Daren cars

I am particularly interested in information on Daren Mk3's. How many were made? How many still exist and where are they?

I have seen archived international race results where Darens were entered, but they almost always broke and DNF'd. Why was this? Poor design and engineering or low budgets, or both? Was there a factory effort or where they all privateers?

I attended a Historic meet at Brands Hatch in 1990 if memory serves me well, and there was a Daren entered there that was fairly fast but again, come the race he broke. Who was this and what became of this car?

Any and all information welcomed.

cheers bob k.

Bob
Have a look at this site www.currypotproductions.com It has a bit on Daren cars
Mick

Check http://www.hydrautug.com/daren1a.html

I'll have to go up into the loft to check, but I think some of the info on those websites is incorrect.

I don't think Martin Raymond won the Motoring News GT championship in 1969 in a Mark 2, although he was the 1100cc class winner and overall runner-up in 1970 in one.

As for the Mark 3, John Green ran one with an LV240 engine (LV standing for Lotus Vauxhall) in 1971, when there was an RAC 2-litre sports car championship in this country. I have an idea, but again research in the attic should confirm, that Martin Raymond moved up to an FVC-engined Mark 3. They were okay, but not as quick as the Chevron B19 and Lola T212 that dominated the championship.

There's a Mk2 for sale in the Detroit area and there's a Mk3 on the (American) west coast that was sold several years ago and advertised again more recently. I did have a file on them but loaned it to someone who never returned it. There was a British 'freelance' airline pilot based in West Africa that seemed to know a lot about them - exchanged several emails with him but cannot now remember his name.
Sorry to be so vague! Derek

Jack Wheeler still has his car just as it came of the circuit after its last race. I have seen it quite recently and do have a full set of pix. He had two V8 BRM 2 litre engines; one he still has complete and built up the other ended up in the Richard Attwood Tasman BRM.

Jeremy, can you post pics here or PM to me?

I have seen numbers ranging from 25 to 6 for the production run of Mk3's. Does any one have an accurate number and where are they now?

I have been told that Phil Buck and Jack Wheeler have cars, there is the ex West Coast USA car (where is it now?) Richard Dodkins may have been the driver I saw at Brands years ago, was that his car or was he driving for someone? There is the car in the Vancouver area that I know about.

Any pics, scans, articles etc welcomed

cheers bob k.

Jack Wheeler still has his car just as it came of the circuit after its last race. I have seen it quite recently and do have a full set of pix. He had two V8 BRM 2 litre engines; one he still has complete and built up the other ended up in the Richard Attwood Tasman BRM.
I hope you didnt read my replie to your ealier post Jeremy! R.E Scrutineering@ Spa:

The guy whose name I forgot has just emailed me - he's a coporate pilot not a 'freelance' - hope I didn't offend him! Anyhow he's trying to join 10/10ths so I will leave him to update you on what he knows about Darens.

I'm off on vacation for couple of weeks - if he hasn't written the forum by then I will post what he wrote me about Darens. :rotate:

The Daren in the Vancouver BC area has just changed hands and now has a new owner. It might be for sale again. It does not have an engine but everything else seems to be there. The former racer/owner who last raced it at Westwood is also here in the Vancouver area.

Robert Barg

The pilot's name is David Sewell. His email is d.sewell@cgiar.org

He worked with John Green at Daren building the cars and is a wealth of knowledge on them. He and Eli Solomon (currypot) are putting together a history of Daren.

I own D6924 - a Mk2 - which I purchased from the USA late in 2005. I've had a challenging season with it but plan to start afresh in 2007 with a Lotus twincam engine instead of the BDA (for which I've not been able to get FIA papers).

Regards,

Roger

This is the info I got from David Sewell -

I helped build nearly all of them and have documentation which is about 98% correct on the Mk 2 and Mk 3's built and their original specification and owners. Without looking it up I recall it was 8 Mk2 chassis and 6 Mk 3. A special lightweight Mk 3 designated the Mk 4 is in the USA I believe. A special, small one-off Mk 5 went to Italy to the same Mr. Costa who had a Mk3..

The San Diego Mk3 is with a new owner for some three seasons now and is much enjoyed and was very well restored by Wayne Poe.

The Detroit Mk2 is now back in Britain with a New Zealander and will be racing
again next season. The Mk3 (Richard Dodkins) mentioned in the questions is also
out again next season with a new owner. The original Mk1 is undergoing a very
full restoration having been under river water at times in a flood situation
during its "storage".

We are also in the process of putting together a full documented record which
can be published on 10-tenths to answer most of the questions.

Hi I have just raced my Daren Mk3 for the first time at Mugello in the Orwell, it managed two 4ths but will do better. It had a loose HT lead on first race and then incorrect ratios for the second. The car belonged to Phil Buck who hadn't raced it since 1995 I believe. It went well and is definitely capable of better races. I would be very interested to have a contact for Jack Wheeler if possible? There should be some photos shortly on www.orwell-supersportscup.com

Bob K, I see you have the car for sale on racecarsdirect:

http://www.racecarsdirect.com/viewlisting.php?view=10267

Well it says the seller is Jim Keller but in the text contact Bob. So I assume it is you. What happened? Change of plans?

I saw a silver Daren at JWA 2 or 3 years ago is this the Phil Buck car?

Not the same Bob,
The car for sale belongs to Bob Storz and is in western Canada.
Jim Keller

the car steve hodges is running is the ex phil buck silver car