56 replies to this topic

[John Fransson]

Anyone of you nice folks have any info on the Chevron B49? I'm decent for anything that you might have, BHP figures, famous drivers, anything!

I just know that you will be able to help me

[rdrcr]

John,

That wouldn't be the Mueller car that was for sale would it? If so, I think that one had a Ford BDA (Belt Drive series A) in it...

The B49 was built for competition in the '79 F Atlantic Series, but was entered in F2 in Europe as well. Not absolutely sure of production numbers as it was a rather obscure time for the Chevron marque, but I believe that there were 5 built. Some were equipped with Hart 2 liter engines - the BDA could have been installed as original equipment also. One of the Hart engines of the era, the 420 R put out approx 280 bhp - depending upon the builder of course.

The B49 was one of a short series of cars built by Scotsman, Robin Smith and his consortium that had control of Chevron in the brief time between the Derek Bennett and Roger Andreason years.

I don't think anyone famous ever ran one, though in the period, Brian Robinson, of Great Britain entered one in F2. It was sponsored by Grange Performance Cars. Another was campaigned by Graeme Lawrence of NZ in 1979, I think it was sold later to Peter Haskett - don't know where this one is currently.

Alistair MacKillop as of 2000, had one in Scotland and was actively running it at the time. Another one is/was owned by Tom Quatsoe Jr. in Wisconsin as of 1998. Sorry I don't have any chassis numbers to go with those names, perhaps Allen Brown will have more info.

[Ray Bell]

Does that mean that the 'ground effect' wings on the sides are add-ons on this car only?

Chris Farrell runs what looks pretty similar without those on the sides, it's a Hart 2-litre F2 car.

[John Fransson]

I know for a fact that Eddie Jordan drove one of these babies. The Alistair MacKillop have been test driven by Nelson Piquet for sure, and if EJ and Stefan Johansson were teammates at the time, then perhaps Stefan drove it as well.

[Jeremy Jackson]

Willing to be corrected, but the B49 was, the pure Atlantic spec car wasn't it? Although they all essentially similar, the F3 car that Johansson / Jordan et al raced was the B47, and the 1979 F2 car was the B48.

Robinson raced his ex-works B48 (chassis 08) in 1980 Aurora events

Ray, as I remember the ground-effect side-pods/wings were detachable.

Cheers

Jeremy

[ian senior]

As far as I remember ( and David Gordon's excellent book on Chevron cars will tell you much more than I can), the B47/48/49 series was produced after Derek Bennett's death but before the remains of the firm was sold off to Robin Smith. It was basically the 1978 car, updated by Arrows designer Tony Southgate, who was acting as consultant. This explains the Arrows-like sidepods, which were simply attached to the existing chassis. The only other substantial difference was the inboard front suspension.

[Frank de Jong]

The F3 car was unsuccesful (entered in Britain by Derek McMahon racing for Devaney), F2 cars were raced by Alan Docking (Huub Rothengatter and Siegfried Stohr; both Hart-powered cars had points finishes) and sporadically by other teams - there was a BMW-engined version as well.
Rothengatter's car ran in Macao and the Pacific after the F2 season ended, modified as an Atlantic car, with a full-width nose like the one above and IRCC different sidepods, like the ones used by March teams for their updated 782's.

[rdrcr]

Jeremy,

I have a record of at least one event, the 1981, F2 Silverstone meet, where Robinson had entered the car. And you're correct on the evolution of that series... I was working from memory. So, in '79, the company was still operating and selling cars in what we term in the U.S. as Probate Estate. Now that I think of it, probably all of the Smith cars were spawned from semi-completed cars, existing tubs or drawings.

I agree on the sidepods on that particular car - they appear to be unique.

ian and Frank, thanks for the details...

[Jeremy Jackson]

Richard,

Thanks, I'd forgotten he also entered the "home" F2 races in 1981.

He actually raced the B42 at Thruxton, but he did use the B48 in practice.

[RTH]

Surely when new this car would have had a chisel nose with side wings, - the full width nose being from the earlier B42 ?

[Frank de Jong]

Rothengatter's chisel-nose F2 B48 had exactly the same modification when it was changed into an Atlantic car (and its sidepods were changed too); the only reason I can think of was the pretty succesful March 782 conversion, which had the same combination of sidepods and full-width nose; at the start of the season, the car was superior to the new 792 IIRC.

[Peter Morley]

If it was built by Robin Smith why not contact him directly?

I think his son has recently taken over the company, but Robin's team is called Simpson Engineering and they run sportscars in the FIA GT races.

Team Manager: Robin Smith
Address:
The Old Mill
Alvington
Glos.
GL15 6AD
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0) 1594 528185
Fax: +44 (0) 1594 529411
Email: robin@simpsonmotorsport.com

[Mallory Dan]

At last, I've been trying to get on to TNF for about a year, why don't you like Hotmail.com addresses ??

Anyway, '79 Chevrons. B47 was F3, I think around 6 built, 4 for UK, at least 2 for KWS in Germany. B48 was F2, about 8 built, B50 was the FSV version, I think at least 2. The B49 was for F Atlantic, and I know of only 1, the Hope Scott Andrew Jeffrey car in Britain. Used in the 're-born' UK Atlantic series, plus Libre in Scotland/North of England. Don't know what happened to it after. Were there any built for US or Far East Atlantic ??

A number of B48s were in Aurora in '80, Roy Baker, Brian Robinson, Warren Booth, none particularly fast, though usually reliable.

Generally the B47-B50s seemed to disappear from the scene quite quickly I thought, they didn't hang around like previous Chevron generations.

[fines]

Welcome Dan, and thanks for the info!

I believe KWS had three B47s, though.

1979-03-11 Zolder, 6th Franz Konrad, #16 Chevron/Toyota B47

1979-04-01 Nürburgring, DNS Alan Smith, #8 Chevron/Toyota B47
1979-04-01 Nürburgring, DNS Franz Konrad, #9 Chevron/Toyota B47
1979-04-01 Nürburgring, DNS Karl Schuchnig, #17 Chevron/Toyota B47

1979-05-06 Faßberg, DNS Franz Konrad, #19 Chevron/Toyota B47

1979-07-22 Diepholz, 2nd Alan Smith, #66 Chevron/Toyota B47
1979-07-22 Diepholz, Ret Karl Schuchnig, #67 Chevron/Toyota B47

1979-08-19 Zolder, DNA Alan Smith, #66 Chevron/Toyota B47
1979-08-19 Zolder, 11th Karl Schuchnig, #67 Chevron/Toyota B47

1979-08-26 Ulm-Leipheim, DNA #13 Chevron/Toyota B47
1979-08-26 Ulm-Leipheim, DNA #14 Chevron/Toyota B47
1979-08-26 Ulm-Leipheim, DNA #15 Chevron/Toyota B47

1979-09-23 Nürburgring, DNA #29 Chevron/Toyota B47

Note that I don't have much evidence that there were actually three B47s present at any race; the Apr 1 race at the Nürburgring was cancelled after practice, but I wasn't able to find practice times for the F3 cars. KWS also had a number of older cars, amongst them at least one older Chevron. The only picture I have is of Alan Smith (#59) at Vallelunga.

[Mallory Dan]

Fines

Re Chevron B47s, thanks for the update on KWS cars, I knew that Alan Smith drove one. How did he get into German F3 in the first place ? Was he resident with you ? I also recall he brought a B47 over to the July Cadwell Park British F3 race, and finished IIRC 4th, a pretty good effort in a poor car (relative to the March 793s). Was it because that meeting was just before the British GP F3 race maybe, which had a great entry, and was Thackwell's first big win.

The 4 B47s in England that were definitely around were the McMahon cars of Devaney, Jordan, Johannsson, plus Mike Roe's one. They looked OK to start with, but once the Marches got going, they were outclassed, despite the driving talent. Devaney did take one good win though in the wet at Silevrstone, followed by Roe, so though it practically finished Devaney' and Roe's career (IMHO), it did have a 1-2 !

Later that year Gerry Amato had a few races in one, probably an ex-McMahon car after EJ and Johanson had got Marches. Also John Lewis went reasonably in one, I wonder whether this was also ex-McMahon, or perhaps one he built at the factory, as he worked there I recall.

Any answers to these points, or indeed, how many B49s were ever made ??

[MCS]

I think John Lewis built his own - it was absolutely immaculate I recall, but then all his cars were.

Alan Smith was based in Germany, but I can't remember why - sorry! Was he a mechanic for Maurer or somebody?

Incidentally - and please forgive me here - Chevron failed not because of the performance of the 1979 cars, but because of fundamental mis-management of the company after Derek Bennett's tragic death...

MCS

[Mallory Dan]

MCS, I completely agree re the demise of Chevron, symptomatic of many smaller Companies generally, not just those in motor-racing. I meant to say that the B47 pretty much finished Roe and Devaney, no slur against Chevron's glorious history ! I realise that they both carried on after, Roe especially in the US, but I remember both had had to wait some years for an F3 drive, and when they got their 'big chance' they were unlucky enough to get the B47.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by MCS
I think John Lewis built his own - it was absolutely immaculate I recall, but then all his cars were.

Alan Smith was based in Germany, but I can't remember why - sorry! Was he a mechanic for Maurer or somebody?

Incidentally - and please forgive me here - Chevron failed not because of the performance of the 1979 cars, but because of fundamental mis-management of the company after Derek Bennett's tragic death...

MCS

Agreed, Derek's sister seemed to think that the company could survive without a 'new Derek' - and didn't want to relinquish any control. Tony Southgate never really got a fair crack of the whip as 'consultant designer', although I wonder if Chevron was really in any position to survive into the ground-effects era.

I think the 80s might've been unkind to Chevron anyway even if Derek had survived - carbon tubs and ground-effects aerodynamics don't really sit well with a vision of Derek pottering around the factory with a welding torch in his hand improvising away at the cars. And days in the wind tunnel rather than taking the car down to Oulton or Aintree and seeing what it felt like? Hmmm. And I think the kind of slick salesmanship that Rick Gorne applied to Reynard would've been anathema to Derek.

It would've been nice to see Chevrons involved in F2 and F3000 through the 80s though, and I'm sure Derek would've enjoyed the prototype revival of the 90s - doesn't take much daydreaming to imagine the kind of rugged, quick and elegant 675 he might've built...;)

pete

[rdrcr]

Regarding the B49 production figures:

I wrote Robin Smith and have received a reply.

-----Original Message-----
From: Robin Smith [mailto:robin@simpsonmotorsport.com]
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 3:02 AM
To: Richard
Subject: Re: A Chevron question


Dear Richard,

from memory we took over Chevron in 1980.

From the original records it would appear that only 3 B49 formula atlantic cars were built and delivered in 1979. this being the total no built.

If I can be of any further assistance please contact me again.

Best regards

Robin Smith

[Mallory Dan]

rdrcr

Interesting update on the B49s, I'd thought only the Hope Scott car was ever made. My research over the past week or so on Atlantic matters hasn't turned up any more, so I wonder what happened to the other 2. Far east or US, I can't think they'd have gone anywhere else. Perhaps the factory made 2 other tubs that were never finished, or only much later, and Robin S has counted these as complete cars. Be very interested to hear more on this from you or Robin S.

As an aside any ideas how many B47 F3 cars were built/delivered. An old programme of mine from Mallory in mid-80s, I've got Brian Turner in a B47 in Monoposto. I've put "B47-08" down so must have seen this chassis no on the tub. I wonder whether this was the John Lewis one ?

DR

[Stephen W]

Just dug up some info on the Southgate Chevrons:

B49-79-02 was used in hillclimbs and sprints in Great Britain in the 80s.

1983 Richard Brown
1984 Chris Knapman

B48-79-04 was run at least once by Ray Rowan on the hills at Loton PArk in 1982

B48-79-10 was run by Norrie Galbraith in 1980 and 81

B47-79-08 was run by Pete and Sue Griffiths. It is the ex-Eddie Jordan team car and is still run by Sue but now has a 2.0 Millington engine installed.

Thanks to AdamF for some of the above background data.

[David M. Kane]

Kenny Smith had one in Auckland a few years ago that had been run as a Formula Pacific.

[Vicuna]

That may have been the ex Peter Haskett/Graeme Lawrence car.

[David McKinney]

Yes, would have been
(The car mentioned in Post 2)

[David M. Kane]

Yes, I seem to remember now that he mentioned Graham Lawerence, it was about 5 years ago...memory issues!

[Mallory Dan]

Steve, I presume you've got this info from Adam's disc, which he was kind enough to send to me too. I reckon the B49 must have been 1 of 2 Jeffrey/Hope Scott 1979 cars, but still doubt Ray R in 'B48-79-04'. I'm sure the car Rowan had was the ex-Keke/Jim C B45, which was B45-78-04. The Norrie G car may have been a B48 nominally, tho' I doubt the 10th built. Unless it was one built up by Robin Smith in Scotland as a 'new' car based on B48 parts.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan
Steve, I presume you've got this info from Adam's disc, which he was kind enough to send to me too. I reckon the B49 must have been 1 of 2 Jeffrey/Hope Scott 1979 cars, but still doubt Ray R in 'B48-79-04'. I'm sure the car Rowan had was the ex-Keke/Jim C B45, which was B45-78-04. The Norrie G car may have been a B48 nominally, tho' I doubt the 10th built. Unless it was one built up by Robin Smith in Scotland as a 'new' car based on B48 parts.

Dan, I have the Ray Rowan car as B45-78-04 on the BMSA database. I am currently awaiting responses to two emails to try and tie-down the two B49s.

The Roger Kilty car had previously been owned by David Keer and before him Paul Rendle. Hopefully this one should be relatively easy as both Roger and David are still in competition.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Stephen W


Dan, I have the Ray Rowan car as B45-78-04 on the BMSA database. I am currently awaiting responses to two emails to try and tie-down the two B49s.

The Roger Kilty car had previously been owned by David Keer and before him Paul Rendle. Hopefully this one should be relatively easy as both Roger and David are still in competition.

Further to the Roger Kilty B49:

I have had an email from David Keer which follows:

Hi Stephen,
Firstly, I must say this car was owned by Paul Rendle from 1990 for 3 years, I simply garaged and fettled the car for Paul and had drives in it at selected meetings in return for my efforts to keep it running well.
Chassis was -01, a Formula Atlantic version when sold originally.
Vim Malkie can provide history, but previous owner was John Bateman who ran a 1700cc engine in it.
Paul had engine rebuilt to 1600 BDA spec by John Beattie and gearbox overhauled by Ray Rowan before using it in speed events.
It was sold to Roger Kilty

Roger Kilty co-drove the car with John Roberts and the update to the British Sprint Championship database is underway.

I have emailed Roger asking to whom he sold the car and will post details as they become available.

[Mallory Dan]

Steve, it sounds like the first, of 2 we think, Jeffrey/Hope Scott cars. Apparently he wrote the first off at Ingliston mid-79, and the works replaced the wrecked tub with a new one, -02 presumably.

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Stephen W


Further to the Roger Kilty B49:

I have had an email from David Keer which follows:

Hi Stephen,
Firstly, I must say this car was owned by Paul Rendle from 1990 for 3 years, I simply garaged and fettled the car for Paul and had drives in it at selected meetings in return for my efforts to keep it running well.
Chassis was -01, a Formula Atlantic version when sold originally.
Vim Malkie can provide history, but previous owner was John Bateman who ran a 1700cc engine in it.
Paul had engine rebuilt to 1600 BDA spec by John Beattie and gearbox overhauled by Ray Rowan before using it in speed events.
It was sold to Roger Kilty

Roger Kilty co-drove the car with John Roberts and the update to the British Sprint Championship database is underway.

I have emailed Roger asking to whom he sold the car and will post details as they become available.

The car was sold via Martin Middleton to an Alistair McKillop in Scotland. It has been used occasionally in sprints at Knockhill and Kames.

[Murray Sinclair]

I would just like to jump in here with info on B49-79-4. We have this car under restoration in New Zealand and believe it is ex Graeme Lawrence. We are currently researching the early history and will post at a later date.

[Michael Clark]

Is this the Murray Sinclair of ex Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 and Chevron B21 fame?

Either way - welcome to TNF.

[David McKinney]

B49/79/04 was indeed the Lawrence car, later campaigned by Peter Haskett

[cosworth bdg]

It would be very nice car fitted with a Lucas Injected BDG , 290 bhp , 175 ft/ lbs of torque.......

[Vicuna]

Originally posted by David McKinney
B49/79/04 was indeed the Lawrence car, later campaigned by Peter Haskett

Haskett once told me he'd never sell it...I heard last year that he was unwell so I wonder how long since he parted with it?

[David M. Kane]

Kenny Smith has own the car for at least 5 years.

[Allen Brown]

I believe there is a legal requirement in NZ for any racing car over 20 years old to be owned by Kenny Smith at least once. For cars over 30 years old he has to own them on two separate occasions plus another car of similar spec for a confusingly overlapping period.

Allen

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
I believe there is a legal requirement in NZ for any racing car over 20 years old to be owned by Kenny Smith at least once. For cars over 30 years old he has to own them on two separate occasions plus another car of similar spec for a confusingly overlapping period.

Allen

What spells out this requirement....???????

[Allen Brown]

The Confusion of Future Historians Act, section 4, paras 13-15.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
I believe there is a legal requirement in NZ for any racing car over 20 years old to be owned by Kenny Smith at least once. For cars over 30 years old he has to own them on two separate occasions plus another car of similar spec for a confusingly overlapping period.
Allen

[Vicuna]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
The Confusion of Future Historians Act, section 4, paras 13-15.

[David M. Kane]

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by David M. Kane

[Murray Sinclair]

Originally posted by Michael Clark
Is this the Murray Sinclair of ex Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 and Chevron B21 fame?

Either way - welcome to TNF.

Confound it! Anonymity eludes me again. It is not my car but we are associated with it's restoration and now, it seems, sale. The car requires a new tub and this is being fabricated at present but it does lack and engine so I believe it will be sold as a roller. Hope it will stay in NZ.

[Vicuna]

Murray is one of the guys almost always at the front of NZ F5000 fields.

The T332 is for sale. As is the B21.

Murray's cars are magnificently prepared by former NZ Saloon Car Champ (and good guy) Rod Collingwood.

I'd cause some serious damage to to own either car.

I hope you're not hanging up the fullface Murray.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Vicuna
Murray is one of the guys almost always at the front of NZ F5000 fields.

The T332 is for sale. As is the B21.

Murray's cars are magnificently prepared by former NZ Saloon Car Champ (and good guy) Rod Collingwood.

I'd cause some serious damage to to own either car.

I hope you're not hanging up the fullface Murray.

May be he should follow your sugestion.............

[Vicuna]

If a device for the propelling of bullets was put to my head and I had to decide on one or the other, I would choose (Vitesse 2s comment about the coin landing on its edge on the much missed 'Best looking Grand Prix drivers wives' thread spring to mind) the..................................................................................................how long 'til the bullet leaves the chamber?..............................................................................................................................................the Chevron B21 please so long as it's ok to replace the BMW with a Hart 420R.

[Bloggsworth]

Stephen W

The Roger Kilty car had previously been owned by David Keer and before him Paul Rendle. Hopefully this one should be relatively easy as both Roger and David are still in competition.


Paul Rendle appears to still be listed as an outright record holder at The Harewood Hill Climb

Date
16.5.92 Paul Rendle Chevron B49 59.90 Seconds

I've known Paul since early 1964, I met him when my sister rode at his mother's stables in Much Hadham. He told me he had just bought an F3/F.Junior Cooper; as I worked for Lotus in Cheshunt, I was immediately co-opted, and off we went to Manchester to collect the Cooper from Roy Lane. Highlight of the year was a trip to a wet Silverstone, on the way the towing hitch broke, as we were towing with a weighty Humber Super Tripe (Snipe), we barely felt car and trailer part company; I glanced out of the back window to see the hitchless combination heading off road at a rate of knots. It was our lucky day, the "A" frame at the front contrived to spear into a pile of roadside grit leftover from winter, the point dug in, the wheels lifted of the ground a few feet, and thumped back down on the verge. As we ran back we could see the trailer sagging each side of the axle line, but nothing was broken, so we roped the front of the trailer to the massive rear bumper of the Humber, and continued our journey. Our perserverance was rewarded with 2nd place behind Kieth Vickery in his new Alexis.

How Paul ever raced was a mystery, he is the most indecisive person I've ever met. We used to take pity on waitresses and order stuff for him, or he would still be deciding between orange and lemon juice when they were turning the lights out!

[Paolo]

You said "anything" so here goes this story:

In the 80's there was a TV series on some Italian private channel (cannot remember the title), whose main characters were a dark haired motorbike pilot and a blonde haired (and moustached) racecar pilot.
The two solved plots, misteries etc much like Roger Moore and Tony Curtis in their famous TV series.
THIS series was clearly low budget anyway, although I found it palatable (well, I was in my teens).
The blonde-guy -with moustache was seen often practicing his car, which happened to be a white and red, unsponsored, Chevron F3.

That's all folks.

[CAMMAN]

Originally posted by Murray Sinclair


Confound it! Anonymity eludes me again. It is not my car but we are associated with it's restoration and now, it seems, sale. The car requires a new tub and this is being fabricated at present but it does lack and engine so I believe it will be sold as a roller. Hope it will stay in NZ.

I am the current owner of the car mentioned above and to clarify, it is not for sale and will be completely restored and painted in the original colours, If anyone has photographs of the car they would be helpful.
It is a chisel nose F/Atlantic car ex Graham Lawerance.
I have every part new from Cosworth to build the engine, I just need to assemble it.
I would like to see it complete in 12 months from now

Kevin Ban

Kelford Cams
New Zealand