TUI

[Supernova]

I am researching the Tui marque and am looking for any information or photos of these cars. Here is what I know so far:


Tui cars were designed by New Zealander Allan McCall who had worked as a mechanic for Jim Clark and then for McLaren in F1, CanAm and USAC. In 1970 McCall produced an F3 car the Tui AM1 (Tui is a bird native to New Zealand). The AM1 consisted of an aluminium monocoque chassis with outboard suspension. Powered by a Broadspeed engine many of the cars parts used were from the McLaren works (uprights, suspension, windscreen etc) - indeed the car was like a small McLaren M7. The car had a wheelbase of 84.5 ins. and a front track of 54 ins. and rear of 56 ins. In Formula B spec the car was very successful winning three out of 5 races and leading the other two!
This Formula 3 car was to form the basis for all the cars which were to follow.

Mcall's next car was to be the AM29 which was initially penned to be an Atlantic car but because Fred Opert (who imported Tui cars) was handling Chevron Atlantics he declined the new car. However he did need Super Vees so the new chassis was adapted with cars to be built by Leda.

In 1972 Allan McCall entered Formula 2 with the Leda-Tui AM29 however the team was devastated by the loss of Hawthorne who was killed at Hockenheim in the early spring. There after, all new cars started with the prefix BH in deference to Bert Hawthorne. The season continued with Dave Morgan and John Watson driving the second car, Morgan managed to put the Tui on pole at Albi and Watson took 5th place at Rouen. McCall was to work again with Watson when he managed the Hexagon Brabham Formula 1 team. McCall also designed the 1973 Techno F1 car.

The AM29 (which was also used in Super Vee) soon became the BH2 and this chassis was entered in the North American Formula Atlantic Championship btween 1975 - 1977. In 1976 the BH2 did moderately well and was in fact the biggest thorn in the side of March's complete dominance. McCall ran the team with Elliott Forbes-Robinson driving. EFR got a pair of seconds to Gilles Villeneuve, and a third. After a disagreement EFR left the team and was replaced by Tom Gloy who also received two seconds and a pole at Laguna Seca's end of season race. Other drivers of the BH2 were Brett Lunger, Damien Magee and John Nicholson.

The BH3 used basically the same tub and served purely as a Super Vee car. The chassis differed from the AM29 in that the rear pick up point for the lower link was moved outboard. Success came to Tui in 1973 with Bertil Roos winning the VW Gold Cup professional Super Vee championship in a Fred Opert Team BH3 car chassis 011. Roos came 2nd in the World Super Vee Championship. As far as I can determine around 1974 the marque started to use the "Supernova" name with the final cars in the series being the BH5 Super Vee of 1975-1976, also known as the SSV75 and the F3 car (SF3). Thanks to Andrew Baker and John Morrison it has been established that the cars were built in Billingshurst, West Sussex (Station Approach) in batches of six. The head technician was Stan Collier and Jerry Judd was the business manager. If anyone can add more information or supply photos please contact me.

Chassis:
AM1 ----------- F3 and FB total number unknown.

AM29 ---------- Super Vee and F2. Total production unknown. AM29/1 destroyed in accident at Hockenheim - Bert Hawthorne killed.

BH2 -------- ex F2 converted to Atlantic and raced in North America. BH2/1 and BH2/2. One BH2 survives and I think it is BH2/2. BH2/3 was to be built but came to nothing. Does anyone know which chassis John Watson drove?

BH3 ------Super Vee I own chassis 011 (Ex Roos championship car). There are a few survivors one owned by Mark Lawton and running in the classic F3 series in the UK. Andrew Baker also owns a BH3 in the UK car was under restoration but I do not know it's current disposition. Various BH3s have been butchered in the US to run in Solo events and several others await restoration. Total production unknow but something between 18 - 21.

Supernova BH4 --- New tub but utilizing much of the BH3 suspension. Pre wings car for 1974 with new bodywork. By this time McCall had nothing to do with the marque.

Supernova BH5 (SSV75) Same tub as BH4 with same bodywork but now with front and rear wings - still air cooled. Good looking car! I own a tub and a few parts to #004. Richard Wilkinson in California owns #007 where it is run in vintage events. Very quick car.

Supernova SF3 : Formula 3 car - 1 only. Little known. Does anyone know what happened to this car?

Thank You,
Mike Short,
Austin Tx.