Tag Archives: Birrell

“03” – Chevron Cosworth B19 #CH-DBE-03

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On the 6th of September 1970 Chevron Cars turned up at the Nurburgring for the 500km race with an open cockpit Spyder version of their B16 Coupe, known as the B16S, for Brian Redman to drive. Brian qualified on pole but retired from the race after a fuel line broke causing a minor fire, two weeks later Brian qualified the same Escuderia Montjuich sponsored car on pole again at Spa and this time came home first.

For 1971 Chevron’s production version of the B16S became the B19 and indeed the original B16S after a phenomenally successful career in Southern Africa where at least five victories were recorded, running in Team Gunston colours and a one off appearance for Jo Siffert’s team at Paul Ricard the B16S was stripped down, the frame refurbished by Arch Motors and the car resold as a B19 for Peter Humble to race.

Chevron Cosworth B19, Ross Maxwell, Oulton Park,

B19’s hit the decks running at all levels in 1971 with John Bridges scoring an early class victory for the model in a club event at Oulton Park in March with John Miles and Gerry Birrell scoring a class victory driving another B19 in the BOAC 1000 Kilometres World Championship Sports Car Race at Brands Hatch two weeks later.

The history of today’s featured car #CH-DBE-03 according to the Chevron Heritage website is complicated because another B19 chassis #B19-71-3 claims exactly the same early history on the RM Auctions Sotherby’s website.

Chevron Cosworth B19, Ross Maxwell, Oulton Park,

For clarity on the subject one must turn to Allen Brown’s OldRacingCar.com website where the owner of #B19-71-3 in 1972 Jörg Zaborowski advises that the car was “totally destroyed” in an accident on the at ADAC Bergrennen Detmold in April 1973 and twenty years later the chassis number B19-71-3 was reassigned to the new chassis built by Vin Malkie in 1993 that is seen in the RM Auctions Southerby’s website.

The “chassis number” #CH-DBE-03 is believed to actually be a “frame number” designated by Chevron contractor Arch Motors and as Allen points out in his introduction to the B19 “the number on the frame (stamped by chassis manufacturer Arch Motors) is being mistaken for a chassis number” assigned by Chevron Cars, leading to some cars inadvertently claiming an incorrect provenance.

Chevron Cosworth B19, Ross Maxwell, Oulton Park,

Allen has found that the provenance of today’s featured car, seen being driven in these photographs by Ross Maxwell at Oulton Park, can be traced back to 1981, but it is possible the frame has an older provenance that has yet to reveal itself, Chris Chiles drove this car to International Supersports Championship victories in 1991 and 1994.

In all 35 B19’s were built, including the recycled B16S, and B19 victories were recorded in the 1971 European 2 litre Sports Car Championship by Niki Lauda, Toine Hezemans, and John Hine, but consistent Lola driver Helmut Marko won the drivers championship and Lola the constructors championship.

Thanks for joining me on this “03” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Formula One Car that tragically never got the opportunity to be raced in period. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Increased Unsprung Weight – Tyrrell Cosworth 007

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With the retirement of Jackie Stewart and the untimely death of his team mate Francois Cevert the Tyrrell Racing Organisation started the 1974 with two new drivers Patrick Depailler who had made two starts for the team as a third driver in 1972 and Jody Scheckter, who took the seat originally destined for Gerry Birrell and then Roger Williamson both of whom were killed after Jackie Stewart had told Ken Tyrrell of his decision to retire early in 1973.

With two relatively inexperienced drivers coming into the team Derek Gardner opted to design a much simpler car with a longer wheel base, all round inboard brakes and a chisel nose than the Tyrrell 006 with which Jackie and Francoise had so much success in 1973.

Tyrrell Cosworth 007, Donington Park Museum

Jody drove the #007/1 to two victories in Sweden, where Patrick was a season high second and at Brands Hatch in 1974.

Jody had an outside shot at the title at the beginning of the season finale 1974 US Grand Prix where he retired with a fuel system issue having secured third place in the championship.

Tyrrell Cosworth 007, Donington Park Museum

For 1975 the design of the 007 was revised with the radiators being angled back on the vertical plane dispensing with the need for side pods to house them and with outboard front brakes being adopted which adversely affected the unsprung weight of the car.

By now Ferrari were really hitting their stride and Jody managed just the one win at his home South African grand prix which when backed up with a second place finish in Belgium, third in Britain and 6th at Watkins Glen added up to a disappointing distant 7th in the championship.

Tyrrell Cosworth 007, Donington Park Museum

On the plus side while the performance and reliability of the 007’s was tanking Derek Gardener was working on one of Formula Ones more spectacular curiosities for the 1976 season.

At the time of writing I am not sure which of two possible 007’s today’s featured car seen at the Donington Park Museum, is. I believe it is, or was, owned by American Jeffrey Lewis, it is possible that it is either #007/7 which was unraced in period or #007/4, which was built in 1974 for Patrick and converted to the 1975 spec by TRO for Patrick to race in 1975, both of which appear to presently belong to Americans.

Having seen a 007 a few years ago in the Scuderia Gulf Rondini colours for whom Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi drove #007/4 in 1976 I suspect today’s featured car is most likely #007/7, if you know different please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Increased Unsprung Weight” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Championship Foundation – Tyrrell Ford #006

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In 1970 Jackie Stewart and Ken Tyrrell were convinced that it was better to stick with the Ford Cosworth DFV power and seek a new chassis than move to the Matra powered car of their hitherto chassis supplier Matra. Ken Tyrrell bought a couple of new March chassis to tide the team over until Derek Gardener was ready to introduce the new Tyrrell 001 chassis late in 1970.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

Tyrrell 001 was followed by the similar 002, 003 and 004 chassis in 1971 with Jackie Stewart driving #003 to championship success in 1971. At the 1972 French Grand Prix Gardners all new slab sided Tyrrell #005 was introduced and Jackie Stewart finished the 1972 season with two convincing wins at the season ending Canadian and US Grand Prix, albeit too late to overhaul the advantage built up by Emerson Fittipaldi driving a Lotus Ford 72.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

Stewart’s team mate Francois Cevert was given today’s featured car Tyrrell chassis #006 to drive at the two 1972 season ending races he retired with gearbox problems after qualifying 8th in Canada and finished 2nd to team mate Jackie from 4th on the grid in US Grand Prix. Chassis #006 was essentially to the same design as #005.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

In 1973 Jackie started the season of with #005 scoring a third place finish in Argentina and 2nd place in Brazil with Cevert finishing 2nd in Argentina but only 10th in Brazil in the #006 chassis. At the third race of the 1973 season the South African Grand Prix Jackie crashed #005 on the first day of practice and immediately took over Cevert’s 006 car running with Ceverts name and #4 race number. Note the second link showing Stewart driving the #4 is incorrectly labelled as chassis #005.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

#005 was repaired for Cevert to drive in South African Grand Prix, he started 25th and last having failed to set a time and was unclassified at the races end 13 laps behind the leaders, Stewart meanwhile qualified 16th and came through to score the first of five wins in his third and final championship season. Three of those wins would be 1-2 finishes with team mate Francois following closely behind. Note Stewart ran chassis #006 with his #3 race number in the 1973 race and lost a piece of his rear wing end plate as seen in this linked photo.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

For the 1973 Spanish Grand Prix Stewart was given a new chassis #006/2 to race that, like #006 which reverted to Cevert, had been fitted with the distinctive angular deformable structure on the sides that were required by new regulations that came into force. At this race both Cevert and Stewart ran with the oblong end plates as seen on #006 in today’s blog driven by Sir Jackie at last years BRM Day.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

Cevert finished 2nd in the 1973 Spanish Grand Prix as he did in the following Belgian GP where he followed Stewart home in a Tyrrell one-two finish. Still driving #006 Francois finished 2nd at his home French Grand Prix.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

Airboxes went through many interesting stages of development in the 1972 and 1973 seasons, the Tyrrell 005/006 airbox seen here was a second development the first having resembled the airboxes seen on the earlier Tyrrell 002 and 004 cars, Derek Gardner is quoted as having been influenced by the design of the central engine intake of the Hawker Siddley Trident having gained access to Hawker Siddeleys Test and Development research on the shape of the inlet. The top piece of the trident airbox as seen here and in period has a buff appearance because it appears to have been made inside out with the rough side of the fibre glass on the outside of moulding rather than on the inside as one might normally expect.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

At the British Grand Prix #006/2 used by Stewart and #006 for Cevert both appeared with older tear drop shape rear wing end plates, but sans the aerodynamic appendage hitherto mounted to the back of the airbox and sans bodywork covering the Ford DFV cam covers and rear suspension. Despite qualifying 4th and 7th Stewart and Cevert could only finish the British Grand Prix 10th one down and 5th respectively.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

Next up came two one two finishes in the Dutch and German Grand Prix with Cevert in #006 behind Stewart in #006/2, at the Austrian Grand Prix Stewart finished second and clinched the World Championship with a 4th place finish ahead of Cevert at the 1973 Italian Grand Prix after a tremendous recovery from a puncture.

Tyrrell Ford 006, BRM Day, Bourne

#006 with Francois at the wheel was damaged in a collision with Jody Scheckter on 36th lap of the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix and parts of #006 were salvaged to build up #006/3 in time for the following US Grand Prix. Francois was killed in the new car during practice for that race and the Tyrrell team withdrew from what should have been Stewart’s swan song and last Grand Prix before retirement.

The current owner had #006 restored by Hall and Hall to 1973 Spanish to French Grand Prix spec, from 17 Grand Prix starts, along with winning the 1973 South African Grand Prix in the hands of Stewart, #006 was driven to seven 2nd place finishes by Francois Cevert in the 1972 and 1973 seasons.

Sadly first Gerry Birrell and then Roger Williamson, who were successively chosen to have replace Jackie Stewart, died during the 1973 season and eventually Jackie and Francois were replaced by Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler.

1973 was the last year in which a variety of numbering methods were used for Grand Prix cars, the Tyrrells ran with the #6 and #8 in Argentina, the #3 and #4 from Brazil through to Spain and then for no obvious reason the #5 and #6 for the remainder of the season.

My thanks to all those who contributed to the Airboxes the Good the Bad and the Ugly along with the Tyrrell 006 threads including Tim Murray who highlighted the absence of any logic to the Formula One numbering system at The Nostalgia Forum.

Thanks for joining me on this Championship Foundation edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now.

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