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#1 Allen Brown

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Posted 07 November 2001 - 23:22

Can anyone help me with information on the Chinook racing cars built in Canada in the period 1966-1970?

I think George Fejer built them, starting with sports cars, it would seem, in 1966 and building FA and Indy cars in 1968. He bought the Cooper patterns in 1969 but I can't see any mention of Chinooks after about 1970 or 1971.

Anyone know more? Can anyone point me to any article on the subject?

Thanks

Allen

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#2 FEV

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Posted 08 November 2001 - 00:21

Hi Allen here is the little I have on Fejer and his Chinooks (apart from what I'm sure you know on his Can-Am and USRRC years).

In USAC National Championship he seem to have built a Ford powered car for the 68 season. He entered his Chinook MkVII in three events (all road courses). Here are his records if you don't have them already :

15-06 Mosport I #11 Q16 / R12 - DNF (driver ill because of
fumes in the cockpit)
15-06 Mosport II #11 Q12 / R15 - DNF (same reason as race 1 !!)
21-07 Clermont IRP #11 DNS
4-08 Sainte-Jovite I #12 Q17 / R14 - DNF (oil leak)
4-08 Sainte-Jovite II #12 Q12 / R12 - DNF (oil leak again)

Lots of trouble as you can see ! He still tried in 1969 at the Phoenix 150 season opener :

30-03 Phoenix 150 Q24 / R12 - DNF (brake fluid leak)

He never finished a ChampCar race but managed to score points three time, and was classified 61st with 20pts in 1968 and 67th with 15 in 1969 !

Also something that maybe can help you (?) : The Chinook adress in a french 1970 book about junior formulae racing cars :

Fejer's Racing Cars Ltd
192 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

Maybe you can find more info with Ben Fullerton of the Atlantic Sports Car Club of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Their web site is http://www.ascc.ns.ca/index.shtml and they also have a page which might interest you : www.ascc.ns.ca/check-point/2001/summary-of-race-cars.doc which is about canadian-built race cars.

A guy called J.D. Myers currently races a "1968 Chinook-Fejer Mk9" with good results in RMVR (Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing) maybe you can reach him through the http://www.rmvr.com site ?

Hope this can help you a little...

Cheers
Frank

#3 Gerr

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Posted 08 November 2001 - 01:14

Find a pic of a later Chinook and George here:
http://www.shadow4x4.com/fejer.html
George Eaton drove for Fejer in USAC in '71 and '72,although the car is listed in the records as a Colt or Lola,I think that it was a new for '71 Chinook.

#4 MOTORSPORT RESORT

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Posted 08 November 2001 - 19:01

Hello Gerr:............Don't forget that Bill Brack and his STP Special.(USAC?)was built by them, I think it was a Lotus F1 chassis, maybe a 49?... I remember the "day-glo" painted racer's on a trailer, back from racing in the states.....Oh, and he built me a "Mean" 948cc BMC engine for my Lotus 7, that won, and set a track record on it's first race (Waterford Hills 1971?) he really could build great cars...What ever happened to the Super 7 replica's he was building in kit form? Rudy & George, good at building prototype racers from scratch, and I also think, they had a contract rebuilding Americian V/8 engines for Canadian Tire on a(exchange-trade program) they have done it all ....but watch your wallet...:eek:

Peter
www.f1power.com

#5 bpratt

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Posted 12 November 2001 - 22:39

I was looking through some bound copies of Canadian Track and Traffic, a magazine that existed from about 1959 to the early 1970s, and noted an article on the Chinooks/the Fejers, etc. Early 1970s, 1971 I think.

I don't know what access you have to these mags. I just found out about the 1969 through 1974 (?) copies existing at the Vancouver (BC, Canada) Public Library. They're buried in the storage racks. If I get to the library soon I can photocopy the story for you and mail it off. I wanted to do that as well as copy many other things Canadian for myself.
Brian Pratt
Burnaby, B.C., Canada

#6 Allen Brown

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Posted 13 November 2001 - 17:53

Brian

That would be wonderful if you could do that. I'll send my contact details to you by PM.

Many thanks

Allen

PS MOTORSPORT RESORT - take a look at http://www.oldracing...0/lotus/42B.htm for a history of Bill Brack's Lotus GTX Formula A car. Is that you car you mean?

Edited by Allen Brown, 21 January 2010 - 09:07.


#7 MOTORSPORT RESORT

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Posted 14 November 2001 - 12:21

Allen..no question that's Brack's car...I seem to think at one time it was painted the day-glow orange with STP sponsorships? That car could have been a Fejer special, or even a BRM..? I do remember that Brack was the Lotus importer for Canada, and had a "mock-up" of the Lotus GTX used as a racing simulator...that was displayed around at various Petrol Stations, and at his Dealership called "Sports Cars Unlimited" in Clarkson, Ontario Canada

Peter

#8 bpratt

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Posted 15 November 2001 - 19:36

Allen,

Have photocopied the articles I could find on the Fejer brothers and their racing efforts. Give me your address (send it to bpratt@paralynx.com) and I'll get this off to you. Wasn't as informative as I wanted concerning the Group Seven cars (Nat Adams won the Canadian Driving Championship series in a Chinook in 1966). Wish I had access to some mid-1960s Track and Traffic mags. Lots on their USAC efforts (stories are from 1971, includes an interview with driver George Eaton).
Brian

#9 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 27 November 2001 - 02:18

Allen

This appeared on the front page of Motoring News dated August 28, 1969.

CHINOOK-COOPER MYSTERY

In Toronto this week George Fejer, a Hungarian-born Canadian who builds Chinook sports and Formula cars, announced that he had "acquired control of the assets of the Cooper Car Company Ltd. and will now build various types of car using the name Chinook-Cooper." Asked to comment Mr Jonathan Sieff, Chairman of the Cooper Group of Companies, said on Tuesday; "I've never heard of him. The story is completely untrue."

#10 arttidesco

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 18:00

Posted Image

Found a lot of answers on this thread to my questions about George Fejer here except one, namely could any of our resident experts confirm if the #1 Chinook Chevrolet driven by Jay Esterer is a Mk 2 as suggested in the Goodwood programme or a Mk1 as suggested at racingsportscars.com, the only difference I can see is in the height of the safety bar ?

Relevant answers maybe credited and used in a forthcoming blog.

Thanking you in anticipation of your answers.

PS does anyone know where Jay Esterer hails from ?

Edited by arttidesco, 20 September 2011 - 18:02.


#11 Giraffe

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 18:07

Posted Image

Found a lot of answers on this thread to my questions about George Fejer here except one, namely could any of our resident experts confirm if the #1 Chinook Chevrolet driven by Jay Esterer is a Mk 2 as suggested in the Goodwood programme or a Mk1 as suggested at racingsportscars.com, the only difference I can see is in the height of the safety bar ?

Relevant answers maybe credited and used in a forthcoming blog.

Thanking you in anticipation of your answers.

PS does anyone know where Jay Esterer hails from ?


The Chinook was also entered as a Mk2 at the Oulton Gold Cup meeting. Jay Esterer is Canadian & is known as a very rapid F5000 driver in the US, if rather hard on his machinery. Jerry Entin can tell us more as he has followed Jay. :wave:

Jay pictured to the left of the car at Goodwood....


Posted Image
By giraffe138 at 2011-09-20

Edited by Giraffe, 20 September 2011 - 18:12.


#12 Doug Nye

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 19:07

Guest mechanic on Jay's Chinook at Goodwood was the great Wally Willmott - Bruce McLaren's former personal mechanic, revisiting Goodwood for the first time in perhaps 40 years. He was - well, I think the word is - chuffed that they should come away with that win, despite the best efforts of an opponent to prevent that happening. It was the young Canadian's first experience of Goodwood and when he saw some of the driving practises at close quarters in the opening stages he assumed that that must have been what was expected. When he dished out some of his own at one point some sectors in authority were deeply unimpressed. That was quickly made clear, and his otherwise fine drive went duly rewarded - stout effort in a real dark horse car. But not a bad mech to bring along with you... I for one was impressed by the boy's car control... :cat:

DCN

#13 Doug Nye

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 19:07

Guest mechanic on Jay's Chinook at Goodwood was the great Wally Willmott - Bruce McLaren's former personal mechanic, revisiting Goodwood for the first time in perhaps 40 years. He was - well, I think the word is - chuffed that they should come away with that win, despite the best efforts of an opponent to prevent that happening. It was the young Canadian's first experience of Goodwood and when he saw some of the driving practises at close quarters in the opening stages he assumed that that must have been what was expected. When he dished out some of his own at one point some sectors in authority were deeply unimpressed. That was quickly made clear, and his otherwise fine drive went duly rewarded - stout effort in a real dark horse car. But not a bad mech to bring along with you... I for one was impressed by the boy's car control... :cat:

DCN

#14 Paul Parker

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 19:52

Guest mechanic on Jay's Chinook at Goodwood was the great Wally Willmott - Bruce McLaren's former personal mechanic, revisiting Goodwood for the first time in perhaps 40 years. He was - well, I think the word is - chuffed that they should come away with that win, despite the best efforts of an opponent to prevent that happening. It was the young Canadian's first experience of Goodwood and when he saw some of the driving practises at close quarters in the opening stages he assumed that that must have been what was expected. When he dished out some of his own at one point some sectors in authority were deeply unimpressed. That was quickly made clear, and his otherwise fine drive went duly rewarded - stout effort in a real dark horse car. But not a bad mech to bring along with you... I for one was impressed by the boy's car control... :cat:

DCN


He certainly can drive and the car looked a real handful too.

#15 Jerry Entin

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 19:55

Posted Image
Jay Esterer holding down the popup tent at Oulton Park
Wally Willmott made it over for the second day of the Oulton Park event and then went on to the Donnigton event and then helped Jay Esterer work on the Chinook for the two weeks leading up to the Goodwood event

Jay Esterer is from Edmonton, Canada. Wally Willmott has helped Jay several times when he went to New Zealand for their Formula 5000 series. Jay Esterer brought Wally over to Mosport for the CanAm Reunion when it was held there.

photo: Wally Willmott

Edited by Jerry Entin, 25 September 2011 - 14:23.


#16 Manfred Cubenoggin

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Posted 20 September 2011 - 23:28

It's certainly news to me that the Fejers had any connection to Bill Brack. Unfortunately, poster, MOTORSPORT RESORT, hasn't been back to this forum in 2-1/2 years to substantiate his claims in post # 4. To the best of my knowledge, BB never competed in a USAC event(other than a one-off stock car race @ Mosport in '68). Brack did have a F5000/FA Lotus with, iirc, Chevy power that was destroyed at Lime Rock in a Continental event. The car may have had a basis in a Lotus 43 and sported high wings, F & R. It most certainly wasn't a Fejer creation.



#17 R.W. Mackenzie

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Posted 21 September 2011 - 20:50

Hi Manfred,

Rudy and George Fejer built an Indy car that George drove at Mosport in the 1968 Telegram Trophy race (won by Dan Gurney) and I believe other races as well. It was featured in a glossy article in the "Weekend Magazine" which came with Saturday's Hamilton Spectator back then. (Other racers featured were George Eaton and his McLaren M1C, Bill Brack and his Lotus 41 and Craig Fisher and his Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am car.)

I believe the article stated that the body was scaled up from a model of the 1967 Lola Indy car and detailed the difficulty the Fejers had building a world class racer in Canada.

As for the reference to an STP-liveried Lotus that Bill Brack owned, I recall seeing an article showing a Lotus 42 that Bill had bought to run as an F5000. The article had a picture of it sitting on a trailer still painted as Graham Hill drove it at Indy in 1967. This chassis was designed to take a 4.2 litre version of the BRM H16 engine. When it failed to materialize the chassis was modified to take a Ford DOHC engine and it was one of the most ugly Lotuses I ever saw. The strange thing is that when Bill Brack ran it as an F5000 in Castrol colours it was positively gorgeous. The only Fejer connection may have been if they helped him convert it from USAC specs (with offset suspension) to F5000. (That's just a guess.)

My only direct involvement with a Chinook race car was when I was racing "our" Kelly FV. One of my fellow novices, Rick Morris (his brother Scott is a participant in this forum), had a Chinook FV. Unfortunately he got tired of being beaten and the bastard bought Rick Bye's Caldwell D13. I was never able to touch him again!

Bob Mackenzie

#18 R.W. Mackenzie

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Posted 21 September 2011 - 21:01

Further to the above, here are some pictures of Bill's Lotus 42:

http://www.oldracing...om/canada/1969/

http://www.oldracingcars.com/canada/

http://www.canadianr...ck-car-1969.jpg

http://www.canadianr...-car-1969-2.jpg

http://www.oldracing....com/lotus/42b/

The articles attached to these pictures have more history detailing how the Lotus 42 went from being an Indy car to being an F5000.




#19 R.W. Mackenzie

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Posted 21 September 2011 - 21:06

It is possible that this is the Chinook Indy car converted to run as an F5000:

http://www.myf5000.c..._12_chinook.jpg

There was a later Chinook Indy car but that isn't what is being discussed here.

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#20 R.W. Mackenzie

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Posted 21 September 2011 - 21:09

I forgot that Bill Brack had a later STP connection as he drove a Formula Atlantic Lotus 69 and later a Chevron with great success sponsored by STP. But that had nothing to do with an F5000/Fejer connection.

#21 arttidesco

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Posted 22 September 2011 - 00:33

Thanks for your assistance Tony, Doug, Paul and Jerry :up:

#22 EdButt

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Posted 22 September 2011 - 23:29

Posted Image

Found a lot of answers on this thread to my questions about George Fejer here except one, namely could any of our resident experts confirm if the #1 Chinook Chevrolet driven by Jay Esterer is a Mk 2 as suggested in the Goodwood programme or a Mk1 as suggested at racingsportscars.com, the only difference I can see is in the height of the safety bar ?

Relevant answers maybe credited and used in a forthcoming blog.

Thanking you in anticipation of your answers.

PS does anyone know where Jay Esterer hails from ?



The Car driven by Jay was the Mk 2.
It was the second Chinook built by the Fejer Bros. and was the first of two Chinooks owned by Nat Adams.
The car was built in early 1966.

#23 EdButt

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Posted 22 September 2011 - 23:34

It's certainly news to me that the Fejers had any connection to Bill Brack. Unfortunately, poster, MOTORSPORT RESORT, hasn't been back to this forum in 2-1/2 years to substantiate his claims in post # 4. To the best of my knowledge, BB never competed in a USAC event(other than a one-off stock car race @ Mosport in '68). Brack did have a F5000/FA Lotus with, iirc, Chevy power that was destroyed at Lime Rock in a Continental event. The car may have had a basis in a Lotus 43 and sported high wings, F & R. It most certainly wasn't a Fejer creation.


The Fejer Bros. did not build any cars for Bill Brack.
They did however do some minor modifications for him on his Lotus FA car.
To the best of my knowledge, Bill Brack did not compete in any USAC open wheeled event

#24 TWINCAMMAN

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 12:17

Hi Manfred,

Rudy and George Fejer built an Indy car that George drove at Mosport in the 1968 Telegram Trophy race (won by Dan Gurney) and I believe other races as well. It was featured in a glossy article in the "Weekend Magazine" which came with Saturday's Hamilton Spectator back then. (Other racers featured were George Eaton and his McLaren M1C, Bill Brack and his Lotus 41 and Craig Fisher and his Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am car.)

I believe the article stated that the body was scaled up from a model of the 1967 Lola Indy car and detailed the difficulty the Fejers had building a world class racer in Canada.

As for the reference to an STP-liveried Lotus that Bill Brack owned, I recall seeing an article showing a Lotus 42 that Bill had bought to run as an F5000. The article had a picture of it sitting on a trailer still painted as Graham Hill drove it at Indy in 1967. This chassis was designed to take a 4.2 litre version of the BRM H16 engine. When it failed to materialize the chassis was modified to take a Ford DOHC engine and it was one of the most ugly Lotuses I ever saw. The strange thing is that when Bill Brack ran it as an F5000 in Castrol colours it was positively gorgeous. The only Fejer connection may have been if they helped him convert it from USAC specs (with offset suspension) to F5000. (That's just a guess.)

My only direct involvement with a Chinook race car was when I was racing "our" Kelly FV. One of my fellow novices, Rick Morris (his brother Scott is a participant in this forum), had a Chinook FV. Unfortunately he got tired of being beaten and the bastard bought Rick Bye's Caldwell D13. I was never able to touch him again!

Bob Mackenzie



#25 TWINCAMMAN

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 12:25

Hi Bob...are you still on about our life and death struggles for last place in the 70's in vees? We were so slow that during a crash our flash backs were re runs :wave: ...Ed
Hi Manfred,

Rudy and George Fejer built an Indy car that George drove at Mosport in the 1968 Telegram Trophy race (won by Dan Gurney) and I believe other races as well. It was featured in a glossy article in the "Weekend Magazine" which came with Saturday's Hamilton Spectator back then. (Other racers featured were George Eaton and his McLaren M1C, Bill Brack and his Lotus 41 and Craig Fisher and his Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am car.)

I believe the article stated that the body was scaled up from a model of the 1967 Lola Indy car and detailed the difficulty the Fejers had building a world class racer in Canada.

As for the reference to an STP-liveried Lotus that Bill Brack owned, I recall seeing an article showing a Lotus 42 that Bill had bought to run as an F5000. The article had a picture of it sitting on a trailer still painted as Graham Hill drove it at Indy in 1967. This chassis was designed to take a 4.2 litre version of the BRM H16 engine. When it failed to materialize the chassis was modified to take a Ford DOHC engine and it was one of the most ugly Lotuses I ever saw. The strange thing is that when Bill Brack ran it as an F5000 in Castrol colours it was positively gorgeous. The only Fejer connection may have been if they helped him convert it from USAC specs (with offset suspension) to F5000. (That's just a guess.)

My only direct involvement with a Chinook race car was when I was racing "our" Kelly FV. One of my fellow novices, Rick Morris (his brother Scott is a participant in this forum), had a Chinook FV. Unfortunately he got tired of being beaten and the bastard bought Rick Bye's Caldwell D13. I was never able to touch him again!

Bob Mackenzie



#26 David McKinney

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 13:21

After you've hit the 'reply' button, TCM, you need to write something, then click on 'submit post' button

Unless you really need to quote an earlier post, it's better to use 'Add Reply' rather than 'Reply'

Don't be put off :)

#27 Ian Smith - Diz

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 21:11

See http://brsccnw.com/b...y2011ff1600.htm
Second row middle photo. third car in shot - the red and white one is Stuart Dix from Stoke on Trent.
Other shots of the car throughout the gallery.
This year he has been racing this car in selected BRSCC Northern and HSCC FF1600 races.
The car is a Cooper Chinook, ot Chinook Cooper - I've forgotten what he calls it.

I also recall a garage - possibly on Merseyside - backing cars in the 70s' and they were called Chinook Motors.
Whether there was any connection, I've no idea.

#28 EdButt

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 21:57

See http://brsccnw.com/b...y2011ff1600.htm
Second row middle photo. third car in shot - the red and white one is Stuart Dix from Stoke on Trent.
Other shots of the car throughout the gallery.
This year he has been racing this car in selected BRSCC Northern and HSCC FF1600 races.
The car is a Cooper Chinook, ot Chinook Cooper - I've forgotten what he calls it.

I also recall a garage - possibly on Merseyside - backing cars in the 70s' and they were called Chinook Motors.
Whether there was any connection, I've no idea.



Some great photos.
The car was purchaced in Ontario a few years ago by Richard Taylor of Autotune.
It was one of the several Fejer Chinook Formula Fords built in the early 70's.
Richard had the car shipped to their shop in the U.K. where he restored it, originally with the idea of driving the car himself.
When he found he was a bit too tall to fit in the car comforably, the car was sold to the current owner and from all reports, has been running the car with some reasonable success.

#29 Jerry Entin

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Posted 25 September 2011 - 14:29

Posted Image
Jay Esterer and his friend Jackie driving and Richard Taylor
Posted Image
Jay Esterer's Chinook and the Chinook of Ray Boissoneau
Jay won the event called the Whitsun Trophy, which was for 60's Sports-prototypes.

Anthony and Richard Taylor help Ray Boissoneau with his car at Vintage events. Their shop is called Autotune.

photos: Wally Willmott

Edited by Jerry Entin, 25 September 2011 - 15:15.


#30 Giraffe

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Posted 25 September 2011 - 16:56

The affable Richard Taylor & his race driver dad, Anthony (wearing cap) in the assembly area at Oulton Park for the Chinook's first shakedown in practice with Jay behind the wheel....

Posted Image
By giraffe138 at 2011-09-25

Edited by Giraffe, 25 September 2011 - 16:56.


#31 Jerry Entin

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Posted 25 September 2011 - 18:41

Posted Image
Anthony and his son Richard Taylor with Mk 5 Chinook
This was from Mosport in 2008. They had brought the Chinook of Ray Boissoneau to Mosport for the CanAm Challenge in 2008.

Edited by Jerry Entin, 05 October 2011 - 03:28.


#32 Jerry Entin

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Posted 25 September 2011 - 18:48

Posted Image
Nat Adams and Rudi Fejer and Anthony Taylor
This photo is also from the Mosport CanAm Challenge held in 2008.

Photo: Lu and Walter Pietrowicz

Edited by Jerry Entin, 26 September 2011 - 13:56.


#33 RickT

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Posted 26 September 2011 - 09:42

Hi Guys

Im a bit late onto this thread, been trying to catch up here in the Autotune workshop after the busy period in the run up to Goodwood. We had a fantastic weekend there seeing the Chinook Mk2 that we have just restored and prepared for Jay winning the Whitsun race, especially after such an exciting drive! It was also good to see Ray Boissoneau starting to get to grips with his Chinook Mk2 that we restored a few years ago, sadly Ray doesnt get over too often and so doesnt get much seat time in the car so he was pleased to his times come down nicely over the course of the weekend.

Dad and I have taken a great deal of pleasure out of being involved in bringing the Chinook marque back into the limelight, along the way we have been able to meet up with many great people and made a lot of new friends. Over in Canada we met Rudy Fejer and his good friend and suspension allignment expert Ed Butt (Hi to this great forum by the way Ed!) and it was good to get Rudy and Nat Adams back to a race track for the first time in many years to see the Chinook Mk5 (the first Chinook we restored for Ray back in 2005) when we took it to Mosport. Also whilst over in the USA we met Jay Esterer who was running a McLaren M6B which had left our workshop a few years earlier, imagine our surprise when we found out that he also owned a Chinook !

When Jay shipped the remains of his Chinook over to us we spent a huge amount of time rebuilding it all back into the race car that made its return to the track at Oulton Park for the Gold Cup, it was too good an opportunity to miss to get five track sessions of unsilenced testing !! Jay landed at the airport on the morning of qualifying and was out on the track less than an hour after arriving at the circuit !! Wally then landed the following day and soon had his hands dirty helping out with fine tuning the car.

After Oulton we then had three weeks before Goodwood where there happenend to be a Donington Masters round in the middle, ideal for a bit more unsilenced running !! Wally and Jay then spent time here at our workshop and it has been a real pleasure to work with them both on the car. It was also good wandering around the Donington collection with Wally, especially to see his face when he saw the old McLaren M2 that he was so involved with, (thats my photo earlier Jerry, I made Wally let me take it for his collection!) He also seemed to thoroughly enjoy the whole Goodwood atmosphere, we did all have a good laugh when we gathered around the control building for the prize giving only to look up and see saw him up there on the roof chatting with you Doug!

The Chinook FF that Diz mentioned earlier was another one we rescued and restored, its great to see Stuart Dix out enjoying the car so much and getting some great results in the super competitive HSCC series.

So as I said it has been great to be involved with the Chinook marque and it is good to see them back on the track and going so well, heres to more of the same next year !

Cheers
Richard Taylor



#34 arttidesco

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Posted 26 September 2011 - 11:20

Thanks for your post Rick enjoyed seeing the Chinooks in action for the first time :up:

#35 Jerry Entin

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Posted 26 September 2011 - 11:31

Posted Image
Wally Willmott at the Donnington Park Museum
Here is the great picture that Richard Taylor made possible.

Richard: Thank you for explaining to the Forum members about the effort that went into bringing the Chinook to the winners circle for the Goodwood event. Here is a video showing the race.


Doug: Thank you so much for seeing that Wally got introduced to everyone and that he had such a great time at Goodwood.

photo: Richard Taylor

Edited by Jerry Entin, 26 September 2011 - 11:36.


#36 R.W. Mackenzie

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Posted 05 October 2011 - 01:03

Quote:

Hi Bob...are you still on about our life and death struggles for last place in the 70's in vees? We were so slow that during a crash our flash backs were re runs. :wave: ...Ed

Dear Twincamman (alias Ed),

First of all my apologies for taking so long to respond. With the creation of the new Historical Research forum I was unable to access this topic for a while.

But I must object to your demeaning description of our epic battles in Ontario Region Formula Vee. Let's face it, in terms of our "glory days" this was all we had!

But back to the topic at hand. Was there not another Chinook FV dicing with us for last place? Was Brian Dix the daredevil pilot of that mighty race machine?

Warmest regards,

R.W. Mackenzie


Edited by R.W. Mackenzie, 05 October 2011 - 01:14.


#37 R.W. Mackenzie

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Posted 05 October 2011 - 01:41

It's funny some of the twists and turns our lives take. Earlier in this topic there was the suggestion that the Fejer brothers had in some way participated in the running of Bill Brack's Lotus F5000 car in 1969. I amongst others I expressed my doubt that any such connection existed.

Last Thursday night MiniGrid here in Toronto organized their second annual film night. MiniGrid is a wonderful little store that sells racing books, videos, models and slot cars and is run by the Maxwell family (racer Scott Maxwell being the son).

This year they were featuring the movie "The Speed Merchants" and Michael Keyser, the maker of the film was the featured guest. Before the event started my buddy and I went across the street from the theatre to a Second Cup coffee shop to get a bite to eat. There was a couple waiting for their order and the fellow seemed somehow familiar. Now I had seen him race many years ago but I had never met him but I asked, "Are you Bill Brack?". And indeed it was!

As I had him right there I explained that I was involved in an Internet forum that had raised the issue of his Lotus F5000 car and I asked him if the Fejer brothers had been involved with converting it from an Indy car to F5000. He explained that, no, he had acquired the car from Robs Lamplough and that the conversion was done at the Lotus works with his mechanic Doug Crosty involved.

I kicked myself afterwards for not asking more but I really don't like to intrude on people who are just out for a night of personal enjoyment. Afterwards I found an account of the conversion that says that Lotus didn't charge a cent for the work (very strange for ACBC) as they used it as research for the development of the Lotus 70 F5000 car. I'll try and track down that article again and provide the link.

Bob Mackenzie

#38 Allen Brown

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Posted 19 October 2011 - 17:05

Great to see this thread back up. With the various changes, my subscription to it had been removed.

Does anyone know anything about he Formula A Chinooks? There were at least three of them in 1969 as Nat Adams had a "Chinook Mk 9 - Chevrolet V8", Brian Weightman had a "Chinook Mk 6 - Ford" and Alfred Ruys de Perez had another Chinook-Chev. Adams ran his car again in 1970 but then they faded away. Harvey Craig ran one in late 1970 and 1971. There was a "MK12" or "LD1" Lotus 70 copy in the Buffalo area later but I'm more concerned about the 1969/70/71 cars.

Were these converted Can-Am cars or new builds? Weightman advertised his later as a "Lola-Chinook" implying some sort of conversion.



#39 Mal9444

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Posted 19 October 2011 - 22:35

Whence and why the name. Chinook?
The reason I ask is that I, living in England, have a little motor launch called Chinook. That was her name when I bought her, and as everyone knows it is very bad luck to change the name of a ship, so I've kept it. Most people think my boat is named after the eponymous helicopter. But of course, being a regular visitor to British Columbia, where I ski every year, I know better. My boat - and the helicopter, or perhaps it was the other way round - are named after the wind (we sailors call it breeze) of the same name that blows there periodically. Or maybe after the variety of Pacific salmon, also Chinook, that spawns in the rivers there and which in turn is named after the Indian band that at one time - and maybe still does - inhabited that part of British Columbia. Or maybe, of course, the Indians were named for the fish, which in turn was named for the breeze. Then again, perhaps the fish came first - but unlikely.

Whatever the genesis of the name, I was of course both intrigued and flattered to see at the Revival a racing car named after my boat.

So, historical researchers all - whence and why Chinook?

Edited by Mal9444, 19 October 2011 - 22:38.


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#40 BritishV8

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Posted 20 October 2011 - 02:47

In the interest of completeness, here's a detailed look at the Chinook Mk12 F5000 racecar, circa ~1970 (30 photos).

So... what design or construction details are especially characteristic of this marque? Anything really distinctive?

#41 Allen Brown

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Posted 20 October 2011 - 07:22

In the interest of completeness, here's a detailed look at the Chinook Mk12 F5000 racecar, circa ~1970 (30 photos).


Nice article, but I do think the author could have mentioned his sources for the Notes section at the end. :)

#42 BritishV8

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Posted 22 October 2011 - 21:02

I've just amended the results section to give credit where it's certainly due:

For more information about period Formula 5000 race results and much more we enthusiastically
recommend www.oldracingcars.com. Allen Brown's online archive was our source for this notes section.



#43 Allen Brown

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 17:06

I've just amended the results section to give credit where it's certainly due:


I am obliged to you.

The Chinook MK12 is a perplexing car because it doesn't seem to follow any previous Chinook theme. The idea that it was a rebuilt Lotus 70 has been suggested but it would be useful to get some body-off pictures for Lotus experts to ponder.

I have tried to contact Tony Nawrocki but with no success so far.


Edited by Allen Brown, 07 December 2020 - 14:47.


#44 JackMcFadden

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 02:04

Hi: The Chinook kit car has been mentioned. Does anyone have a picture of one? I have an unidentified kit car, and I would love to know its derivation.

cheers,

Jack

#45 MGAdams

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 15:09

Another Chinook FFord has been rescued. The ex-Pease MGB is complete ... or as complete as a race car can ever be, and I found another worthy project to restore an bring back to the track. Chinook, FF 003, is now in my garage. I know a bit of history, ex-Tom Burge, ex-Dan Morrison, but that is about it. If anyone has additional info it would be appreciated.
From my initial review, the FFord chassis is a very near knock-off of a Lotus 61 ... I raced one of those in the past ... and the coachwork is a Lotus 59. The Fejer brothers certainly were not shy about copying someone elses race car.

Don't mind the mess in my shop.

Mike Adams

Chinook FF

Edited by MGAdams, 27 December 2011 - 15:24.


#46 RickT

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Posted 27 December 2011 - 15:38

Hi Mike

Glad to hear another Chinook will be returning to the tracks !

I restored another Chinook FF which is now out racing over here in the UK with Stuart Dix. Let me know if I can help at all, I can get hold of most bits and pieces you would need for it.

I think I worked out which car this was when Tom Burge had it, there was something unique about it from memory. I will check back through my notes and see what I can find.

Cheers
Richard Taylor

#47 RickT

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Posted 30 December 2011 - 13:43

Hi Mike

I have checked back through my FF details and I think your car may well be the first of the FF cars built. When I spoke to Rudy Fejer about them he said he thought that the first car had ordinairy Triumph track rod ends then on the later cars (like the one I restored) these were updated to rose joints.

I have looked at photos sent to me by Tom Burge and your car does appear to have Triumph style joints, not rose joints, suggesting your car is the first one. If indeed it is the first one I believe it was sold to Merv Farrell. Merv is still around I think as I seem to recall him coming up for a chat with Rudy when we took Ray Boissoneaus Chinook Mk5 Group 7 car to Mosport in 2008.

I hope this helps, and if you need any more info then please let me know.

I am currently working on a brief Chinook history which Allen has kindly said he will put on oldracingcars.com, this will hopefully clear up some of the myths and mysteries of the Chinook racing cars.

Cheers
Richard Taylor

#48 MGAdams

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Posted 31 December 2011 - 17:03

Rick,
Thanks for your reply, it would be great to confirm the Chinook I have is the first FFord. I have sent you a private message as my questions are going to get technical.

Mike Adams

Hi Mike

I have checked back through my FF details and I think your car may well be the first of the FF cars built. When I spoke to Rudy Fejer about them he said he thought that the first car had ordinairy Triumph track rod ends then on the later cars (like the one I restored) these were updated to rose joints.

I have looked at photos sent to me by Tom Burge and your car does appear to have Triumph style joints, not rose joints, suggesting your car is the first one. If indeed it is the first one I believe it was sold to Merv Farrell. Merv is still around I think as I seem to recall him coming up for a chat with Rudy when we took Ray Boissoneaus Chinook Mk5 Group 7 car to Mosport in 2008.

I hope this helps, and if you need any more info then please let me know.

I am currently working on a brief Chinook history which Allen has kindly said he will put on oldracingcars.com, this will hopefully clear up some of the myths and mysteries of the Chinook racing cars.

Cheers
Richard Taylor



#49 Allen Brown

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Posted 01 January 2012 - 19:24

I am currently working on a brief Chinook history which Allen has kindly said he will put on oldracingcars.com, this will hopefully clear up some of the myths and mysteries of the Chinook racing cars.


Richard, can you email me? allen@oldracingcars.com

I already have a Chinook history drafted from some years ago and have been adding material contributed by Ed. It might be easier to add to/comment on/tear apart what I've already done. I have little/nothing on the sports cars and very little on the FFs.

#50 yulzari

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Posted 20 February 2013 - 22:36

My apologies for piggy backing on this thread, but does anyone know what it was of Coopers that Chinook acquired?

I have never seen anything Cooper about any Chinook but there must have been something to merit the assertion even if it may have been overstated.