Brabham BT15

[Denis Lupton]

F3-3-66 was a film star,sold to the film company that made the film" a Man and a Woman" starring Jean Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimee,directed by
Claude Lelouch. The star was a racing driver,who goes to Montlery to drive
F3-3-66, a BT15.The film was most successful,and in the 1966 Academy Awards won --
1 Best actress Nominee Anouk Aimee
2 Best Director Nominee Claude Lelouch
3 Best Original Screenplay
4 Best Foreign Film
and Jack won the world Championship,although not in F3-3-66.
She was then sold to Fred Opert,to--
Bob Brown, back to Opert, then to --
Harry Reynolds, then (I think)traded back to Opert on
BT29-25, Uncle Harry being successful in both Brabham,s.

[Denis Lupton]

This BT15 was raced raced in 1965 by Mike Loasby,quite successfully, as a
private entrant.Photo p234,A S August 6/65 Not much is known about the car after early 1966 through to early 70's in the USA.Probably bought by a dealer, Fred Opert springs to mind,
Then to---
1974--1978 Jack.O. Nelson
1978--1981 Bruce Harrington
1981--1986 David Dexter
1986--1987 Greg Goser
1987 Steve Pike
1988--2006 Patrick Ryan Melbourne Australia.
Interesting to know if anybody can fill in some of the empty spaces for
this BT15. Grateful for any help at all.
Cheers Denis

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Denis Lupton

F3-3-66 was a film star,sold to the film company that made the film" a Man and a Woman" starring Jean Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimee,directed by
Claude Lelouch. The star was a racing driver,who goes to Montlery to drive
F3-3-66, a BT15.The film was most successful,and in the 1966 Academy Awards won --
1 Best actress Nominee Anouk Aimee
2 Best Director Nominee Claude Lelouch
3 Best Original Screenplay
4 Best Foreign Film
and Jack won the world Championship,although not in F3-3-66.
She was then sold to Fred Opert,to--
Bob Brown, back to Opert, then to --
Harry Reynolds, then (I think)traded back to Opert on
BT29-25, Uncle Harry being successful in both Brabham,s.

Hi Denis

So F3-3-66 was a BT15, not a BT18?

Allen

[Denis Lupton]

G'day Alan
This car had short rear uprights, whilst BT18's had long uprights. Also
Harry Reynolds said it's a BT15 'and you never argue with Uncle Harry.'
Regards Denis

[Robert_R]

Originally Posted by Denis Lupton

F3-3-66 was a film star,sold to the film company that made the film" a Man and a Woman" starring Jean Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimee,directed by
Claude Lelouch. The star was a racing driver,who goes to Montlery to drive
F3-3-66, a BT15.

Hi Denis
So F3-3-66 was a BT15, not a BT18?
Allen

Hi Denis,

having a look at the movie, the car is equipped with a twin carb'd engine. I assume that didn't conform with the F3 rules at that time?

Regards, Robert

[allenbrown]

From the 1966 F1R book: Brands 13 Nov 1966.

#67 [C Lambert] Alistair Welch BT15 F3-26-65
#78 [California America Racing] Steve Matchett BT15 F3-1-65
#79 Dave Williamson BT15 F3-25-66

Also at Brands 27 Dec 1966

#7 [Crispeed] Ken Costello BT15 F3-8-65
#21 David Morgan BT15 AM 24
#22 Graham Coaker BT15 AM 94

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

From the 1966 F1R book: Brands 13 Nov 1966.

#78 [California America Racing] Steve Matchett BT15 F3-1-65

I have Matchett winning a libre at Llandow 27 Mar 1967 (must remind a Californian so much of home) in a F3 Brabham. Formula2.net, which I'm treating as a F1R transcript, has him in a BT15 before this race but a BT18 later. The photo in the report shows him running alongside Powell's BT14 and the Matchett car certainly looks sleeker. Anyone know whether he had a new BT18 and when it turned up?

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

I have Matchett winning a libre at Llandow 27 Mar 1967 (must remind a Californian so much of home) in a F3 Brabham. Formula2.net, which I'm treating as a F1R transcript, has him in a BT15 before this race but a BT18 later. The photo in the report shows him running alongside Powell's BT14 and the Matchett car certainly looks sleeker. Anyone know whether he had a new BT18 and when it turned up?

Allen

After a quick lesson in recognition of BT15 and BT18 rear uprights from the friendly ferret, I can confirm that Matchett's Llandow car is a BT15. So F3-1-65 presumably.

Allen

[Denis Lupton]

F3-19-65 was delivered to Sverrir Thorodsson(from Iceland) with Holbay engine and Mk6 Hewland in early May 1965. Unfortunately,the Holbay was not the best choice that year,and a poor season resulted. For 1966, a
Cosworth engine was installed, and with a year old chassis,remember the BT18's were appearing,Sverrir was immediately on the pace,winning several heats and alway's at the pointy end of the field's,a couple of times beaten by inexperience.
The car then went to Ian Raby,changed to FFord,sold to Canada, and raced in Canada / USA.
Cheers Denis

[Denis Lupton]

Filling in a couple of holes in F3-19-65's history,Sverrir Thoroddsson sold to
/or through John Ewer Motors,then to Peter Wardle who converted it to F Ford,raced it for a year or so, then it was advertised in Autosport , November
15, 1968, p46. Sold to Ian Raby, then to Canada,raced as F Ford, finally back to UK.
Denis

[Unit 2 Racing]

Hi I'm new to this forum, I ran a BT15 in F4 for Mike Brett in 76,77, & 78 and I think the chassis No. was BT15 F3 33 66. It had been used on the hills before we got hold of it. In 76 we ran with standard bodywork then for 77 & 78 we fitted March 733 bodwork. At some point we changed the rear suspension as we found a crack in one of the short rear uprights, we bought 2 rear corners said to be BT21 & fitted these. We sold the car at the end of 78 it was raced in F4 for some time, then I think someone rebuilt it to orignal spec for Historic racing.



John Saunders

[allenbrown]

Thanks John and welcome.

Any photos of it?

Allen

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Unit 2 Racing

Hi I'm new to this forum, I ran a BT15 in F4 for Mike Brett in 76,77, & 78 and I think the chassis No. was BT15 F3 33 66. It had been used on the hills before we got hold of it. In 76 we ran with standard bodywork then for 77 & 78 we fitted March 733 bodwork. At some point we changed the rear suspension as we found a crack in one of the short rear uprights, we bought 2 rear corners said to be BT21 & fitted these. We sold the car at the end of 78 it was raced in F4 for some time, then I think someone rebuilt it to orignal spec for Historic racing.

John Saunders

Are you by any chance the John Saunders who ran an Alexis in some of the British Sprint Championship rounds in 1971?

Who ran it 'on the hills'?

[Chris Townsend]

Welcome John

We've discussed this car's earlier history before [if it was F3.33.66]. Denis Lupton pointed it out as Mike Knight's car in 1966 and then Alan Brown observed it on the hills in 1967 used by one J. Hooper

Chris

[Unit 2 Racing]

Originally Posted by Steve Wilkinson

Are you by any chance the John Saunders who ran an Alexis in some of the British Sprint Championship rounds in 1971?

Who ran it 'on the hills'?

No sorry Steve I never owned an Alexis.

Who ran it on the hills, don't know but he had some connection with the Waring & Gillow team at the time. As we swopped our Centaur Mk14 clubmans chassis for the BT15 in a M1 service station near Leicester in late 75, & this guy turned up with the Brabham in the Waring & Gillow team transporter. I think it ran in the 1100cc class.

[Unit 2 Racing]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Welcome John

We've discussed this car's earlier history before [if it was F3.33.66]. Denis Lupton pointed it out as Mike Knight's car in 1966 and then Alan Brown observed it on the hills in 1967 used by one J. Hooper

Chris

Yes Chris I do now remember someone once telling me it was the Ex. Mike Knight car, so I must have the chassis number right.

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Unit 2 Racing

No sorry Steve I never owned an Alexis.

Who ran it on the hills, don't know but he had some connection with the Waring & Gillow team at the time. As we swopped our Centaur Mk14 clubmans chassis for the BT15 in a M1 service station near Leicester in late 75, & this guy turned up with the Brabham in the Waring & Gillow team transporter. I think it ran in the 1100cc class.

There was a Redvers Arnold who ran a Mk 14 Centaur at Harewood but that was in 1975! Could that be the chap?

[Denis Lupton]

The short list of owners as I have it are as follows,
1966 Mike Knight
1967 Tony Dean
1967-68 J. Hooper
1976-78 Mike Brett
1989 Martyn Smith (HSCC Championship Winner)
1990 Martyn Smith For Sale A.S. Oct 11 1990 P67.
Obviously ,some gaps,maybe someone can fill some in
Cheers Denis

[Chris Townsend]

Thanks Denis,
The Dean ownership solves a problem as Autosport 3 April 67 notes him using a late model BT15 and by then he's sold his older BT15 to Barrie Maskell.

Chris

[allenbrown]

That solves another libre winner as well. Dean won at Cadwell Park 5 March in a BT15 which must be the late model one you're talking about.

Just Martin Slater, Derek Booton, George Cayley (all '67), Mike Watkins ('68) and Colin Holohan ('69) to figure out now. Holohan's Brabham(s) was/were described as BT10, BT15 and BT18 on different occasions in 1968 and 1969.

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

Thought I'd do a summary of BT15s given recent progress on this thread.
Interestingly there are now only 8 1965 cars where we don't know at least one user in 1965 [and two of these are identifiable by frame numbers] but 11 drivers identified in unknown BT15s that year

F3.1.65 unknown 1965, 1966 Natalie Goodwin [F1R 13.3.66]->Steve Matchett [F1R 13.11.66] and AS ex Goodwin, kept by Matchett early 1967


F3.2.65 W.J.Moss: Andrew Fletcher, used by Fletcher again 1966

F3.3.65 Team Promecom: Jim Sullivan/Dave Walker; 1966: Geoff Oliver [Denis Lupton notes], then to Opert, Now with Joe Bosworth in Australia as FF and been there since mid 80s.

F3.4.65 Totally unknown

F3.5.65. Goodwin Racing: Natalie Goodwin [F1R 18.9]

F3.6.65 Goodwin Racing: John Cardwell [F1R 3.4] to John Calvert late season, retained by Calvert 1966

F3.7.65 Goodwin Racing: David Rees [F1R 13.3]

F3.8.65 Chequered Flag: Roy Pike, 1966: Cripspeed: Ken Costello [F1R 27.12]; 1967: Cripspeed: Costello/Ken Ward [or Len Ward] and therefore the car briefly loaned by him to Dave Morgan in 1968

F3.9.65 Jürg Dubler [F1R 18.9] 1966: Manfred Mohr [MN 19.1.67 p.2] probably Karl Starke 1969 entered by Midland Racing

F3.10.65 David Cole [F1R 18.9]

F3.11.65 John Ralph, retained to 1967, 1972: Brian Jordan (IRL); 1973: Alistair Jackson (IRL) MN 25.1.73, p.16; 1983 Robin Dunbar [IRL]; 1984 to date Denis Lupton

F3.12.65 Victor Auschlander [CH], for sale by Len Selby 2004, probably Habegger’s 1965 car

F3.13.65 Totally unknown

F3.14.65 Totally unknown

F3.15.65 Tony Huggett, retained 1966

F3.16.65 Martinelli: Clay Regazzoni [F1R notes] car with this plate in Australia but its early history is for the first Tony Dean car, noted by F1R as 20.65, which suggests a bit of history or plate swapping in the unknown period of the car’s history.

F3.17.65 Sc. Sorocaima: Francesco Ghezzi [F1R]; 1966: Jurg Dubler, retained 1967, other possibility for Midland Racing’s Starke car in 1969

F3.18.65 unknown in Europe, first recorded Tom Watson [mid west SCCA FC with MAE engine] 1969; 1970-71 Gerry Wilson [FC] 1972 Al Essig destroyed at Lake Garnett; remains with Essig until 2006, bits now with Steve Wood [Australia]

F3.19.65 Sverrir Thorodsson, retained 1966, 1967 John Ewer Motors to Peter Wardle, run as FF, retained 1968; 1969 Ian Raby Motors to Canada as FF; John Pickering [Canada] since mid 80s

F3.20.65 Tony Dean [F1R 18.9]; 1966: Tony Dean->Barrie Maskell [December '66]; 1967: Barrie Maskell ['ex Dean' AS 6.1.67] retained 1968; 1969: Keith Wright; 1970: Alan Joy [Monoposto] [MN 7.5.70 p. 11 ex Maskell], 1971-74 probably Graham Bowskil [see 16.65], 1975 Mike Whatley [F4]

F3.21.65 unknown before 1969 then Bo Elvang to 1971; Ove Jacobsson to 1973; Antoni Chlapowski to 1975; Bengt Ljundberg to 1994, now in Germany

F3.22.65 Trevor Blokdyk retained 1966 for some of the time at least…

F3.23.65 Totally unknown

F3.24.65 Totally unknown

F3.25.65 new 13.7.66 to DAF w. MAE 66132 then to Keith St John [F1R 18.9]; retained 1966; Dave Williamson 13.11 F1R; 1967: Ken Shephard: Lianne Engelman; 1968: Jimmy Johnstone (h.c); 1969: Chris Tipping; 1970: Doc Willoughby to 1974 then Chris Dowson and nice clean history through to the present

F3.26.65 Chris Lambert, 1967: Chris Lambert [F1R 13.3] 1968: Lamplough: Francesco Godia/Peter Gaydon

This is all of 1965 production

Known frame numbers:

AM32: 1965: Mike Loasby then unknown to 1974: Jack Nelson [USA] then 1979 Bruce Harrington, 1982 David Dexter, 1988 to present Patrick Ryan [AUS]

AM67: 1965: Graham Coaker, retained to 1967, then unknown to 1970: Paul Weldon [Monoposto ex Coaker MN 7.5.70 p.11]

1965 users without car or frame number:

Manfred Mohr [entered by Sq Arena is probably Dubler’s car]
Walter Habegger is probably Auschlander’s car
Jörgen Ellekaer
Egert Haglund
Picko Troberg
Patrick Dal Bo [his BT9 updated?]
Radio Caroline Racing: Rollo Feilding
Cliff Haworth
Martin Slater retained to 1967
JC Legarth, 1966: Ole Vejlund [ex Legarth MN 13.2.69 p. 2]; 1967: Kurt Seerup
Harry Stiller; 1968 Clark Sturgess (FF) Described as ex Stiller BT15 might mean his BT18?; 1969: Sturgess [FF->sold to Roger Graham AS 18.7.69 p. 6]
Johnny Servoz-Gavin, 1967 Jean Claude Lhoro

Any more gaps to be filled?

Chris

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

1965 users without car or frame number:

Patrick Dal Bo [his BT9 updated?]

I just had a quick flick through the early chapters of the Pygmee book where it talks about the BT9. It says that Patrick DB started 1965 in his Brabham before the first F3 Pygmee was completed and crashed badly at Imola. There is no mention of a new car being bought and given Marius's decision to build a car for his lad, it seems unlikely he'd have bought one.

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

1965 users without car or frame number:

Martin Slater retained to 1967

I remembered this from the BT16 thread:

From the 1966 F1R book Brands 13 Nov 1966 :

#65 Martin Slater BT16 AM 25

Same car? If it didn't have a plate, I imagine it could be called either a BT15 or a BT16.

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

1965 users without car or frame number:

Cliff Haworth

I'm on a role! This also from the Bt16 thread:

Originally Posted by Denis Lupton

Chris
You mentioned in the BT15 thread, Cliff Haworth,an American driver.
He purchased a BT16, F2-18-65,delivered thursday,June11,1965,with MAE
Cosworth engine. At the time he was working at MRD (no wages) to learn
about the car,s. First event,Roskilde-Denmark- June/11/65.Also,the first time he drove the car.
Cheers Denis

[Chris Townsend]

I think that Goodwin Racing actually has four BT15s in 1965 including owning chassis F3.1.65 from new.
That number is only observed on Natalie Goodwin's car in early 66 - before the sale to Matchett, but in AS 11.3.66 p. 397 Goodwin are selling 1965 Brabham as used by Cardwell in Temporada and 1965 Brabham F3 'completely rebuilt after crash'; A/S then announces that Matchett has bought an ex Goodwin 1965 car 1.4.66 p. 491

I think we can also eliminate Stiller from having a BT15. I think the Clark Sturgess F.Ford was probably built up from Stiller's BT16 F2.22.65.