March 832 Sigma series

[F. Haas]

I'm looking for any information about a March formula 2, raced in South Africa in the Sigma series with the
plate: March 832/000/1983
Its powerplant is a Mazda 13b rotary engine. The car came some years ago to Switzerland, imported by M. Hotz, but without any papers or information.
I would be very pleased about any information to this car.
Thank you very much F. Haas, Switzerland

[IANHEB]

F.Haas,
There were 3 March 832,s in South Africa running in the Sigma series,all of which have since returned to Europe.Without some kind of information regarding sponsers,race numbers or photos it might be difficult to identify chassis number 000.
Does the car have an FT 200 gearbox,and if so what is the number stamped on the casing ?.
Ian

[F. Haas]

March 832/000/1983 with gearbox FT 200/1499 stamped on casing
The bodycolor was red with sponsorshipbadges of "Koton" and number 7
I also have a pre-race scrutiny sheet of Kyalami S.C.C. National of 5.5.84: entrant Team Gunston, driver Ian Scheckter
Who knows anything about this car?

[IANHEB]

F.Haas (don't know your first name !!)
Koton was a sponser during 1985 which was the final year of South African F2.I will look in some old programmes and see who drove car no 7.
Chris,we know I.S. had a reserve on chassis number 1 in the late 1970's, but "000" seems a bit strange.
Ian

[F. Haas]

Dear Ian
Thank you very much for your investigation. The March chassis plate has on the right side and the top a number stamped, which is 000041.
Maybe it was a spare chassis for a T-car, which was sold and run in the season 1985 in the Sigma series. The chassis number on the plate is stamped like this: 832-000-1983
With kind regards Felix

[IANHEB]

Felix,
You are in luck.March 832, race number 7,colour red sponsered by Koton was owned by M.Peters during 1985 and he did the last 3 races of the F2 season.I tracked him down through a friend and he said he bought it from Team Gunston when Ian Scheckter retired from racing at beginning of 1985. It was sold to the dealer John Brannigan in the UK in 1986.
However,as the car only arrived in SA in April 1983,and as mentioned there were 2 other 832, you should try and confirm from another source when and to whom chassis number "000" was delivered.
Regards
Ian

[F. Haas]

Dear Ian
thanks a lot for your fantastic investigation. Without your effort I had no chance to find out the cars history in SA.
The next step will be to find a March specialist, who can tell me something about the delivery to SA.
It now makes sense with the scrutiny sheets of the Gunston Team. Maybe I need a contact person of the Gunston team confirming me who was the driver of chassis "000" and some results lists. If I get the history and so the FIA papers for the car I will give you a little reward.
With kind regards Felix

[peter thurston]

Just for interest I purchased in 1990 832 no15 if my memory is correct. The car was ex Enrique Mansilla and had run in the bridgestone class and had only just returned from SA having ran with a mazda engine in the sigma series.I sold the car on in 1993 to a guy from scotland who put a bmw motor back in it.

[IANHEB]

Peter,
Thankyou for this info.I am not sure what the bridgestone class is ?.If there is anything else you can remember,such as car colour or sponser,that might help me identify the last South African owner i would be very grateful.I guess that if it still had its Maxda rotary engine then it was "as last raced" when you bought it,although the last race for these cars was October 1986.
As mentioned, it appears that 2 more "used" 832's arrived for the 1984 season,one driven by Moni and the other Groger.Groger tells me his was ex Christian Danner,but no other evidence.
Any comments from anybody else ?
Ian

[driftwood]

the 832 peter refers to went to ron c via peter & bmw was fitted for libre events he said car was beppe g car !
car is now elsewhere

i can in time get the # off plate
there was another march 832 from ZA via john B it came as an airfix model and became a gt car over here

[peter thurston]

As far as I can remember the bieppe g car is the one fitted with a stratos body ,ex churchill I think.

[driftwood]

no thats another chassis that came via brannigan and was built into that GT car and is still in that format

[IANHEB]

Driftwood,
Great stuff...that seems to confirm the 3 March 832,s that returned from ZA.If I can now hijack this thread for comments on any other Atlantic cars ex South Africa,which would include a 79A(ex Scheckter),an 802 (ex Fabi or Winkelhoek ?), an 822 and an 842.Then there would be 2 or 3 Maurers,plus the one that went to Australia.Anything with a Mazda rotary in the back is a bit of a clue !
Ian

[driftwood]

Great stuff...that seems to confirm the 3 March 832,s(NOT SURE IF ALL 3 DID RTN OR JUST 2 CARS 1 WAS WITH MAZDA 1 IN PIECES ) that returned from ZA.If I can now hijack this thread for comments on any other Atlantic cars ex South Africa,which would include a 79A(ex Scheckter),an 802 (ex Fabi or Winkelhoek ?),I THINK 802 RTN TO UK ALLEGED THACKWELL CAR I MIGHT BE WRONG ON THIS POINT an 822 SHECKTER CAR WENT SPRINTING WITH TURBO ROVER LUMP and an 842THIS HAS NOT COME TO UK.Then there would be 2 or 3 Maurers,plus the one that went to Australia.(NOT HEARD OF MAURER IN OZ) Anything with a Mazda rotary in the back is a bit of a clue !

[Bryan Miller]

driftwood/ianheb.

Whilst Ivan Glasby was trying to sell one of the Maurers to Australia , he was not sucessfull as far as I am aware.

Bryan.