LeGrand Mk 7 and Mk 7A

Another view of Dr Don Richardson's LeGrand Mk 7. Copyright David Seibert 2006. Used with permission.

Another view of Dr Don Richardson's LeGrand Mk 7. Copyright David Seibert 2006. Used with permission.

LeGrand were the first US constructor to have a car ready for the new 5-litre Formula A in 1968. In the hands of Bruce Eglinton, it won a SCCA National at Las Vegas 25 Feb 1968, the first National level Formula A race. With that success, there were a number of orders for 1968, at least five and possibly as many as seven. The model was originally advertised with Bartz Chev engines and Hewland LG500 gearbox for $12,845 but a Mk 7A variant was introduced at some point.

Alan James of the LeGrand Register researched the early cars but the story that emerged is confusing, with 001 said to be the car that won at Las Vegas in Feb 1968 and 002 said to be the car Eglinton crashed; a dreadful accident while testing testing at Whitman stadium in June 1968 which left Eglinton in hospital with severe burns. This 002 is then said to have been rebuilt and become the works car for Jerry Entin and others.

After that Las Vegas victory, the Mk 7 had limited further success, its lightweight FB-based construction proving very quick but totally insufficient for the highly-tuned ex-Trans-Am 5-litre engines. The highlight of the Pro season was when Sam Posey put Pete Botsford's car on pole at Mosport Park but found the thing so scary that he retired after a single lap. Dave Wolin has also been highly critical of the car, noting that it flexed badly. Mike Allison, a member of Botsford's crew in 1968, said that Peter Revson 'hated the car in practice due to chassis flex' and Mike also noted that the brakes were 'awful and inedequate'. All in all, it is hard to think of a Formula 5000 car that has been the subject of such consistent criticism.

Only three of the Mk 7s have been found so far but at least five are known to have existed in the 1990s and it is hoped that owners will come forward now that this page has been published. All and any help would be gratefully received. Please email Allen if you can add anything.

The 1968 cars

As well as the two works cars, 001 and 002, it would appear three other cars were built during 1968, for Don Richardson, Pete Botsford and Tom McBurnie. The first of these may have been Botsford's, which was Red's show car at the NY Auto Show. Another car was provided as a kit to Dave Wolin at the end of 1968. The LeGrand Register has note of chassis 008 as well.

Chassis History Current owner
LeGrand Mk7
'the works car'
Jerry Entin's works LeGrand Mk7 at Elkhart Lake in 1968. Copyright Jerry Entin 2002. Used with permission.

Jerry Entin's works LeGrand Mk7 at Elkhart Lake in 1968. Copyright Jerry Entin 2002. Used with permission.

Bruce Eglinton: 'chassis 001' won SCCA National at Las Vegas 25 Feb 1968. Then 'chassis 002' crashed and burnt testing at Whitman stadium June 1968. Rebuilt as 'works' car. First seen at Badger "200" Elkhart Lake 27 July 1968 driven by Jerry Entin but did not start. Entin won a National at Riverside in August and two Regionals later in the year. Dick Guldstrand took over the car for the Laguna Seca 'Pro' race in October and it was then driven by Rex Ramsey at the ARRC. Ramsey continued to drive the car in 1969, winning three Nationals but was well off the pace in Pro races. The car was last seen at Sears Point in June 1969. 		Unknown
LeGrand Mk7
'the Richardson car'
(1968-1970)
Dr Don Richardson's LeGrand Mk 7 racing in 1968. Copyright David Seibert 2006. Used with permission.

Dr Don Richardson's LeGrand Mk 7 racing in 1968. Copyright David Seibert 2006. Used with permission.

Don Richardson (New Orleans, LA) US 1968 (first seen as DNS at R1 Continental Divide 26 May 1968; only known race winning a SCCA National at Galveston Airport 7 July 1968; also on entry list at R8 Laguna Seca 12 October 1968). Advertised 14 Dec 1968 as "1250 lbs of rotting hell". There is no sign of the car in 1969 but Richardson advertised it on 6 Jun 1970. Sold to Art Eatman (Austin, TX) and raced in the SCCA SW Division in 1971, winning the FA class. DNS at Road Race of Champions Road Atlanta 27 Nov 1971. Art sold the car to Karl Patton (Austin, TX) who planned to add a wing to the nose and use it for autocross. Almost certainly this car advertised by John Anderson (Austin, TX) 5 May 1973. The engine details mention in the advert ('Crane heads, Isky roller') matches that of Art Eatman when he advertised the Richardson car from the same city a year before and is also very similar to the advert by L Nelson Spohnheimer (Plano, TX) in Dec 1973. Walt Taylor recalls all four Texan owners and rates it 'overwhelmingly likely' that they had the same car. He recalls that Anderson used the car just in Autocross or testing. Subsequent history unknown. 		Unknown
LeGrand Mk7
'the Botsford car'
(1968 only)
Peter Revson in Pete Botsford's LeGrand in practice at Lime Rock in 1968. Copyright Jeff Savage 2004. Used with permission.

Peter Revson in Pete Botsford's LeGrand in practice at Lime Rock in 1968. Copyright Jeff Savage 2004. Used with permission.

Pete Botsford (Boulder, Col) US 1968: driven by Ron Holmes (DNS at R3 Elkhart Lake 27 Jul 1968), Bob Betts (only at R4 Thompson 18 August 1968), Sam Posey (R5 Mosport Park 25 Aug 1968 and DNS at R7 Brainerd 22 Sep 1968), Peter Revson (DNS at R6 Lime Rock 2 Sep 1968) and Barry Blackmore (DNS at Ken Miles Memorial Race R8 Laguna Seca 12 Oct 1968). Despite Holmes' appearance at Elkhart Lake, the LeGrand was said by Autoweek to be "brand new" when it appeared for Posey at Mosport. Peter Revson was available for the Lime Rock race but hated the car and quickly disappeared when a ball joint failure curtailed practice. Blackmore then drove the car at Laguna Seca and and, in his words, destroyed it in practice. The car was stripped at Red's shop and the carcass towed back to base but Botsford had lost interest in it and the car was not repaired. 		Destroyed
LeGrand Mk7
'the McBurnie car'
(1968-1970) 		Tom McBurnie (Santa Barbara, CA) SCCA events 1968 with Ford engine. Won SCCA Regionals at Riverside 27 Oct 1968 and at Stardust International 9 Nov 1968. Placed seventh in Road Race of Champions at Daytona 29 Nov 1969. Advertised 23 May 1970 (Chev, LG600). Nothing more known. Unknown
LeGrand Mk7
'the Wolin car'
(1968-1970)
Dave Wolin's LeGrand Mk 7 doing what it did best: keeping still. Copyright Dave Wolin 2006. Used with permission.

Dave Wolin's LeGrand Mk 7 doing what it did best: keeping still. Copyright Dave Wolin 2006. Used with permission.

Dave Wolin (Buffalo, NY) as a kit late 1968. Built with Chev engine and used in minor F5000 and in practice for a couple of USAC events with a 320ci Chev. See also Dave Wolin's website. Advertised by Wolin "long wheelbase chassis, Chev, Webers, Hewland" Autoweek 24 Oct 1970 p26. Dave remembers selling it to someone in Pittsburg. Subsequent history unknown but Chuck Haines lived in Pittsburg at that time; he recognises Wolin's name and reckons it is likely that he bought Wolin's car. Some years later, probably in the early 1980s, Chuck sold a long wheelbase LeGrand to David Rose (New York) - see the Rose car below.		 See the Rose car.

Lothar Motschenbacher is noted as a DNP at the Badger "200" at Elkhart Lake 27 July 1968. This is likely to have been Pete Botsford's entry.

On 21 Nov 1970, Keven Coan (Natick, MA) advertises a "brand new" and apparantly disassembled "Formula A LeGrand". The eighth Mk7?

The early 1970s mystery cars

After 1968, no more customer LeGrands appear until 1971 when Bruce Eglinton makes his F5000 comeback.

This section includes a few LeGrands where the model is unknown: Bruce Eglinton's 1971 car and the later cars of Chuck Elliott and Ed Lowther. In later years, three LeGrands can be traced by their locations: the ex-Richardson car in Texas, the Chab-Lowther car in Pennsylvania and the Patterson-Owen car in California

Chassis History Current owner
LeGrand
'the 1971 Eglinton car'		 Bruce Eglinton finished second in a 'LeGrand' at a SCCA National at Riverside 13 Feb 1971. On 12 Jun 1971, LeGrand Race Cars (13213B Saticoy St, North Hollywood, CA) advertised a "race ready" Mk7A. Could this have been Eglington's 1971 car? Unknown
LeGrand Mk7
'chassis 003'

Gene Forsthofel (Overland Park, KA). On 3 Apr 1971 Forsthofel advertised a "F/A LeGrand Wedge". Later to Ken White (NZ) 1995: raced at Whenuapai 1995. In the Gary Devon Collection (Auckland, NZ) in 2005.

Gary Devon Collection (NZ) 2005
LeGrand Mk7
'the Elliott car'		 Chuck Elliott (Playa Del Ray, CA) was 27th at R1 Riverside 25 Apr 1971 in a Scorpion Racing LeGrand MK-7. The LeGrand Register identies this car as 002. Nothing more known. Unknown
LeGrand Mk7
'the Barron car'		 Jim Barron (Bragg City, MO) SCCA Nationals 1971 (seen in two races at Mid-America Raceway: 2 May 1971 and 19 Sep 1971). Advertised 28 Oct 1972 (1971?) as "Formula A LeGrand ... invitation to '71 ARRC". Nothing more known. Unknown
LeGrand Mk7A
'the Webber car'		 Jerry Webber (Sacramento, CA) advertised a Mk7A-Chev on 7 Aug 1971. Had "5 1/2 total hours of use". Nothing more known. Unknown
LeGrand Mk7A
'the Chab car'
(1972)		 Donald E. Chab (Grove City, PA) advertises a Mk7A less engine with or without LG500 on 5 Feb 1972. Nothing more known but see 'the Lowther car', just below, another Pennsylvania LeGrand. Unknown
LeGrand Mk7A
'the Patterson car'
(1972-1973)		 Mal Patterson (San Jose, CA) appeared on the entry list at Laguna Seca 7 May 1972 with the #79 LeGrand Mk 7A. Presumably the MS Patterson (San Jose, CA) that advertised a Mk7A on 17 Feb 1973. Said to be a 1970 car with two races only and a LG600 gearbox. See 'the Coan car' above and 'the Owen car' below. Unknown
LeGrand
'the Lowther car'		 Ed Lowther (McMurray, PA) won a SCCA National at Summit Point 23 Sep 1973 and later finished sixth at the Road Race of Champions Road Atlanta 3 Nov 1973. He advertised his LeGrand ("1973 region and NorthEast Division champion ... Chev ... LG500 ... won 11 or 13 starts") on 29 Dec 1973. Nothing more known. Unknown
LeGrand Mk7
'the Owen car' 		Ken Owen (Union City, CA) advert 6 Dec 1975 ('third 1975 NoPac Div') and 13 Dec 1975. Chev LG600, as was 'the Patterson car'. Nothing more known. Unknown

LeGrands today

Very little is known about the location of Mk 7s today. Apart from the New Zealand car above, a car appeared at BRIC in 2005, Ray Langson has a car which is believed to be the former Dave Wolin car, Chuck Haines is advertising a car and we also have information from a LeGrand Register maintained in the 1990s. Please email Allen if you can add anything.

Chassis History Current owner
LeGrand Mk7
'the Rose car'
Ray Langson in his LeGrand Mk7 at Mid-Ohio in 1996. Copyright Norbert Vogel 2007. Used with permission.

Ray Langson in his LeGrand Mk7 at Mid-Ohio in 1996. Copyright Norbert Vogel 2007. Used with permission.

Described in LeGrand Register as a 68 Mk 7. May be the Wolin car. One of two cars Chuck Haines (St Louis) sold to David Rose (NY) in Sep 1989. When purchased the car was red but came without a log book and was also damaged. Cometto Bros (Englewood, CO) made new headers and bodywork for the car. Later sold to Ray Langson (US) Oct 1993. Restored and won 1998 HSR Championship for tube-frame cars. Believed to be the only long-wheelbase car, Langson has measured the wheelbase at 95 in, compared with the 90 in mentioned when the car was launched. Retained by Langson 2004. 		Ray Langson (US) 2004
LeGrand Mk7
'the Mayer car'
The Mayer Racing Team car at BRIC in 2005. Copyright Paul Medici 2005. Used with permission.

The Mayer Racing Team car at BRIC in 2005. Copyright Paul Medici 2005. Used with permission.

John Mayer's Mayer Racing Team (Chicago) had a red LeGrand Mk7 at the BRIC vintage event at Road America in 2005. it had Sam Posey's name on the side but nothing more is currently known of its history. 		John Mayer (US) 2005
LeGrand Mk7A
'008' 		Chuck Haines has a LeGrand MK/7A that bears a chassis plate stating that it is a MK/7A built 12/68 and serial number 008. Chuck was advterising the car in December 2007. The car is black and has 'Master Tune Up' signwriting and "Team Mgr Don Hawthorne". It wears #88. There is a picture on the web that purports to show Gene Forsthofel crashing this car at the 'Sommet des Légendes' in Mont-Tremblant in July 2007. Chuck Haines (US) 2007
Also, Mark VanLoucks is known to have had a Mk 7 around 1990.

LeGrand Register (Mk 7/7A entries)

This register was published on the Internet and appears to be based on information that was current in the 1990s.

Model S/N Class Yr Last Known Owner Location Active Owner 1st Owner Notes
MK7A 003 F5000 69 Ken White New Zealand - Gene Forsthofel See 003 above
MK7A 008 F5000 - Tom Dooley AZ X - See MK 7A 008 above
MK7 - F5000 68 David Rose NY - - See 'the Rose car' above
MK7A - F5000 - Tim Joyce FL - -  
MK7A - F5000 - Bill Carlander FL - -  

These histories last updated on 2 December, 2007 .