Brabham BT28

[Andrew Fellowes]

My very sincere thanks to the Mike (and Martin) Atwell,

In 1972, Andrew Cheekes from Trinidad bought the ex Tim Schenken BT28 from Howlings in the UK and brought it to Trinidad, (it was fitted with a
Vegantune 1600cc twin cam) then Cheekes brought it to Guyana for the
International meeting in November where he raced against the BT35 of Jim
Fuller who was from Antigua and Dave Brodie former British Saloon car
champion in a Chevron B8 with a BMW 2000 engine. This BT28 was eventually
bought by Bizzy Williams who modified it in terms of wings and wheels and I
converted the gearbox to a 5 speed. Bizzy set the track record in Barbados
after the mods and then sold it to Donny Lawson in Jamaica. I also drove
this car in one race in Jamaica.

[Andrew Fellowes]

....and when Bizzy sold BT28-23 he was paid in Jamaican dollars, at time of tight restrictions it wasn't possible to change them into Barbados dollars so his wife came up with a plan to buy fuel for a friend with an aeroplane.
The friend got busted.
So then Bizzy ended up using the dollars to wallpaper his bar.

By the way, Bizzy still holds the Bushy Park lap record with this car!

[allenbrown]

1969
BT28-1 ex BT21X
1969 Tim Schenken

BT28-2 (see #20)
1969 Mike Beuttler (used by Cole at CP 13/9/69)

BT28-3
1969 Jean-Pieere Cassegrain

BT28-4
Ulf/Svensson/Conny Anderson
Note. Ulf buys additional car

BT28-5
Keith Jupp

BT28-6
Keith Jupp

I noticed that Autosport 16 May 1969 p5 says that "Five BT28s have so far been delivered to Schenken, Beuttler, Cassegrain, Svensson and Jupp". Is this how we arrived at the chassis numbers for the above cars? I notice we have both BT28-5 and BT28-6 down to Jupp. Did he have two cars or could something be out of step?

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

Allen

We arrived at them in the following ways
1: Schenken's car first to appear by about a month, described by AS as 'the first one built' and there must be an F1R observation out there somewhere

2: Second car to appear. Observed as 28-2 three times by F1R in 1969 in Beuttler's hands. The observation of 28-2 for Cole probably a misprint of 28-20 as that is described in press as a new car on that occasion

3: I think this is filling in on my part

4: Chassis number given by MN

5: Chassis number given by Wayne Mitchell

6: Not Jupp. According to Ted and the late Roger Hurst this car delivered for Andy Sutcliffe and terminated in a cartwheel at Paddock to be replaced by chassis 21. Bits incorporated into Lenham GT. By my reckoning this car had to be delivered late May early June 69, in which case Sutcliffe's crash must be in testing, as he seems only to appear in races with the ex Hickman BT21 until August BH, when he's out at Brands in what is described as a new car by MN. [So presume chassis 21 as that would be bang on for production date]. He still hadn't quite worked Paddock out as he proceeded to do a job on this chassis there as well. Poor old Roger eventually straightened that one out for John Gillmeister.

Chris

[allenbrown]

In that case, the Autosport story reinforces the identity of BT28-3 as Cassegrain's car.

By the way, Happy New Year!

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Andrew Fellowes

BT28-9
1969 July 4th new to Sverrir Thorodsson
1971 Sandy Shephard to Stan Matthews
1972 Mo Harness

I'm just writing a Brabham summary page at the moment so darting all over the place. John Blanden's Historic Racing Cars in Australia 2nd edition says that the BT31 was built using "Formula 3 chassis BT28-9" and quotes Australian Autosportsman May 1969 for a full story. I wonder if that was a chassis of type BT28-9 - i.e. part BT28 and part BT29, rather than BT28 chassis no 9.

Allen

[RAP]

F1R has the following at Monaco 17.05.69
28-1 Schenken
28-2 Beuttler
28-3 Cassegrain
28-6 Ingvar Petterson
The latter obviously does not tie up with the Sutcliffe story unless the car was on loan at Monaco. Autosport confiems Petterson as a BT28. It would be useful to know the date of the Paddock crash.
RAP

[allenbrown]

I doubt John, Duncan or Paul would have been at Monaco so these ids may be second-hand or derived. Not that their derivations are any less educated than ours...

[RAP]

Why not ? I was at Monaco a couple of years earlier - shame I didn't collect numbers! Anyway, more to the point, they list numbers for 24 of the 65 entries, ranging across BT21, Bt28, Tecno, Matra, Merlyn, CHevron and Titan. In the F3 Fact Books, unlike the GP ones, there does not seem to be any extraopolation of numbers from one meeting to another so I think we should assume someone collected these numbers "on the day". Of course this doesn't rule out error in either reading the chassis plate or later typos.

[allenbrown]

If they have that many numbers, someone must have been there. Maybe Yves de la Gorce.

[Chris Townsend]

I think that at Monaco Petersson was using Svensson's car. Because the BT28 was so late being delivered a lot of Scandinavian drivers were missing out on international entries, so Svensson did the gentlemanly thing and loaned out his car.

However, I'd go with RAP on the F3 books being based on observation with little or no extrapolation. [Just the occasional typo in printing...]
So, it might be that this really was chassis 6. Despite Ted giving us that number as the first Sutcliffe car, and Roger confirming this, I did wonder if Roger was in fact confusing the fate of that car with the team's BT21 and the later BT28. Looking at my notes for 1969 it seems as though Sutcliffe first demollished the BT21 at Paddock and then had a go in August with the new car. Three write offs at Paddock in one season (to allow for BT28-6) seems a little excessive...

RAP
Any chance of seeing those other numbers? Especially for the Tecnos and Brabham BT21/21Bs

Chris

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

However, I'd go with RAP on the F3 books being based on observation with little or no extrapolation.

Completely agree. I'd just never seen any overseas observations before.

Allen

[Andrew Fellowes]

Guards Trophy 1st September, 1969

Andy Sutcliffe, BT28

photo Gerald Swan

I have Ingvar Petterson in (or Petersson?) #8 but that may simply because I have the Hurst car as #6 as per earlier postings here.

[Chris Townsend]

By September Sutcliffe could well have been using chassis 21.
I don't think we really worked out a chassis number for Petersson, just one of a number of problematic Scandinavians...
However, I think that chassis 8 probably began life with Jorgen Ellekaer, partly because he's the only Dane with a BT28, and we know that chassis 8 then went to Tom Belso.

Isn't Andrew Kitson in occasional touch with Tom? He might remember who he bought his F3/Atlantic car from

Chris

[Chris Townsend]

Apologies for massive repetition of message, problem with key!!

John, please can you clean up the mess...

Chris

[Andrew Fellowes]

A quick look at Andy Sutcliffe's results for 1969 show,

May 4th, 17th & 25th Merlyn Mk10

August 17th B-H, Brabham BT21B

Sept 1st, 13th, 14th & 29th Brabham BT28


That certainly looks like he only drove BT28-21, delivered late August.

[Andrew Fellowes]

Couple more bits,

1969 A/S July 25th p.6 Andy Sutcliffe has replaced his Merlyn Mk10 with the ex Roger Hickman BT21 for the rest of the season

1969 A/S August 29th p.5 Andy Sutcliffe is taking delivery of a brand new BT28 ....for Brands Hatch on Sept.1st

[Gary Jarlson]

I've just found this site and I'm stunned by the amount of effort that has gone into establishing a lineage of what I had all buit presumed to be a long forgotten Brabham model.

As to BT28-19, here is what I can add:

Firstly, I was told in 1974 by Harry Reynolds and another driver at the SCCA Runoffs at Road Atlanta that my car (28-19) was one of two (the second was destroyed in a crash on the East Coast) that had been specifically built (or rebuilt?) by MRD to run in the 1969/70 L&M Continental Series (FA-FB-FC)her in the U.S. It came with a 1098cc fuel-injected SCC and an MK 5-speed. The wheels were 10s and 12s. Note: I have a picture of me running the car at Sears Point. I will forward a copy as soon as I can figure what's up with my scanner.

I first saw the car in 1972. It was being run in SCCA club racing here on the West Coast by a fellow of of San Diego. (Wayne Mitchell, do remember his name?) The car was sold to Rex Twaits of Pomona. I don't recall seeing it run again until I picked it up from Twaits at Willow Springs in April, 1974, where it had been driven by some-time pro Skeeter McKitterick. The car with a spare set of 8s and 10s. The engine in the car was serial number A105 and spare was A106.

I raced in '74-'76 on the West Coast. Then I parked it for a period of time until I could afford one of the new 1100cc BDJ motors built by Chuck Willis. After that, thanks to the free-spending ways a my significant other, I raced it only intermittently. A one point, I also rebodied the car with 1973 March panels.

In 1982, I diassembled the car with the intent of restoring to it original configuration. Wayne Mitchell was interested in acquiring it, but that transaction never came about. Finally in 1985, I sold it, as a basket case with no motor, to a fellow from Novato, Calif. I don't remember his name, but he was director of TV commercials and had several older, small-bore Brabhams at his house. His intent was to restore it and I assisted him in trying to run down the original engines, which I had sold off to a Northern California club racer. He never completed to project.

The next I heard of the car was when I was contacted in 1986, I believe, by a Jerry Friedrichs (sp) of Camarillo, Calif. He had purchased the car was restoring it. When I visited him, the car was very nearly completed, need only paint and some final touches. I showed him how the FI system was plumbed and some other things I knew about the car. In those 20 years since then, I have lost track of the car. I have not been able to locate Friedrichs (he was a farmer) and none of the people running Brabhams at vintage events on the West Coast has ever seen the car. Nor have I seen any mention of it in race reports from vintage events elsewhere in the U.S.

An interesting aside: I took the car to Sears Point right after I bought it to run an SCCA national. There were only two other cars in that class that showed up and both suffered mechanical maladies that kept them from racing. My mechanic, Jim Hall, convinced me that there was no sense in running if we wouldn't get points, since I would be the only car in the class. In late Saturday practice, Pete Halsmer (later a regualr Indy car driver) went off at Turn 1 in his BT29 and tore the right rear corner off. Pete was ready to home then and there, but Jim Hall looked at his car and said we'd get him in the race. My car was already loaded in the transporter, but we just jacked up the back and took off the entire right rear suspension--halfshaft, radius rods, A-arms and all and bolted on Halsmer's car. I recall he finished second.

[Andrew Fellowes]

Gary, a very warm welcome to 10 Tenths. I don't often call into the office on a Saturday afternoon but I am very thankful I did now! A photo would be awesome!


I am having yet another seniors moment, can someone tell me why we have the names of Dick James & Joe Trotter, NJ, -no dates, against this chassis? Was BT28-14 then the second chassis, -that was destroyed?

Andrew

[allenbrown]

Dick James lived in Novato. He bought quite a bit of stuff in the late 1980s so fits Gary's description. I haven't spoken to him since August 1991

[RAP]

Any chance of seeing those other numbers? Especially for the Tecnos and Brabham BT21/21Bs

As requested here is the chassis numbers given in the F1R Fact Book for Monaco F3 17.05.69
31 Ernst Maring Ahrens RT Tecno TOO 344
33 Schenken BT28-1
34 J-M Juncadella Esc Montjuich BT21-17
35 Herve Bayard Matra MS5 -08
36 Max Bonnin MS5-06
37 Cassegrain BT28-3
38 P Champin Motor Racing Enterprises Merlyn Mk14 162-FF-69 (yes FF – typo?)
43 JP Jaussaud Ec Tecno France TOO 342
46 R Ligonnet P Watson Org Chevron B15 B15-69-3
53 M Beckwith M Spence Ltd Lotus 59 59-F3-1
54 Beuttler BT28-2
55 H Ganley Chevron B15-69-9
57 Natalie Goodwin Goodwin Rcg Brabham BT21-2
64 Cyd Williams Goodwin Rcg BT21B-14 (but shown in entry list in book as BT21. not 21B. However, in the context of my research for my book “A Record of Motor Racing at Crystal Palace”, Duncan Rabagliati confirmed that Williams was racing BT21B-14 at this time.)
71 Pino Babbini Italcorse Tecno TOO 260
79 Edvard Jacobsson BT21B-26 (but shown in entry list in book as BT21. not 21B)
82 Ingvar Pettersson Cabina Racing BT28-6
83 Ronnie Peterson Tecno TOO 334
86 R Wisell Chevron B15-69-1
88 B Baur Midland Rcg Tecno TOO364
95 R Salomon Midland Rcg Tecno TOO695
97 M Campbell Titan 68-318
98 C Haworth Tobler Rcg Tecno TOO248
99 P de Merritt Tecno Tobler Rcg TOO 246

Hope I’m not breaching copyright.. perhaps I should mention that although the Fact Books are shown as out of print on their web site, I believe that the Formula One Register will print a loose-leave copy to order. I don’t know the charge but an e mail would find out
enquiries@formulaoneregister.com
I would have thought these books were a “must” for F3 researchers.

RAP

[allenbrown]

You're right, they probably are a must. I invested in a set of pre-Black Book early F1R F3 publications but they will have acquired more information since then and the Black Books should therefore be better.

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

RAP

Many thanks, most of those observations are confirmed elsewhere, except for the Tecnos [tho I did have Peterson's from MN] and the Champin Merlyn
Also, the observation of an elderly BT21-17 run by Uren.


Will have to invest in a set of late 60s F3 records as some of those cars find their way into early Atlantic

Chris

[RAP]

Allen
I'm not sure that mine is necessarily different to what you may have. Mine is dated 1991 and is a dark blue soft cover/spiral bound. However I think Paul Sheldon has added to the master over the years so a current print may well have updates and corrections. I know that they have been doing so for the 500cc F3 books.
Richard

[Gary Jarlson]

Originally Posted by Andrew Fellowes

Gary, a very warm welcome to 10 Tenths. I don't often call into the office on a Saturday afternoon but I am very thankful I did now! A photo would be awesome!


I am having yet another seniors moment, can someone tell me why we have the names of Dick James & Joe Trotter, NJ, -no dates, against this chassis? Was BT28-14 then the second chassis, -that was destroyed?

Andrew

Andrew

Dick James was the fellow I sold the basket case to up in Novato. Perhaps Friedrichs, who finished the restoration, sold it to Joe Trotter in New Jersey. Like I said, however, my constant checking of vintage race results has never yielded a trace of #19.

I never heard what the chassis number was of the twin to my car. Only that it had been destroyed in a crash. I was given that information in October, 1974.

Just curious, but has anyone ever found MRD build orders for these two cars?

Gary