Brabham BT29

[Andrew Fellowes]

BT29-4 perhaps and possibly still around but it's one I have with question marks,

[David Irwin]

Andrew,

Lyle Heck had BT29-10, I have the original log books for that car with his name in it from his first race 7/13/73 to his last on 10/16/75. I am now restoring that car with another Arch Motors original/replacement frame.

I have also made contact with Denny Anderson, who bought the car from Lyle and converted it to a sports racer (the Firand) (Firestone/Anderson) using the 4 corners, steering assy., pedal assy., ect..., and then disposing of the original frame.

Anderson then sold the sports racer/BT29 to Frank Stark, then Frank Stark sold it to Bruce Domeck, who purchased the replacement frame in hopes of restoring it back to original, but then I purchased the car and now it is going back to it's former glory. And will be for sale, I don't need 2 BT29's!

I am still not clear on BT29-4, but would really like to know. For selfish reasons.

David Irwin
Evergreen, CO.

[Andrew Fellowes]

the information I had on #4 was speculative and sparse. Do you know if the frame number AM69-24 comes into the equation?

[David Irwin]

I should have added to the last posting:

The guy Lyle Heck bought the car from was Jack Dartijalougue, that's the best I can make out from the 3 signatures in the log book, he could have been from Jacksonville, Fl. because one of his races was the Lakeland Regional. There is no date on his page for the first race, but the date for the second race is 3/11/72, and then no year listed in the date for his third and final race. This log book was issued 2/23/72 to Jack D.

[David Irwin]

Don't know what the original AM number was for BT29-10. But in Denny Anderson's words " we threw it out!!"

Obviously BT29-10 has a new AM number now that was not original to BT29-10.

David Irwin

[Chris Townsend]

Originally Posted by Michael Oliver

Don't know how/if this helps but have just come off the phone from a Lyle D. Heck of Reading, PA, talking about a 'FA Lotus-Ford' he owned and advertised. During the conversation, he noted that he sold the car around 1972/73 and acquired a Brabham BT29 from a guy in Jacksonville, Florida. He couldn't remember who. I don't think I asked him who he sold it to, sorry. But I have contact details if anyone wishes to follow up.

Michael

Michael

I'd very much like to talk to Lyle about some of his other cars in the later 1970s so would appreciate contact details

Could you mail me on chris[AT]oldracingcars[DOT]com

Many thanks

[Andrew Fellowes]

BT29-41
has chassis W 1291 and was for still sale at Pukekohe last weekend.

[Andrew Fellowes]

Posted recently on Autodiva by phdm for Martin Cowburn.

http://www.autodiva.fr/forum/viewtop...9c32&start=480

Martin Cowburn has asked me to replicate it here,


Is there an Inspector Maigret on Autodiva might help solve the riddle of a Brabham BT29 manufactured in England in 1969 and has spent most of it’s life in France and then Belgium? "
It is now back in England and I am the owner.

Gilbert Bec is important because his name appears at the top of the list of owners on Certificate of Identity issued by FFSA April 14, 1987.


Notice the rear wing and probably the rear part of the body that are not original.

The next owner, ‘Francis’, described the car as a Brabham BT28 Formula 3 with number AM 69 L 59 as the only identification.

This is what he said,
Quote:
La première fois que j'a vu cette Brabham, ce doit être en septembre ou octobre 1972 ; elle effectuait des petits essais de roulage sur un grand parking proche de l'entrée du circuit Paul Ricard. Après une brève conversation avec le pilote (Bec), j'appris qu'il avait l'intention de participer Ã* quelques épreuves de F3 1600 cc la saison suivante avec cet équipage.
Je ne sais pas s'il a pu concrétiser ce voeu car le niveau et le matériel étaient très élevés dans cette catégorie.
Je n'ai plus entendu parler de cette voiture jusqu'en 1984 où je l'ai retrouvée dans un coin du petit atelier de mécanique que possédait Gilbert Bec Ã* Marseille.

Pendant l'hiver 1987, j'ai acheté Ã* Gilbert Bec cette voiture définie comme “Brabham BT28” de F3 1600 cc, équipée d'un moteur qu'il a construit lui-même Ã* partir d'un bloc Ford type Kent de Cortina GT.
A la même époque, j'ai demandé une fiche d'identité FFSA en mentionnant le seul numéro apparent sur le châssis : AM69L59, comme identification.

La voiture étant en bon état, et après une brève révision des éléments de sécurité, j'ai effectué quelques essais privés sur le circuit du Grand Sambuc et j'ai participé Ã* deux rétrospectives historiques. L'année suivante (1988), ne désirant pas investir dans un authentique moteur F3 1000 cc, j'ai vendu Ã* Nice la voiture dans son état d'origine, en février ou mars, mais sans le moteur car celui-ci n'a jamais correctement fonctionné. De plus l'acheteur désirait la remettre en configuration F3 MAE 1000 cc et la transformer en conséquence.

Ci joint quelques photos de cette période, et une photo prise au circuit Ricard en 1989, la voiture étant motorisée avec un MAE 1000 cc et engagée dans une épreuve par le nouveau propriétaire.







Clearly BT28-59 is wrong (there were only 42 BT28s produced) and as we know there are no records to link the Arch frame number to the Brabham chassis number.

After careful inspection of the chassis, it was clear that it actually was a BT29 chassis which, according to information available, only 3 copies of this model were delivered into the UK. (the rest of production went to the North American market). No BT29s were sold in France or Belgium, however a fourth frame is known to exist.
Of the three cars listed (BT29-19 BT29-20 BT29-37) for the English market, only the first and last are still in the UK (with complete histories). Nobody knows what happened to BT29-20. The whereabouts of the fourth frame (AM70-82) is known.

How did Bec Gilbert get my car?

In 1969/1970 an American driver in Formula 3 called Steve Matchett bought two Formula Atlantic Brabham BT29s (BT29-19 and BT29-20) that were on display at Motor Racing Enterprises (MRE) in London.



BT29-19 was sold in England in early 1971 and Matchett intended to use the second car himself (BT29-20) and was possibly exported to the United States, according to which story you believe.

The car disappeared but strangely the chassis plate BT29-20 was found years later in Australia in a box of miscellaneous parts belonging to Greg Bowden, a former engineer at Nicholson McLaren.

I found the following information on the forum Autodiva:


Quote:
15 Jan 2009 22:50
Re: Narval
ECRIT PAR gege
narval (gege)
narval:bonsoir,l'idée de construir des monos vient du fait que un dimanche,Ã* montlhery,je(gg)me trouve nez Ã* nez avec paul-claude wackerman(une encyclopedie style crombac)que je connais depuis la mep en67 quand mon frere jacques a fait une course Ã* albi;il me dit que lundi,il va chez march pour commander 12 chassis pour l'école de pilotage qu'il a monté avec hahne.il n'est pas parti en angleterre(mosley ne l' a pas su),il est venu Ã* cambrai,car j'ai passé plusieurs mois Ã* MRD Ã* new how aux montages des chassis brabham comme ouvrier(quel bonheur),tauranac m'a autorisé Ã* copier son chassis(comme tout le monde de toute façon)me prient de changer le nom et le nez de l'auto.Il me vend un chassis bt29 invendu (atlantique)avec toutes les pieces,retour en france le transit plein,fabrication du gabari chassis plus triangles...wackerman me commande 12 chassis le lundi meme;la fabrication de 30 chassis pouvait commencer,en fait,je visais les circuits auto pour vendre du chassis ecole.On a fait faillite avant.il me reste la f 3 que j'ai immatriculé in england,c'est sympa sur la route,pour la petite histoire,j'ai construit une réplique de la stratos il y a une 15ene d'années,je suis en train de lui mettre un 8.32 derriere.Ã* bientot
d'années,je suis en train de lui mettre un 8.32 derriere.Ã* bientot


Quote:
21 Jan 2009 23:08
Re: Narval
gg crozier:bonsoir,au sujet du logo narval,la chauve souris,c'est le bat club de bernard lagier;il n'y a jamais eu de f2 narval;j'ai pu travailler chez brabham grace a bernard,il avait acheté une bt35 et il fallait la monter:nos voisins Ã* l'atelier etaient niel trundel et ron dennis qui montaient la bt 36-1 de graham hill,de l'autre coté,c'etait james gresham et joe simmons,on etait bien entouré,et tauranac qui fourrait son nez partout en nous disant souvent:the nut not the bolt.j'oubliais,dans le bureau de ron tauranac,il y avait un gars en jean's delavé tee-short chevelure et moustache Ã* la george harrisson,c'était gordon,le copin de alan fenn,devenu plus tard le copin de bernard eccelstone et qui a emmené piquet au titre.Abientot.gg.

Not everyone shares this view, but I think Steve Matchett resold BT29-20 to Ron Tauranac and the car was put away and later bought by Gerard Crozier with all parts (body, cover with oil tanks gasoline, pedals, steering) (Matthew Watts who restored the car in 2007 said that most of these pieces were original Brabham parts) and brought back to France to be copied to produce the Narwhal as indicated on the forum.

This is a Copy of an article published in a magazine in November 1972 about Bernard Lagier where we see the back of a BT29 chassis.





Gilbert Bec had told ‘Francis’ that he had bought his car in England around 1971 and it was an unused chassis and a list of parts. We also know that it was then that Gerard Crozier of Cambrai also bought an identical BT29 chassis, unused with parts to copy for the Narwhal. What happened next to Crozier’s chassis remains a mystery but it seems to be very similar to Bec’s chassis with a detachable rear top chassis rail. In fact it might well be the same chassis.

Regarding Gilbert Bec’s car, I have no information on where and it raced and as he had engine troubles the car was put into storage. Maybe Bec or someone who worked for or with him are the only ones who could answer the following question: where did the car come from and what was the chassis number?

Here is my BT29 in 2010:








Finally, is there an Inspector Maigret, who can help me?

Does anybody know who bought the car (or the chassis and these parts) that was the Crozier brothers' workshop in Cambrai and what happened afterwards?

Can anyone provide a link between this car (chassis) and the one that Bec bought?

Does anyone have pictures of Bec racing his car between 1970 and 1974?

Anyone with information can contact me via the forum Autodiva.

I hope that one day this mystery is solved and my beautiful Brabham BT29 is BT29-20.

[Andrew Fellowes]

1973 F2000 Championship Japan

Sato Kouiti Brabham BT29

Would this have been via Fred Opert?

[jcjamison3]

Andrew,
Check your PM's. As an addition, since I'm going back through the threads, Doug Brenner and I were contemporaries during 1970. He would out-qualify me by 0.3 at one race and I would return the favor at the next one. At that time he was driving a Chevron chassis (don't remember the number). As to the Smothers BT21, I got to Riverside by myself in early 1970 for a Saturday/Sunday SCCA race. Checked all the fluids, made sure I had enough fuel to practice and went out with no one timing me. In the Saturday club race, I started dead last (in the BT29). I passed Joe Alves (of Star Trek fame) who was driving the BT21 that day in Turn 9 on the last lap and started on the front row beside Dick Smothers in a FA something in the National on Sunday. I stayed with him until Turn 6. In addition, the Lotus 31 I referenced in the PM I had purchased from Fred Opert in 1967 or 68.
Jay Jamison

[jcjamison3]

Andrew,
Forgive me but as I read more and more of the threads, I see info I have to comment on. It is my recollection that Wayne Mitchell never owned a BT29. He had, in '69 and '70, an F3 spec (1100cc Ford with a dual throat, one throat blanked off, Weber carburetor) BT28 which was pretty quick. In addition, the cart that was subsequently driven by Mike Hiss was my car, not Wayne's.
Jay Jamison

[Andrew Fellowes]

Thanks Jay, email sent!

Andrew

[jcjamison3]

Andrew,
One more comment and I'll shut up.
Chris Townsend posts at one point that myself, Chip Gompf and Wayne Mitchell were sponsored by Johns Imports in La Jolla. That is in error. The story that Chip told me was that he found Wayne (or Wayne found him) in the late 60's when Wayne was pursuing a career as a privateer F3 racer in England. Chip had an inheritance and, like others, decided Wayne could help him become world famous in racing. When I met them in La Jolla in 1969, they had four cars. Three were BT29's (a red, green and yellow one) and Wayne's red BT28. I bought the red BT29 but there was NO sponsor. I was supporting my efforts (as it turned out I was supporting Chip and Wayne as well until I ran out of $). Furthermore, Chip was never Wayne's "mentor", in fact, it was the other way round. I never knew why the business was under Chip except that Wayne had learned in his overseas racing how to hang on or appropriate any monies that came his way.
Incidentally, I surmise from the threads that you have been trying to reach me. My e-mail is eaurouge4249@gmail.com or phone is 949-226-3450.
Have fun!

[MarcGiroux]

One more bit of information to add to the spreadsheets. I just learned that Chassis #7 with frame AM 69/32 is now owned by Richard Balsley in the US. He bought it from Bobby Rahal, who I believe bought it from David Romaine in the US a couple of years ago.

[David Irwin]

Marc you may have things slightly confused. BT29-7 was the Mark Leonard, Duncan Dayton car that I believe was sold to Rahal. I believe BT29-35 was the Tony Seiniger, David Romaine, car that was also bought by Rahal. So I'm not sure which car Richard Balsley has. Can you find out?

[MarcGiroux]

David,good to hear from you. Balsley bought Chassis #7 from Rahal. That is what he told me. Not knowing that Rahal had 2 BT-29's, I made the assumption that it was the one from Romaine.

[BritishV8]

I was excited to get a good look at BT29-23 at Watkins Glen this past autumn. This car has a particularly interesting history. After Evan Noyes drove it at racetracks all over North America in 1970, he took it to New Zealand and entered it in Tasman Series races. Then Noyes sold his BT29 to Graeme Lawrence, who raced it with considerable success all over the South Pacific. The full story of the car - including ~50 close-up photos - appears here: Murray Sinclair's BT29 Racecar (BT29-23) Returns to Watkins Glen




(Graeme Lawrence driving BT29-23 in 1971)


(BT29-23 as it looks today)

[raceannouncer]

Andrew, I have emailed you.

Vince Howlett, Victoria, BC, Canada

[peterwnye1]

Hi there folks. Just discovered this site. I owned and raced 3 Brabhams in the years between 1969 --71. The 29 that I raced in 71 was previously owned by Syd Demofsky, who ran it in '70. I bought it as a roller, I think from Joe Grimaldi's Race Shop and installed an HRE (Hutchinson) Ford twin cam. I have no idea of the chassis number, but it was yellow #35. I sold it at the end of the season, sans motor, to Jim Lloyd of Indianapolis. I believe he put a Cosworth SCA in it and raced as a Formula C. He later restored it (beautifully) as a FB with a twincam. I believe it was white, blue and gold and carried #29. It could be identified as well by a noticable dent and slight bend in the lower LH frame rail right by the seat, the result of a rather large crash at the Elkhart Lake pro race in 1971.
I also caused the sale of Ken Huband's BT29 to a dentist named Bill Wolfe in Austin, Texas (where I had moved). It came on a pallet with all other parts in boxes, and I was to build it for the guy, but he changed his mind. I have no idea what became of it thereafter.
I also owned and raced: a 1963 Cooper F3, a Brabham BT15 and a BT18, and a March 712C. Let me know if anyone would like more info. peterwnye1@gmail.com

[250 F]

Here is the current history* of my BT 29.
1.
Opinions vary but believed to be:-
BT 29-20 AM 69 L 65.
1969/71 Matchett/MRD (Brabham).U.K.
2.
The chassis and parts were then sold
by Brabham to the Crozier Brothers
and every fact is confirmed:-
!971/72 Crozier Brothers Cambrai,France.
used as copy for Narval single seater cars.
1972/87 Gilbert Bec,Marseille.France. (as F3 1600cc car).
1987/88 Francis Aubert,Allauch France. "
1988/95 Gerard Bertholon,Nice,France.(as F3 1litre car)
1995/00 Bruno Legein,Baelen,Belgium. "
2000/04 MEC AUTO,Baelen,Belgium. "
On display at Spa Museum,Stavelot,Belgium.
2004/09 Matthew Watts,Cam,Dursley,Gloucester.U.K.
restored to original BT 29 specification.
2009/-Martin Cowburn,Lytham,Lancashire.U.K.

*I acknowledge much skilled help in producing this information.

[markwrightson]

Hi, my name is Mark Wrightson. I was reading all the post on here and #344 somewhat rang a bell. My dad, Dirk Wrightson, I remember we bought a BT29 from a man from the Indy area in I believe was late 73 or early 74 that was blue, white and gold with a SCA 1100 FC engine. We met him in eastern ohio to pick it up from him. It had full front wing with what seemed like a homemade rear wing mounted to a FT200 trans. We raced in the SCCA NE div. We were close friend's with Carl Whitney, as he did our engine rebuilds. Just before we went to the run off's @ Road Atlanta in 74 we installed the first of the Cosworth BDJ engines in this country. Had the whole field covered except the fuel pump started to fail on the pace lap. Came back in 75 and had a great battle with Bill Anspache to win that year. Sold the car after that and bought a GRD375 for the next few years. So writing this to see if anyone reconizes our name in effort to help with #'s as I don't know what chassis # we had. When we sold it, It was blue metal flake with 2 white stripes and our # was 21.

[phdm]

Welcome Mark.
Do you remember who the next owner was ?

[allenbrown]

This is curious. I had read that Jim Lloyd kept his BT29 and rebuilt it later for historic racing but I'm now beginning to wonder if he just bought a different BT29 later. Or possibly even the same BT29 but ten or twenty years after originally owning it. He was in Indianapolis so that matches, and the colours match too. So maybe the story about him retaining it is just wrong and it actually went to your father.

Lloyd had at least two major accidents. After crashing the BT29 in 1971, he had a very major crash in June 1974 when he was driving the ex-Brad Parker/ex-Pete Gates BT21B. Why he had "progressed" from a BT29 to a BT21B was never clear to me. He later had a Crosslé of some type.

Finding Lloyd would be helpful of course. I read that he had moved to Florida where he was involved in the Jaguar Club.

I share Philippe's curiosity to know who your father sold it to.

(And, although off topic, can you tell us about the GRD?)

[markwrightson]

Hi guys, unfortunately I don't because we lost most of his record's back in 82 from a barn fire, which also took out his GRD, which was a total loss. My dad died in 07 and been asking my mom if she happens to remember anything. One thing I think I remember was when he bought the BT29, it hade a # "2" on it, not "29", but I have old slided's from when he bought it,and going to double check on that. I did happen to find some old papers that I'm looking through now. I put this on here to see if anyone on here would reconize the name and try to help out.

[allenbrown]

If you're able to scan any pictures, I'd love to see them for the OldRacingCars.com Formula B and Formula C pages. allen@oldracingcars.com.