw99]

He also ran Elans in his race team.

Tim

[Spyder fan]

I think it was 4 years ago that Chris was guest speaker at the HLR (Historic Lotus Register) dinner & AGM.

Richard Parramint did a sterling job coaxing him to tell some of his stories from his Elite and Elan racing days. He appeared quite frail with a tendency to ramble on and mumble, but he had personally driven back that day from Germany where he was performing professionaly with that trombone of his!

A sad loss.