24 replies to this topic

[Gerard Gamand]

I sugest that we examin in this thread the Elf Switzerland V6 Renault car. (and not the Elf 2...)

The first outing of the car was on april 1976

Here a pic of the chassis during winter 75-76

[fines]

Good idea!

One thing I always wanted to know for sure, but never found any hard facts about, is: was this car de facto an Alpine?

[Hieronymus]

Gerard

This was the car that was the result of Jean-Claude Guenard and Jean-Pierre Jabouille's efforts. Correct? Jean Sage was also involved.

[bradbury west]

Gerard, forgive my lack of knowledge here, having to ask. Is this another Pygmee variation, or is it another marque, if so, what, and what class etc F2, or a euro Renaualt formula ? It helps me to follow the thread. Chassis looks robust.
Roger Lund.

[philippe charuest]

its a f2 and still an evolution of the early seventies Alpine, thats why i dont understand the "not ELF2" of the first post ,most people were calling the car elf2 or sometime elf2J the"j" of course for jabouille

[macoran]

Originally posted by Gerard Gamand
I sugest that we examin in this thread the Elf Switzerland V6 Renault car. (and not the Elf 2...)

The first outing of the car was on april 1976

Here a pic of the chassis during winter 75-76

Was this the yellow Jabouille car with Fromages Switzerland sponsorship ?

[Hieronymus]

Correct, Marc

[bradbury west]

Many thanks
RL

[Bruno]

oui du Gruyere avec de très gros trous dans la carrosserie. . .

pour l'aérodinamisme c'était super

[macoran]

des très gros trous...? (ou?), allez cést bien une fromage Suisse !!
http://fotos.iher.net/76%20Elf2J.jpg


I think there is indeed a difference between the vehicle designations Elf2 and Elf 2J.

Wasn't Elf2 the Tambay blue /black 1974 car, famous pic with the rear wing out back in the next century ?

edit: spelling correction

[Bruno]

mille pardonSSSSSSSSS. c'était les Lola qui avaient les trous.
juste.

[Gerard Gamand]

Philippe,

The "historic" correct name is for the 3 F2 chassis of 1976 : Elf-Switzerland 76-01, 76-02 and 76-03
I know that some people named the car Elf2J but it's incorrect.
The official name in 1976 was Elf-Switzerland

Here an other view of the chassis built by Guénard and Jabouille :

[philippe charuest]

wells there some "gros trous" in the frame cause its a tubular frame, it show that a well design tubular frame was as good as any monocoques. im convince that even in F1 a classic "tubular" car could have been competitive in the 70s.

[Hieronymus]

Originally posted by Gerard Gamand
The "historic" correct name is for the 3 F2 chassis of 1976 : Elf-Switzerland 76-01, 76-02 and 76-03
I know that some people named the car Elf2J but it's incorrect.
The official name in 1976 was Elf-Switzerland

The gentlemen of BLACK BOOK fame decided to call it the "Jabouille 2J".

[philippe charuest]

Originally posted by Bruno
mille pardonSSSSSSSSS. c'était les Lola qui avaient les trous.
juste.

yes in 72 at lemans a lola -cosworth , people still call the car the lola-gruyere

[macoran]

Originally posted by Gerard Gamand
Philippe,

The "historic" correct name is for the 3 F2 chassis of 1976 : Elf-Switzerland 76-01, 76-02 and 76-03
I know that some people named the car Elf2J but it's incorrect.
The official name in 1976 was Elf-Switzerland

What's in a name is what it all boils down to.

Will we ever know the "trous"....euhm truth ?

Sorry !

[Bonde]

Yet another interesting thread opened by Gerard!

Do any of the Elf-Switzerland cars survive?

Did they share any components with the Alpine Renault sports- prototypes?

[Gerard Gamand]

Bonde,

Some years ago a french have a complet rebuilt of one of the chassis. The work was due by the Duqueine brothers with a brand new space frame chassis.
He spend a lot of money with the V6 Renault Gordini engine and have a lot of problems.

He drived it in historic formula 2 but, for the moment, I can't remember his name. He lived near my home in Lyon.

Any help ??

[Gerard Gamand]

Here a funny pic.

It's not "Néné" Arnoux on the Elf-Switzerland...but Jean-Pierre Jabouille with the Arnoux helmet.
We are at Estoril for the F2 race in 1976 and I believe it's the chassis Elf-Switzerland 76-03

[Bonde]

Gerard,

Yes, thanks - do we know what happened "the other two" cars?

À pro pos the chassis, IIRC the ELF spacframe was fully paneled with sheet aluminium riveted on. All quite elaborate, and both tubes and panels must've been pretty thin gauge to keep the chassis light.

[fines]

Immediate history of the cars I can remember: they were bought by Willi Kauhsen of Aachen (Aix-le-Chapelle) and run as Kauhsen/Renault in F2 for a year, then at least one went to Japan for F2000 competition.

To get back to my Alpine question: were the cars manufactured in Dieppe, or where were these pictures taken?

[starlet]

Gérard, the owner of the Elf-Switzerland who raced it in historic is Thierry Gay.

[Gerard Gamand]

Yes, of course ! thanks
Thierry Gay !

[Hieronymus]

The 1976 European F2 Championship was really a big battle between Jabouille and Arnoux (Martini). One point seperated them in the end. Also a big scrap between their respective team mates, i.e. Leclere and Tambay. Renault power very much on top, amongst a sea of BMW engines.

[Gerard Gamand]

A very special rear double wings for Jabouille