Chevron B19

[Delbert]

B19-71-09
I am not sure how much of this is "good enough" for you boys but I have various bills, letters and 3 HSCC VIN forms from 70's and 80's to/from such people as Jim Wallis, Ray Belm, Vin Malkie- even a Derek Bennet drawing for a Roll Cage dated 14.3.72
It also has the central gear linkage (not sure how many people would bother to fit that on a "new" car).
The car was bought from RA only after Alan Collard confirmed it was what it purported to be. Alan worked for RA but I can assure you was independant of view, if you get my dirft.
I have been lucky enough to have spoken to John Lepp on a few occasions but he has not seen the car, although I have offered him a drive if he would like.

As an aside here is a nice note I received from previous owner James Bell:

I bought the car following the end of year finals in October 1972 at Silverstone where if I can remember correctly the car won in John Lepp's hands. The car was actually owned by 2 London architect brothers called John and Leslie Gray.
In 1973, I raced the car with my long time racing partner Ian Harrower : we competed at the Nurburgring at the Interserie round in March and the 1000 km in May, the Monza 1000km and the Spa 1000km , Ian also raced the car at Villa Real and Estoril in Portugal after we hadcome back from Angola where we raced the car at Luanda (2hours-4th),Nova Lisboa (6hours 2nd), Benguela (3hours-dsq).
In 1974 Ian raced the car at the major European 1000km races (2nd in class in Austria) with amongst other co-drivers Ian Bracey and Richard Jones. The car again went to Angola that year and again was reasonably successful.
In early 1975, I sold the car to Jonathan Buncombe who used the chassis as the basis for the infamous 'Chimp'.

There is a bit more info but short of scanning it all and sending it here (which I am not going to do!) I think I am done.

i would offer to help with the research but I don't have anything like the knowledge or contacts you guys do
Thanks

[allenbrown]

Thanks for that Delbert. The note from James Bell saying it went to Buncombe is good enough for me. So B19-71-9 was the Chimp.

What I'd like to examine a little more is how it got from Buncombe to Wallis as two routes have been suggested. I am very happy to take your word for any documents you have such as bills of sale and really don't need you to scan them for me. Could you confirm that your documents confirm the ownership trail that I have from Wallis onwards is correct:
1983 to 1985 Otford Group/Jim Wallis
1986 Richard Eyre
1987 Ray Bellm
1988 Roger Andreason
What year did you buy it from Andreason?

The reason for the digging is that this page says the Chimp went to Paul Howarth and there's no mention of Howarth in the history I've seen of B19-71-9. Also, a completely different B19 claims to have come from Howarth in 1979.

I understand that your car was with Vin from 1976 or 1977 or 1978 through to 1983. So would it be this car, seen here with Vin in 1980?


Then this one, seen here with Wallis in 1984?


Then this one, seen here with Eyre in 1986?


(All these pictures are copyright Jeremy Jackson and are used with permission.)

I agree the central gearchange is pretty compelling but I have to ask these questions of every car. Each car in turn will get the third degree - you just happened to be the first volunteer

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

I understand that your car was with Vin from 1976 or 1977 or 1978 through to 1983. So would it be this car, seen here with Vin in 1980?

(All these pictures are copyright Jeremy Jackson and are used with permission.)

Just a slight correction, the above photo of Vin at Silverstone is mine and not Jeremy's.

If you check the HTTP it is embedded in there.

[allenbrown]

Oops! Humble apologies Steve. I looked quickly at the images as I was scooping them out of my B19 notes and thought they all said Jeremy.

[p261brm]

Allen; Centre gear change on a B19; yes, a Red Rose car was converted for J.P. Beltoise, by Tony Galland et al, Dijon?? memory might return.

[driftwood]

i have 2 handbags for sale- 1 comes with a free puppy

back to B19-9 on the other page item it said car went hillclimbing after bell/harrower had the car
do we know more on this?

It was originally built in 1971, with a central gear change, for John Lepp, moving on the following year to John Gray. Over the next two years it raced in Angola and was used as a hillclimb car. It was the Chimp in1975 before spending 1976 to 1983 with Vin Malkie.

[allenbrown]

Yes it did say that but in the light of James Bell's note to Delbert, that has to be wrong. I suspect someone filling in an HVIF form in the past felt the need to fill a two-year gap.

French and Swiss hillclimbs used to be a good way to fill gaps as it was thought then that nobody could ever check that. The world has shrunk a good bit in the last 20 years and such things can now be checked easily. Even Italian hillclimbs aren't safe any more. I expect to see Central Division SCCA racing appearing more on forms in the future!

[driftwood]

news from the Roy Lane direction
Techraft acquired the car from Bobby Howling. It was fitted with a crossover Schnitzer BMW M12/7 which they removed and sold to Stuart Ridge and fitted an FVC. Upgraded front suspension to B23 and rear to B26.

Sold on to Richard Fry who removed and sold the FVC and fitted an 1800 BDA.

Car last seen by Roy competing in California.

Chassis number unknown. he believes Bob Howlings brought the car in from "abroad"

[Delbert]

The Vin with Ray Bellm on the form states, and I quote:

" Chassis #9 constructed in 1971 for John Lepp. In 1975 car purchased by Jonathan buncombe & converted to run in special saloons as an Imp. Vin Malkie purchased car & it was subsequently sold to James Wallis & then Richard Eyre"

I have not got the Blue car picture you show but I do have an Otford picture (with number 81 on it). Taken by Gaisford and attached to a VIN form dated 1983 in the name of Jim Wallis. On that form it states previous owner as Plygrange Racing / Vin Malkie.

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by Delbert

The Vin with Ray Bellm on the form states, and I quote:

" Chassis #9 constructed in 1971 for John Lepp. In 1975 car purchased by Jonathan buncombe & converted to run in special saloons as an Imp. Vin Malkie purchased car & it was subsequently sold to James Wallis & then Richard Eyre"

I have not got the Blue car picture you show but I do have an Otford picture (with number 81 on it). Taken by Gaisford and attached to a VIN form dated 1983 in the name of Jim Wallis. On that form it states previous owner as Plygrange Racing / Vin Malkie.

Thanks Delbert. If Helen's watching, could she confirm if Vin got the car directly from Buncombe or whether Howarth was an intermediate owner?

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by driftwood

news from the Roy Lane direction
Techraft acquired the car from Bobby Howling. It was fitted with a crossover Schnitzer BMW M12/7 which they removed and sold to Stuart Ridge and fitted an FVC. Upgraded front suspension to B23 and rear to B26.

Sold on to Richard Fry who removed and sold the FVC and fitted an 1800 BDA.

Car last seen by Roy competing in California.

Chassis number unknown. he believes Bob Howlings brought the car in from "abroad"

That's very useful too. Howlings won't have fitted the BMW so I just need to watch out for a BMW-powered B19/21 that vanishes around 1979.

[Delbert]

Forgot to add there is a nice letter from Helen Bashford to David Polegaze, dated 8.3.82 attached to another VIN form saying

" please find enclosed HSCC Vin for Vin's B19 in which I have stapled the "spec" for the replacement engine". Looks like they changed BDA to FVC.

[driftwood]

B19/21 with schnitzer = there was only 1 car built in that spec and delbert ha sit
the quester b21-15 car with M12 was written off
so if any other cars raced it would be later years and probably a german outfit converting the car

By now Wilkinson should have piped up with info on Fry`s Chevron but i guess he is still training the puppy i gave him not to pee on the carpet

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by driftwood

By now Wilkinson should have piped up with info on Fry`s Chevron but i guess he is still training the puppy i gave him not to pee on the carpet

Never saw it so can't help!

By the way I was sold a pup!

[allenbrown]

Reg Phillips "has sold the car to Chippy Stross" MN 27 Sep 1973 p12.

[driftwood]

so in the queens english that is Chevron B19-71-28 from Reg phillips to "chippy" Stross
he then advertises it for sale as per my AS advert list in 1975?

who then takes the car from Stross

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by driftwood

who then takes the car from Stross

I'll add that to my list of questions for Chris Mason.

[Chris Townsend]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

French and Swiss hillclimbs used to be a good way to fill gaps as it was thought then that nobody could ever check that. The world has shrunk a good bit in the last 20 years and such things can now be checked easily. Even Italian hillclimbs aren't safe any more. I expect to see Central Division SCCA racing appearing more on forms in the future!

They'd better be careful then because I now have a source for 1970s and 80s SCCA Cen Div with results and grid sheets down to regional events...

[chrisks]

As previously posted I bought B19 28 from New Mexico. I have a picture dated on the reverse May 76.

[driftwood]

so do you have evidence of it goping from Stross in 75 ish to USA and to whom?
and where is it now

[allenbrown]

I did note that Chris but we need to figure out how it got to the US in the first place. Do you remember who you sold it to?

[chrisks]

I sold it to Jon Bradburn who sold it to Tony Hill. Jon tells me it then went to Brian Redman.

[chrisks]

£6000!!!!

[driftwood]

£6000 in 1979 was a fair amount of money
We had Maggie in power a recession was just around the corner and £6k would have bought a nice 2 bed flat down south that today is £150k
The property has gone up in value but the cars have not

If the car was sold to Brian Redman that car will be back in the USA now

[allenbrown]

It might be the car that Redman now drives for George Hurd.

On the other hand, Bill Ferguson entered a Chevron B19 at Monterey 2005 that was identified as '28'.

Chris, did Jon have any sense of when Redman would have bought it? Early 80s? Mid-80s? Late 1980s?