Brabham BT35X car-by-car histories
Tony Griffiths in his Brabham BT35X at Doune’s Esses in September 1971. Copyright Steve Wilkinson 2019. Used with permission.
A variant of the Formula Atlantic/F3 Brabham BT35, the 1971 Brabham BT35X was designed specifically for hillclimbs, with stronger transmissions but smaller fuel tanks. Two were built for more powerful engines: for Sir Nick Williamson's 1.8-litre Cosworth FVC and for Tony Griffiths' 5-litre Repco 740 V8.
As recounted on the Brabham BT35 Formula Atlantic and Formula B page, there is some uncertainty over the number of BT35Xs built. Mike Lawrence's book 'Brabham + Ralt + Honda: The Ron Tauranac Story' (Motor Racing Publications Ltd, 1999) contains a table showing 27 F3 BT35Cs built in 1971, plus 10 Formula Atlantics (three BT35As and seven BT35Bs) and 4 hillclimb BT35Xs. The hillclimb BT35Xs were distinguished by heavy-duty driveshafts, Hewland FT200 gearboxes and Formula Atlantic-size wheels. However, the 1972 production of BT35s appears to have been omitted from the table, and a fifth hillclimb car was among that batch of cars. So it would appear that there were five BT35Xs: BT35X/1 for Sir Nick Williamson with a 1.8-litre Cosworth FVC sports car engine; BT35X/2 for Tony Griffiths with a 5-litre Repco 740 V8; and three cars with Ford twin cam engines for Mike Hawley, Bob Marsland and Gray and Agnes Mickel. The three Ford twin cam cars are covered on the Brabham BT35 Formula Atlantic and Formula B page, as they fit more naturally with that group of cars.
The two larger BT35Xs were very successful in British hillclimbs, winning three rounds of the RAC British Hill Climb Championship in 1971 as well as the Weston-super-Mare Speed Trials. They had long careers, winning further championship rounds in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1978. The Repco-powered BT35X/2 won Weston three times over eight seasons. Sadly for this famous old hillclimb car, eventually its Repco engine was worth more than the car, and they were separated. The chassis was restored for historic racing as a Formula 2.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
Sir Nick Williamson in his Brabham BT35X at Doune’s Esses in September 1971. Copyright Steve Wilkinson 2019. Used with permission.
Built for Sir Nick Williamson (Mortimer, Berkshire) for 1971, and fitted with a 1.8-litre Cosworth FVC sports car engine for the British Hill Climb Championship. To Iain McLaren (Broxburn, Scotland) for 1972 and run in the Scottish Hill Climb Championship, and in libre racing. To George Dixon (Norton Disney, near Lincoln) for 1973 and fitted with a 'bitza' Ford twin cam engine for libre racing. Given the lack of any other plausible contenders, it is likely to be the 1800cc BT35 raced by Bob Leckie (Aberdeen, Scotland) at Ingliston in September 1974. Its history is then unknown until some time before 2001, when it was owned by Chris Roden (Hampshire). He had acquired it in a poor state from a house that was being cleared, and started a restoration. The car was still with Roden in February 2004, but what happened to it next remains a mystery. Roden died in 2014, and it is unclear whether he sold the BT35X before he died.
Driven by: Sir Nicholas Williamson, Iain McLaren, George Dixon and Bob Leckie. First race: Wiscombe Park, 18 Apr 1971. Total of 30 recorded races.
Malcolm Dungworth in his Brabham BT35X at Prescott in 1976. Copyright Steve Wilkinson 2020. Used with permission.
Built for Tony Griffiths (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) for 1971, and fitted with a 5-litre Repco 740 V8 engine for the British Hill Climb Championship and occasional rounds of the British Sprint Championship. It won one round of each series. Griffiths retained it for 1972 when he again won one round in each series. To Malcolm Dungworth (Sheffield, South Yorkshire) for 1973 when he shared it with John Cussins (Leeds, West Yorkshire). They shared the car again in 1974 and in 1975, when Cussins won a championship round at Barbon Manor. Dungworth then ran it alone in 1976 and 1977. It was sold to Terry Smith in October 1977, and raced by him in the Sprint series in 1978. After racing it again in early 1979, he transferred the Repco engine into a March 75A/761 in June, and the BT35X was sold to Mike Remnant in south-west England. Remnant did not race it, sticking to his BT30, and sold it on to Roger Jordan who fitted a Ford twin cam engine and ran it in SW events from about 1981. He later replaced the engine with a Rover V8. It was raced by Mark Haynes, still with the Rover V8, at Werrington Park in 1985. In 1986, Jordan sold it to Ted Walker (Dursley, Gloucestershire) who sold it on to Shaun Mooney. Mooney had it restored by Simon Hadfield, fitted a Cosworth BDA, and raced it in historic racing from 1991 to 1996. In 2002, the car was sold to Japan and ran in Japanese historic events where it was noted as having the name "E. Sekiya" on the side. It changed hands in 2004 and was rebuilt by the Mecca racing garage at Tsukuba circuit in 2008. It was offered for sale by its Japanese owner in August 2015, and was acquired by Ross Drybrough (Worthing, West Sussex). At this point it was in "F2" specification with a BDA engine. Restored and raced by Drybrough in HSCC F2 in 2022. The car was still owned by Drybrough in July 2025, when it was for sale with Adam Sykes & Co.
Driven by: Tony Griffiths, Malcolm Dungworth, John Cussins, Terry Smith, David Franklin and Mark Haynes. First race: Loton Park (R2), 12 Apr 1971. Total of 112 recorded races.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Steve Wilkinson and Ted Walker, respectively the experts on British hillclimbs and Brabham racing cars, for their help on this topic. Thanks also to Steve for the use of his photographs. Thanks also to Philippe Demeyer and Brian Speake for their input.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
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