Brabham BT40 - Page 5

Chris Townsend · 5 Apr 2010, 06:38 (Ref:2666920)

Phil

Welcome, we are still active! [Well most of us... some, like King Arthur's knights sleep until they are called on to defend the history of the Brabham BT29]

What have you bought?

Chris

Phil Franzone · 5 Apr 2010, 07:10 (Ref:2666924)

That was quick !!..As I speak BT 40-11 and BT41-30 are on the water heading to their new home in Australia.

allenbrown · 5 Apr 2010, 13:03 (Ref:2667081)

I might have used the analogy of us lurking in the shadows waiting to ambush some passing owner but yes, we're still here.

Where did you get these two? What do you know of their recent history?

Phil Franzone · 7 Apr 2010, 08:07 (Ref:2668096)

Both cars came out of the States. Don't know a lot about them..that's why I am here. Any info appreciated.

Gary Jarlson · 10 May 2010, 18:58 (Ref:2688146)

Here's some info on the cars headed down under:

BT41-30

1973 Raced in The UK F3 Series with GREAT SUCCESS with Falconer Modifications by JOHNNY GERBER. 1974 FRED OPERT Brought The Car to The USA and Set It Up As A FC Car, As It Is Now. Raced SCCA On Both The West and East Coasts Approximately 15 TIMES before It Was Stored in 1985. Car Was RESTORED in 2003 and RACED at Road America (Vintage Race) in 2003. A Total of Ten VINTAGE RACES at Road America Since The RESORATION.

I'm pretty sure this is the car that was raced on the West Coast in the late '70s by Bob(?) Spagnola.

BT40-11

Bertil Roos drove this Formula Atlantic car at Watkins Glen to a First Place finish in September, 1973. BRABHAM BT 40-11 Racecar OWNER/DRIVER list Year Owner Driver 1972-1973 Fred Opert Bertil Roos 1973-1975 Fred Opert Bob Klime 1975-1979 Gary Wallace Gary Wallace 1980-2000 Cam Arthur Cam Arthur 2000-2004 Terry Allard Terry Allard 2004-present Bill Swope David Swope

Phil Franzone · 7 Jun 2010, 02:42 (Ref:2705825)

Thanks for that Gary. Cars have now arrived in Perth and I have SCCA log books for both. BT41-30 log starts in Sept 79 (Willow Springs) Signature of driver/entrant is illegible but could be Mike Spagnola?? ...definitely Mike someone.
Nov 84 driver/entrant is Steve Vogue at Riverside. Then to Guy Revesz (Road America) in May 03. I purchased it of Guy. Nice little car. Very original. We hope to run it this weekend..weather permitting. Would very much appreciate if any one can fill in the gaps. Any info at all gratefully appreciated !!

BT40-11 SCCA log starts in June 75..Gary Wallace at INR National. Was logged as a FB with a Brian Hart BDA. Last entry for Gary is INR National Oct 79. Next entry is Bill Swope May 05. I purchased of Bill. In the meantime a RMVR log book was issed in June 71 to Cameron Mitchel(??). To Terry Allard in June 06 and Swope June 07. Again any further info gratefully appreciated. This car is still running a BDA and FT200.

Chris Townsend · 7 Jun 2010, 20:02 (Ref:2706315)

Regarding BT41-30
I have very good evidence that this was NOT the car used in F3 by Gerber.
That was the MRD works car which later went to Larry Perkins and was chassis 31.

Chris

Gary Jarlson · 10 Jun 2010, 20:15 (Ref:2708627)

Chris

The information I posted on BT40-31 came from the ad when it was for sale. While I didn't know the very early history of this car, I was perturbed that the ad said it had Falconer bodywork. The nose and most certainly the cowl were '73 March pieces; the stepped engine cover was from another year. It's possible that Mike Spagnola got the bodywork from Bahner as Marc did several sets of '73-style panels for Brabhams, including his own BT29 and my BT28.

Gary Jarlson · 10 Jun 2010, 20:17 (Ref:2708631)

Chris

I meant BT40-30.

Phil Franzone · 10 Jun 2010, 20:40 (Ref:2708674)

OK....now I'm really confused..lol..so who's car was it..and what is it??

Chris Townsend · 11 Jun 2010, 08:28 (Ref:2708939)

Phil
BT40-30 was used in F3 in the UK. I have a chassis observation quite early in the season. I have contact with the family of the guy who owned it, and they have most of his archives, so we should be able to find the MRD invoice. I don't want to say who the owner or driver was at this stage. Hopefully there will be a copy invoice there for the sale to the USA

That the car could later be fitted with March bodywork is not such a surprise. Cyd Williams' BT40 ended up clad in 73B bodywork in the UK, though I didn't know Marc B did bodywork kits for the pre 75 models, nor that they fitted spaceframe Brabhams!

So, Phil, don't be confused the BT41 has a clean history! I'll email you.

Chris

Bryan Miller · 15 Aug 2010, 23:36 (Ref:2744984)

Chris,

My Brabham factory build records show ,

BT 40 , F2/FB , number built as 9/19 , indicating 9 off as F2 thence 19 off as
FB , so 28 all up .

If as we suspect starting at # 11 , plus 28 = up to # 39 , I know we have # 33 and # 35 , without going through all pages , any advance on # 35 .

We have six in Australia .

Peter Brennan , Tim Kuchel x 2 , Phil Franzone , Peter Boel , and one of Nev McKay's , that's all I can think of at the moment.

Bryan.

Gary Jarlson · 14 Nov 2010, 18:01 (Ref:2790438)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

Phil
BT40-30 was used in F3 in the UK. I have a chassis observation quite early in the season. I have contact with the family of the guy who owned it, and they have most of his archives, so we should be able to find the MRD invoice. I don't want to say who the owner or driver was at this stage. Hopefully there will be a copy invoice there for the sale to the USA

That the car could later be fitted with March bodywork is not such a surprise. Cyd Williams' BT40 ended up clad in 73B bodywork in the UK, though I didn't know Marc B did bodywork kits for the pre 75 models, nor that they fitted spaceframe Brabhams!

So, Phil, don't be confused the BT41 has a clean history! I'll email you.

Chris

Chris

The attached photo is BT28-19 (see post 179 in the BT28 forum). The '73 March bodywork was supplied in late '76/early '77 by Marc Bahner, who had already done a similar conversion to his own BT29. ISTR to recall that Marc also supplied the parts to Warren Pauge for his BT38, but hold me to that.

Gary

SAMD · 18 Nov 2010, 11:20 (Ref:2792549)

I had a poke about in one of these a wee while ago. But AFAIR it was space framed not monocoque. although there was no engine/box in it so it may have just looked spaceframed from the rear. Also, the chassis plate did not say Brabham. I think it said MRD BT40 ..?..? something like that anyway, does that sound right?

Team Spagnola · 18 Nov 2010, 16:14 (Ref:2792692)

Hi guys- Its Mike Spagnola. I saw my named mentioned along with a Brabham BT 41. I did campaign a Brabham in Southern California from about 1979 to 1981. Does someone have my car now ?

Chris Townsend · 18 Nov 2010, 16:43 (Ref:2792721)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Spagnola

Hi guys- Its Mike Spagnola. I saw my named mentioned along with a Brabham BT 41. I did campaign a Brabham in Southern California from about 1979 to 1981. Does someone have my car now ?

Welcome Mike

Phil Franzone has the car in Australia.
Can you remember who you bought the car from? Was it John Sley from DC?

Chris

Team Spagnola · 18 Nov 2010, 18:41 (Ref:2792769)

wow- Id love to see photos of it. No- I bought it from Mark Pivic. He owned a shop out of Newport Beach and was the mechanic for someone who drove it in 1977-1978. I have tons of photos of the car when I campaigned it. Mostly at Riverside Raceway, Willow Springs Raceway and a few other tracks on the west coast of the U.S. I sold it to a kid who was going to go to drivers school and get his license. He crashed it twice during school and sold it. After that, it made its way to to the east coast- I think Ohio- that was sometime in the mid 80's I think. After that, I lost track of it. I sold the car for $3000.00 US becuase at that time, it wasnt competitive for anything but a school car- there was no vintage market for it at the time. It had a BDJ Cosworth engine in it when I sold it. I still have the reciepts for the rebuilds etc.

Phil Franzone · 18 Nov 2010, 21:09 (Ref:2792835)

Mike..great to hear from you..5 am here...off to a conference..running late.. have a million questions for you..will be in touch soon as I get back

Team Spagnola · 18 Nov 2010, 21:26 (Ref:2792850)

Ive got a ton of questions for you as well. I loved that car! Talk to you soon..

SAMD · 20 Nov 2010, 21:09 (Ref:2793579)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Spagnola

I sold the car for $3000.00 US becuase at that time, it wasnt competitive for anything but a school car- there was no vintage market for it at the time. It had a BDJ Cosworth engine in it when I sold it. I still have the reciepts for the rebuilds etc.

Its probably worth more than that now.

Team Spagnola · 22 Nov 2010, 22:45 (Ref:2794488)

here is a photo of the car at willow springs in southern california

jstree · 15 Dec 2010, 22:26 (Ref:2804949)

Hi there. Im in Denver,Colorado. I picked up and have slowly been piecing back together a BT40 I ended up buying from Forest Grove's estate, apparently a local colorado ASR SCCA driver from '85~86. before that it was owned by Sheri Fagan and others from the colorado region... i can track it back to 1981 at least. Theorhetically, maybe, it was owned by George Gettel in '79~80. When i got it ( in 2009) it had a failed mazda rotary. Any news, stories, thoughts would be appreciated.

Ill upload a couple pics when i get home. it still has the FT200 and the bi-wing nose.

I was watching " the challengers" that great video on the 1975 players formula atlantic, and I thought i saw it.. number 67. dark blue body and light blue/white wings.

anyway one more found.

John S.

jstree · 16 Dec 2010, 05:01 (Ref:2805009)

Ive attached some pics.

Chris Townsend · 16 Dec 2010, 13:11 (Ref:2805137)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstree

Hi there. Im in Denver,Colorado. I picked up and have slowly been piecing back together a BT40 I ended up buying from Forest Grove's estate, apparently a local colorado ASR SCCA driver from '85~86. before that it was owned by Sheri Fagan and others from the colorado region... i can track it back to 1981 at least. Theorhetically, maybe, it was owned by George Gettel in '79~80. When i got it ( in 2009) it had a failed mazda rotary. Any news, stories, thoughts would be appreciated.

Ill upload a couple pics when i get home. it still has the FT200 and the bi-wing nose.

I was watching " the challengers" that great video on the 1975 players formula atlantic, and I thought i saw it.. number 67. dark blue body and light blue/white wings.

anyway one more found.

John S.

John, hi. Does the car have a chassis plate? We now know something about most BT40s, so we might be able to get an answer to the history of yours, eventually

jstree · 16 Dec 2010, 20:49 (Ref:2805310)

its stamped " AM 74/75" and "#28" on the rear frame, but theres no chassis plate on the sides of the tub or the dashboard that i can see.

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