9 replies to this topic

[Dennis David]

Any help?

Dennis: It´s me again. May be you can help me. I have a chance for purchase a racing car. A classic one. But I have very poor information about. This car is a 1966 Le Grand Mk I F-2 monoposto with a Ford engine and Hewland gearbox. This car was updated to a Mk III by the added of rear and front wing and main suspension adjustments. This car was purchased in USA knoched down and was assembled in my city. It´s only competed in a sport event circa 1970 (when it was finished) but as Venezuela have not F-2 races it competed as a Free Formula in a Formula Ford race. Competed and won these only race. Then was garaged until today. His owner dead some years ago and his widow offered the car to me. It impressed me because it close resembles the Lotus 49, but I have not get any information about this car or his builder. Is Max Le Grand the same guy photographer that published his photographies in some classic racing car magazines in USA? This car, now, is very complete but not working. Need some work. The owner ask for it a US$10000 and she says if this car could be leaved to USA she can get as US$30000 without restoring and about US$50000 restored. These are really big quotes for a car and I supose it´s not worth these prices because it´s is a low production volume car from a unknown builder and not historic contains inside. Can you send me any information about it? I would be very grateful for. Thanks and new regards, Julián Afonso Luis.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Don Capps]

I am not aware of dear ol' LeGrand making an "F2" car. If this is a Mark I car, it was probably a Formula B car at some point in its life. Most of the Le Grand cars seemed to race on the West Coast.

In 1965, Earl Jones used a Mark 3 to win the Formula B Championship at the American Road Race of Champions, the annual shootoutat the end of the season for the SCCA Divisional Champions.

In 1967, there were two Le Grand cars in the ARRC: they were driven by Bob McQueen (3rd) and Henry Hester (5th) in the Final.

It will take some serious digging thru my old SCG's to find much more than that. Only SCG seemed to be all that interested in such cars after awhile; I will skim the R&T's as well just in case.

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

[Dennis David]

Thanks Don, can you answer some of my friend's questions and also if he should buy the car?

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Don Capps]

DD,

It would be nice if there were some photos to look at of the car and make some better determination about certain things about it. However, if he was the $10K to pick it up (assuming it includes any spares, etc.) why not? It would be a very different brand than the usual Brabham or Lotus. They were good machines in their day and could be a nice addition to the historic ranks.

I say go for it if he can. He can always sell it in the States....


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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

[caribe70]

DD,

It would be nice if there were some photos to look at of the car and make some better determination about certain things about it. However, if he was the $10K to pick it up (assuming it includes any spares, etc.) why not? It would be a very different brand than the usual Brabham or Lotus. They were good machines in their day and could be a nice addition to the historic ranks.

I say go for it if he can. He can always sell it in the States.... ;)


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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

Good evening:

I found this forum a few days ago, and I would like you to take a look at the Le Grand Mk3b / 6 that was mentioned in this post:

http://www.ten-tenth...909#post2125909

Here are more details of this car (in spanish), there are several photos also:

http://server4.foros...orum=muchasrpms

Regards,

Caribe70

[Cynic2]

Bob McQueen's LeGrand Mk 3 (Formula B) at Selma, Alabama in 1967:

[Allen Brown]

That's something you don't see every day!

[2Bob]

Anyone looking for Le Grand info from the 1960's may be interested in talking to Karl Knapp who had considerable success in a couple of these cars, FC and FB I believe. I am in contact with him quite often (mainly in swapping jokes via email) but as a result of sending him some photos of the banking at Daytona being resurfaced he sent me this:

"I raced a FC (1100cc) car there (on the road course) in 1965 at the SCCA Road Race of Champions.

Led the class until the VW based clutch plate gave up. Switched to a Porshe one after that."

He is currently living in Indonesia and working (professor or something like that) at a University.

PM me if you would like me to forward your email address to him (and then he can reply if he wants to).

[caribe70]

Good Evening:

Thats a nice looking Le Grand Mk3B with a 1600 cc Lotus Twin Cam engine from 1967 !

Like Bob Mc Queen´s MK3B, our MK3B required an external battery to start the engine. On board batteries were very small (We used motorcycle batteries), just good por a 15 - 20 laps.

See some old pictures of a similar Le Grand Mk3B built in Venezuela in 1965-1970:



Photo date: aprox. 1970. Signed by Graham Hill !



Another view.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Regards,

Caribe70

Edited by caribe70, 25 December 2010 - 20:26.

[emunoz]

Good evening,

 

Here is an updated link to the Le Grand Caribe Mk. 3 / 6 Formula built in Venezuela:

 

 

http://www.pasionala...c.php?f=9&t=109

 

Best Regards,

 

Eduardo Muñoz