Brabham BT6

[edholly]

I am starting this thread in the hope that it builds into a BT6 Chassis archive entry.

I have recently bought the “works” BT6 Formula Junior FJ-9-63 from 1963 that was driven that year very successfully by Denny Hulme to come 2nd outright in the Formula Junior Championship behind Arundel in a Lotus 22.

In the documentation for this car, I was given a full chassis list of initial owners, but unfortunately it is of unknown origins, consequently its accuracy cannot be vouched for and as such I cannot post it here. Assuming that the thread continues into a detailed record of these cars, it will be interesting to see how accurate it is.

FJ-9-63 is in magnificent condition after being restored by Ian McDonald in Melbourne. Ian bought the car from Gerald "Giggs" Alexander in New Zealand in 1999, Giggs had owned the car from 1968. Ian then undertook a 2 1/2 year restoration with the car appearing at Historic Sandown in November 2001. It is black as it was under Roly’s ownership and in the Cosworth twincam 1.5 litre Australian / New Zealand National Formula configuration that it first came to these shores in 1964. In time I plan to build a Formula Junior engine so that it may be raced once again as a Formula Junior.

Preliminary research shows there were 20 BT6’s produced. i.e. FJ-1-63 through FJ-20-63 including FJ-13-64 with possibly one un-numbered prototype.

I believe there are 4 BT6’s in Australia, with one rebuilt in the period with a spare chassis, and the damaged chassis later repaired and that car now has two identities.

As for FJ-9-63. It was Denny Hulme’s Brabham Works car and the research done indicates that the following results were achieved by Denny and this car for 1963.

1. Spring Cup – Oulton Park – 6.4.63
Pole .... not placed

2. Chichester Cup – Goodwood – 15.4.63
Equal pole with Paul Hawkins ....2nd outright to Gardner

3. Spring Whiozz Race – Aintree – 27.4.63
4th on grid ....1st place ( 2nd Gardner, 3rd Arundell)

4. International Trophy Race – Silverstone – 11.5.63
Pole ....1st place (2nd Hobbs, 3rd Hawkins)

5. National Meeting – Aintree – 25.5.63
2nd on grid ....1st place and fastest lap ( 2nd Prophet 3rd Hailwood)

6. Anerley Trophy – Crystal Palace – 3.6.63
Pole ....1st place and fastest lap (2nd Gardner 3rd Attwood)

7. Grand Prix de Rouen – Rouen – 23.6.63
Heat 1 … 1st and fastest lap (2nd Hawkins 3rd Attwood)
Final pole .…dnf …gearbox

8. IV Coupe Internationale de Juniors – Rheims - 30.6.63
2nd on grid ....1st place (2nd Arundell 3rd Attwood)

9. BRDC – Silverstone – 20.7.63
Pole ....dnf – crash

10. Preis Von Baden – Wurttemberg – 28.7.63
3rd on grid ....2nd place

11. BARC – Formula Junior Championship – Goodwood – 24.8.63
Pole ....3rd place ( 1st Arundel 2nd Attwood)

12. XXI Grand Pric D’Albi – Albi – 8.9.63
Heat 2 - pole ....1st place and Fastest lap
Final – 2nd on grid ....2nd place (1st Arundel 3rd Schlesser)

13. Anglo European Trophy – Brands Hatch – 14.9.63
Heat 1 pole ....1st place and fastest lap
Final ....2nd place (1st Arundel 3rd Gardner)

14. Vanwall Trophy – Snetterton – 28.9.63
Pole ....1st and fastest lap

The car was then fitted with a brand new Cosworth Twincam by Frank Gardner at the Brabham factory and shipped to Australia for Alex Mildren Racing with Frank to drive it in the 1964 Tasman series in Australia

The results in the first of the Tasman Cup years were (raced in Australia only)
Sandown 9.2.64 - Australian Grand Prix. Dnf 54 laps gearbox
Warwick Farm 16.2.64 13th
Lakeside 23.2.63 4th earning 3 Tasman points) (1st ANF 1.5)
Longford 9.3.63 9th (1st ANF 1.5)

The car then remained in Alex Mildren’s stable and was driven by Charlie Smith at Warwick Farm, Towac and Bathurst possibly elsewhere, in racing and Ralph Sach in at least one hillclimb at Silverdale. More research may show another driver and other events.

The car was then sold to Roly Levis of New Zealand who had his first outing in it at Warwick Farm on the 6.9.64 at the Australian 1.5 litre Championships before taking it home.

Rolly campaigned the car over the next 2 years with the following results in the Tasman races

1965
NZGP Pukekohe 13th, Levin 6th (1st 1.5), Wigram 6th (1st 1.5), Teretonga 6th (1st 1.5) Warwick Farm 7th (1st 1.5), Longford 8th (2nd 1.5), [ Lakeside this year was not included]
The car and Rolly came 12th in the Tasman Championship, 4th in the New Zealand Gold Star, and 1st in the New Zealand National Formula Championship.

1966
Pukekohe 8th, Levin 4th, Wigram 7th, Teretonga 5th , Warwick Farm dnf, Lakeside dnq,
The car and Rolly came 9th in the Tasman Championship, 3rd in the New Zealand Gold Star and again won the New Zealand National Formula Championship.

The car was then sold to Bill Stone who competed with it in 1967/8

1967
NZGP Pukekohe 8th , Levin 8th, Wigram 8th, Teretonga 7th, Bill was unplaced in the Tasman Championship, came 7th in the New Zealand Gold Star (won by Roly in a BT18)

1968
NZGP Pukekohe 10th, Levin 6th, Wigram 10th, Teretonga dnf Bill was 16th and equal last in the Tasman Championship, equal 8th in the New Zealand Gold Star, and 4th in the New Zealand National Formula Championship (won by Graham Lawrence)

On the 2nd September, 1968 the car was sold to Gerald “Giggs” Alexander, who then campaigned it in a preliminary series of events that saw 4 F5000 cars come over from the USA. Giggs did not compete in any of the traditional International Tasman events. I am not sure when Giggs retired the car, but it remained in his possession until sold to Ian McDonald.

Ian and his son Nick have competed in the car on 6 occassions, Sandown, Mallala, Winton, Geelong Albert Park and Phillip Island. I can attest to the car’s performance in Nick’s hands when he went from last to 2nd at Phillip Island in a 40 plus car field in a handicap race that I was in, driving my BT15 F3 car. Nick and the car still hold the outright Group M lap record there.

I consider myself, not only very lucky to own this car, but very privileged as well, and certainly plan to use it in the upcoming 1960s Tasman Revival Meeting at Eastern Creek on December 1,2,3 this year.

[John Turner]

Look what I've found! Prophetic words from Allen plus the replies!

Originally Posted by allenbrown

Not sure where to mention this so I'll say it here. Victory Lane (May 1991) says Ivan Scotti has "BT6-63-11" at SVRA Moroso Park 8-10 March 1991 and that it "raced in Italy in 1964 as a F2 with a Fiat-Giannini engine". Also that it was later sold to Bandini but stayed in Italy until bought by Scotti.

Hope that helps someone one day. Allen

Originally Posted by David Mckinney

A BT6 numbered FJ-11-63 raced in F2 in Italy with a Fiat-Giannini engine in 1964 and 1965
What relationship it bears to Scotti's BT6-63-11 (previously FJ63.11) I do not know

Originally Posted by allenbrown

Another can of worms opens ......

Originally Posted by Bryan Miller

Allen/David , I am wondering out loud if the 63-11 is the frame number not the chassis plate number.

Originally Posted by David Mckinney

Whatever it was, it's on the chassis plate now!

Looking forward to seeing this develop, to help add to Ed's great post!

[allenbrown]

Ed

I suspect the list you have emerged from correspondence between Ted Walker and Denis Lupton in the 1980s. I have a copy of that list now and I suspect others here do. If Ted has no objection, I'll post it as a starting point.

David McK and Bryan - do you have any views on this before I fully open this particular can of worms?

Allen

[David McKinney]

Fire ahead, Allen

Ed
I've never been 100% certain that Hulme used the same car on every occasion - not saying he didn't just that I've never known for sure
And BTW, Arundell used a Lotus 27 to win the championship, not a 22
Your NZ record looks pretty good OTTOMH, but it's Jiggs Alexander, not Giggs

[Bryan Miller]

Allen,

I have a copy of Ed Holly's list , he lives 10 minutes from me, it is the same list that you are referring to , I have had a copy for many years , this could proove entertaining at least.

Bryan.

[allenbrown]

Bryan, David

I've been asked to check with Duncan Rabagliati on the grounds that you always need a much bigger can to get the worms back into. I'll get his take on it first.

Apologies to those of you itching to see this list but if it can wait all these years, another few days won't hurt.

Allen

[edholly]

David

I've just checked back through the records that came with the car that comprehensively list the Formula Junior meetings for 1963. You may even have had something to do with that publication that they came from. In every one of the races listed above for 1963, it lists the entrant as Brabham Racing, the car type as BT6 and Denny Hulme as the driver. Granted that is doesn't show actual chassis numbers, but as FJ-9-63 was the Brabham Racing works car, one would have to say that it would most likely be the car entered, unless there was a specific reason for it not to be. This thread would be the ideal place for any information in that regard to come to light.

Re "Giggs" Alexander, I have used the spelling from a New Zealand publication called the "Golden Era of New Zealand Motor Racing, where there are numerous references and it is always spelt Giggs, but as I think you were originally from NZ, and that you would more than likely know Gerald, I'll put it down to a Scottish influence, where I can never tell whether a Scotsman says a G or a J .

My fault about saying Arundell was in the wrong Lotus type. Sure wish we had a 27 running here....

[David McKinney]

Originally Posted by edholly

Re "Giggs" Alexander, I have used the spelling from a New Zealand publication called the "Golden Era of New Zealand Motor Racing, where there are numerous references and it is always spelt Giggs

I guessed that might have been your source
Speaking as an author myself, I can assure you that just because something's in a book it doesn't make it right

[edholly]

David

I knew cartographers would move things on a map to make everything fit, but authors not getting it right ....never...

Seriously though, we need to get some other BT6 owners to start to put their car's histories on.