Chevron B19

[allenbrown]

For those of you who don't know what the "Chimp" was, I've borrowed the post below from 10 Tenth's wonderful 1970's & 80's Super Saloons & Special Saloons thread.

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

Jacobsen's was not the original Chimp . That was a car which first appeared at Thruxton , driven by the very talented and very under-rated Jonathan Buncombe ( how come idiots like Fatman got so many good drives ? ) , using Imp saloon silhouette bodywork over a Chevron B19 or B21 chassis , powered I think by a Swindon-built FVD of 1975cc capacity . The FVD was in itself a rarity ; most big four pot Fords of the period were long-stroke FVCs , with the original 1790cc bore , but a long stroke crank , built by people like Alan Smith of Derby or Geoff Richardson at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire . The FVD , though , used a special block with a full 90mm bore , which retained the standard , shorter , stroke of the FVC . The later Cosworth BDG used these same bore and stroke dimensions .

Incidentally , most engines advertised nowadays as BDGs are nothing of the sort ; a BDG is a Cosworth iron-blocked motor with Lucas fuel injection . If it's got an alloy block , or has carburretors , or starts easily in cold weather , it's not a BDG !

But I digress .... The Chimp was very fast , but was built with total disregard of both the letter and spirit of the regulations . It retained the standard Chevron wheelbase , more than a foot longer than that of the Imp , and used a rear wing the horizontal planar surface of which was meant to represent the top-hinged rear window of the Imp in its open position . The wing had massive vertical side plates made of perspex , which the cars' creators claimed did not infringe the silhouette regulations because they were transparent .

It did at least comply with the rule that the driver had to be seated wholly to one side of the centre line ; in my view the beginning of the end for Special Saloons was the lucrative Donnington GT championship , which sought with the best of intentions to combine the best of Special Saloons and Modified Sports Cars , but through a naive approach to formulating regulations for the series , allowed all sorts of freaks such as the centrally-seated Jacobsen Chimp with its horrendously ugly lowered bonnet . At a stroke , this took all the ingenuity out of building a Special , which to me was most of the fun . The legacy of this can be seen today in the ridiculous Castle Coombe GT championship , where the rich and talentless race their wallets .

Regards

Meldrew

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

Identifications so far:

E = B19.71.8 (Source: Sport Auto 300 km d'Auvergne August 1971 p63-65).
F = B19.71.7 (Source: Sport Auto 300 km d'Auvergne August 1971 p63-65).
G = B19.71.10 (Source: Sport Auto 300 km d'Auvergne August 1971 p63-65).
I = B19.71.12 (Source: Sport Auto 300 km d'Auvergne August 1971 p63-65).
J = B19.71.9 (Source: owner's history on Chevron Heritage website)
M = B19.71.3 (Source: owner's history on Chevron Heritage website)
O = B19.71.25 (wrecked) and then B19.71.29 (Source: owner's history on Chevron Heritage website)
U = B19.71.20 (Source: Javier del Arco de Izco, Montjuich Park 1972)
AA = B19.71.30 (Source: Autosport advert to follow from Drifty)
AB = B19.71.3 (Source: owner's history on Chevron Heritage website)
AH = B19.71.3 (Source: owner's history on Chevron Heritage website)

No chassis number yet for D - the BDG engined Dart B19 that went to Frank Aston?

[John Turner]

Changes made to posts 245, 247, Allen, as requested (243 looked right to me, but you may want to check!).

Great movement on this thread - 90 posts already in 2009!

[nj1052]

Gentlemen

I have been a very interested viewer of this thread for some time and have been awaiting an appropriate moment to join in. I think that moment is now.

I have in my workshop the nearly completed restoration of B19-71-03. ( I prefer dashes and zeros!) I have been merrily working away on it for about 9 months. I bought it from Kent Abrahamsson who in turn bought it directly from Jorg Zaborowski in 1997. JZ bought it, confirmed as "Chassi Nr. 71/3" in paperwork, through a shipping agent Heinz Derflinger in January 1972 and promptly crashed it comprehensively at the Nurburgring on the 3rd April 1972, perhaps involving Trevor Twaits who also failed to finish the first lap of that race.

The car was bent like a bannana as is evidenced by the period photo in the supplied paperwork. JZ was clearly very fed up and left the wreck for many years until eventually starting to repair it. Kent bought the incomplete project but being, as you will know, the owner of a very large number of cars his other interests and commitments resulted in his decision to sell.

Interestingly, included in the paperwork is list of the first 26 chassis numbers together with their engine numbers and owners. R Shardlow is listed as the owner of "71/3".

I look forward to the developments of this fascinating thread.

Nigel James

[henk4]

After consultation with Allen, he thought the time was also ripe to show some of the cars that are currently racing. I have gone through my archives and came up with the following individual cars.
A car indicated as #1 in the Laguna Seca programme for 2005. (this car is currently for sale and I have asked the seller for info, but after one reply, he has not come back to me.
B19-70-S-10 (The car ran by Allan Timpany in the CER during 2006 and 2007 and recently sold, I got a shot of the chassis plate)
B19-71-1 (with a shot of the plate)
B19-71-08 (the plate says OA-DBE-08)
B71-9 (The Delbert car, well documented already)
B71-12 (a Canon car, my guess, no shot of the plate though)
B71-17 (Ran by Sandy Watson during the 2008 CER, plate reads DBE-17)
B71-18 (a red car shot in 2005, at the 40 years of Chevron celebration in Monterey, no picture of the chassis plate, and a white car in Lucky Strike livery, with a chassis plate that says it was produced by Chevron Racing cars, somewhere in Scotland.)
B71-21 (no shot of the plate but owners info displayed in front of the car, ex Red Rose car)

I have some more shots taken during a period when I was less focused on getting things right in terms of documentation, and they might include other cars as well, but this is what I am more or less certain of today. All shots are copyright.

[henk4]

and here are the remaining pics
I also found that the Red Rose car was mentioned as chassis #7 in the 2005 Laguna Seca Programme.

[John Turner]

Welcome, Nigel.

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by nj1052

Gentlemen

I have been a very interested viewer of this thread for some time and have been awaiting an appropriate moment to join in. I think that moment is now.

I have in my workshop the nearly completed restoration of B19-71-03. ( I prefer dashes and zeros!) I have been merrily working away on it for about 9 months. I bought it from Kent Abrahamsson who in turn bought it directly from Jorg Zaborowski in 1997. JZ bought it, confirmed as "Chassi Nr. 71/3" in paperwork, through a shipping agent Heinz Derflinger in January 1972 and promptly crashed it comprehensively at the Nurburgring on the 3rd April 1972, perhaps involving Trevor Twaits who also failed to finish the first lap of that race.

The car was bent like a bannana as is evidenced by the period photo in the supplied paperwork. JZ was clearly very fed up and left the wreck for many years until eventually starting to repair it. Kent bought the incomplete project but being, as you will know, the owner of a very large number of cars his other interests and commitments resulted in his decision to sell.

Interestingly, included in the paperwork is list of the first 26 chassis numbers together with their engine numbers and owners. R Shardlow is listed as the owner of "71/3".

I look forward to the developments of this fascinating thread.

Nigel James

Welcome Nigel - I've sent you a PM.

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by nj1052

Interestingly, included in the paperwork is list of the first 26 chassis numbers together with their engine numbers and owners. R Shardlow is listed as the owner of "71/3".

Nigel James

Now that IS interesting!

[allenbrown]

Meanwhile, some snippets that I've received over the phone but can't give my source:

1. A mechanic recalls the Jim Wallis car in 1983/84 and can confirm that it came from Vin Malkie and that it went to Richard Eyre. However, he was surprised to read here that it had been the Chimp.

2. Paul Howarth's car that was run for Rick Wyman and later went to Tony Griffin was said to have been the Chimp.

3. When HVIFs were being issues (prior to the HTP/HC system), the MSA issued 13 to B19s. I wonder how many CSAI issued. And the FFSA. And ACCUS. And the DMSB in Germany and SBF in Sweden. I'll see if I can find out...

[driftwood]

Meanwhile, some snippets that I've received over the phone but can't give my source:send me £20 and i will tell you!!

Henks foto of the yellow B19 i think is the usa lawrence?? 19-71-08 car

Steve w the chevron b19 21 car that amanda and george have sprinted for donkeys years- what do u know abiut it? i saw it few yrs ago at brighton speed trials but not close up/didnt stick my head into cockpit/talk to them
i recall something on the car body " Siffert"


Also re B19-71-01
if you scroll back thru thread to Fangio & mshallet posting i believe here 1 said he bought from Italy the #1 car eris tondelli had and took it to usa

[allenbrown]

The list kindly supplied by Nigel James is fascinating. It reinforces the identifications we have for some cars, contradicts some others and identifies some cars that we didn't previously know.

In some cases it just lists Siffert or Tondelli as agent so that doesn't always help. Let's start with the easy ones:

A = B19.71.12 (contradicting Sport Auto's identification of 12 as Swart's car)
C = either B19.71.5 or B19.71.6 (new info)
D = either B19.71.6 or B19.71.5 (new info)
E = B19.71.8 (confirmation)
F = B19.71.7 (confirmation)
G = B19.71.10 (confirmation)
H = B19.71.4 (new info)
I = B19.71.10A (contradicting Sport Auto's identification of Swart's car as 12)
J = B19.71.9 (confirmation)
M = B19.71.16 (given as 'Siffert' with 'Larousse' in brackets)
Q = B19.71.24 (new info)
AB = B19.71.3 (confirmation)

Seven cars go to Tondelli and five to Siffert. With Siffert having so many, it is possible that 'M' is more than one car. Siffert may have bought Richard Shardlow's 'AB' (B19.71.3) and entered it once or twice before receiving his new B19.71.16.

One things that the list clearly shows is that 10A was used in place of 11 and 12A in place of 13. However, 22 does appear.

[allenbrown]

Just figured another one out:

P (Oldenkott Tobaco: Clemens Schickentanz) = B19.71.22

It is on Nigel's list as "Siffert (Kerston)". Peter Kerston was the entrant of Schickentanz' cars.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Also re B19-71-01
if you scroll back thru thread to Fangio & mshallet posting i believe here 1 said he bought from Italy the #1 car eris tondelli had and took it to usa

here are B19-17 and the Ed Swart car, that Fangio was so proud of having beaten in Zandvoort in 1993. Pictures are from the pit roof, during that race.
17 is now run by Sandy Watson if that is the same car.
Now we have to find out what the Canon cars actually were...Somebody with contacts in the USA to ask Swart directly?

[allenbrown]

So to turn it around so it makes more sense:

B19.71.3 Richard Shardlow ('AB')
B19.71.4 WRA: John Bamford ('H')
B19.71.5 DART (either 'C' or 'D')
B19.71.6 DART (either 'C' or 'D')
B19.71.7 Red Rose: John Bridges ('F')
B19.71.8 Red Rose: John Hine ('E')
B19.71.9 Central Garage Mirfield: John Lepp ('J')
B19.71.10 John Burton ('G')
B19.71.10A Ed Swart ('I')
B19.71.12 Chevron Cars: Craft ('A')
B19.71.16 Siffert: Larrousse ('M')
B19.71.22 Oldenkott Tobaco: Clemens Schickentanz ('P')
B19.71.24 Duckhams: Terbeck ('Q')

Hine's rebuild does appear on the list as B19.71.25 but another Red Rose rebuild appears as B19.71.23 so it's still too early to call 'O'.

Quite a few observed cars are missing.
B. The late 1970 works car so I wouldn't expect it to appear
K. Sunfresh Racing Team: Cyr Febraio/Jean Ortelli
L. Scuderia Brescia Corse: Carlo Facetti/Eric Tondelli
N. Toine Hezemans 'brand new' at Hockenheim 4 July - never seen again
R. Hasag: Heinz Derflinger at Wunstorf 15 Aug - maybe too late for this list
S. Reg Philips Shelsley Walsh 15 Aug - maybe too late for this list
W. Giovanni Alberti/Mario Casoni at Monza 1000 km 25 Apr

The two Italian cars ('L' and 'W') will be amongst the many Tondelli cars on the list. The Febraio car is a puzzle but I do have one or two clues to follow on this. The Toine Hezemans Hockenheim car may also be a Tondelli car as Hezemans joins the Osella-Abarth team shortly after. The Derflinger car is likely to be a Siffert customer car. The Reg Phillips car is a puzzle - Steve, do you know how long he kept it?

[Jeremy Hall]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

Sebring 12 Hours (MN 30 Mar 1972 pp12-14)

AC. Marathon Oil Racing [Fred Opert Racing]: Nick Craw/Bill Barber (FVC)
AD. Marathon Oil Racing [Fred Opert Racing]: Freddy van Beuren/Rudolfo Junco (Hart aluminium block BDA)

MN calls them B16s in the report and B19s in the results. The Kleinpeter/Belcher "B21" that T&TS shows was a B16.

I just spoke to Nick who confirms that it was a B19 and the same car he ran at Daytona.He will check his note/scrap book for chassis number but does not expect to find it.
Result to me overnight

[Simon Hadfield]

And I just spoke to some one that confirmed the other Sebring car was a B16 with the roof cut off, (not a proper B19) his source actually saw the roof being cut off at Sheirson's workshop!

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

And I just spoke to some one that confirmed the other Sebring car was a B16 with the roof cut off, (not a proper B19) his source actually saw the roof being cut off at Sheirson's workshop!

is that may be the car now owned by Roy Walzer? Or is this subject for discussion in the B16 thread?

[allenbrown]

Jeremy, does Nick recall whether the car was brand new or whether Shierson had raced it in the US during the 1971 season? I bit much to expect him to remember but it would help place it in the list.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Henks foto of the yellow B19 i think is the usa lawrence?? 19-71-08 car

can't tell you, car was not listed in the programme.

[Simon Hadfield]

Henk,wasnt this the restoration of the original aluminium B16S bodywork, originally done for Don Shead?

[driftwood]

And I just spoke to some one that confirmed the other Sebring car was a B16 with the roof cut off, (not a proper B19) his source actually saw the roof being cut off at Sheirson's workshop! and he still has the original hacksaw but with its 3rd new handle and 534 blade

Henk,wasnt this the restoration of the original aluminium B16S bodywork, originally done for Don Shead?I am told by the horse mouths cousins next door neighbour that the original alloy body from the remains of the crashed B16S cum Humbles B19 did go to Vins place and sat there for a long time
is that may be the car now owned by Roy Walzer? Or is this subject for discussion in the B16 thread?unlikely to be a real B16 cut around

allen N. Toine Hezemans 'brand new' at Hockenheim 4 July - never seen againi believe the B19 with M12 won its 1st race then was shunted at the next event never seen again should be #15
The two Italian cars ('L' and 'W') will be amongst the many Tondelli cars on the list.Casoni was Brescia corse club member so highly likely to be the same car- here is where you need to look at the Autosprints!!

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

Henk,wasnt this the restoration of the original aluminium B16S bodywork, originally done for Don Shead?

Possibly, I have not seen a chassis plate but Roy told me that it IS the original spyder, although I read elsewhere (Edit: actually in post 297...)that it may not have survived. Steve Earle (Monterey Historics) lists the car as B16SP1

[allenbrown]

Talking of Shierson, here's a race result from Martin Krejci's highly reliable World Sports Racing Prototypes website on the US National Races 1971 page.

American Road Race of Champions (Race 13 - A & B Sports Racing), Road Atlanta 28 Nov 1971

Douglas Shierson ("Chevron B19")
Bill Barber ("Chevron B19")
Stephen Behr ("Chevron B19")

Shierson finished, Barber retired and Behr is given as a DNS which may mean he wasn't even present. As the results will have worked from the entry list, there is no guarantee that they actually turned up with the cars that they entered.

The BSR results on the VIR site (ref) lists all three as above but adds home towns:

Douglas Shierson, Adrian, Mich. (CE Div) Chevron B19
Bill Barber, Birmingham, Mich. (CE Div) Chevron B19
Stephen Behr, Wellesley Hill, Mo. (SW Div) Chevron B19

Bill Barber was Nick Craw's co-driver at Daytona and Sebring in 1972 so was presumably running one of Shierson's cars. Stephen Behr had raced at Barcelona (with Helmut Kelleners) in October 1971 so maybe he'd bought a B19 while he was there. It gave him two weeks to get it to Daytona for the Run-Offs. Or maybe he just planned to buy one...

[Delbert]

Originally Posted by henk4

After consultation with Allen, he thought the time was also ripe to show some of the cars that are currently racing. I have gone through my archives and came up with the following individual cars.
A car indicated as #1 in the Laguna Seca programme for 2005. (this car is currently for sale and I have asked the seller for info, but after one reply, he has not come back to me.
B19-70-S-10 (The car ran by Allan Timpany in the CER during 2006 and 2007 and recently sold, I got a shot of the chassis plate)
B19-71-1 (with a shot of the plate)
B19-71-08 (the plate says OA-DBE-08)
B71-9 (The Delbert car, well documented already)
B71-12 (a Canon car, my guess, no shot of the plate though)
B71-17 (Ran by Sandy Watson during the 2008 CER, plate reads DBE-17)
B71-18 (a red car shot in 2005, at the 40 years of Chevron celebration in Monterey, no picture of the chassis plate, and a white car in Lucky Strike livery, with a chassis plate that says it was produced by Chevron Racing cars, somewhere in Scotland.)
B71-21 (no shot of the plate but owners info displayed in front of the car, ex Red Rose car)

I have some more shots taken during a period when I was less focused on getting things right in terms of documentation, and they might include other cars as well, but this is what I am more or less certain of today. All shots are copyright.

Pieter I think your photo's must be from silverstone 2007. I spoke to the owner of the Canon B19 - a very nice Frenchman called Alain Schlesinguer. I showed him my copy of AS november 71. the front cover has the Springbok race - a Canon car (his?), Lepp car, Schickendanz Oldenkott car plus others that I am afraid I don;t know who they are.

I love the Scotland Chassis plate with the purple rivets!