Chevron B20

[Mick Henderson]

Hi, I'm currently restoring the prototype Chevron B20 Atlantic. It was tested by the factory & used for publicity shots in late '71, then sold to Jim Grob by Fred Opert in June 1972, he raced mainly at Road Atlanta, PBIR & Watkins Glen. Does anybody remember this orange B20? It was later white then black & red, the next owner was Peter Symonds, who then sold it to Jack Van Dell. I've gathered up a bit of history, mainly from the log books, & I've had contact with Jim, but if anyone has any other info or photos it would be great. It was sold to a Belgian in '85 and eventually found it's way to Ireland 10 years ago completely stripped, but complete.

[provamo]

i know Formula Atlantic was concieved in Eroupe (UK?) and i think the first North Atlantic race (huge field like 44 entries from US, Canada, and UK) was held in conjunction with the USGP at The Glen in 1973 ???

if so how can a vehicle constructed in 1971 be an "Atlantic" car especially if it was imported and raced Stateside?

minor or unimportant point but i wish someone would set me straight on the history

[J Leonard]

Go to 10tenths chassis history archive "B20".

[Steve Demeter]

i know Formula Atlantic was concieved in Eroupe (UK?) and i think the first North Atlantic race (huge field like 44 entries from US, Canada, and UK) was held in conjunction with the USGP at The Glen in 1973 ???

if so how can a vehicle constructed in 1971 be an "Atlantic" car especially if it was imported and raced Stateside?

minor or unimportant point but i wish someone would set me straight on the history

It was called Formula B in the earlier days

[provamo]

if this early Chevron was a Formula B...........it is a Formula B not a Formula Atlantic....its like someone who owns an SCCA USRRC A/SR (aka FIA Group 7) car that was NEVER in a Can-Am race calling it a Can-Am car..........i am just seeking clarification...or maybe i am being a ********

[Mick Henderson]

My mistake, it is listed in the log book as a Formula B car. I was using the British terminology.
OldRacingCars.com give a good description of all the different formulas. I have a fairly good idea of the history of my car, I'm trying to gather as much as I can & also contact any other B20 owners out there. I know of 2, there can only be 7 more.

[Steve Demeter]

It is a Formula B.

[reliant]

Hi, I'm currently restoring the prototype Chevron B20 Atlantic. It was tested by the factory & used for publicity shots in late '71, then sold to Jim Grob by Fred Opert in June 1972, he raced mainly at Road Atlanta, PBIR & Watkins Glen. Does anybody remember this orange B20? It was later white then black & red, the next owner was Peter Symonds, who then sold it to Jack Van Dell. I've gathered up a bit of history, mainly from the log books, & I've had contact with Jim, but if anyone has any other info or photos it would be great. It was sold to a Belgian in '85 and eventually found it's way to Ireland 10 years ago completely stripped, but complete.

jim grob drove the chevron in feb 72 at the bogota fb race . bobby brown also had one ,he also registered the first race win for the b20 at hte said meeting

[BRONCO]

I remember that car, infact I might have pics of it when Jib Grob drove it in orange livery. BTW I noticed you live in Jupiter, Lived there for many years and still have condo Ocean Trails. Been living in SC for the last 5 years. I will look for pics of the car. I do remember at that time it had a twin cam with Lotus valve cover. Tony

[marshall9]

If it's the one I remember watching, It looked like a giant Crossle coming under the bridge at RA, only a LOT faster. My father tried to chase JG a few weekends in a Lola SV, but to no vail.

Marshall Lillquist

[timochevron]

We have 2 B20's in our "for sale" stock and have details fo most of the other ones. We also have parts available. Also have all the original drawings body moulds, jigs etc.

If you wish - get in touch

Tim - Director Chevron Cars Limited (UK)

tim@chevronracingcars.com

[jimj11]

I remember the car have several pics of it they are in Black & White . Jim raced at old PBIR . I spent as much time looking at his wife/girlfriend as i did the chevron!! Jim

[philippe C]

to do a very short formula atlantic history , the british formula atlantic and the canadian were two different animals not very different but... in 1972 the FIA/CSI changed the formula 2 rules the engines was going up from 1600cc to 2000cc . so the brits a usual have create a class to use the old materials and named that new class formula atlantic .its not a spec series just a formula car with 1971 formula 2 rules. in Canada so as in USA it was Formula "B" then but in 1974 the CASC decided to restart the chanpionship on new base with a good sponsorship support of imperial tobacco. ford canada .goodyear and castrol and even better something never seen TV coverage for every races but dont ask me why the CASC chose to take the name Formula Atlantic . because the series was "spec " ,basically formula B rules with a spec BDA engines and mandatory goodyear tire . from the beginning in 74 the series had a lot of success .so a year or so later .SCCA and IMSA went the same way as CASC so as some other country australia south africa ect ,

[Paddy O'Brien]

Ok, given the above post, I just picked up a 1971 Chevron B18 atlantic. With a 1600 motor (BDA) could it be entered in vintage racing as a F2 or FB(atlantic) if the rules for both classes were identical for 1971. The F2 cars ran fuel injection instead of carbs are the only difference that I know of, right? By the way, where can I find a good used FT 200 gearbox and not spend 30k for a new one?

[mdwracer]

I have pictures of this orange B20 from Road Atlanta that I got from another Apex member that were taken next to my Brabham BT 35 driven by Nick Craw. Both the Chevron and my Brabham were parked next to each other which would seem correct that they were both Fred Opert cars. I will post soon.

Mike Winebrenner

[philippe C]

Ok, given the above post, I just picked up a 1971 Chevron B18 atlantic. With a 1600 motor (BDA) could it be entered in vintage racing as a F2 or FB(atlantic) if the rules for both classes were identical for 1971. The F2 cars ran fuel injection instead of carbs are the only difference that I know of, right? By the way, where can I find a good used FT 200 gearbox and not spend 30k for a new one?

exaxt the main difference between f2 and fb was the fuel injection . a north american spec bda atlantic with carbs would be legal in even in very strict FB or F2 event ,but as far as i know in north america they all race together even with the occasional >71 2000cc F2

[Charles Warner]

I believe the spec engine was called a BDN.

[Lola_T360]

The spec engine from Cosworth was the BDD [1.6 version of the BDA] Everyone just called it a BDA anyway.

the BDN was the special version produced for the North American series in 1977/78/79 when there was no sponsor, so Ecurie Canada and some of the other entrants got together with Cosworth to produce a spec engine at a special price, the profit on the engines then being pooled to act as prize money.
In the end a sponsor came along, but the US/Canadian series stuck to that engine for a number of years; I think the difference was in the alloy used for the cylinder head.

The different rules for UK Atlantic and FB in North America were basically injection on Lotus t/c in North America, until 1974 when BDD was admitted, against carbed engines in UK, initially the t/c being popular because there were a lot about and the BDD was still in early stages of development. Vern Schuppan won 1971 British series on a t/c, but by 1972 all the front runners were on BDD. Even so there was a lot of dispute about legality of engines. This led in mid 72 to Chris Meek deliberately running a bent engine to win one race, being disqualified, then turning up at the next with a t/c and protesting all the BDD engined runners, who should also have been disqualified... In the end no one was excluded from any race.

British rules were very loosely framed and you could even, in 1971, run a supercharged 997cc engine, though no one did. Several F3 cars in 1971-72 ran Atlantic by the simple expedient of taking off the air restrictor.

F2 was different: 1600 cc in 1971, but everyone ran FVA Cosworth engine, no one used Lotus t/c and up to 2000cc in 1972, with people gradually pushing the BDA, originally homologated at 1601 cc, up towards 1997cc, with all that meant in terms of reliability.

Paddy, have you just bought that B18 that was for sale in Connecticut?
and Mike, yes, yours was an Opert BT35, as, briefly, was the Jim Grob B20.
Thought you knew full history.

Hope the above helps

Chris

[mdwracer]

Here is a picture of the Chevron at Road Atlanta in 1971 or 72? which I believe is the fall ARRC for that year. I own the Brabham BT 35-9 FB pictured in the background owned by Nick Craw (SCCA pres) which was raced by Alan Lader that event. Both cars pictured were Fred Opert team cars.

[provamo]

ahhhhhhhhhhh the good old days!

no fancy transporters, awnings, set-up pads and electronic scales.........how did we manage?

[Lola_T360]

in 1972 the FIA/CSI changed the formula 2 rules the engines was going up from 1600cc to 2000cc . so the brits a usual have create a class to use the old materials and named that new class formula atlantic

That being the case, why wasn't the Cosworth FVA engine the designated engine for the British Formula Atlantic series, because that's what was used in 1971 F2?
Answer, because the British weren't creating a class to use the old material "as usual"

The 1.6 BDD became the dominant engine in the British series in 1972, but in 1971 there were very few BDDs, precisely because all the F2 tuners were trying to take them out to something near the two litre limit for the European series. The BDA/BDD engine was only homologated in 1970, initially as Group 2 saloon racing engine for the Escort, and had never been used in European F2 before 1972.
Vern Schuppan won the inaugural series running a BRM tuned Lotus twin cam and almost every runner in 1971 used a twin cam at one time or another.

[preform resources]

As I recall from talking with Irv Zwicker, the FVA's were expensive to maintain
with the gear drive and all, the BD series was far more economical to produce and maintain.I was looking on the Gurney flap site and you don't even see any FVA powered cars !
Dave Craddock

[philippe C]

the FVA was problematic maybe .but still more reliable then the early 2 liters of the 72/F2 , ,the parts of the FVA became a rarety with time passing and the fva was used less and less in vintage until recently .but for the north american FAtlantic . its true thats the belt drive engine series the bda was more reliable ,the external belt drive was the way to go and used by most f2-f3 engine manufacturers since the seventies bmw .renault.. ect

[philippe C]

That being the case, why wasn't the Cosworth FVA engine the designated engine for the British Formula Atlantic series, because that's what was used in 1971 F2?
Answer, because the British weren't creating a class to use the old material "as usual"

The 1.6 BDD became the dominant engine in the British series in 1972, but in 1971 there were very few BDDs, precisely because all the F2 tuners were trying to take them out to something near the two litre limit for the European series. The BDA/BDD engine was only homologated in 1970, initially as Group 2 saloon racing engine for the Escort, and had never been used in European F2 before 1972.
Vern Schuppan won the inaugural series running a BRM tuned Lotus twin cam and almost every runner in 1971 used a twin cam at one time or another.

and the Twin-cam that wasnt "old material"

[Lola_T360]

and the Twin-cam that wasnt "old material"

The Lotus Cosworth twin cam was never an F2 engine.

You said
"in 1972 the FIA/CSI changed the formula 2 rules the engines was going up from 1600cc to 2000cc . so the brits a usual have create a class to use the old materials and named that new class formula atlantic"

My point being that "the Brits" didn't. The FVA engine was standard in 1971 F2 and NEVER accepted for Atlantic in the UK.
A great many engines were acceptable for the Atlantic series in 1971-72, but none of them were old F2 engines. (Except possibly the Alfa GTA engine, which had been tried in F2, and was allowed in Atlantic, though no one tried it.)

Furthermore, the logic of your statement would mean that "the Brits" created Atlantic as a domestic class for 1972 to use up engines made obsolete by F2's rule change. That would explain why the formula began in Britain in March 1971 at which point the FVA was still in use in F2.

People turned to the t/c either because they could not afford a BDD or because they couldn't get one, since they were scarce in 1971.

[philippe C]

point taken for the engines but surely some old materials not engines but old f2 frame g/b .. ect ..were used , if not "why "in a country were there was already F2 races and a huge amount of F3 race , a uk atlantic series was a litle redundant no , still a very actual problem of motor sport

[Lola_T360]

point taken for the engines but surely some old materials not engines but old f2 frame g/b .. ect ..were used , if not "why "in a country were there was already F2 races and a huge amount of F3 race , a uk atlantic series was a litle redundant no , still a very actual problem of motor sport

Agreed, it did seem a little odd as a series but F2 wasn't that popular in Britain, or so race promoters felt. (In 1974 there were no F2 races in Britain, because even Thruxton couldn't afford one) Also, the F3s were running the twin cam strangled by an air restrictor, which seemed stupid, so it offered drivers more power for pretty much the same money as F3 and almost as much power as F2 for a lot less money. In 1972 the fields were sometimes huge - 40 entries, and by 1974, when F3 got into trouble with the switch to the strangled two litre twin cam, it seemed as though Atlantic might replace it in the UK. And as the Players' series was getting more international by then there already seemed the possibility of a universal junior formula, rather F3 which was wholly European. Then F3 got its act together in 1975 and the economy couldn't sustain two decent junior formulae anymore.

It did look like a way to use up old F3 Brabhams and F2 Marches, but what you also got were a striking number of new cars: 1971 Three Palliser/Winkelmanns, two BT35 Brabhams, a March 713/B and a Chevron B18 that I can think of straight away, plus less known cars like the Huron and the Wimhurst. The problem was that the prize money just never got near the costs of running even a successful car, unlike the US/Canada, and there were too many races in the season.

[Rob E]

Here is a picture of the Chevron at Road Atlanta in 1971 or 72? which I believe is the fall ARRC for that year. I own the Brabham BT 35-9 FB pictured in the background owned by Nick Craw (SCCA pres) which was raced by Alan Lader that event. Both cars pictured were Fred Opert team cars.

Set-up pads etc. nothing, look at the mud on the tires. Now days I have seen people wrap their tires in plastic wrap before leaving pit lane to keep them from getting dirty and to aid them in holding the heat longer.

[TimW]

Set-up pads etc. nothing, look at the mud on the tires. Now days I have seen people wrap their tires in plastic wrap before leaving pit lane to keep them from getting dirty and to aid them in holding the heat longer.

I believe that is done to keep the tires from outgassing while they are in storage. Its not a dirty thing, its to keep the good chemicals in the tread.

[P.W. LeCain]

I believe that is done to keep the tires from outgassing while they are in storage. Its not a dirty thing, its to keep the good chemicals in the tread.

Set-up pads etc. nothing, look at the mud on the tires. Now days I have seen people wrap their tires in plastic wrap before leaving pit lane to keep them from getting dirty and to aid them in holding the heat longer.

I have seen many people do it for both reasons. At the track to keep junk off the tires between sessions and in between events (or off season storage) so the chemicals don't release. We don't do it at the track or between events. But any tires that we keep between seasons such as rains or stickers, get wrapped.

I've never heard of the "holding heat longer" thing. I don't know the R-value of cellophane, but I'm guessing its not that good.

[tdf4golf]

ahhhhhhhhhhh the good old days!

no fancy transporters, awnings, set-up pads and electronic scales.........how did we manage?

Exactly what i was thinking when I saw the picture. We'd be appalled if we had to work in those conditions today. Somethings about the old days were great, no data recorders, fancy high $ scales, digital this and that, the good; reasonable entrance fees, and the friendship of like minded lunatics . I do have to admit I like a clean pit site and some shade though.