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£ 245,000

Chevron B8 chassis DBE-56 - SOLD

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Description:

Chevron B8 chassis DBE-56

 

  • The ex-Barrie Smith, ex-David Purely, Danish Grand Prix winning & Targa Florio Chevron B8
  • Stellar race history with 8 overall victories and 15 class wins just in 1968 alone
  • Sold in excellent, race-ready condition with preparation by RW Racing Services
  • Comes with its original chassis (including Arch frame number) and body parts 
  • Eligible for all sports car events such as Masters, Peter Auto's CER1, Le Mans Classic, etc.

 

We have the pleasure to offer the ex-Barrie Smith, ex-David Purely Danish Grand Prix winning & Targa Florio Chevron B8 for sale.

This Chevron B8, chassis DBE-56, is the car British club racer Barrie Smith used to great effect during 1968. Barrie had originally planned in building up a Lotus based Mercury GT, but figured the build was beyond his means, so instead contacted Derek Bennett at Chevron Cars and placed an order for a B8 which was built-up in double quick time. Painted dark blue and fitted with a Vegantune 1600cc Ford Twin-Cam and entered under the Avalon Racing banner, Barrie raced DBE-56 in 23 events in a little over 4 months from June ’68 through to early October.

He won 8 races outright, including the Danish GP, as well as finishing 2nd nine times, 3rd four times, and taking 15 class wins in the process. He only failed to finish twice, but did win the Tootal GT Championship. Barrie replaced the car for 1969 with another Chevron B8 and sold DBE-56 to David Purley who was moving into the prototype class after previously racing a Cobra in the GT class.

Although still competitive in club racing and quick enough, Purley had a somewhat fraught season with the Chevron due to a myriad of engine problems, including two expensive blow-ups which necessitated a switch to a 2000cc BMW unit mid-season. Despite this, he did manage to achieve limited success in the “Motoring News” GT championship achieving a win at Castle Combe, a 2nd place at Brands Hatch, a 3rd at Mallory Park and 3 class wins. After only racing the B8 twice in 1970 David sold the car in 1971 to club racers John Raffo and Roy Seddon.

By now though, the B8 was somewhat venerable and outclassed by the newer B16 and B19 models and was only raced half-a-dozen times, including the ’71 Targa Florio where the pair managed to finish despite running out of fuel on the far side of the circuit and losing time whilst a local fetched a petrol can and enough fuel for the car to make it back to the pits. DBE-56 then sat unused for the greater part of 1972 until being bought for £850 by British salon car racer Dave Brodie in November of that year. Dave took the car all the way to the Caribbean for a couple of end-of-season races which were offering good start and prize money. Dave won at the South Dakota circuit in Guyana and finished second at Bushy Park in Barbados. Dave then sold the B8 to local rally driver Mike Mahon for £1400. Mahon doesn’t appear to have raced the B8 before selling it to another local by the name of Haynes, who also apparently didn’t race the car, instead leaving it abandoned in an old chicken shed.

In dilapidated “shed”-condition but with its original chassis and bodywork still showing the 1972 “Brodie livery”, DBE-56 was brought back to the UK in the early 80ies by Chris Smith who kept all the original parts until 2009 when they were bought by the current UK owner. A full rebuild on a new chassis was subsequently undertaken by Kelvin Jones and Paul Smallcorn after which DBE-56 made its re-appearance on the (historic) racing scene where it has been looked after by renowned preparer Richard Wallbyoff of RW Racing Services until today.

This exceptional Chevron B8 is sold in excellent, race-ready condition with a current FIA HTP and good spares including wheels and silenced exhaust. The Lester Owen BMW engine has only 6 hours running. It only needs a fire extinguisher update and new belts which the seller will be happy to provide. The original chassis plate is with the car as is the original chassis (with Arch frame number) and all body parts as recovered by Smith from Barbados (see pictures). Last but not least, DBE-56 also comes with an extensive (200+ pages) history file.

This is a rare opportunity to buy an historically significant Chevron B8 with a clean and proven “5 star” race record which is ready to be enjoyed by its new owner in any of the many historic races it is eligible for.  

 

 

History

 

Ownership History:

06/68: Barrie Smith, Avalon Garage, High Street, Garlinge, Thanet, Kent, UK

  • painted dark blue
  • fitted with Vegantune Ford Twin-Cam 1600cc 4C
  • entered by Avalon Racing
  • 1968 - raced by Barrie Smith
  • raced in 23 events - won 8 races - 15 class wins
  • finished second 9 times - finished third 4 times

03/69: David Purley, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, UK

  • sponsored by Lec Refrigeration
  • 1969 - raced by David Purley
  • originally raced with Vegantune Ford Twin-Cam 1600cc 4C
  • Aug ’69 - re-engined with BMW 2000cc 4C
  • won 1 race, finished 2nd once, finished 3rd once
  • 3 class wins
  • raced only twice in 1970 including BOAC 1000 Kms

03/71: John Raffo, Guilford, UK

  • repainted red - raced 7 times in 1971
  • driven by Roy Seddon, John & Peter Raffo
  • raced 1971 Targa Florio

10/72: David Brodie, Harrow, Greater London, UK

  • purchased for £850
  • entered by BOAC Team Speedbird
  • 1972 - raced twice at South Dakota, Guyana & Bushy Park, Barbados
  • sold for £1400

01/73: Mike Mahon, Barbados

  • local rally driver - B8 apparently never raced
  • mid 70s: Mr Haynes, Barbados
  • never used - abandoned in a chicken shed
    early 80s: Chevron Cars, Bolton, UK

Early 80s: Chris Smith (UK)

  • recovered and imported back to the UK and placed in dry storage

10/09: Current owner (UK)

  • restored in 2010 by Kevin Jones & Paul Smallcorn - painted dark blue
  • raced in historics - prepared by RW Racing Services Ltd.

 

Race History:
Avalon Racing
02/06/68: Brands Hatch, Tootal GT, #82, B.Smith - 1st * 10 laps
03/06/68: Snetterton, BRSCC Libre, #86, B.Smith - 2nd 8 laps
03/06/68: Snetterton, Tootal GT, #86, B.Smith - 2nd * 8 laps
09/06/68: Brands Hatch, Special GT & Prodsports, B.Smith - 2nd 10 laps
23/06/68: Silverstone, Motoring News GT, #114, B.Smith - 2nd * 15 laps
13/07/68: Oulton Park, Tootal GT, B.Smith - 1st * 10 laps
14/07/68: Mallory Park, Special GT, #136, B.Smith - 2nd 10 laps
20/07/68: Lydden, Special GT & Prodsports - B.Smith - 1st * 12 laps
20/07/68: Lydden, Sports Racing & GT - B.Smith - 1st * 12 laps
21/07/68: Brands Hatch, Special GT, #66, B.Smith - 2nd * 15 laps
28/07/68: Mallory Park, Tootal GT, #133, B.Smith - 3rd * 12 laps
03/08/68: Crystal Palace, GT - B.Smith - 2nd 10 laps
04/08/68: Thruxton, Motoring News GT, #225, B.Smith - 3rd 8 laps
11/08/68: Mallory Park, Tootal GT, #134, B.Smith - 2nd * 30 laps
25/08/68: Danish GP, Jyllandsring, #21, B.Smith - 1st * 40 laps
31/08/68: Lubysil Trophy, Silverstone, #216, B.Smith - 3rd * 20 laps
31/08/68: Pontins Trophy, Silverstone, #216, B.Smith - 2nd 10 laps
02/09/68: Snetterton, Tootal GT, #157, B.Smith - 1st * 15 laps
02/09/68: Snetterton, F Libre, #157 B.Smith - 1st * 10 laps
14/09/68: Crystal Palace, Motoring News GT - B.Smith - Rtd 1 lap
22/09/68: Brands Hatch, Special GT, #99, B.Smith - 1st * 10 laps
29/09/68: Brands Hatch, Tootal GT - B.Smith - 3rd * 10 laps
13/10/68: Preis von Tirol – Innsbruck - Vienna, #24, B.Smith Rtd (spun)
Lec Refrigeration
09/03/69: Mallory Park, GT - D.Purley 6th
05/04/69: Rufforth, Special GT - D.Purley - DNA did not arrive
04/05/69: Thruxton, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - 6th * 12 laps
10/05/69: Castle Combe, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - 1st * 10 laps
18/05/69: Brands Hatch, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - DNS (practice crash)
26/05/69: Thruxton, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - DNS (engine)
01/06/69: Silverstone, GT - D.Purley - Rtd spun
08/06/69: Mallory Park, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - 3rd * 10 laps
15/06/69: Silverstone, Sports Racing & GT - D.Purley - DNA did not arrive
29/06/69: Dixon Cade Trophy, Brands Hatch - D.Purley - Rtd (oil pressure)
12/07/69: Castle Combe, Sports Racing & GT - D.Purley - Rtd (blown engine)
17/08/69: Mallory Park, STP GT - D.Purley - DNS oil leak
24/08/69: Silverstone, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - DNA did not arrive
31/08/69: Oulton Park, STP GT & Prodsports - D.Purley - Rtd (engine)
07/09/69: Brands Hatch, Motoring News GT - D.Purley - 2nd 10 laps
13/09/69: BRS Trophy, Crystal Palace - D.Purley - Rtd (engine)
21/09/69: Wessex Trophy, Thruxton - D.Purley - 4th 20 laps
28/09/69: Silverstone, Special GT - D.Purley - 5th 14 laps
05/10/69: Mallory Park, Motoring News GT, #47, D.Purley - Rtd (engine)
30/03/70: Embassy Trophy, Thruxton, #22, D.Purley - Rtd (overheating)
12/04/70: BOAC 1000 Kms, Brands Hatch, #24, D.Purley/C.Skeaping - Rtd (oil pipe)
John Raffo
14/03/71: Thruxton, Castrol MNGT - P.Raffo - 6th 8 laps
20/03/71: Oulton Park, Sports & Special GT, #113, R.Seddon - Rtd (electrics)
04/04/71: Silverstone, Castrol MNGT, #219, J.Raffo - 14th
09/04/71: Oulton Park, RAC British, #77, R.Seddon - 8th 17 laps
12/04/71: Thruxton, RAC British - R.Seddon - 12th 21 laps
16/05/71: Targa Florio – Italy, #35, R.Seddon/J.Raffo 38th 8 laps
05/06/71: Martini Trophy, Silverstone, #52, R.Seddon - DNA (reserve)
10/07/71: Jock Leith Trophy, Croft, #31, R.Seddon - DNS (did not start)
08/08/71: Croft, Castrol MNGT, J.Raffo - DNA did not arrive
BOAC Team Speedbird
05/11/72: South Dakota, Guyana, #92, D.Brodie - 2nd
19/11/72: Bushy Park, Barbados, #92, D.Brodie - 1st
* = including class win

 




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