Chevron B35 car-by-car histories
José Dolhem in the Opert Chevron B35 at Thruxton in 1976. Copyright Ted Walker 2012. Used with permission.
Customers for the Chevron B35, the Formula 2 variant to the new Chevron B34 Formula Atlantic car, included Trivellato Racing, Fred Opert Racing and Fred Stalder's ROC team. Jacques Laffite impressed in Opert's Chevron B35s, finishing second in two races.
Derek Bennett and stylist Jim Clark had designed a smaller and neater car for 1976, the Chevron B34, and produced a dedicated F2 model, the Chevron B35. Pino Trivellato, who had run Italian March customers in Formula 2 in 1974 and 1975, changed sides for 1976 to become Italian Chevron importer and would run a pair of B35s in European F2 with works BMW engines. Fred Opert, who was Chevron's North American importer, also decided to continue in F2 after running a single B29 in 1975 and also bought a pair of cars with Hart 420R engines that would be hired out to a variety of drivers during the season. Fred Stalder's Societé Racing Organisation Course also continued in F2 after a pretty dreadful season in 1975 and were hoping for more success with their Chrysler-Simca engines. Gianfranco Trombetti also bought a car via Trivellato, Harald Ertl had a B35 that was run for him by Opert, and later in the season Chevron ran a works car for Hans Binder. The other B35 to run in F2 was a car bought by Australians Bob and Marj Brown and fitted with a Swindon BDX engine for Bob Muir to drive.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
Andy Barton in his Chevron B35 at Mallory Park in March 1977. Copyright Ted Walker 2009. Used with permission.
Used as a test car by Derek Bennett and others during February 1976, including Alex Ribeiro. Then sold to Trivellato Racing Team for Willi Lovato to race in four races at the start of the 1976 European F2 series. Believed to be the car taken over by Giorgio Francia for the rest of the season, although Francia was said to be driving the Trivellato team's spare car at Estoril after a "write off" at Enna. However, it does appear that there was some shuffling of cars, as '01 appears to be the car sold to Andy Barton for 1977, even though it was said to be the former car of Lovato's teammate Roberto Marazzi. Barton fitted a 2-litre BDA engine for Shellsport G8 and libre racing but struggled with the car's handling, and crashed at Croft in April. The car was rebuilt with a new tub and three new corners but was still problematic and he crashed again at Ingliston on 8 May. Barton then raced the Sana for the rest of 1977 but returned to the Chevron for a libre race at Croft in May 1978, only to crash yet again in practice. This time the car was not repaired.
Driven by: Alex Dias Ribeiro, Derek Bennett, Willi Lovato, Giorgio Francia and Andy Barton. First race: Hockenheim (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 18 recorded races.
New to Trivellato Racing Team for Roberto Marazzi to race in the 1976 European F2 series. The car was retained by Trivellato for 1977 and when the team's new Ferrari-engined B40 was not ready in time, the old B35 was raced by Riccardo Patrese in the opening races of the season. Despite being identified as chassis '76-02, it was said to be the car driven by Marazzi's teammate Giorgio Francia in 1976, indicating that the team cars had been swapped around during 1976. Patrese took pole position in the car at the fourth round, at the Nürburgring on 1 May, but crashed in the race and the car was written off.
Driven by: Roberto Marazzi and Riccardo Patrese. First race: Hockenheim (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 16 recorded races.
New to Roger Rivoire and fitted with a ROC Chrysler engine for use in French hillclimbs. The car's first outing was when it was borrowed by ROC's Fred Stalder for Jean-Pierre Jaussaud to use at the Hockenheim F2 race on 11 April 1976. Rivoire then ran it at Col St Pierre on 25 April 1976 but crashed at his next event, Bourbach on 2 May 1976, the Chevron crashing into a wall at 130 kph after the throttle stuck! Rivoire then borrowed Jimmy Mieusset's spare March 742 until a new or repaired Chevron B35 returned in time for Cabaretou on 13 June 1976 and Rivoire continued with this car to the end of the season. He again drove one of Mieusset's cars, a Martini MK22, a couple of times in 1977 before returning to the Chevron B35, which by now had been fitted with a Hart 420R engine that Rivoire had acquired from Hervé Bayard. Gerard Gamand recalls that Rivoire had a violent accident in the Chevron, effectively destroying it, after which André Marcadier designed a sports car for Rivoire, which used the engine, gearbox and possibly other parts from the Chevron. Rivoire drove this car through 1979, and it was followed by a single-seater in 1980, again using the Hart engine.
Driven by: Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Roger Rivoire. First race: Hockenheim (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 27 recorded races.
Harin de Silva's Chevron B35 when advertised by Adam Sykes & Co in 2022. Copyright Adam Sykes & Co 2023. Used with permission.
New to Harald Ertl for the European F2 series using works BMW engines, first appearing in plain yellow livery at Hockenheim. As Ertl was also competing in F1, the Chevron was then raced by Rolf Stommelen with Heyco backing in the non-championship Nürburgring race, where he qualified on pole position and led until the engine broke. It was then raced by Ertl at Vallelunga and Salzburgring. When Fred Opert acquired Gitanes sponsorship for F2 in 1976, he struck a deal with Ertl to run his BMW-powered car for Gitanes' F1 star Jacques Laffite and other drivers at the three French F2 races in 1976, and had a spare set of bodywork in Gitanes blue so the car could be easily changed. In return, Opert's team ran Ertl's car at other races for him. Its first race in blue was Pau, where Laffite qualified the Gitanes/Elf B35 third and finished second. It was then put back in its yellow Heyco bodywork for Ertl to drive at Hockenheim, then back to blue for Tom Pryce to drive for Opert at Rouen in a deal arranged by the works. Pryce qualified third and apologised for not taking pole in a car he described as "fantastic". It had its yellow bodywork restored for Ertl at Mugello, Enna and Estoril, where it carried ATS sponsorship. There was another swap to Gitanes blue at Nogaro, where Jean-Pierre Jarier qualified well but disappointed Opert by retiring from the race for no good reason. It was back in Ertl's yellow for him to drive at Hockenheim in September. Ertl drove the car again at two early 1977 races, now with Schnitzer BMW engines and Heyco sponsorship. The car remained with Ertl and Gustav Hoecker, a German tuning specialist who regularly worked with Ertl, until Ertl's death in 1982. Ertl's collection of cars was then broken up, and the B35 ended up with Paul and Madelyn Gutman (Tiburon, CA) in the US. In 1990 or 1991 they sold the car to Dave Vegher of Veloce Motors West (Petaluma, CA) and it remained with him, being rebuilt as time allowed with a fresh BMW engine and its yellow bodywork repainted to Gitanes blue. In 2013 Vegher sold the car to Harindra de Silva (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) who wanted its BMW engine. The rolling chassis then sat at Virtuoso Performance for several years until it was shipped to the UK where it was rebuilt by Hi-Tech Motorsport and fitted with a Geoff Richardson BDG engine. It was raced in blue Gitanes livery by Timothy De Silva at the Silverstone Classic in July 2019, July 2021 and July 2022. The car was advertised by Adam Sykes & Co (High Legh, Cheshire) in December 2022
Driven by: Harald Ertl, Rolf Stommelen, Jacques Laffite, Tom Pryce and Jean-Pierre Jarier. First race: Thruxton (R2), 19 Apr 1976. Total of 14 recorded races.
New to Fred Opert Racing for Formula 2 in 1976, and used by Juan Cochésa for the opening four races of the season, until he failed to qualify at Salzburgring. Jean-Pierre Jarier took over the drive at Pau, and and it was raced later in the season by Hans Binder, Hans Meier, Jacques Laffite and Rolf Stommelen. It was then rented by Ian Grob for two races of the Shellsport G8 series at Brands Hatch in October and November. The sister car to this was taken out for the Macau GP and sold in New Zealand, but the next time 76-05 was seen was at the start of the 1977 F2 season, prior to the Opert team's second and third B40s being delivered, when it was driven by Keke Rosberg at Silverstone and by Hans Royer at Thruxton. Subsequent history unknown but a car in France later claimed this identity.
Driven by: Juan Cochésa, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Hans Binder, Hans Meier, Jacques Laffite, Rolf Stommelen, Ian Grob, Keke Rosberg and Hans Royer. First race: Hockenheim (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 14 recorded races.
New to Fred Opert Racing for Formula 2 in 1976, and used by José Dolhem for the opening seven races of the season. Then raced by Riccardo Patrese, Howdy Holmes, Keke Rosberg and Rupert Keegan later in the season. Taken to Macau for Keegan to race in the Grand Prix on 14 November, then sold to Steve Millen who raced it in the New Zealand Formula Pacific series in January 1977, and then in Southeast Asian races later that year. Subsequent history unknown but some reports say that it was badly damaged in a testing accident by its next owner and remains in Southeast Asia.
Driven by: José Dolhem, Howdy Holmes, Keke Rosberg, Rupert Keegan and Steve Millen. First race: Hockenheim (R1), 11 Apr 1976. Total of 20 recorded races.
Reportedly sold to Fred Stalder of ROC mid-season and thought to be the car raced by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud at Mugello in July, at Nogaro in mid-September, and at Hockenheim a week later. Then reportedly to Jean Lachaud (Sainte-Colombe, Rhone, France) and used in French hillclimbs in 1977 and in early 1978. The car reappeared in 1980, driven by Marc Régal and still with its ROC engine. To Walter Aubert for 1981 and 1982, again still using its ROC engine. In 1985, Aubert sold the car less engine to Alain Jacquier who quickly sold it on to Eric Riotto. Riotto fitted it with a 1600cc BMW engine and used it in hillclimbs in the 1990s. He sold it to Jean Pierre Grosclaude in 2005. Still owned by Grosclaude in February 2023.
Driven by: Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, Jean Lachaud, Marc Regal and Walter Aubert. First race: Nogaro (R11), 19 Sep 1976. Total of 49 recorded races.
New to Trivellato Racing Team for Gianfranco Trombetti to race in the 1976 European F2 series. Retained by Trombetti for a few races at the start of 1977. Then raced by Lorenzo Niccolini at Mugello in June, when it was still red with Everest signwriting. Next seen in June 1979 when it was driven in practice by Filippo Niccolini at Mugello but did not start. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Gianfranco Trombetti, Lorenzo Niccolini and Filippo Niccolini. First race: Pau (R5), 7 Jun 1976. Total of 8 recorded races.
New to Fred Stalder's Societé Racing Organisation Course for Jean-Pierre Jaussaud to use in F2 in 1976 using ROC engines. Jaussaud finished sixth at Vallelunga but then failed to qualify at Salzburgring, Pau and Rouen-les-Essarts, a run only interrupted by qualifying at Hockenheim but retiring after just two laps. François Servanin took over the drive at Mugello but also failed to qualify. This is probably the car bought from Stalder by Fredy Canin and run in French hillclimbs for the rest of the 1976 season, starting at Échelette in late August. Canin retained the car for 1977, but disappeared after May except for a couple of appearances in July. Sold to Jean Lapierre (Montélimar, Rhône-Alpes) in mid-1978, after Lapierre had wrecked his March 762/772 at Tonnerre, and he installed the BMW engine from the March into the Chevron. Raced by Lapierre for the rest of 1978 as a B35/B40 and most of 1979 as a B40, until he rented a B42 (itself probably an updated B40) from ROC near the end of the season. The B35 is then probably the "ex-Lapierre" 1600cc "B40" raced by Louis Kolly in 1980, 1981 and 1982. Subsequent history unknown but a car with this number was advertised by Mark De Paola (Los Angeles, CA) on eBay in 2006, saying it had been maintained by Chris Fox. A "35-76-09" was advertised by Scott Taylor from New Zealand in March 2022.
Driven by: Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, François Servanin, Fredy Canin, Jean Lapierre and Louis Kolly. First race: Vallelunga (R3), 9 May 1976. Total of 49 recorded races.
Iain McLaren in his Chevron B35 at Ingliston in 1977. Copyright Michael Hewitt 2023. Used with permission.
Jon Fletcher's Chevron B35-based Lotus Esprit at Donington in June 1986. Copyright Jeremy Jackson 2015. Used with permission.
New to Bob and Marj Brown, fitted with a Swindon BDX and entered for Bob Muir in F2 events in the latter part of 1976. Sold to Iain McLaren (Broxburn, Scotland) and used in F2, Shellsport G8 and libre during 1977. Retained for early 1978 but sold in May to Bernard Hunter (Edinburgh, Scotland) who ran it in libre for the rest of that year. To George McMillan (North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland) for 1979. After replacing it with a March 772P for 1980, George recalls selling the B35 to "a lad in Yorkshire" to become a GT car. Pat Thomas (Spalding, Lincolnshire) built a Donington-style Lotus Esprit GT in 1981 which was based on a Chevron B35 that he had acquired from Peter Brookfield in the Scarborough area, and it seems very likely this was the ex-McMillan car. The Esprit was powered by a Cosworth BDG engine. The Esprit-Chevron was sold to John Goulder (Nottingham) for 1983, when it was sometimes said to have a 1500cc Cosworth engine, and then sold by him to Jon Fletcher (Rochdale) by for the 1985 season. Jon ran it for three seasons then sold it, with the single-seater bodywork, to a man in the Leeds area who planned to restore it as a F2. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Bob Muir, Iain McLaren, Ray Mallock, Bernard Hunter, George McMillan, Pat Thomas, John Goulder and Jon Fletcher. First race: Mugello (R8), 11 Jul 1976. Total of 63 recorded races.
New to Xavier Lapeyre (Toulouse, Occitanie, France), fitted with a BMW engine and used in F2, starting at Rouen in late June where Lapeyre failed to qualify. Lapeyre had previously driven a B29 in F2, but had failed to qualify for four of his five races in 1976. The B35 was yellow and carried Motul and Presta France signwriting. The reported chassis number of this car is odd, as Chevron did not usually sell cars with number 11 and the entry for this number is blank in Chevron records. However, tubs were still sometimes built with this number and it is possible that Lapeyre acquired a B35 monocoque from Chevron with which to rebuild his Chevron B29, which would explain why the B29 was not seen again. Lapeyre drove the B35 later in the season at Mugello, Estoril, Nogaro (DNQ) and Hockenheim. Sold for 1977 to Régis Péchaire who used the car in French hillclimbs, always entering it as a "B37" despite it still having its F2 BMW engine. Retained by Péchaire for 1978. To Henri-Paul Magnan (Hyères, Provence) for 1979, now using a Cosworth BDM engine and running in the 1600cc class. Retained by Magnan for 1980, 1981 and 1982. Subsequent history unknown but Pat Gasquet and Pierre Haverland on Autodiva recalled Joseph Laspisa owning a Chevron "B37" which was raced by his daughter and others, and was destroyed in an accident by Michel Bruynaud.
Driven by: Xavier Lapeyre, Régis Péchaire and Henri-Paul Magnan. First race: Mugello (R8), 11 Jul 1976. Total of 66 recorded races.
Sold to Japanese agent Le Mans Co according to Chevron records, but unknown until used as a F2 car with Hart 420R engine by Teddy Yip's Theodore Racing for Patrick Tambay to race in the JAF Fuji Grand Prix in June 1977. Then very probably the Tom's car raced by Fumiyasu Sato in Formula Pacific specification at the JAF Suzuka Grand Prix in November 1977, and by the team in the new Formula Pacific championship in 1978, 1979 and 1980. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Patrick Tambay, Fumiyasu Sato, Naohiro Fujita and Nobuhide Tachi. First race: Fuji (R5), 5 Jun 1977. Total of 15 recorded races.
New as a works entry with BMW engine for Rolf Stommelen to race at Hockenheim in June. Then raced by Hans Binder for the rest of the F2 season, and also in the Shellsport G8 race at Brands Hatch in late August. Then sent out to Japan for Jacques Laffite to win the Nihon Grand Prix at Fuji in November. The car remained in Japan and was raced by Tetsu Ikuzawa at two races in March and April before his new B40 was delivered. It is believed to be the car raced by Kuniomi Nagamatsu later that season, and then by Keiji Matsumoto for the rest of 1977 and through the 1978 season. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Rolf Stommelen, Hans Binder, Jacques Laffite, Tetsu Ikuzawa, Kuniomi Nagamatsu and Keiji Matsumoto. First race: Hockenheim (R6), 20 Jun 1976. Total of 23 recorded races.
New to ATS Wheels (Bad Dürkheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) for the ATS Racing Team, fitted with a BMW engine, and raced by Mikka Arpiainen in the ShellSPORT 5000 European Championship race at Brands Hatch at the end of August. The ATS F2 team had been struggling with a Lola T450, first driven by Mikko Kozarowitzky and later by Reinhold Jöst, and FSV star Arpiainen was given the job of sorting the brand new Chevron. The car was not seen again until the Hockenheim F2 race four weeks later, when it was driven by Jochen Mass, with Arpiainen relegated to the Lola. Mass qualified 20th but worked his way up to seventh in the first heat, and then eighth in the second, to be classified sixth overall. The ATS team moved up to Formula 1 for 1977, and the subsequent history of the Chevron B35 is unknown.
Driven by: Mikka Arpiainen and Jochen Mass. First race: Brands Hatch (UK R9), 30 Aug 1976. Total of 2 recorded races.
Chevron B35s in 1977
For 1977, 35-76-01 was sold by Trivellato Racing Team to Andy Barton for libre racing; 35-76-02 was retained by Trivellato for Riccardo Patrese to use until he wrecked it; Roger Rivoire retained 35-76-03; Harald Ertl retained 35-76-04 but only for the first few races; Fred Opert Racing retained 35-76-05 as a spare car; Opert sold 35-76-06 to Steve Millen in New Zealand; Fred Stalder is believed to have sold 35-76-07 to Jean Lachaud; Gianfranco Trombetti retained 35-76-08; Fredy Canin retained 35-76-09; Bob and Marj Brown sold 35-76-10 to Iain McLaren for libre racing; Xavier Lapeyre sold 35-76-11 to Régis Péchaire for French hillclimbs; 35-76-12 and 35-76-14 both remained in Japan; leaving only ATS Wheels' yellow 35-76-15 missing.
Two unidentified B35s appeared at Hockenheim in April 1977: Helmut Bross's B35 and André Chevalley's B35 or B40. Photographs show that Bross's car was a B35, and it would seem likely that he had the ex-ATS 35-76-15, especially as it was also yellow and had ATS logos on it when Bross drove it. Chevalley's is a real puzzle, as no photographs have yet been found of it. It was identified by Autosprint as B40, chassis 3, but Chevron records show chassis 40-77-03 going to ROC in France. There isn't really a B40 it could be. But if it was a B35, there is no B35 missing through April and May 1977 that it could be - except 35-76-12 that was in Japan and the ex-ATS 35-76-15 that was most likely with Bross.
Given the lack of B35 or B40 candidates for Chevalley's car, it is also worth reaching further back and reviewing what had happened to the Chevron B29 F2 cars from the previous season. There had been five F2 versions: Hector Rebaque's 29-75-03 which moved to North American Formula Atlantic in 1976; Xavier Lapeyre's 29-75-10 which disappeared when he acquired a new B35 in June 1976; ROC's 29-75-12 which went on to a career in French hillclimbs; Harald Ertl's 29-75-27 which passed through various hands in Germany and is well documented by its Wagenpass, and the works development car 29-75-30 which went to New Zealand in January 1976 and was sold there for Formula Pacific. Two of these could plausibly account for a mystery Chevron-BMW in F2 in early 1977: Lapeyre's 29-75-10 as it vanishes, and Hohmann Racing's ex-Ertl 29-75-27 as its movements in 1977 are unknown. There was a link between Chevalley and Lapeyre as they shared a Lola T286 at Le Mans in 1979. Given the lack of a B29 candidate, it's worth a look at the B27s as well. Team Harper advertised two ex-F2 B27s at the start of 1975, one of which was never seen again and Ertl still had his old B27 in early 1977 and would do until his death, but it seems implausible that one of them was in use in European F2 in early 1977. So the Chevalley car remains a mystery.
Helmut Bross (Herrenberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) raced a Chevron B35 in the F2 races at Hockenheim and the Nürburgring in early 1977, and also in the German national event at Ulm-Mengen in September. The car carried ATS logos so is likely to be the car owned by ATS and raced by Mikka Arpiainen and Jochen Mass late in the 1976 season. Bross then returned for the equivalent two F2 races in early 1978, but his car was now called a B40 instead of a B35. Given the minor differences between the B35 and B40, it is assumed here that his B40 was the B35 updated. At the second race the car was driven by Wolfgang Locher. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Helmut Bross and Wolfgang Locher. First race: Hockenheim (R3), 17 Apr 1977. Total of 4 recorded races.
Swiss racer André Chevalley (Geneva) drove a Chevron in F2 at the start of 1977. The car was fitted with a BMW engine and was entered in two 1977 Formula 2 races, Hockenheim on 17 April and Vallelunga on 15 May, but failed to qualify for either after he was slowest of all by some distance in Germany and the third slowest in Italy. His car was described in Hockenheim race reports as a B40 by Sport Auto but as a B35 by Motoring News and Autosport. At Vallelunga, the car was listed by Autosprint as "B40/03" in a list where almost all the other chassis numbers appear to have been correct. This is perplexing as Chevron records show chassis B40-77-03 going to ROC and it was being raced by Michel Pignard at Tonnerre the same day as Hockenheim and at Colombier the same day as Vallelunga. Chevalley was not seen in F2 again that season but he used the car in at least one Swiss national event, at Ayent-Anzere in August. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: André Chevalley. First race: Ayent-Anzere, 7 Aug 1977. Total of 2 recorded races.
Chevron B35s in 1978
By the time the 1978 season started, 35-76-01 was still with Andy Barton; 35-76-02 had been destroyed; 35-76-03 had been destroyed; 35-76-04 had last been seen with Ertl in early 1977; 35-76-05 had last been seen with Fred Opert's team in early 1977; 35-76-06 had last been seen with Steve Millen in New Zealand in 1977; 35-76-07 was still with Jean Lachaud; 35-76-08 was still in Italy; 35-76-09 was on its way from Fredy Canin to Jean Lapierre; 35-76-10 was about to go from Iain McLaren to Bernard Hunter in Scotland; 35-76-11 was with Régis Péchaire; 35-76-12 and 35-76-14 were both racing in Japan; and the ex-ATS 35-76-15 was probably with Helmut Bross, at least for the first part of the season.
That means that two or three cars were missing at this stage: 35-76-04 in Germany; 35-76-05 probably in England; and 35-76-06 in New Zealand (if it hadn't been destroyed as reported).
There is an additional mystery car in 1978, the "B40" of Werner Ruckelshausen in Austrian national races. Due the lack of likely Chevron B40 candidates, this is more likely to be a B35, such as the ex-Ertl 35-76-04 or the ex-ATS 35-76-15 that was probably with Helmut Bross at the start of 1978.
Werner Ruckelshausen drove a Chevron "B40" in two Austrian national events at Salzburgring in 1978. His car was recorded as a Chevron B40 with BMW engine but may have been an older B35. Please please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com if you have any photographs of this car or information about either the car or Werner Ruckelshausen.
Driven by: Werner Ruckelshausen. First race: Salzburgring, 20 Aug 1978. Total of 2 recorded races.
Chevron B35s in 1979
Even less was known of the whereabouts of the B35s by 1979. Andy Barton's 35-76-01 had been destroyed in 1978; 35-76-02 and 35-76-03 had both been destroyed in 1977; 35-76-04 had last been seen with Ertl in early 1977; 35-76-05 had last been seen with Fred Opert's team in early 1977; 35-76-06 had last been seen with Steve Millen in New Zealand in 1977; 35-76-07 was with Jean Lachaud in France; 35-76-08 was still in Italy; 35-76-09 was with Jean Lapierre in France; 35-76-10 was with George McMillan in Scotland; 35-76-11 was with Henri-Paul Magnan in France; 35-76-12 was still racing in Japan; 35-76-14 was last seen in Japan at the end of 1978; and the ex-ATS 35-76-15, probably Helmut Bross's car, had not been seen since early 1978. André Chevalley's car, whatever it was, had not been seen since 1977.
Chevron B35s in the 1980s
To quickly recap the state of the B35 landscape at the start of 1980: 35-76-01, 35-76-02 and 35-76-03 had all been destroyed; 35-76-04 had last been seen with Ertl in early 1977; 35-76-05 had last been seen with Fred Opert's team in early 1977; 35-76-06 had last been seen with Steve Millen in New Zealand in 1977; 35-76-07 was with Marc Régal in French hillclimbs; 35-76-08 had last been seen in Italy in 1979; 35-76-09 was with Louis Kolly in French hillclimbs; 35-76-10 was in England; 35-76-11 was still with Henri-Paul Magnan in France; 35-76-12 was still racing in Japan; 35-76-14 was last seen in Japan at the end of 1978; and the ex-ATS 35-76-15, probably Helmut Bross's car, had not been seen since early 1978. André Chevalley's car, whatever it was, had not been seen since 1977.
Bernard Hazotte (Metz, Lorraine, France) raced a Chevron "B35" in the 1600cc class of French hillclimbs in 1980, 1981 and 1982 but a photograph of the car in Echappement in 1982 showed that it was an updated B29. It is likely to have been the "B29/35" (chassis B29-75-12) last seen when advertised by Ange-Marie Cheval in Echappement in October 1977.
Pat Gasquet on Autodiva recalls that JP Joussein and then JP Fogliarini ran a Chevron B35 with Cosworth engine in the 1980s. Of the four B35s known to have been in France at the start of that decade, we can probably discount three: 35-76-03 because it had been wrecked; 35-76-07 because its history is known through this period; and 35-76-11 because it was always called a "B37" and also because it is reported to have been destroyed by Michel Bruynaud. That leaves 35-76-09 as the most likely, the ex-Canin/Lapierre car last seen with Louis Kolly in 1982.
Also on 10 Tenths in January 2020, 'aumonier' recalled seeing Marc Peccolo, who died in 2015, driving "a Chevron B35 in a Formula 2 Historic race for the ACEMAI Trophy in 1999 at Spa". The car was said to be ex-Dolhem, so could have been the car owned a few years later by Christian Fischer.
Chevron B35s in historic racing
Steve Farrell bought a Chevron B35 on behalf of his brother Chris in Manchester c1991. It was said to be an ex-Opert/Rosberg car, indicating that it was 76-05 or 76-06, and was restored for the Farrells by Ken Thorogood. It was fitted with a Hart 420R engine and was sent back to Chris in Australia in 1992. It was raced regularly by Farrell in Australian historic racing between 1999 and 2005, and then in 2008 and 2009. Raced by Farrell in the Groups Q & R race at the Tasman Revival meeting at Sydney Motorsport Park in November 2012. Raced by Farrell at "Historic Queensland" in July 2016, but after snapping a half shaft the stationary Chevron was hit by John Barrum's Cheetah Mk5.
Oskar Christen (Bättwil, Switzerland) bought a Chevron B35 in France around 2005 that was described at the time as being chassis B35-76-05. The two B35s that had survived in French hillclimbs to the early 1980s were the two ex-ROC cars, 35-76-07 and 35-76-09, but it would appear that both of these can be traced to the present day, suggesting that Christen's car had to be one without a French period history. It was restored and raced for Christen by Christian Fischer in Historic F2 in 2005 and 2006. At some point around 2008 it was acquired from Christen by Hans Peter (Nebikon, Switzerland). In 2010/2011, it was being rebuilt by chief mechanic Heinz Hunziker with a rare ROC engine. Still with Hans Peter in May 2021.
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Chris Townsend, Tim Colman at Chevron, James Murray, Philippe Demeyer, Michael Ferner, Dan Rear, Bryan Miller, David McKinney, Jeremy Jackson, Simon Hadfield, Steve Wilkinson, James Murray, Chris Farrell, Kevan McLurg, George McMillan, Andy Barton Jr, Wisu Willimann, Jean Pierre Grosclaude, Damon Milnes, Ethan Shippert (and, via Ethan, Dave Vegher) and Harindra de Silva for their help with this topic.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
These histories last updated on .