ADA Group C2 – 1989

As leading Category C2 protagonists in the 1980s, Ian Harrower and Chris Crawford raced in Group C with numerous cars which they had considerably modified. The two partners – who acquired ADA Engineering in 1977 from Leon Smith, Gerard Sauer and Woody Harris – launched their first “creation”, unofficially known as the ADA 01, rather diffidently, in 1982. It was not until 1987 that their ambitions (and resources) started to look up, with the arrival of the ADA 02 and the ADA 03, a derived version. Ascott Collection is now offering for sale a unique car, the ADA 02, which was entered twice for the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1989 and 1990. A car with a double life, and several successes to its credit.

In 1986, the ADA team was at the top of Category C2, with a class victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours and second place in the championship (with the decision being made in the final race at Fuji against the team Ecurie Ecosse). The JC843 Gebhardt that achieved these successes was optimized by the ADA team and was so thoroughly overhauled that it was often taken for an ADA. This was already the case as early as 1983. Indeed, Ian Harrower and Chris Crawford had taken a Lola base and created their own design for the body, while grafting on it the rear suspension of a De Cadenet. Thus was unofficially born the ADA 01, or “De Cadenet-Lola” as it was called in the official documents and programs of the time. It was entered at Le Mans and finished unclassified in 24th position, with 214 laps completed.