Chevron B20

[Chris Townsend]

The entry for Bogota shows a number of Opert B20s beside Browns.
We had always assumed that of these only the 71/1 development car shows up and is run for Brown with Opert taking B18s instead.
Now I seem to recall from somewhere that this car was meant to have run in its original fibreglass even without gel coat. However, if you look at the picture Allen sent me of Gus Hutchison and Bobby Brown together at the SECOND Bogota race, Brown's car is clearly dark blue.
The second Bogota race was 5 March 72.
By this time Chevron had completed back in England at least the Skeaping F3 car [20.72.01] which is photographed in AS 2 March [meaning completion at least a week before given press deadlines] and the first F2 car [20.72.02 is the chassis no given at Mallory] MN 24 Feb p.18 with photo of car says 'Another new single seater to be tested at Silverstone last week was the Chevron B20 which Peter Gethin is to drive in the Euro F2 championship. Fitted with an 1800cc Alan Smith BDA Bennett did a dozen or so laps in the damp as gethin was still suffering from the after effects of flu.' "Last week" would mean the car was completed at the latest 16 Feb in order to be testing at the end of the week.

These dates suggest that Chevron could also have finished an FB car [or two] and shoved it straight on a plane to Bogota. CPAW report of the second race gives Brown, Robertson and Junco as all in B20s - and they had a reporter on the spot who would know the difference between a B18 and a B20 [There was a B18 in the first race, used by van Beuren [he ran an Opert BT29 in teh second] There may have been two B20s even at the first race, CPAW report of that has a group photo of the early laps and there is what looks like a B20 from teh front [which could be orange] near the back. Brown [who definitely had a B20] is already past the cameraman at this point.

Incidentally, the races were sanctioned by the Federacion Colombiana de Automovilismo Deportivo, administered by the SCCA, and sponsored by Marlboro.

Agree with Allen that the Fuji and Laguna cars are almost certainly different

Chris

[allenbrown]

Chris

Have I seen the entry list for Bogota? We don't have entry list details on the site?

Allen

[Steve Marschman]

I'll have to post up some pictures of my car this next week. Sorry I wasn't able to get to back to this thread sooner. I do believe Harry is correct in that only the nose and the wing were different. I have seen other B20 pictures and it appears my front suspension is strictly B20. There does not appear to be any other mods to the front. Were the front brake rotors vented on the B20? That's all that might be different (if the B20 were solid originally... mine are vented).

Where would the original factory chassis plate be located?

Also, I will go sand through the paint on the body upper cowl. That might be the only piece of original bodywork since on my car the entire nose piece comes off as a single unit right up to the front bulkhead. The lower bodywork was never painted, it was simply the polished aluminum.

I do have all the paperwork back to 1978. I have been out to Tacoma to visit Jeff and I drove to Colorado to pick the car up from the guy he sold (actually traded) it to.

Steve

[Harry Hickling]

Steve, Allen and Chris.

This looks consistent with my info.

Standard B20:
- Front Ventilated Disk.
- Rear Solid Disk.
- Girling AR2 Brake Calipers.

- 2 Variants of Oil Catch Tanks that I know of. (I have seen the drawings of those).

- Chassis Plaque (You don't have). Is located on the inside of the alloy tub on the top left hand side of the driver just before the instrument panel.

I'm not sure how many cars had bare alloy skin on the tub. The factory cars are all painted red. B20-71-1 was bare alloy and in the bare orange fiberglass. Having said that, Steve the car could easily have been re-skinned. By the way this first car had no rear vision mirror mounts (as per subsequent cars).

- Rear wing mounts changed from the early to the later cars.

The official Derek Bennett Engineering Ltd Chevron Suspension Settings for B20 (Photo Copy on letter head):
- 220 lbs spring front
- 190 lbs spring rear
- 1/8 toe in front and rear
- 0 deg camber front and rear
- 5 1/4 deg castor front and 1 1/2 rear
- Ride Height 3 1/4 inch front and rear
- Tyre Pressures 14 lbs front and 16 lbs rear
- Bilstein Pre-Set Shock Absorbers.

Not that any of that is particularly important, but a good bit of official trivia.

[Harry Hickling]

Whilst we are on the topic of the first three cars I want to close out the question of B20-71-1. I have just got off the phone with Nelson Todd to confirm my understanding of the following details and to update my files on the Prototype.

I think we all agree that B20-71-1 was the prototype and then the Bobby Brown Formula B car that raced at Bogota. This car stayed in the states and was owned by James Schol June 1972 – 74. The car was sold to a Belgium and then bought by Nelson Todd in Nth Ireland who owned it until recently. It is restored and looks great. Nelson has run the car at numerous events and comments about it being a great handling car. I have a copy of the log book noting that “Chevron cars Ltd confirm Chevron B20 Chassis No. 1 was manufactured in the UK in 1971 and exported to use there. It was fitted with a 1600 cc 4 cylinder engine." This is attached the inside of the James Scholl log book. The log book describes the body color as “Orange”.

Perhaps of interest “Driver was reminded of request for F SCCA cars with sport car noses that height of top corner of nose must not exceed height of front wheel rim”. Engine in log book recorded as Ford Cosworth BDD. Its SCCA Identity was 11 – 192. Chevron F/B ATL. Jack Van Dell written on cover. Also address for Peter Symonds name and address crossed out.

This car was sold by Nelson recently and has gone to Europe. Nelson is sending me the contact details and I will follow-up on this.

OK – So this is B20-71-1. All accounted for.

[allenbrown]

Nice one Harry! We have other questions for Nelson Todd but they can wait until another day.

Do you know the date Nelson acquired the B20? Was it the B20 that Todd drove at Mondello 15 Sep 1974 and Ingliston 13 Oct 1974? I guess it can't be as it wouldn't have had time to get from the US to Belgium and then to Northern Ireland.

Allen

[Harry Hickling]

Hi Allen, sorry don't have that detail, but it is possible. I will ask when I next talk to him. If you drop me a private email via Bryan Miller, I can give you his contact details.

If we can try to keep on the trail of the early SCCA events, that you guys have the details on, we may just be able to make the connection for Steve. There are a lot of cars that Steve's is not, including B20-71-1. The idea of his chassis No. being linked to SCCA registration is interesting and if we can prove it is an Opert FB car then we are going to get pretty close to knowing which chassis no it is.

[Steve Marschman]

Hopefully here are a few images from my Chevron B20. The bodywork appears to have been painted three times. First layer is blue, covered with dark red primer and repainted black, followed by light gray primer then surfaced with the white and air-brushed graphics. However, is this cockpit bodywork the correct one for the B20? We already know it has a different nose piece. I looked for a stenciled name on either side of the cockpit and did not find any evidence that someone's name had been painted on the car.

I did find a number stamped near the inspection hole on the right side of the roll cage: 032 357. Is that just the wall thickness followed by the 357? I've included pictures of the brass number tag that was on the top of the cage, and the numbers that are stamped on the rear subframe above the left rear shock mount.

Well, I guess snapfish doesn't let you link directly so for now I have just put the addresses for the pictures. You should be able to click each one and get linked to the picture.

Steve

http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/A...99/t_=49377099
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/A...77099_49377099
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/A...77099_49377099
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/A...77099_49377099

[Chris Townsend]

Allen

Re 20-71-01. This is Todd's car in recent times, not in period!
Jim Grob took over the car from Opert at the Road Atlanta race of the SCCA FB series in early July 1971. Grob carried on using a Chevron B20 in SCCA [as both an FB and FC] until 1974. Given the known histories of other Opert B20s it seems certain that this was 20.71.01. According to log book then to Peter Symonds. So until mid 1977, offered for sale, Formula May 77, p. 60 Pete Symonds, 246 Wethersfield St, Rowley MA 01969, ‘Chevron B20, white’.
This means that it can't be the car Todd uses in Irish libre and Atlantic, which is, in any case, described as 'ex Watson' at one point in its provenance.

Steve.
Thought that first colour would be blue!
Price Cobb's B20 was blue in 1974. But, perhaps more telling is that the B20 of Joe Shepherd, of Indianapolis, was blue in 1973 and black in 1974...

Chris

[allenbrown]

I'm confused. I thought Harry said B20-71-1 went to James Schol June 1972–1974. So how can it be the Grob car too? Or have I not read this right?

[Chris Townsend]

I took James Schol for a misreading of Grob in the log book...
This car has always been presented as having been Grob's.

Chris

[IANHEB]

That looks like a good old Arch Motors stamping to me!
AM 72 3
Regards
Ian

[Chris Townsend]

My gut feeling about this car, and this is based largely on the succession of paint coats and the known histories of other cars is that this is an ex Opert car [the dark blue is right for Brown's car in early 72] and then the Joe Shepherd car.
I'll do my best to track down Mr Shepherd [he had a variety of other machinery that's of interest to me]

Chris

[Harry Hickling]

Good work. I believe you are right regards the B20-71-1 log book being James Grob. See attached and also some photo's of B20-72-9. I think you will see why I had such a hard time working out the surname.

http://harryschevron.snapfish.com

[Harry Hickling]

Ian, what is the history of Arch Motors and is it at all possible that it is a reference to the original chassis no. By the way in 2003 when I originally worked on this problem the photo's clearly showed the "M" before 72. It is still there, as you must have picked up.

Jeff and I felt that the reference to 72 3 was well worth investigating and according to my research is one of several possibilities for the car. But I haven't been able to confirm or disprove this. Chevron at the time did not attach any lineage to the No.

I still think the best way to attach an authentic chassis No. to the car will be to track down the SCCA No and history of the ownership. If we know the original owner I can have a pretty good go at what the original chassis No. was.

[Steve Marschman]

Originally Posted by IANHEB

That looks like a good old Arch Motors stamping to me!
AM 72 3
Regards
Ian

The letter "A" may actually be in front of the "M" on my car. There is a small mark that you cannot see in the photo (I took over 20 pictures using a variety of lights and angles and iso speeds trying to resolve it for you) that is in front of the M that appears to be a another stamp mark but it is not a full letter.

Harry: I'd love for you to post more pictures of your car, particularly the engine bay area. I need to figure out where and how all the extra parts are mounted like the rear wing mounting and oil tank. There appears (on my car) to be a place where a thin wire or spring may have been welded onto the engine frame at the back (on the "x" at the back) on both sides that I cannot figure out. Also, my car has Armstrong shock absorbers (dampers) that appear original (your sheet said Bilstein). My dampers appear to have adjustable rebound or compression (don't know which). I was thinking about having them rebuilt in the UK, a shop over there will do each for 60 pounds apiece.

It appears it may be time for me to head to Florida to meet with Roger Christiansen. I hope he isn't mad at me, he was trying to sell me a B20 that he had at the shop that was missing a whole lot more parts than the one I purchased. We started down to visit him in late 2004 but got turned back by an approaching hurricane. I never got back with him... I hope he is a kind and forgiving kind of guy!

Also, with the drive donuts (inexpensive at $700 each) are people running the captive covers? I saw one that had failed at VIR two years ago and the ensuing carnage to the suspension was not pretty.

Steve
...who thanks all of you for this knowledgeable and informative discussion. I hope to meet some of you one day at a track or other event. Anyone going to Barber or Atlanta later in October?

[Steve Marschman]

I meant Roger Andreason, not Christensen...

The papers I received in the car indicate:

Paul Lindell appears to have owned a business called Foreign Car Forum, Inc. in Houston, Texas. James Sawyer traded a 1966 Porsche 912 for the Chevron. The stated value was $4500 and the trade was even with no cash exchanged. The bill of sale is notorized by Sandra Sawyer on January 17, 1978. From the sales receipt the car was already painted white with black trim. Mr. Sawyer had two Chevrons (this and a B39) that he sold to Jeff McKay of Tacoma, Washington. I met with Mr. Sawyer in 2005 during a visit to Washington state and also picked up the engine cover that had been fabricated for the car. Mr. Sawyer had traded the car to Walt Pawluczkowycz of Evergreen, Colorado. I purchased the car from Walt in May 2004. So now the fun will be working backward and we are getting closer. I found there is a James K. Sawyer still living in Houston and I think I'll pick up the phone and make a call this weekend.

Steve

[IANHEB]

Harry/Steve,
AM 72 3 was Arch Motor's way of recording that it was the 3rd B20 chassis/frame that they constructed for Chevron in 1972.AM were also constructing the B21 chassis, but I think that they were numbered in a different sequence e.g. AM 72 B21 3.
However,it does not necessarily mean that Chevron used the third B20 chassis from AM to build their third complete car in 1972,being B20-72-3,as there could well have been a minimum order of 5 chassis all delivered by AM at the same time.
Harry,does your car still have the AM number visible ?
On the subject of the additional plate 72FB14 attached to the car, is it possible that this is a Canadian system of registering as I see that the Lotus 41 thread refers to a car with C/12/67 on it as well as the Lotus chassis number.
Maybe this was the Canadian equivelant of an SCCA stamping, and if a car was later sold across the border it might have ended up with both.
Regards

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

B20-72-6 definitely stays in France in 1973. At Mont Dore, Damiasin's car is "Chevron B20 ex-Maublanc". Maublanc may have started the 1973 season in this car until his Chevron-BMW was ready.

I haven't been tracking this car in detail but a B20 was still active - and getting good results in regional events - into 1977. It had a 2-litre Ford engine of some variety by then so I don't know where it gets a Renault engine.

Allen

[allenbrown]

More on that French hill climb Chevron B20.

At Trento Bordone 30 Jun 1974, Monégasque Guy Baria is third in the poorly supported G8/9 class in a 2-litre Chevron B20-Ford. (Autocourse 1974/75 p189)

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

2: The Skeaping car. [20.F3.1?/20.72.1?] [Lotus t/c]
A semi-works car run by Chris Skeaping in the British F3 series. Finished in February 1972 so assigned the first number in the 1972 series. Probably the B20 F3 for sale by Chevron A/S 2.8.73. Sold to Alex Lowe and used in British Monoposto and F4 series for a number of years. To Nick Crossley 1994. Currently for sale as having had only three owners [Skeaping/Lowe/Crossley].

Just to confuse matters, Lowe's bio in the second Kettlewell Directory says he had two B20s. He says he had a B15C from 1973 until he wrecked it at Castle Combe in 1975 then a B20 which he wrecked after just four races at the end of that same season.

With the second B20, he moved from F4 to Monoposto in 1979 and won the title in 1980, only to "totally destroy" the Chevron at Oulton Park in September.

Allen

[Mick Henderson]

May I join in your discussions & ask for pictures & info about B20s. I have recently purchased B20 71 01 for restoration, this car was owned by Nelson Todd in Belfast from 2000 until Feb2006. I work at Crossle and am familiar with it, as I repaired the main steel spaceframe within the monocoque, the RH front corner having suffered accident damage. The project ground to a halt for various reasons and was sold to our agent in France, he also had to lay it to the side until he sold it to me in June.
This does contradict a comment that it is restored and looking great, I've no idea how that came about, I intend to call Nelson to let him know his car's back in NI.
I have the FIA papers & SCCA log books, the only named keepers are James Grob , Peter L Symonds until 3/8/75, Jack Van Dell - 3/8/85, and in Belgium, Pierre Haverland - 19/11/88. I intend to keep it as original as possible so any help would be much appreciated.

[Chris Townsend]

Mick

Welcome! The history on this B20 is fairly clear, it seems. Bobby Brown at Bogota and probably early season in US, then to Jim Grob. Can certainly help you with some results from that period as Grob took it to a couple of SCCA finals. I think that Symonds only ran SCCA regionals, but I'd like to see more results sheets from the mid 70s NE divn to be sure.

Chris

[allenbrown]

Welcome Mick

It's interesting that the SCCA log book mentions Grob but not Brown. If Brown had run it earlier in the season, I'd expect to see the log book start with his name. If it starts with Grob's, that suggests he was the first person to race it (in SCCA events).

Chris -was Bogota run by the SCCA? Presumably not.

Allen

[Mick Henderson]

Thanks guys,
The log book records 2 races before 7/6/72, but no dates, the 1st was a national at Road Atlanta, the other is marked PBIR Reg, here it comments "no log number". Symonds ran at Bryar and Thompson regionals but only 4 times, do the SCCA log books record every race entered? Van Dell likewise only did 4 races.