Chevron B29

[David McKinney]

Welcome to the forum, SG
A surprising amount of NZ stuff gets posted here

[Steve Wilkinson]

To return to the origins of this deeply interesting ramble through Formula Atlantic via the Southern Hemisphere; can anyone provide the chassis number for the following car:

2.3 Chevron-Hart B29 sprinted and hillclimbed by Stuart Harte in England

Stuart competed in from 1985 to 1987

Keep up the interesting thread as I lived through all of Formula Atlantics history.

[Chris Townsend]

Steve

My first reaction is to connect the Harte car to the one used by David Ward in sprints and libre races in 1981. For not much other reason than they lived near each other, I suspect this might have been Dave Rackham's 1979 car.

What might be useful is if we could work out who now owns what of the Chevron B29 run. [I note that there is a roller currently for sale on racecarsdirect.com]
Out of the 27 or 28 built I only know the fates of the following. At least another 37 originals are still out there...

1: Destroyed in 1975 in testing
4: For sale on race-cars.uk last year
5: sold on race-cars.com in 2001?
6: Seems to have been broken up for spares in the early 1980s
16: For sale on race-cars.com and used recently by Brack at Trois Rivieres
18: Destroyed in 1975, rebuilt into chassis 25
25: Currently in S.Africa
30: In New Zealand
11; 13 and probably 22 were not built. Derek Bennett was a superstitious guy and it's rare that a build run includes 11; 22 or 33.

I'm suspicious that there might be an extra car used at Trois Rivieres by Opert that is not in the build record, because all the extant B29s in the world seem to be racing that day and there is one car too many!

Does anyone have any observations of known identities in the hands of current owners? We have one without a plate which is currently under investigation.

Chris

[Bryan Miller]

Chris,

On page 17 , I asked you re an update on Chevron B29's , at that time I was trying to figure out the identity of the car just recently advertised as a project and now the subject of the new U.K. owner.

Of the list -5 is still here , changed hands from Peter Addison to Rob McMillan about 6 months ago. This is the Poon car.
-30 is still also here with Peter Whelan of Sth. Australia , and in superb condition as is -5, both cars used all the time in Historic Racing, -30 being the ex Redman car.

Bryan.

[Steve Wilkinson]

No one any nearer finding the chassis number for Stuart Harte's Chevron?

[Dan Rear]

Was it the one Bob Howlings used in 1981 Atlantic here ? Quite a scruffy car as I recall.

[Smellybeard]

Bob Howlings B29 was previously Ken Fildes'. Before that... ?
It had an obvious non-original, two element rear wing when I saw it last.

Dave.

[Chris Townsend]

Ken Fildes' car was chassis 06, 1975: Alo Lawler 1976: Alo Lawler 1977: John Eastwood 1978 Joey Greenan 1979 Ken Fildes.

Chris

[Bill Murray]

Regarding the B29 recently bought via the US website, it is confirmed as B29-75-08. It has the number stamped into the monocoque inside the engine bay (under 20 years of crud) The body shows traces of light blue under the red (Gitanes blue?)
Does anyone have a photo of a B29 in this livery?

[Chris Townsend]

Over on racecarsdirect.com there is a Chevron B29 for sale described as 'ex Wheatcroft'.
From observations in 1975 we know this to have been 29-75-04, which we also know was then sold to Brett Riley, from whom it passed to Ken Bailey and thence into Ireland and was used by first Eddie Jordan and then Vivian Candy. By the early 80s this car was being raced in Monoposto by Terry Cole.
However, I have been told by a very good source that the car was subsequently broken for spares, with the tub going to UK Customs and Excise for a secret exercise. [Perhaps one related to Tony Dean's enterprise a few years earlier in using his B28 to transport cigars to the UK].
One can only wonder at the extraordinary magnetism that the parts of old racing cars have for each other, to be reunited after all these years...

Chris

[Gale Racing]

Dear Chevron / Atlantic enthusiasts,
To simply add to this thread on B29's I have recently purchased B29-75-05. It was owned by; Albert Poon - KL (April 75 to Dec 76), Chong Boon Seng - Singapore (Dec 76 to Nov 87), Leif Norberg - Malaysia (Nov 87 to Dec 89), Tony Armstrong - AUS (Dec 89 to 97), Geoff Weiland - AUS (97 to Aug 00), Peter Addison - AUS (Aug 00 to May 04), Rob McMillan - AUS (May 04 to April 05), John Gale - AUS (April 05).
I am keen to obtain some photos of the car competing in the mid to late 70's (so I can repaint it in period livery) but also to obtain any race results from that time. I know that it was raced in Batu Tiga, Penang and Macau in 75 to 79.
If anyone is able to assist me with photos (or any other information on teh car) I would be much appreciated.
Regards
John Gale

[Bryan Miller]

Wellcome aboard John.

Bryan.

[Steve Wilkinson]

Whilst scanning through a pile of old Speedscene magazines at a mates house over the Bank Holiday week-end I spotted a photo of Stuart Harte in the B29. The reference to the car said it was "the ex-Alo Lawler Chevron B29".

This I take to be chassis 06.

Not sure if I can add anything more but I will try to track down where the car went to after Stuart's death.

[Chris Townsend]

Steve,

Could you be specific in the magazine reference [page and date]? Otherwise, brilliant!

Chris

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Steve,

Could you be specific in the magazine reference [page and date]? Otherwise, brilliant!

Chris

I'll ask my mate to double check for the details.

[Gale Racing]

Chris / Bryan,

How are each of the B29's distinguished as Formual 2 or an Atlantic car. In the original shipping receipts between the first, second and third owners of my car B29-75-05 (Albert Poon / Chong Boon Seng / Lief Norberg), it refers to the car as a Formula 2 car, however I have always assumed the B29's to be Atlantic cars. My car was sold between two owners minus engine so I do not know what it ran with originally at present. Is there any other distinguishing feature on the chassis / chassis plate between F2 and Atlantic configuration?

Gale Racing

[Bill Murray]

Although there is no mention in the Chassis number, the cars are different.
I have a factory parts list, and the main differences are:-
F2's have centrelock wheels, 15'' at the rear.
F2's have 4 fuel cells, 2 extra in the front of the pods connected through holes in the bulkhead.
F2 has a 19 row oil cooler instead of 13.
Rear wing and nose on F2 are wider.
F2 uses an FGA gearbox.
Hope this helps.

[Gale Racing]

Bill,
Many thanks. Can you advise of the differences in the width of the nose and wing between Atlantic and F2 cars. I had assumed all B29's had centrelock wheels. Do some have stud wheels?
Gale Racing

[Bill Murray]

The parts list says:-
Part no 25015, wing, 24'', F2
Part no 27001, wing, 21'', Atlantic.
I've checked on my Atlantic car, and this is the depth from front to rear.
The nose sections are part nos. 29302 (F2) and 29303 (atlantic), but I don't know what the difference is.
My car (29 75 08) is an atlantic and has bolt on wheels.
Cheers
Bill Murray

[Gale Racing]

Bill,
My wing is 23 inches (Chord?) and has a lot of camber.
Does anyone have an appropriate profile for a single element wing for a mid / late 70's car running a BDA, perhaps a 18 inch to 21 inch chord, and span of around 48 inches, or even better still, have a mould or know a manufacturer (aluminum or resin).
Thanks
Gale Racing

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Dan

Never been able to trace Bryce Wilson's B29 but there are only a few cars it can have been, as most B29s left in Europe have continuous Irish history to that point, and most cars are in ZA or USA. Maybe 07 [ex Derek Shortall]; 17 [ex Williams/Crawford/Birrane]; 19 [Choularton/Dowsett/Ledlie] (probably favourite as that was in N.Ireland and therefore nearest]; 29 Cook/Rossiter. Anything else would have had to be reimported.

Chris re the Bryce W B29, I've just borrowed a run of early '78 A/Sports. These confirm the car as the ex-Cook/Crawford/Birrane one, so I guess no. 17, though the 'Cook' link doesn't seem to work.

[Chris Townsend]

Have now traced the identity of the Dave Rackham B29 which he used in early
1979 Atlantic before getting the ex Rosberg B42. It was chassis 07, ex Patsy
McGarrity, acquired from John Smith in N. Ireland. He seems to have bought it
in late May, as Smith uses a B29 at Kirkistown that month. His last, and perhaps only, Atlantic race with the car is Oulton at the end of June where he has a big accident. After this he gets the B42 and his ads in Autosport suggest he's looking
for parts to rebuild the B29 for the rest of the year.
In programmes for all the races before Oulton 30.6.79, Rackham is entered in Roger Andreasson's Druid. My question? Does anyone have photos of Rackham in the B29
from meetings before Oulton. The first race at which he could have had the car, I think, is Mallory on 28 May 79. He's entered in the Druid, the press says he had a Druid, but what did he actually use?

Chris

[Bryan Miller]

A note to advise B29-75-03 is now in Australia in the hands of Howard Blight , we picked car up from Customs last Wenesday 4th Jan after arrival from the U.S.A. owner Ted Voruz , car is very original even after being converted to Can-am spec and back again , chassis plate still on car , rhs of bulkhead inside cockpit behind drivers shoulder .
Car will be re-built back to Fred Opert/Hector Rebaque specs with alloy block BDD 2 litre.
Unbelievably nothing has been mutilated , it is all a little tatty but no surgery of any type required just tlc.
Howard contacted previous owner Carl Liebick who went and inspected car on his behalf prior to purchase.
Bryan.

[allenbrown]

It has Can-Am history?! Do you know who ran it in Can-Am?

Thanks

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

Any history post Liebich in 1976 would be appreciated.

Thanks
Chris