57 replies to this topic

[scarbs]

I wondered if any one here knows of someone who own or runs one of the old F1 cars by Leyton house March? Ideally a CG891 but an earlier model would be as good.

I'd like to get access to one of the cars for some research.

Cheers

Scarbs...

[David M. Kane]

Kenny Smith has one in Auckland and there another one in Canada, I believe in Montreal. It was at Mont Tremblant on display at Les Legendes a few years ago.

[Gary C]

haven't two cars been up for sale for ages at www.race-cars.com ??

[Terry Marshall]

This is the Kenny Smith car, being driven by John Crawford, 1984 NZ FF Champion. Photograph shows car in action at Ruapuna Skope meeting, Feb 05. John ran drove the Stan Redmond McRae GM1 at Brands and Silverstone last year.

[David M. Kane]

My computer blocks prevent me from seeing the photo, but I rented a FF from John Crawford at the Southern Festival of Speed a few years ago and he is a "normal" size guy. What got me about the March was how tight it was since both drivers of the original cars were tiny compare to John and guys like me! They must have needed a shoe horn to get him in the thing!

BTW, the FF he provided me was exceptionally well prepared and I really enjoyed driving Raupuna.

[Nikos Spagnol]

Originally posted by Gary C
haven't two cars been up for sale for ages at www.race-cars.com ??

Both of them from 1987 (debut) season.

[Jim Keller]

Scott Yturria has 3 Leyton House March's 1988, 1989, and 1990.
He had 4 at one time, sold one. The remaing three are for sale as well

[Vicuna]

Originally posted by Terry Marshall
This is the Kenny Smith car, being driven by John Crawford, 1984 NZ FF Champion. Photograph shows car in action at Ruapuna Skope meeting, Feb 05. John ran drove the Stan Redmond McRae GM1 at Brands and Silverstone last year.

John Crawford used the prospect of driving this car as the carrot for shedding a ton of weight so he could fit in.

[Barry Boor]

I know history tells us that these cars were VERY small internally, yet neith Capelli nor Gugelmin ever struck me as particularly small.

[MODE]

There's a complete close up on Leyton house F1 cars in F1 modeling magazine, current issue N°27. For the ones who don't know this, it's a japanese mag with detailed photos of F1 cars, current and oldies, a must have. It can be found on Ebay and I buy my copy here :
http://www.hlj.com/product/SNKF1-27

[Gary C]

remember when JYS tested one in about 1990 (Snet??) ? He said it was cramped then, I remember he said he couldn't see the dashboard properly because of it.....

[Barry Boor]

Who needs to look at the dashboard.. ?

[nigel red5]

Originally posted by Jim Keller
Scott Yturria has 3 Leyton House March's 1988, 1989, and 1990.
He had 4 at one time, sold one. The remaing three are for sale as well

Has he still got the other three? Wow. Granted it's been nigh on 4 years since i lost contact with Scott, but he said they were for sale back in 2001. Just seems a shame that there's been a lack of interest in them. :

[Cris]

Off topic, but MODE, thanks so much for posting this link...I had completely forgotten about Hobby Link Japan...used to use that site years ago...nice to be reminded of it.

Cris

Originally posted by MODE
There's a complete close up on Leyton house F1 cars in F1 modeling magazine, current issue N°27. For the ones who don't know this, it's a japanese mag with detailed photos of F1 cars, current and oldies, a must have. It can be found on Ebay and I buy my copy here :
http://www.hlj.com/product/SNKF1-27

[Vicuna]

Originally posted by Gary C
remember when JYS tested one in about 1990 (Snet??) ? He said it was cramped then, I remember he said he couldn't see the dashboard properly because of it.....

I recall a shoe size smaller than 7 was required..

[scarbs]

Thanks everyone, I am in touch with Scott who tells me he still has three chassis (M881-05, and the CG891-01, and CG901-02) and I will be off to get the latest copy F1 modeller mag (excellent even for those who dont make models..!).

Scarbs

[Ross Stonefeld]

Originally posted by Vicuna


I recall a shoe size smaller than 7 was required..

I hope thats a European size

[petefenelon]

The March 891s apparently used to suffer rather a lot of clutch failures - no fault of the clutch itself, it was just that there was nowhere else for the driver's foot to go but onto the clutch pedal, so the things just wore out... (remember, this was before semi-auto 'boxes, too...)

[Rainer Nyberg]

This french site features some perhaps useful pictures of the 891.

[OleRacer]

I also have a CG891, my dear wife calls it "a bag of bits" just going to give it to my preparer to make it a "roller" this winter.

The NZ car I think has been sold to a guy in Australia.

There is also a collection in Japan.

I have heard that the Leyton Houses are "tight" however I (14st, 5' 11", size 8 1/2 shoes) sat in one at Alan Docking's 12 months ago and had absolutely no problems , which is more than can be said for my late Arrows A11. You must rember that Scott is 6' 4" and would struggle to find a F1 car to fit!

Finally it's a great shame that there are not some "out there" but where do they go, Formula Libre has finished, they are too young for TGP (which is an expensive series to run in anyway). It would be great to see them in Miami Blue and black, gives me a bit of a quiver when I remember flared jeans and bra-less women?

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by OleRacer

Finally it's a great shame that there are not some "out there" but where do they go, Formula Libre has finished, they are too young for TGP (which is an expensive series to run in anyway). It would be great to see them in Miami Blue and black, gives me a bit of a quiver when I remember flared jeans and bra-less women?

Has BOSS Formula finally died then? Shame. Whats all this about bra-less women and flares? Surely a March 761 would be more appropriate? Or even a 693 come to think of it!

I recall in the mid 90s when we were running a car in the Maranello challenge (with its excellant social scene) going to a BBQ at a guys place near Silverstone. I cant for the life of me remember his name but he built Ferrari race cars and in particular engines. Anyway out back in his shop he had what looked at first sight like an 87 F1 Leyton House, however on closer inspection it appeared more like an F3000 with F1 wheels, suspension etc We could'nt decide if it was thye genuine 87P used in early races with the small tank or a copy made for display purposes. Shame I was too drunk to take the chassis plate details.....

[OleRacer]

BOSS:-

a) Has all it's races abroad now.

b) Boss is not a historic formula, hence you get Rich & Very Rich people in cars that used to be F1 cars but have been somewhat uprated in everyway imaginable. Hence it is difficult to look credible turning up in a 620bhp CG 891?

Oh I still dream of Formula Libra and the women!

[OleRacer]

I forgot to add:

You are right there was a converted F3000 car(s) in 1987 that could not have finished the race as the fuel cells were too small.

Also the Leyton House history and demise was not a happy one, involved at the end was a person called...................(let's just call him JB) who managed to break up and sell the Leyton House parts all around the world. It was rumoured that he got some tubs made up as show cars, it may have been one of those that you saw?


Finally how about allowing some photos of those lovely 1970/80's pit "dollies" in this thread? I remember seeing an old Clubmans monthly magazine with some pretty "unpolitically correct" photos recently.

[ghinzani]

That sounds Brannigan-esque to me!! Man we could have an entire board, let alone thread about that man! Was Pirates of the Carribean based on him but moved from its original Lancashire setting??

I thought Henny Vollenberg was involved at the end too? I remember when they had loadsa cash they often failed to lock their skips down Bicester way, and we would often benefit - hence the Leyton house blue on our cars, lorry, pit boards, jacks, thermos's etc etc ;)

[ghinzani]

BTW kudos to your 70's crumpet idea, I bought a load of early TRUCK magazines recently and they are stuffed with them. Their Lady lorry driver of the Year contest is a beautifully written piece of chauvanism without ever meaning to be - its all "didnt she do well, for a girl" type stuff. Anyway heres to 70's style flared muff shots and all that...

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by ghinzani

That sounds Brannigan-esque to me!!

John Brannigan... 'The March Man'! Is he still going, Ghinza?

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Twin Window
John Brannigan... 'The March Man'! Is he still going, Ghinza?

Part of me hopes so for the sheer quality of the stories that surround him. But on the other hand they generally involve some poor schmuck being relieved of gelt, so not so funny for them. Anyone else recall when he ran a late model Foden Steamer in Formula Vauxhall Lotus, complete with smoke clouds Fred Dibnah would have been proud of! They managed to make Keegan Euromotorspurt look professional!

Last seen heading for Florida after issueing various Homer'esque maniacal threats via Autosports ad pages....

[OleRacer]

Not so!

Was last seen back in Preston running a Music shop!

[ghinzani]

Crikey! I imagine we will see him at some time managing the next Artic Monkey's type band to break bigtime then!!

OleRacer this is for you, a real 70's style chick! http://www.bapwatch....k/obscure/anne/

[examateur racer]

Hey, how did you find these pictures of my wife? lol

I shall try and dig out some pictures of my own on Monday

[Sc. Serrenissima]

Some racing pics of the Leyton House March

87


88


89



All copyright Unknown

The Leyton March House, concepted by Adrian Newey were the most beautiful cars of the end of the 80's and the begeening of the 90's.
So, I think it's a good idea to put in this topic all the pictures we are got, isn't it ?

[Stefan Schmidt]

This one?

[Sc. Serrenissima]

Thanks a lot Stefan Schmidt
Very great picture of Bruno Giacomelli testing at Estoril I suppose.

One more

88


Copyright Unknown

To be continued... I hope...

[Stefan Schmidt]

Another one

[Gary C]

yes..... ..lots of room in THAT cockpit, then!

[dolomite]

One from Silverstone 1990 that I originally posted on another thread a while ago.

[Stefan Schmidt]

Originally posted by Gary C
yes..... ..lots of room in THAT cockpit, then!

Just for Ivan and Mauricio, not for Jack O'malley

[Sc. Serrenissima]

89
The Big Adrian Newey (with Robin Herd)


90
"Big Mo" at Phoenix


All Copyright Unknown

[Sc. Serrenissima]

91
Ivan


Copyright Unknown

[Sc. Serrenissima]

90
Big Mo in Monaco


91
Ivan


All Copyright Unknown

[GBarclay]

Originally posted by Jim Keller
Scott Yturria has 3 Leyton House March's 1988, 1989, and 1990.
He had 4 at one time, sold one. The remaing three are for sale as well

[i]originally posted by ghinzani [i]
Part of me hopes so for the sheer quality of the stories that surround him. But on the other hand they generally involve some poor schmuck being relieved of gelt, so not so funny for them. Anyone else recall when he ran a late model Foden Steamer in Formula Vauxhall Lotus, complete with smoke clouds Fred Dibnah would have been proud of! They managed to make Keegan Euromotorspurt look professional!

Last seen heading for Florida after issueing various Homer'esque maniacal threats via Autosports ad pages....

Wow, small world.

I worked on these cars in 1994 when I was in Florida. Scott has been trying to unload those cars since then. I think the one car he had ended up in Canada, possibly the one that appeared in the Autoweek classifieds a year ago.

The cockpits are tiny. I am 6'2" and weighed about 175lbs when I worked on these cars, the cockpit was tighter than a Swift Formula 2000 (Continental) that Mr March Man ran in the southern USA in 93, 94 and 95.

If I were to purchase one of those cars I would be very careful to make sure that the "numbers" matched. There was an entire car assembled from bits and pieces. I think the tub may have been a spare. Pretty sketchy.

As OleRacer notes, the Preston music shop was the last time I saw JB, still wheeling and dealing - just not in race cars anymore. Anyone want to buy a genuine Eric Clapton guitar?

Updates on JB would be appreaciated though.

[Sc. Serrenissima]

89
Ivan


Copyright Unknown

[marchracer]

I have 5 Leyton House March that I had restored with tons of spares bought directly from the Bicester factory in 1993. Two M881, Two CG891, and One CG901. All with chassis tags.
I am too big to drive them (can't even fit in the tubs) as I am 6' 4" and 220 lbs.
They are in perfect condition with fresh Judd CV and EV.
Anybody want a March?
Regards,
Scott Yturria
San Ramon, CA
(415) 615-4407 office

The cars are in Florida in a race shop.

[RTH]

At the time these Adrian Newey cars had cockpits really too small for the then current drivers who complained.

Was said you needed to be under 5' 9" and as slight as a jockey to drive them.

[MODE]

Scott Yturria send me details and photos about his cars, I made a page for them :

http://www.gurneyfla...eytonhouse.html

[MODE]

I'm proud to present the first part of the restoration of the famous Leyton House CG901. The cars are now in good hands with P.Morgan DTPE team and, after their impressive Lotus 98T, you can expect another beautiful car (maybe also on track in the future). That's here :
http://www.gurneyfla...housecg901.html

[Barry Boor]

As a certain Del Boy would say (apologies to our American friends) that March is my most favourite car from the late 80s/early90s.

I would LOVE to see it on the circuits again.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by RTH
At the time these Adrian Newey cars had cockpits really too small for the then current drivers who complained.

Was said you needed to be under 5' 9" and as slight as a jockey to drive them.

I remember reading interviews from the drivers at the time recounting their difficulties in fitting into the cars. Gugelmin was solidly built, but even Capelli experienced discomfort.

[Rob Ryder]

I remember Jackie Stewart being very critical of the Newey designs in the program "Jackie Stewart's World of Speed". He tested a few F1 cars, and commented that did could not see how any driver could perform at his best in such a cramped and restrictive cockpit. Let's face it, JYS is no physical giant!
Rob

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by Rob Ryder
I remember Jackie Stewart being very critical of the Newey designs in the program "Jackie Stewart's World of Speed". He tested a few F1 cars, and commented that did could not see how any driver could perform at his best in such a cramped and restrictive cockpit. Let's face it, JYS is no physical giant!
Rob

I recall Capelli commenting on more than one occasion that he was sometimes unable to steer the thing properly, due to restrictions on arm movements. His upper arms were forever scraping on the cockpit sides. Having said that, this was not a problem unique to Leyton House from say 1989-1991. Berger, Cheever and Warwick, amongst others, experienced similar issues.