1971 British F.Atlantic

[Chris Townsend]

In a bid to further proliferate F.Atlantic threads, here's one on the first season of British Atlantic racing.

First off can anyone help with the chassis identities of the following cars:
Pat Longhurst Brabham BT18 [ex Paul Purseglove 1.0L F3]
John Gillmeister Brabham BT28 run by Lenham Hurst racing
and then a Palliser
Graham Eden/Cyd Williams Chevron B18C
Bill Gubelmann March 71BM
Chris Oates Lotus 69
Stephen Choularton Alexis [Mk17 or Mk23]? described as ex F3 car
Vern Schuppan's 2nd Palliser WDB4 and the car raced by Hugh Dibley at Castle Combe in April 71
Clive Santo Palliser WDB3 a converted FF car
Nick/Norman Cuthbert Brabham BT29 ex Steve Matchett 1970 but not raced that year
Brian/Barry White Lola T100
Bill Creasey Brabham ???
Mike Fraser Merlyn Mk14 [ex Lanfranchi F3 car, used in 72 in F.Atlantic by Mick Jones]

If anyone has programmes with full entry lists, full results, photos please get in touch

Chris

[allenbrown]

Brian/Barry White Lola T100

I made some attempt to track the T100s because one car was fitted with a larger 2-litre engine and run in the F1 section of the 1967 German GP for Hubert Hahne.

Having said that, I can't quite work out which was the Whites' car. Their car was the one used by Team Surtees in 1969 for Firestone tyre testing and then bought by Robs Lamplough for F2 in 1970. In January 1971 it was bought by Brian and Barry White and fitted with a Broadspeed BDA for Formula Atlantic later that year.

SL/100/2-2 was the narrow-track car that went to Walker and SL/100/6 went to Calvo Sotello for Soler-Roig to replace his wrecked 100/8 so I guess that leaves SL/100/5 in Lola's hands to go to Surtees.

Sources: Autosport (2 Apr 1970 p9, 29 Jan 1971 p5, 25 Feb 1971 p5, 19 Aug 1971 p24, 16 Dec 71 p53)

Allen

[Bryan Miller]

Chris.

I really wish I could assist , but am sadly very light on.

In all my research on Brabham BT28/29/30/35/36, and I had to do all 5 types to get anywhere,I have a note for sale Autosport 10-6.71 page 50 , by MRE of a ex. John Gillmeister Brabham BT29.

Given the ease with which people seemed to alter the type designation on these models , perhaps it is the same car , but alas no ch.no.

In the Atlantic Yellow Pages 1971 series , Autosport 4-2-71 page 3 reported a BT29/35 was to be used by David Cole , and was advised as new.
A/S 11-2-71 , p4 reported a BT29 FB as being purchased from Steve Matchett by Norman Cuthbert , and fitting a BDA for the same series , this car stated as being unraced.

Do you have ch.no. for either.

Bryan.

[Bryan Miller]

Chris.

Sorry , I was concentrating on the Gillmeister car and did not realise you had asked about the Cuthbert car .

Bryan.

[Davhut]

Merlyn Mk 14 had a sister car imported into US in 1969 for Jim Kauffman, of U.S.Merlyn the then US agent. He raced car in SCCA FB in US, Chris Steele twincam engine. Car had forever troubles with simply cutting out and quitting at odd times. Kauffman sold the car in 1971 and the new owner wrote it off Turn 9 at Riverside in SCCA FB race.

[dby85m]

Chris
Paul and I bought the chassis and bodywork and a few parts to build our own F3. We took dozens of photographs of F3s at various meetings which we then used as our workshop manual. The chassis was a BT18/21 which I don't think had been used before. I think it was really an F2 chassis. Unfortunately, I don't know the chassis number, which I know you would have liked to find out.

We researched parts for various sources and had some parts made ie. oil tanks and roll over bar. We purchased a second-hand Nova Motor engine from Howden Ganley and later bought a new Lucas prepared engine. Both of these (I think) were sold with the car. when we had completed building the car, Frank Williams let us take it to his workshops in Slough and his mechanics helped us set-up the suspension etc. (it was a bit different in those days !). It was also like that at race meetings with other drivers prepared to help you out with advice and lend you gear-ratios (can you imagine that today?).

I have now traced Paul - after many years - and he is living in France. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember the chassis number either but he did say that we had the chassis repaired by Archway Motors who were the company that built the Braham chassis. I have no idea if they still exist and if they do, whether they would have a record after all this time. We think they were somewhere in North London.

I have some photos of the car whilst we were building it and a few while it was being raced. If you would like to borrow these, would you let me have your address to send.

I have no idea what happened to the car after we sold it.

Best regards
John

[ACE Motorsport]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Vern Schuppan's 2nd Palliser WDB4
Chris

The Formula Atlantic (1600 twin cam) car raced by Vern Schuppan in early 1971 (white bodywork- think it was in Yardley colours at Mondello) was the same chassis as raced by Roger Keele as a formula 3 car (1 litre engine-orange bodywork) in 1970. It is now owned and raced by Rogers brother Tony Keele with a twin cam engine but the orange body work of its F3 days.

[T65]

The car raced by Stephen Choularton in F Atlantic in 1971 was AM83 and is one of the three Mk17 chassis.

Does anyone have a picture this car in the Atlantic race at Mallory Park on March 28th 1971?

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by T65

The car raced by Stephen Choularton in F Atlantic in 1971 was AM83 and is one of the three Mk17 chassis.

Does anyone have a picture this car in the Atlantic race at Mallory Park on March 28th 1971?

Have you asked Ted Walker of Ferret Foto?