March 80A

[bruin]

Hi world, i am now the proud owner of an 80a, and im tracking its history.

Chassis #11, raced by Hubert Phipps (stimola race prep) in 81, anyone have any other information on the car?

Thanks Bruin

[Chris Townsend]

Bruin,
Good to hear from you, and yet another March 80A that survives!
How do you know it was the Phipps car? Do you have log book from that point?
I have Phipps' results with this car, and suspect it was also run some of the time by Peter Lerch.
As to original owner:
Phipps didn't have it from new, but would probably have bought it from an East coast owner, given his, and Stimola's location.
I don't think it can be a Shierson car as four of their 1980 cars are already clearly identified.
This leaves the following as most likely:
R.J. Nelkin [from New York] who pops into this forum occasionally, so might be able to help.
Fred Opert, who runs a rental car in 1980
East coast owners we can rule out are Bill Anspach, who is still selling his 80A after Phipps appears, and Ralph Manaker, similarly; Dale Lang has an 80A in 1980 run by Shierson, but he seems to keep that for himself and son Eric in 1981.
After that we are into the car coming from California or mid west, which is not impossible, but less likely.

Some work on the bodywork might help (assuming you have some original) Nelkin's car was a vivid green and this would be either the gel-coat or more likely the second coat; Opert's was white side pods and nose with red cockpit. Some careful sanding can usually reveal the paint sequence and it's probably worth recording all of it.

Chris

[RJ Nelkin]

The car was mine......The gel coat from the factory was Nelkin Racing Green. I had bought and sometimes traded Diamonds (My family has been in the wholesale/diamond cutting business since the 1920's and we still do the same today.....I guess I was the BLACK sheep of the family because I pursued motoracing with a passion....together with my diamond business. I bought Atlantic March cars from my buddy Doug Shierson starting in 1977....before I bought cars from Fred Opert (chevrons)....I started racing Can-am in 1979 with Cars from Carl Haas (Diamonds too)....However I still bought/traded for march cars (new) from Doug....I did not use them until just before the 1980 Trois Rivieres when I sold my Lola T-530 to Paul Newman for Stephen South to use.....but he crashed bad in practice in one of Newman's Spyder cars...I raced my 80A in the Atlantic race there.....Send me a picture so i can match it up with the cars I hads...too many for me to remember what March/what race.....Sincerely, RJ Nelkin

[bruin]

Hi mate, thanks for the information, the following is a pic of the car as it is.

Look forward to getting a pic ,as it was in green when you had it,

Bruin
bruin@mindamotorsport.com

[bruin]

Does anybody have a contact for Hubert Phipps? or know of him?

Thanks bruin

[Chris Townsend]

Just a little update on the above
Stimola sometimes ran two 80As in 1981
Phipps' car [the #90] was royal blue, whilst a photo of Lerch in the #45 shows it to be white with red cockpit [same colour scheme as the Opert car]
This suggests Nelkin as favourite, but it also hints at Manaker's car [royal blue in 1980] except that Manaker advertises that car in April 82 as unraced in 1981...

Chris

[bruin]

Thanks Chris, Thanks for the great information, i did some work a while ago and some how came up with Phipps as driver of chassis #11 (dont know how now) but the car when it arrived has got phipps on the wheels, and the wheels are gotti, as in photo i found of Phipps in the car. It also has some royle blue panit on the tub.

It also has a beep blue under the paint on the nose, a strange green on the LH pod and head rest, the papers i have with the car show phipps driving it in 81, on a lot of the sheets.

The car has papers from lerch as well, and some set up sheets etc are from Shierson, i suspect these are a std thing about the 80a and not this car.

Thanks again Bruin

[Chris Townsend]

Bruin

A few questions?
Do the papers you have list drivers after Phipps?
Is the chassis plate on the car? If so, there should be a three figure number on it in addition to the 80A-11 stamp; this will begin with 7 or 8. Could you tell me what the number is?
The 'strange green' suggests Nelkin's car; have pictures of this car but they are copyright, so would need to send them to an email address rather than post, if you want to match the colour

Chris

[bruin]

Thanks ,the pappers are from phipps,lerch and then the owner in 91,ingersol.

The chassis plate is on and is #11, and the sheets note it as chassis #11, a photo would be great, as im keen to start to get the body repairs etc underway,

bruin@mindamotorsport.com

Thanks again , Bruin

[mwphoto]

No info about the car, but I do have this pic of it from 1981@Mid-Ohio with Phipps behind the wheel....

[bruin]

Hi, im looking for peter gates, he swapped my March 80a for a Chevron b29 #28, anybody know him or have any leeds ? This will fill in the history on my car,

Thanks Bruin

[Chris Townsend]

Bruin

Peter Gates is certainly still around, try asking on the forum on race-cars.com

Chris

[Kim Jones]

i have a march 80a chassis number 9 i understand the car was
raced by team shierson driven by john mortensen im looking for any
paper work or photos any info about the car I also have chassis number 12
so any info would be appreciated.

[Kim Jones]

march 1.jpg

Originally Posted by Kim Jones

i have a march 80a chassis number 9 i understand the car was
raced by team shierson driven by john mortensen im looking for any
paper work or photos any info about the car I also have chassis number 12
so any info would be appreciated.

[Kim Jones]

Originally Posted by Kim Jones

i have a march 80a chassis number 9 i understand the car was
raced by team shierson driven by john mortensen im looking for any
paper work or photos any info about the car I also have chassis number 12
so any info would be appreciated.

Model 80A Formula Atlantic Chassis Number 009
1980 Car was built for Doug Shierson Racing to run as the sister car to Jacques Villeneuves (brother of Gilles) in the 1980 North American Formula Atlantic Championship the driver was John Mortensen.
1981-1982 Car sold to Howard Cherry, prepared and run by Dennis Eades of Competition Preparation.
1982-1990 Car sold to “Italian Fellow” (no one can remember his name) he did nothing with the car except disassemble it and place into boxes .
1990-1999 Car sold to John Barrett in boxes, John and Ed Midgley spent the next nine years restoring it. A SCCA replacement log book was obtained on 28/3/1990 with the intent to race the car when the restoration was complete, the car did not compete while owned by John.
1999-2005 Car sold to Jim Ozane. Jim raced the car in ten historic races over six years.
2005-2008 Car sold to Christian Forrer. Christian raced the car eleven times but only completed six events due to engine problems.
2008 Car sold to Kim Jones & shipped Australia

This is what I have so far only for ch 9 I have nothing on ch 12

[Chris Townsend]

I realise that we've never had a summary of 80As, about which I have a surprising amount of information, so here goes

1: Bernard Hunter for British series: 'The first customer MN 15.11.79 p. 7; wrecked whilst sorting by Manfred Winkelhock. 1981 Stu Lawson, ad in AS 22.10.81 gives this as 80A-1 updated to 81A spec; 1982 perhaps to Stewart Phillips then unknown

2: Graeme Lawrence and retained 1981 then to Tinton Soesprapto [SEA], unknown after 1983

3: Known only from logbook: 1980 Donald B. LaPlante who may simply be an entrant as no one of this name runs pro, or scores national SCCA points in 80-81; last known Donald B. LaPlante f/s OT 13.4.87 p. 71 23 Peterson Circle, Stafford Springs, CT 06076. Location and early build number suggests to me this might be Ralph Manaker's car which ran Palm Beach in Feb 80. Possibly to Joseph Hamilton 1987

4: Known only from logbook in name of Armeel F. Barabasz 1982 - 1984, however, build number suggests to me that this might have been another of the Palm Beach 80As appearing very early in the year - maybe that of Bill Anspach of Florida.
Barabasz was a well known SCCA regional and national driver who originally was based in Michigan and then moved to California about the time this log book expires.

5: Doug Shierson team for Jacques Villeneuve Sr. DSR set up sheets suggest this was his main race car [there are enough sheets to work out which cars Villeneuve and Mortensen used in 1980 at which races] Probably to Tom Outcault 1981; Tom Outcault OT 21.5.84 p. 78 'ex Villeneuve championship car' 423 N.Marshall Road, Middletown OH 45042; then unknown
f/s OT 13.4.87 p. 72 'chassis #5 originally owned by Jacques Villeneuve' 904-237-6500 [Jacksonville FL]

6: Doug Shierson team spare for Jacques Villeneuve Sr and John Mortensen. 1999 for sale on race-cars.com near Albuquerque "with full log", so this car is out there somewhere and that log can fill gaps in other histories

7: Unknown in period, f/s on race-cars.com 2006 from California

8: Doug Shierson team for Charles Cass. I managed to work out the history of this one when it was owned by Jack Perkins, largely on the basis of its bodywork, which ran a distinctive paint scheme. Jack knew it was a Shierson car but not whose. 1981 to Patrick Garmyn who runs in Cass's paintjob. Unknown for many years then to Perkins and sold 2006

9: Doug Shierson team for John Mortensen as main car; 1981 Howard Cherry and retained 1982, later used as rental car at Comprent. Owned recently by Chris Forrer. I'll be contacting Howard Cherry about his cars soon

10: Jeff Wood 1980, then I think to Mike Buckenham until 1984. Was owned by Charles Warner but not sure if that's still the case. Would like to have log details on this car

11: As we've seen on this thread, 1980 R.J. Nelkin, another early delivery as run, and wrecked, at Palm Beach in Feb, repaired and run later in year. To Stimola for Hubert Phipps and maybe sometimes Peter Lerch in 1981, then unknown, now owned by Bruin in Australia

12: Unknown in period, owned 2005 by Charles Warner as a project car, then to Chris Forrer

13: Unknown

14: Unknown

15: Unknown

16: Unknown in period, earliest known with John Sorbello in NE SCCA as BSR. Now owned Simon Hadfield

17: Unknown

18: Nick Adams for UK series; run by Adams for Carlos Ulibarri in 1981 series, then to Padraic Mooney [IRL] [A/S 2.9.82 pp. 52 - 53 'ex Adams'] f/s AS 6.1.83 p.62 'ex Adams' Dublin no

19: Unknown

20: Used by Rob Wilson in 1981 NZ series and unknown before then. However, I do not think that this was a new car then as AS 13.3.80 p.7 says March have already sold 24 Atlantics, so I suspect it was a car returned from the USA, probably in p/x for a new car for 81

21: Marvin Clegg Racing: a mid season replacement for Price Cobb who had wrecked his first car. Also used by Cobb at Long Beach 1981. f/s Red Roof Inns, OT 11.2.82 p. 36, 'ex Cobb 3 Rivers winner, virtually unraced in 1981
2005 sold by Charles Warner to Jim Petrie and now for sale again. Is there a log for this car from 1982 onwards?

22: Unknown

23: Unknown

24: Unknown

25: Unknown until 1982 when raced by Graham Brown in Australia

Those unknowns have to account for the following:
Appearing by Feb 9 Palm Beach
Bill Anspach
Ralph Manaker
Appearing at Long Beach 29 March
Rick Koehler [from Milwaukee]
Dan Marvin [California]
Price Cobb [California, his first car]
Pierre Phillips for Tom Stewart. Stewart killed in this car mid season and perhaps scrapped
Tommy Grunnah [from Mid West]
Fred Opert rental car, almost certainly to Stimola for Lerch in 1980 on the basis of colour scheme
Lane Sports/Tom Gloy, has a spare 80A which is hardly raced. Sold to Joel Herrera, and later taken as p/x by Ted Titmus on a Ralt RT4 that was basically stolen by Herrera without the balance being paid. Ted can't remember who he sold to, in 1981, but is looking for paperwork!
Appearing Brainerd 15 June
Jerry Hansen
Appearing Elkart Lake 19 July
Bob Schader, retained 1981 and with Ken Steffens 1983. f/s OT 9.4.84 p. 69 ex Schader, Jennings BDH 2621 S.143rd E Wichita KS67232
Dale Lang [Lang usually ran with Shierson but in SCCA mainly] I'd put money on this as chassis 7 as all the numbers around it are DSR cars and they would be the first 80As delivered for the pro season.

I'll get on to subsequent users in another post

Chris

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Dale Lang [Lang usually ran with Shierson but in SCCA mainly] I'd put money on this as chassis 7 as all the numbers around it are DSR cars and they would be the first 80As delivered for the pro season.

You had me badly confused with this comment Chris! I thought DSR meant D Sports racing and was trying to imagine a new March 80A with a Yamaha engine in the back and sports car bodywork. After staring at the screen for a a long moment, I realised you meant Doug Shierson Racing. I really am no use to man or beast at this time of the morning.

[jwwitt]

Chris - Thanks for all the info on the 80As. I am doing some research on the #7 car (which my boss now owns) and was wondering if you could help me out or point me in the right direction as to where I could dig up some more info. I've been all over the web and the history as far as this chassis goes, is extremely slim.

What I do know:
1. Raced by Terry Gemmill three times in 1981 (The Lethbridge Brewery Can-Am, Westwood Motorsport Park Player's Pacific, Grand-Prix Labatt du Canada )
2. is most likely a DSR Car seeing that numbers 1-9 were owned by Shierson as well and they would have been the first cars deliver for that season.

That's all I've got so far but anything would help. Thanks

-Justin

[Chris Townsend]

Kim
Do you have bodywork for 12?
If so, what is the original gelcoat colour? and the succession of colours after that?
Are there any stickers or fragments of on tub or body - by this I mean scrutineers or official labels, not sponsor stickers. These might give us a clue.
If we know a car was at a particular race that eliminates a lot of possibilities

Also, on the plate in addition to 80A-12 should be another three figure number, probably stamped in top right corner. This is the number in the build sequence of March cars in total. Can you tell me what it is. By comparing with other numbers for 1980 production I can start to get an idea when it was built.
80A-6 built December 79 has 795, 80A-21 built May/June has 852
[Could you do same for 80A-9 too please as that would help]

Chris

[Kim Jones]

March JM 1.jpgHi Chris,
Thanks for the responce. My Contaner is still on the water will arrive
in two weeks i will then send the info. Can you confirm what I have on
Ch 9 I would like to find some photos and result of the car from 1980 if possible all
I have is this one.

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Kim

Do you have bodywork for 12?
If so, what is the original gelcoat colour? and the succession of colours after that?
Are there any stickers or fragments of on tub or body - by this I mean scrutineers or official labels, not sponsor stickers. These might give us a clue.
If we know a car was at a particular race that eliminates a lot of possibilities

Also, on the plate in addition to 80A-12 should be another three figure number, probably stamped in top right corner. This is the number in the build sequence of March cars in total. Can you tell me what it is. By comparing with other numbers for 1980 production I can start to get an idea when it was built.
80A-6 built December 79 has 795, 80A-21 built May/June has 852
[Could you do same for 80A-9 too please as that would help]

Chris

[Kim Jones]

Hi Chris,
I now have my contaner the numbers you need are for ch 09 top right
small 24 left side same size as ch number 798 for ch 12 top right 28 left 800
hope this will shed some light.
Regards
Kim

[Kim Jones]

[quote=Chris Townsend]Kim
Do you have bodywork for 12?
If so, what is the original gelcoat colour? and the succession of colours after that?
Are there any stickers or fragments of on tub or body - by this I mean scrutineers or official labels, not sponsor stickers. These might give us a clue.
If we know a car was at a particular race that eliminates a lot of possibilities

Also, on the plate in addition to 80A-12 should be another three figure number, probably stamped in top right corner. This is the number in the build sequence of March cars in total. Can you tell me what it is. By comparing with other numbers for 1980 production I can start to get an idea when it was built.
80A-6 built December 79 has 795, 80A-21 built May/June has 852
[Could you do same for 80A-9 too please as that would help]

[Kim Jones]

Hi Chris,
I now have my contaner the numbers you need are for ch 09 top right
small 24 left side same size as ch number 798 for ch 12 top right 28 left 800
hope this will shed some light.
Regards
Kim

[Amonfan]

Peter Warren has run a March 80A in New South Wales since about 1982... Had a rather long retirement then came back a few years ago and runs it @ Histroic Meets now...

[David McKinney]

This was the car raced by Rob Wilson in NZ (as mentioned in an earlier post)