Description:

• Rare genuine Chevron B16 with continuous history from new

• Very well documented with current FIA HTP valid until 2025

• Excellent period race history

• Totally race-ready with good spares

• Eligible for all sports car events such as Masters, Peter Auto's CER1 and Le Mans Classic

We are delighted to offer for sale this genuine and immaculate 1970 Chevron B16 chassis DBE15.

‘Only 23 Chevron B16s were built and today they are universally praised by their drivers for handling, performance, and - most elusive of all - an exceptionally graceful design. Indeed, the Chevron B16 is among the most svelte and sleek automobiles ever produced, right up there with the Lola T70 and Ferrari 330 P3/4.’ – Sports Car Market.

Unlike the greater majority of Britain’s racing car industry, which is located between London and the south midlands, Chevron hailed from Bolton in Lancashire. The company was founded by Manchester-born Derek Bennett, a talented engineer and successful racing driver in the Clubman’s category. His first car was the 1,172cc Ford-powered Bennett Special, which was followed by a one-off Formula Junior. The latter failed to match the success of Bennett’s Clubman’s car, for which there was sufficient demand for him to set up as a constructor in the mid-1960s. Nowadays Chevron is best remembered for its highly successful small-capacity sports and GT cars and its Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 500 single-seaters. A Formula 1 car was on the stocks at the time of Bennett’s tragic death in a hang-gliding accident in 1978, and although it was later completed, the company never progressed any further in motor racing’s premier category.

Chevron’s highly successful family of Gran Turismo cars commenced with the B3 of 1966. Powered, usually, by either BMW or Ford four-cylinder engines, these early cars established the fledgling company as a force to be reckoned with in international sports car racing’s 2-Litre class. Nearing the height of their success in 1969, Chevron introduced the incredible B16 at the Nürburgring 500km. The B16 would prove to be Chevron’s best creation yet; not only having breath-taking good looks but it also had the performance to match.

Featuring a design that was much more flowing and aerodynalically efficient than its predecessor, the B8, the B16 looks beautiful in the flesh. The fiberglass body was originally designed and conceived by Bennett and later refined by Jim Clark of Specialised Mouldings. Works driver Brian Redman won first time out in the B16, a mere 23 of which were manufactured during 1969/70.

Our B16 with chassis number DBE15 has continuous and well documented history from new. The current owner acquired the car in 2015 and has since participated in Masters Sports Cars in Spa, Zolder, Imola, Donington and Nürburgring as well as FHR 100 Miles Trophy in Hockenheim and Nürburgring. Its last race was the Oldtimer Grand Prix in August of this year.

This stunning B16 is in very tidy condition throughout and has been maintained without any expense spared. #DBE15 is 100% race-ready with everything current including a 2015 FIA HTP (valid until 2025). The BMW engine in the car has only seen 2.5 hours of running since its last rebuild in June 2018. This car needs nothing further to spend and comes with the following spares: a 2nd complete BMW engine, a silenced exhaust, 3 front and 3 rear wheels, a new nose and tail section (both lightweight) and miscellaneous running spares.

This is a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine, no-stories Chevron B16 which is eligible for all 70ies sports car races such as Peter Auto's CER1, Le Mans Classic and Masters World Sportscars.

With only 23 examples produced, rarely does a correct, original and excellent B16 come up for sale!  

History

Race History
Chevron Italia / Scuderia Nord Ovest
24/05/70: Salzburgring 300 Kms, Austria - E.Tondelli, Heat 1-Rtd, Heat 2-7th
21/06/70: Corse al Santuario di Graglia, Italy - #346 - E.Tondelli - 2nd in class
29/06/70: Salsomaggiore-Monte San Antonio, Italy - #434 - E.Tondelli - 3rd in class
12/07/70: Corsa Cesana-Sestriere, Italy - #460 - E.Tondelli - 11th (5m39.800s)
19/07/70: Mugello GP, Italy - #16 - E.Tondelli/T.Hezemans - 18th (gearbox)
23/08/70: Trofeo Valle Camonica, Malegno-Borno - #458 - E.Tondelli - 2nd in class
25/10/70: Coppa AC Torino, Monza - #512 - E.Tondelli - DNF
Frank Aston
14/03/71: Silverstone, NSCC Formula Libre - #144 - F.Aston - 5th
20/03/71: Silverstone, Sports & GT - F.Aston - 2nd (10 laps)
31/05/71: Kennick Trophy, Castle Combe - F.Aston - 6th
12/06/71: Slhelsey Walsh, Hillclimb - F.Aston 
20/06/71: RAF Goydon, Sprint - F.Aston 
04/09/71: Nevast Trophy, Silverstone - F.Aston - 3rd
18/09/71: Silverstone, Formula Libre - F.Aston 
08/07/72: Caldwell Park, Sports & Modpsorts - F.Aston - pole position

Ownership History
70: Eris Tondelli, Chevron Cars Italia, Italy
official Italian importer for Chevron cars
1970 - raced by Eris Tondelli and once by Toine Hezemans
71: Frank Aston, UK
1971 - raced, sprinted and hill-climbed by Aston
1972 - raced once when B19 was unavailable
78: Hans-Werner Schwab-Pepperhoff, Essen, Germany
81: Jurgen Hasse, Hamburg, Germany
historic racer
86: Gerard Burggraaf, Belgium
26/09/94: Jan Brunstedt, Nordic Aero Ltd, Gatwick Airport, London, UK
FIA Papers issued 16/02/95
painted in “Gulf” livery
17/12/98: Sylvain Stepack, Ecurie de Villeneuve lez Avignon, France
raced in historics 1999
painted in “Gulf” livery
00: Anthony Stephen Thompson, Melton Mowbray, Leicester, UK
historic racer
22/03/01: Sylvain Stepack, Ecurie de Villeneuve lez Avignon, France
painted in “Gulf” blue/orange livery
winner 2001 Deux Tours d’Horloge, Paul Ricard
driven by Andruet, Stepack and Autajon
01/08/01: Jon Minshaw, Demon Tweeks, Wrexham, Wales
painted in “Gulf” blue/orange livery
raced in historics 2003 to 2005
raced 2003 Le Mans Legends
March ‘06: offered for sale with Taylor & Crawley
10: Simon Tate, UK
painted pale blue with white centre stripe
raced in historics 2010
05/11: Wolf Zweifler (Germany) & Tommaso Gelmini (Italy)
raced in historics 2011-2015
painted blue/yellow Tondelli livery
16: Current owner
raced in historics 2016-2019