Argo

[Dan Rear]

Argo F Atlantics. How many made, and who to ? I have the Gorne JM1X, at least one JM5 (Nugent in Ireland) and 2 JM9s, Tyrrell Arnold, and Goodwin Racing. Anyone know any more, and what happened to these 4 after ? Was Dave Rackham due to get one too.

[Richard Young]

I seem to recall a JM9 on the UK sprint/hill climb scene a few years ago, but can't remember who had it.....
No doubt somebody does.

[David McKinney]

Simon Frost & Ken Snailham were running a JM9 about ten years ago. This was the Neil White car from your neck of the woods, driven on this side of the water by Barry Goode in 1989 or 1990

[cirrus]

An Argo JM9 appeared in the Hillclimb Leaders Championship this year, driven by Laurie Ritchie of Studley.

[Neptune]

There are several JM2, JM4 & JM6 running in SVRA/ HSR/ MR in north east USA. All FSV configuration and quick in F70 (pre- Dec '79 cut-off date).

[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

[Dan Rear]

On Rackham, did he ever use the works Argo JM5 that he was rumoured to be driving, if so it can'e have been often ?

[Chris Townsend]

Dan,
Don't think Rackham ever drove the Argo in a race, but it is not the Nugent car in 1980. Rackham still has his for sale in November 1980 when Nugent sells his. Also, think that Rackham's was indeed a JM5 [1979 design] whilst Nugent's was a JM8.

[Dan Rear]

On Argos, I'm certain Nugent's was a JM5, not an 8. I reckon only 2 JM8s ever made, the UK Goodwin car, and the Irish Tyrrell Arnold car. It was definitely a 1981 car, so couldn't have been the one Nugent raced and advertised in 1980. I reckon the JM5 was built late 1979, though intended for 1980. Finally, why can't the Rackham and Nugent cars have been one and the same ?

[Chris Townsend]

Agree that Nugent's car was a JM5. It can't be the Rackham car because
Nugent races that car in 79 and 80, and Rackham's car is advertised as
unraced [only two test sessions] and there's also an early 80 ad that says
it's built December 79 to a 80 spec. Finally there are two issues of AS late
1980 where Rackham is still selling his car and Nugent puts his up for sale.
Agree the only JM8s were probably Goodwin and Arnold cars.

[Smellybeard]

Nugent's Argo carried a JM6 plate.

[allenbrown]

Opinion 3. Nugent's Argo was a JM3.

His biography appears in the 1981 Motor Racing Directory (p143) and it says:

"An Argo JM3 was acquired for 1979, but it wasd not too successful until properly developed in time for the 1980 season in conjuction with Argo. Mike called his car a 'JM8' although that number is allocated to the 1981 Formula 3 model."

Elsewhere in the directory (p466), Argo's models are given as:

JM1 1977-78 F3
JM1X 1979 Atlantic (converted JM1)
JM2 1978 FSV
JM3 1979 F3
JM4 1979 FSV
JM5 1979 Atlantic
JM6 1980 F3
JM7 1980 FSV
JM8 planned 1981 F3
JM9 planned 1981 Atlantic
JM10 planned 1981 FSV

However, this article describes Nugent's car as a JM5.

[Dan Rear]

I'm wrong on FAt Argos chaps, the 81 car was JM9, NOT JM8, the latter being the 'fantastic' F3 car - The "Allegro". I still think the Nugent car was the JM%, not 3 or 6, and recall it being described thus in contemporary MN,AS reports.

Did any FAt Argos ever go to the States I wonder, given the reasonable results of the FSVs over there, I'd have thought there may have been some interest in the FAt versions.

[Smellybeard]

When I first saw Nugent's Argo in Mondello it had a Tea tray front wing and sliding skirts. Late in 1979? I think I only saw it the once that year. I was a bit of a lemon (the worst bit... of a very sour lemon). I suposedly flexed badly among other things. It was returned to Anglia and what came back was a thinly disguised Modus. I painted a picture of the car for Mike in '80. That car other than the Atlantic specific engine, gearbox, brakes, etc. was like the F3 cars of 80.

Numbers, plates... These things were needed for crossing borders and nothing else in those days.

I think it is best to describe it as a nice shade of blue.

[Smellybeard]

...oh, and Mike said he sold it to the States.

[Dan Rear]

What did it do over there I wonder, SCCA only ? Dave, are you sure it had a JM6 plate, and that tea tray is interesting. Was it like the March 711 nose ?

[Smellybeard]

It is twenty odd years ago but I'm as sure as anyone can be about the likes of this. It definitely was different to what it should have been (acording to the likes of Autosport). The original car looked more Ferrari than March. It looked mad beside B29s.

[Steve Wilkinson]

There have been a couple of Argo chassis in speed events:

Argo JM9-057-FA was initially run but Neil White in Northern Ireland in 1987/88 it was then sold to Barry Goode who ran it from 1989 until selling it on to Simon Frost. The car is still taking to the hills in the hands of Laurie Ritchie.

Argo-Toyota/Novamotor JM8/85 was run by Mark Lawrence in 1987. It became the basis of a hillclimb special called the Wraith by 1991/2.

[John Turner]

JM14, at Oulton Park, 9th April, 2005. Entered by Airspec UK, driven by Eddie Wilkins:-

[Chris Townsend]

Might the Goode/Frost/Ritchie JM9 have been the car run by Colin Lees
in 1981? Not many JM9s were built - indeed, might this be the only one?

Chris

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Might the Goode/Frost/Ritchie JM9 have been the car run by Colin Lees
in 1981? Not many JM9s were built - indeed, might this be the only one?

Chris

When I last saw Laurie Ritchie he knew all the Speed Event history of the car but nothing of what it did before.