- Edwin Keleti leads restoration of Romania’s first Formula Easter, the LGM1.
- 95% of the chassis and 90% of body panels are recovered.
- The mechanical parts are missing but can be replicated, though costly.
- Renault 8 Gordini engine originally; later Dacia 1300 mechanics; wheelbase 2300 mm, length ~3750 mm.
The passion for motor sport compelled us to follow closely an exceptional project from Romania. It concerns the restoration of Romania’s first Formula Easter single-seater, a historic racing car built in Cluj in 1980 by sport master Laurențiu Moldovan. The LGM1 monoposto was saved by Edwin Keleti, a Romanian journalist and driver, who understood the value of this mechanical legend and devoted himself to bringing it back to life.
Motivation behind the restoration project
“I have always been an athlete who showed a lot of respect and admiration for my predecessors,” explains Edwin Keleti. “Last year I created a replica of my mentor Mihai ‘Ita’ Mureșan’s Dacia 1300, and at the start of this year the LGM1 monoposto appeared on the market.”
Its constructor, Laurențiu “Lenti” Moldovan, had been a family friend of Edwin’s parents. As a child, around 9-11 years old, Edwin was captivated by the helmets on display in Lenti’s library and by the scale models of cars, a rarity at the time. The decisive moment came when he first saw the monoposto in the builder’s garage.
“I stood open-mouthed. Until then I had been driving a Renault 8 Gordini, whose actual sound sent goosebumps down your skin, but the Formula belonged to a different film,” he recalls.
Starea de conservare a monopostului LGM1
Recoverable elements
Although at first glance the monoposto looked in a deplorable state, the chassis and bodywork are surprisingly well preserved. About 95% of the chassis has been recovered, the only missing parts being the rear lower arms and a contour tube around the cockpit.
The body panels are about 90% intact, having been modified over the 40 years of adventure with several owners. Being fiberglass, they are very easy to restore to their original shape, especially since after sandblasting most of the original lines were found beneath the modifications.
The mechanical part — a costly challenge
The mechanical part is completely missing, but it is easy to replicate, albeit not cheap. At the official presentation and in the early races, the car used a Renault 8 Gordini engine and gearbox, with about 110-120 HP and a 5-speed gearbox with short ratios.
To comply with Formula Easter regulations, the monoposto later switched to Dacia 1300 mechanics.
Original technical specifications of the LGM1
Dimensions and geometry
- Wheelbase: 2300 mm
- Total length: about 3750 mm (depending on the nose used)
- Weight: around 465 kg
Suspensions and brakes
All suspension arms were handmade, and at this stage work is being done using 3D modeling to verify their dimensions. The front axle uses hubs and brake calipers from Dacia 1100, while the rear uses modified Dacia 1300 hubs with calipers.
Custom wheels
Wheels, produced in-house - a copy of BBS - cast by Laurențiu in Cluj, are 13 inches in diameter with 8 inches wide at the front and 10 inches at the rear.
Restoration strategy
Edwin Keleti is determined to recreate the car identical to the first variant. For this reason, he plans to prepare with his friends Olimpiu Daraban and Nagy Emil a Renault 5 Alpine engine, which is essentially the direct descendant of the Renault 8 Gordini, sharing the same cylinder-head architecture.
The gearbox will be a Dacia 1300 unit, with 5 speeds and specific short ratios, plus a limited-slip differential.
Technical challenges of the restoration
Reconstruction of the nose-section structure
Fabricating the nose structure proved quite challenging, with numerous angles, and required 2 days of work. All chassis welding work is done by his friend Andrei Rezi.
Restoration of the bodywork
Removing the modifications and returning to the original shapes is delicate and laborious, as there are no official plans of the car, only a multitude of photographs from which they try to deduce proportions and dimensions.
“It is somewhat fated, because Laurențiu himself drew inspiration from a Ferrari model he kept at home!” explains Edwin.
Uniqueness of the LGM1 in the Romanian Formula Easter landscape
Design and performance
LGM1 stands out for its exceptional beauty. Edwin says it was and remains, by far, the most beautiful Formula Easter car built in Romania. From studies conducted in recent months, there were more modern chassis in the country, but all were produced after this one.
Laurențiu was a trained architect by trade, with a refined sense of beauty, which is reflected in the monoposto’s shapes and proportions.
Technical performance
Moreover, in the initial version — though non-compliant with Formula Easter regulations — it was much more performant. It should be noted that Formula Easter regulations allowed the use of components manufactured exclusively in socialist countries.
Laurențiu Gavrila Moldovan - portrait of a master
Competitive career
Laurențiu Moldovan was primarily a speed driver (circuit and hill climb), where he won several national championship titles, including in 1981 in the Formula Easter class. He also competed in rallies, where he was national champion with the Universitatea Brașov team in 1975.
In 1981 he was awarded the title of Master of Sport, a well-deserved recognition for his contributions to Romanian motorsport.
The community of enthusiasts behind the project
Restoration team
Besides the intrinsic beauty of reviving the monoposto, Edwin enjoys a deeply rewarding experience thanks to the wonderful people drawn to this project.
“It’s almost unreal to receive congratulation messages on Facebook and offers of help from people you don’t know; it’s amazing to see so much enthusiasm and kindness,” Edwin says.
Project contributors
Besides the three named above (Andrei Rezi, Olimpiu Daraban, Nagy Emil), the team is honored to have the following with them:
- Mihai Gavriș
- Paul Moraru
- Mitza, Horea and Toni Avram
- Mihai Comsit
- Jerome France
- Gabriel Ciuperca
- Sorin Pop
- Laviniu Lazar
- Mihai Muresanu
- Nagy Ocsy
- Constantin Raileanu
- Mihai Garba
- Radu Opriș
- Nicu Bud
- Radu Cojocaru
- Remus Moldovan (son of Laurențiu)
- Adam Keleti (Edwin’s father)
Funding plans
Edwin intends to launch a crowdfunding campaign on a specialized platform to financially support this ambitious project of preserving Romania’s automotive heritage.
This restoration project represents more than simply reviving a race car. It is a testament to Romanian ingenuity in the 1980s and a tribute to the pioneers of motorsport in our country. LGM1 will continue to inspire future generations of car enthusiasts and keep alive the memory of Master Laurențiu Moldovan.
