Argo JM19

[cybersdorf]

East Racing has an Argo JM19 prepared to the 3.5l Gp.C regulations that they race in Gp.C historic events. Now, this car does not look like your average JM19. I had thought Argo were out of business already when the 3.5l rules came along; but this car looks to be no simple conversion of a C2 chassis, but a "proper" 3.5l car. Is this a genuine Argo development, or a conversion?

[Dan Rear]

IIRC the last 'proper' JM19 was made in about 1988-89, I think there was something called a JM20 a year or 2 later aswell. Did Dave Coyne do, or was entered in at least, a couple of the early 1992 GC races, in a 3.5 litre Argo, by his German entrant (Helmut Bross ?). Its possible the car pictured is this one.

[fausto]

I remember that I read somewhere, maybe on the Historic Gp.C/GTP site that a similar car, that was debuted last year at Le Mans (driven by Hepworth?) was rebuilt to Gp. C specs after it was raced in IMSA in open-top form....if I remember well Jo Marquart designed it for Gp.C, then FIA axed the championship, so they chopped the top off to use it in IMSA SWC.

I remember clearly that a new Argo was announced during the winter 91-92, to be used in the Baby class of WSPC......

[cybersdorf]

Sorted - it is a JM20, the Bross car. Thanks everyone!

[Jeremy Jackson]

Maybe, but probably not. Schuster's info on the historic Group C / GTP site says this is the ex Speedy, Bergermann JM19, i.e chassis 124,

http://www.groupc-gtpracing.com/cara...cschusterm.htm

Photo on racingsportscars during it's Interserie career:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...05i-photo.html

[Nordic]

Interserie really is a pale shadow of its former self. What a mixed bag of cars.

[cybersdorf]

Yes it is in bad, bad shape.

Digressing from the original topic for a moment, there are two similar series that operate in roughly the same area. Interserie has opened itself to single seaters in recent years, simply because the "Can-Am" F1-with-fender cars were the only cars left running in the series. Then the requirement for those flimsy fenders was given up, and after the untimely death of series promoter Paul Goppert, the new people in charge tried to keep the series running, no matter what. So you had small fields made up of various single seaters and prototypes. Attempts to get rid of the formula cars, and return to a sportscar-only format failed, partly because another series, the Sports Car Challenge (SCC) had picked them up, and they weren't about to jump ship yet again. Some competitors with bigger single seaters (F3000) approached the SCC and asked if they could link up with them in case the Interserie ousted them; so in the end, the two championships got together and ran joint races in 2004.

For this year, the partnership has once again been dissolved; while SCC still has the bigger single seaters running alongside the sportscars (with a tendency to phase them out over the next years), and new ex-LMP prototypes are coming into the mix this year, Interserie is sticking with its smaller crs, and going further East: the Polish federation endorses the championship and encourages its members to get involved. So expec to see more smaller single seaters of the Formula Easter type to run in Interserie. This will be its 35th year, and it is fighting for survival. Right now, it looks like the sprints will sooner or later be for Formula cars only; they are trying to establish a "mini enduro" format of 100 minute races for GTs and prototypes. The inaugural race last year had a field of 4... - let's hope for a few more this year.

SCC is attracting some interest from the UK now, with Jade Engineering going for a full season, and bringing a Lola B2K/40. Renauer will have a Tampolli LMP2, and other interesting cars will be there as well.

www.sportscarchallenge.at
www.interserie.de

[Euromontagna]

Originally Posted by cybersdorf

East Racing has an Argo JM19 prepared to the 3.5l Gp.C regulations that they race in Gp.C historic events. Now, this car does not look like your average JM19. I had thought Argo were out of business already when the 3.5l rules came along; but this car looks to be no simple conversion of a C2 chassis, but a "proper" 3.5l car. Is this a genuine Argo development, or a conversion?

This is ex Michael Schuster "JM19C-124-C2" car redesign for 3500 gr.C as you mentioned. Rebuild car was run by Dieter Bergermann since 1991 when he replaced the Ford Cosworth by Judd.