Chevron B20

[Chris Townsend]

CHEVRON B20

Here's the second new thread for Chevrons. Both a publication of where
I've got to and a plea for information.

The B20 was built as the 1972 combination F2/F3/FB car by Chevron.
However, the first car was built in 1971 as a development model and at least one was delivered new for the 1973 season.
All sources suggest that nine were built, and the following engine configurations are given for these cars:
1 BDA Smith; 1 BDA Richardson; 1 BDA Race Engine Services; 1 BDA Hart
5 Lotus t/c.
The t/c engines would have been fitted to the FB cars in 1972/3 and to the solitary F3 car.

Help on what the plates actually said, on what car, would be greatly valued!!
Some chassis numbers are known, but they sometimes vary on what seems to be the same car and may not be altogether helpful. So I have labelled the cars by other distinctive characteristics and then included known chassis numbers including variants.
Of the BDA engined cars we know that Lepp’s British Atlantic chassis was initially fitted with a Richardson, that Gethin’s works F2 car ran a Smith, and that Green’s car used in SE Asia had a Hart.

1: The 1971 development car [20.71.01]-Lotus t/c
According to an advert on race-cars.com this went to Fred Opert and was used by Bobby Brown in the 1971 Bogota GP, and subsequently by Brown and Jim Grob. Grob carried on using a Chevron B20 in SCCA [as both an FB and FC] for a number of years. Given the known histories of other Opert B20s it seems likely that this was 20.71.01.
Still extant in USA

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].

3: The Lepp car [20.72.2/20.F2.1?]-BDA Richardson
MN report of the Mallory Park European F2 race says that Gethin appears in Lepp’s car for this race. This suggests that the Lepp car was earlier in the build sequence and the F2 cars were not ready in time. Subsequently used by Lepp in the British Atlantic series in 1972. Not known after this date, but by process of elimination [assuming nine built] the car used by Eris Tondelli in the European Hill-Climb Championship in March 1973.

4: The first 1972 works F2 car [20.72.2/20.F2.2]-BDA Smith
The regular works car for Peter Gethin in the European F2 Championship, sometimes taken over by Vic Elford. Both chassis numbers are given in race reports suggesting that a certain amount of plate or chassis switching took place, but since Lepp is racing regularly in Atlantic his car has to be a distinct entity from this one. Won 1972 Pau GP. Taken to the South American series for Dave Morgan. Sold to Tony Martin in South Africa in 1973 from there in a deal that also involved a March 722 and Brabham BT38. Run for Glenn Martin in South Africa in 1973. Subsequently unknown.

5: The first 1972 Opert car [Lotus t/c]
Delivered to Opert in April or May 1972. Used by Bobby Brown in 1972 SCCA pro championship. Given the known history of the other 1972 Opert car in 1973 this more or less has to be the car run by Joe Shepherd [Indianapolis] in SCCA and pro FB races in 1973 and 1974. Perhaps the car run by Peter Symond in SCCA in 1976.

6: The second 1972 Opert car [Lotus t/c]
Delivered to Opert in May 1972. Used by Brian Robertson to win the 1972 Canadian championship. (Since they never appear together, Robertson and Brown could have been using the same car. However, in 1973 the number of B20s appearing together suggests that Opert had to have two new cars in 1972 plus the 1971 development model sold off to Grob. Canadian Motorsports Bulletin reports that the Robertson car goes to Peter Ferguson’s Samsonite team for his girl-friend/team mate Linda Wilson in 1973. Sold back to Opert at some point, as f/s Opert, Formula June 75, p. 13, ex Robertson, Canadian Championship car. Could well be the mystery Price Cobb B20 in 1974, which appears at the same races as Shepherd and Ferguson [A B20 was recently for sale with 20.FB.14 stamped in the roll hoop, and described as ex Price Cobb, having subsequently raced in SCCA SW and SE regions to 1978.] Could be the Peter Symond car in 1976.

7: The second 1972 works F2 car [20.72.3/20.F2.3]-BDA
Appears at Oulton Park n/c F2 race for John Watson. In 1973 most likely the car of Nelson Todd in Irish libre races, and then used by Jim Sherry, Mike Nugent and Richard Parsons in successive years of the Irish Atlantic Championship. [There is an established provenance from Todd to Parsons.] MN 24.2.77 P. 15 says Parsons’s car is 'ex Kinnane'; and again MN 17.3.77 p. 8; then described as 'ex John Watson MN 9.6.77 p. 13.

8: The Ferguson car [Lotus t/c]
Appears at first round of the Canadian championship in 1973 for Peter Ferguson’s Samsonite team; described as “brand new” in Canadian Motorsport Bulletin. Retained 1974.

9: The Green car [20.72.09?] [Hart BDA]
Appears at the Singapore GP [22.4.73] driven by John Green. Retained 1974 and subsequently to Steve Millen for 1975. A car with this chassis number is now in Australia and is thought to be Millen’s car.


Summary
1972 1973 1974
1 Opert/Grob Grob Grob
2 Skeaping at works Lowe
3 Lepp Tondelli? unknown
4 Gethin/Elford Martin Martin
5 Brown Shepherd Shepherd
6 Robertson Wilson Cobb?
7 Watson Todd Sherry
8 Not raced Ferguson Ferguson
9 Not raced Green Green