Ralt RT 1

[phdm]

I realise I got it wrong on the date as I forgot Eddy D'Hoe mentioned he had an ex-Maublanc March 742 with Schnitzer engine before the Ralt, so it is most likely the March he bought in 1980.

[allenbrown]

Did you say D'Hoe bought the March from Philippe Porcheur? Porcheur had the ex-Bernard-Etienne Grobot March 772 in 1980 so I can only assume he'd have had the ex-Maublanch 742 earlier than that. So 1978 or 1979?

[phdm]

Allen,
Will have to call him again but this does not seem to fit.
He said he first had the BT36, bought in 1979, then the Philippe Porcheur March 742.

[driftwood]

while your on march 772 Regis did have the ex MRS car i saw it with new tub in 99 or2000 and the old crashed and i mean fkd tub was in the corner-
he bought it this way and had new tub made
car was sold in 03 ish it is now in euro f2 with someone poss swissy driver

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Thinking aloud...
Wasn't John Village's RT1 run by Cowman in 1980?
That was an ex John Neilsen car also used by Nogues in 1979

Chris

Didn't JV have his own little band of merry South Tykes men, Chris?

[driftwood]

today yes but back then he would have been a young wannabe

[phdm]

Allen,

Have spoken to Eddy D'Hoe.
Got the dates now.

This is however not the right place to post all this as non-Ralt cars are also covered:

Royale RP6/6
bought at the end of 1978
sold at the end of 1979 to Jacques Petitjean (Belgium) with BDG and FT200

Brabham BT36-1
bought at the end of 1979
sold at the end of 1980

March 742
741 tub
Schnitzer engine
ex MRS
bought at the end of 1980 from Philippe Porcheur (France)
sold at the end of 1981 to Pierre Evrard (Rochefort - Belgium)

Ralt RT1
bought at the end of 1981
sold at the end of 1982 to Jean Blaton as a R/C with FT200

phdm

[driftwood]

RT1 came to UK less FT200 wide FA/2 wheels but narrow wishbones no plate in 2005 ish

you say march 742 had 741 or is that typo error

[phdm]

no typo
he said it

[jamesl]

Our RT1 has optional front wishbone pick up points for both wide and narrow track. The original wishbones allow the front wheels to sit behind the F2 sized nose, and out of the air stream. From memory, there are 3 sizes of RT1 front wishbones - and all suitable for F2, but depending on your front suspension pick up point position.

Philippe - you say the Blaton car was 4 years old when it came to Belgium? This would make it an early RT1 from 1976. Our baulkhead has a AM 78 date stamping. Do you know if the front was replaced after an accident?

I think the Blaton chassis is a 78 chassis, because of the AM baulkhead stamping and twin pick up front suspension option.

[phdm]

James,

I have no info on that I am afraid.

[Chris Townsend]

Just to draw people's attention, so that perhaps no one buys a car under any illusions.
Over f3classic.com an RT1 chassis 59 is for sale as ex Piquet
According to Ralt records this car was sold to Marcel Wettstein in Switzerland and just for the record Piquet raced three RT1s that I know of
1977
chassis 63 [observed by Adam Ferrington at British GP]
1978
112 early season car, later a spare used by Fernando Jorge, with period observations of the number
131 new at British GP 1978

Chris

[driftwood]

and what car did frank gomm run for 20 years? now with mike simpson?

i recall Nelson starting the british GP F3 support raceat Brands in the spare car after the 1st corner crash S Nakajima upside down
footage in youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFSsdjitDNo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okC0CS8ZjW8

[Chris Townsend]

Originally Posted by driftwood

and what car did frank gomm run for 20 years? now with mike simpson?

i recall Nelson starting the british GP F3 support raceat Brands in the spare car after the 1st corner crash S Nakajima upside down
footage in youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFSsdjitDNo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okC0CS8ZjW8

I was at Paddock to see that particular piece of entertainment...

As to Piquet's cars
Guido Pardini got 63 in 1978 - described as ex Piquet at the time and I think that car actually belonged to Scuderia Mirabella Mille Miglia. It's for sale in Autosprint early 1979

Fernando Jorge, who already has chassis 82 at Cloud Engineering in 1978 - a car he's had since July 1977 - also runs 112 late season when Piquet goes to F1, perhaps renting 82 to Ian Flux. Autosport gives chassis number for Jorge 12.10.78 p. 46 and says it's Piquet's spare. However, I think that in 1979 Jorge is back in chassis 82

Placido Inglesias has an ex Piquet RT1 in 1979 but this could, I suppose, be any of the three.

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by driftwood

and what car did frank gomm run for 20 years? now with mike simpson?

i recall Nelson starting the british GP F3 support raceat Brands in the spare car after the 1st corner crash S Nakajima upside down
footage in youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFSsdjitDNo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okC0CS8ZjW8

Wasn't the Gomm/Simpson car -131, featured in a M/S article about 10 years ago??

[driftwood]

you could be right i heard from Frank that nelson had a special car built by Ron T for him to use that year with extra inner stiffening panels etc
i think Gomms made the tubs for Ralt

[dingle55]

Hi, am new to this so you will have to forgive me.
I own Ralt RT1 102 and would like to try to trace the history.
I know that it was registered on 26/1/78 and went initially to Rochat Ansermoz in Switzerland and was red in colour.
Have evidence of hillclimbing in Switzerland from May 95 until July 98...... thats about it. Does anyone have any useful info please, thanks.

[Chris Townsend]

Ansermoz was Swiss Ralt agent.
Rochat was, I think, Jean-Pierre Rochat.
Suspect a season or two Euro F3 1978/79 and then maybe hillclimbs and Swiss races in Germany and northern Italy.

Chris

[fines]

I have the following results for Jean-Pierre Rochat (Ralt/Toyota Nova RT1):

1978-09-03, Hockenheim GP, 10th
1979-04-15, Dijon GP, 10th
1979-04-29, Hockenheim Kurz, 7th
1979-05-20, Monza GP, 9th
1979-06-24, Monza GP, dns #49
1979-07-14, Hockenheim Kurz, 6th
1980-03-16, Hockenheim Kurz, 6th
1980-04-06, Dijon GP, 6th
1980-04-26, Hockenheim GP, finished outside top ten
1980-05-04, Dijon GP, finished outside top ten

All races except 79-06-24 (European) and 80-03-16 (non-champ) were Swiss Championship rounds.

[dingle55]

Hi both, thanks for the info, I would be grateful if anyone has any contact details for Jean Pierre Rochat or any idea of what happened to the car in between 1980 and 1995.

[Chris Townsend]

Originally Posted by phdm

Eddy D'Hoe (Belgium) told me he bought a Ralt RT1 F3 rolling chassis circa 1980 from Roger Cowman in/near Derby.
He also bought an FT200, a BMW M12/7 and other bits and pieces to convert it to F2 and hillclimbed the car in Belgium.
He did not really like the car as he had difficulty setting it up properly.
He also bought a Martini nose from Marcel Tarrès.
He later sold the car to Jean Blaton.

I think I have identified this car! Cowman has for sale in late 1981 a Ralt RT1 which is the car used by Mike Dixon earlier that season in British F3. It is described in the ad as 'ex Piquet/Acheson/Dixon'. However, if it was Acheson's car it was originally Derek Warwick's chassis 86, new late August 1977. (Acheson never used an ex Piquet car in 1979) After Acheson went to Mike O'Brien as spare car in 1980, then to Dave Orbell, who ran Dixon in the car.

Chris

[driftwood]

another mystery solved!!

[Dan Rear]

Don't think Mike O'B ever used the RT1 in 80 did he Chris, though he can't have been short of a few ££ if he had this and his pristine 803? Shame Dave Orbell didn't use the car when he ran it for Dixon, he was very quick in Clubmans as I remember.

[Chris Townsend]

I don't think O'Brien ever ran it, Dan. O'Brien was a model of the competent driver who is excellent at getting sponsorship [kind of a Guy Edwards of the lower formulae]. He had money from Girobank in FF1600, that expanded into a deal in FF2000 with Richard Dutton running the car, then into F3 for several years with Marches and an Anson [by which time I think Luton airport was backing him].

I agree about Dave Orbell - he was handy in Clubmans.

[Matt Speakman]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

I think I have identified this car! Cowman has for sale in late 1981 a Ralt RT1 which is the car used by Mike Dixon earlier that season in British F3. It is described in the ad as 'ex Piquet/Acheson/Dixon'. However, if it was Acheson's car it was originally Derek Warwick's chassis 86, new late August 1977. (Acheson never used an ex Piquet car in 1979) After Acheson went to Mike O'Brien as spare car in 1980, then to Dave Orbell, who ran Dixon in the car.

Chris

Acheson did purchase the Warwick Ralt RT1 but had to replace it during the same year with another RT1 after the ex:Warwick RT1 was destroyed in a fire. Unfortunately there is no ex:Warwick RT1 in existance.