Keke Rosberg Chevron B34 History Request

[Steve Holmes]

I love requests like this. This is what The Roaring Season was created for.

I recently received an email from Andrew Huxtable in the UK, with the following request regarding the Chevron B34 driven by Keke Rosberg in the 1977 New Zealand Formula Pacific international races:

"Hi I am currently racing what I think is the above car in the UK HSCC Derek Bell series, just wanted to post on the forum to see if anybody could help track the history?"

Here is a photo Andrew sent of the car he owns.

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[Steve Holmes]

The following is the history Andrew has amassed so far that I've copied and pasted from his email. He is hoping TRS members may have more info?

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[Steve Holmes]

This is a hugely important race car with significant New Zealand history. Hopefully there are members here who can assist Andrew to fill in the blanks.

[khyndart in CA]

Manfeild 1977. Peter Stuyvesant Formula Pacific race. Keke Rosberg #4 leads out from # 7 Tom Gloy.
(Another great Terry Marshali photo )

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[HUX]

[QUOTE=khyndart in CA;55387]Manfeild 1977. Peter Stuyvesant Formula Pacific race. Keke Rosberg #4 leads out from # 7 Tom Gloy.
(Another great Terry Marshali photo )

Fab photo thanks ....the more of these i get the easier it will be to get it painted up into the original colours for my 2017 season!

[BMCBOY]

Interesting that he ran different signwriting on the nose at Manfield.

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[khyndart in CA]

Ross,
Perhaps they were using parts from this spare car;

Keke Rosberg Chevron B34 [34-76-19] - Ford BDA Hart. (Only used in practice)

"Chevron B34 [34-76-19] (Keke Rosberg): Observed on Keijo Rosberg's spare car by Dave McKinney at Bay Park, 2 Jan 1977 and published NZMA 28 Jan 77 p6. Described by Fred Opert to McKinney as the car used by Juan Cochesa in North America, NZMA 28 Jan 77 p4. This suggests that the car is also the Opert team car run by Tom Bagley in the three races in the USA at the start of 1976 [Road Atlanta; Laguna Seca; Ontario MS]. A/S report of the Formula Atlantic race at Edmonton, 16 May 76, describes Cochesa's car there as ‘ex Bagley’. NZMA reports that the car is sold to Norm Lankshear immediately after the Peter Stuyvesant series. Chassis number noted by McKinney on Lankshear's car at Bay Park, 2 Jan 1978. [NZMA 20 Jan 78 p3.] Retained by Lankshear through to the end of 1981. Then sold to Bryan Hartley and used 1982 – 83."
(oldracingcars.com )


(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

Andy,
This site has some good photos for reference on the Chevron B 34 made next after yours. Chassis # 22.

http://www.rossiclassicracing.com/en/atelier/cars-1/chevron-b34-70/

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Plus this Roaring Season thread may have some useful info and photos.
http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?1044-Keke-Rosberg


(Ken Hyndman. )

[BMCBOY]

Ken, I have a similar photo of the Manfield start to that one of Terry Marshall's - we were probably standing next to each other. This is a shot of the field after lap 1 showing how far Rosberg had spread the field - only Tom Gloy was with him in the Tui.


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[BMCBOY]

Another interesting excerpt from Derek Gordon's book "Chevron - The Derek Bennett Story"


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[khyndart in CA]

Wonderful photos and information Ross.
Keke beat Tom Gloy by about 19 seconds after 54 laps at Manfield, so the Tui was a pretty quick car built and prepared by Alan McCall.

p.s. What was the "Colt" product back then ?
The Chevron is already advertising beer and cigarettes !
Imagine that on a race car today.


(Ken Hyndman )

[BMCBOY]

I am not exactly sure Ken, but "Colt" used to supply ventilation fans to the air conditioning industry and other commercial business's.
They probably had other products as well.

[HUX]

Again great shots of the car many thanks, looks like previous owners (Ken Smith and Andrew Higgins) still race in F5000 in NZ ....does anybody know them or have contacts to validate some history?

[HUX]

Interesting thanks, looks like he did have use of 2 cars....34-76-19 being used each time only in practice then Keke switched to 34-76-21 for the races!?

[HUX]

thanks ken 34-76-22 with the narrow nose and wing looks like F3 spec rather than F2

[HUX]

WOW some great stuff here thanks all, I will dig out some more pics of the car in action as it is currently

[HUX]

Interesting how low the roll hoop is back then, under modern day regs they made me extend it for obvious safety reasons! No all bad however we are one of the few classes than can run without silencers (no noise police) and after my year (1976) also you now have to adapt the cars to allow for Hans --FIA rules

[HUX]

She can be a hand full on old slicks! (Thruxton Circuit --Segrave corner) 38251

[HUX]

June 2011 just out of the workshop, all shiny and new after full restoration! 38252

[HUX]

B34 one-two at Silverstone (from autosport) 38253

[HUX]

lola v chevron .....donnington park upside down chevron ! 38254

[HUX]

Starting grid Oulton Park "Gold Cup" 38255

[seaqnmac27]

From Teretonga in 77 it appears to be Warsteiner
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[khyndart in CA]

lola v chevron .....donnington park upside down chevron ! 38254

So Andy,
Can you give us the results of the roll hoop test that you did here ?

( Ken Hyndman )

[HUX]

Actually it is not me thank God, the driver Jon Finch was ok but his car was pretty much a write off. This is the guy I had a great race against previously at Silverstone (see my other post regards autosport mag)

[Horizon]

How many cars (tubs) did Rosberg use while racing in NZ ? I know one car, possible two were sold to John Wigston in Auckland at the completion of the race series.
I remember seeing the car with most of the rivets missing from the floor pan !

[Steve Holmes]

How many cars (tubs) did Rosberg use while racing in NZ ? I know one car, possible two were sold to John Wigston in Auckland at the completion of the race series.
I remember seeing the car with most of the rivets missing from the floor pan !

Hi Tony, from what I understand, he raced a B34 in the 1977 season, and a B39 in the 1978 season. But I'm not sure if he just ran two chassis' or if there were more.

[rogered]

i recall seeing one of the Opert, rosberg cars on ebay (may have been 10 years ago) still with NZ scrutineers stickers on the tub

[Roger Dowding]

How many cars (tubs) did Rosberg use while racing in NZ ? I know one car, possible two were sold to John Wigston in Auckland at the completion of the race series.
I remember seeing the car with most of the rivets missing from the floor pan !

John Wigston ran a car in the AHCCNZ Hillclimb one year, is this one of the Chevrons.?? .these are from the mid late 1980's 85- 89

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[Rod Grimwood]

John has a ex Rosberg car, he would be the one to contact. I have contact for John. Hux email me your Contact (grimmie64@xtra.co.nz)
I think Cotter was only Bay Park and Puke, but don't quote.

[seaqnmac27]

Wigston had both the ex Rosberg B34 and the ex Campbell B39. Rosberg had his main chassis B34-21 and a spare B34-19, 19 is the one that eventually went, via Brendon Hartley to John Wigston. I believe

[BMCBOY]

I believe John still owns both the cars although they need some "remedial work" done to get them on the track again.
Here's a few shots I took of the cars at Otaua hillclimb in the mid 80"s. John was running a Kent crossflow engine at this stage, but it was still a very quick little car.

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[Rod Grimwood]

Johns daughter drove 1 and he drove the other. top photo is daughter i think

[HUX]

Hi All, these last sets of photos look like later chevron's (the B34 nose /bodywork is different ---flat across the front no bump) unless john was running custom bodywork. Anyway John and I are corresponding to try a resolve any confusion over the Opert B34 racecars, he is checking his tubs against mine.....will keep you advised. Again thanks for all the photos and info.
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[HUX]

Ok an update, John Wigston appears to have both the ex-Rosberg B34 and the ex-Campbell B39.

Keke Rosberg is said to have raced his main chassis B34-21 (but could this be B34-12, if John is correct, see below) and had a spare B34-19. John Wigston has stated that he has the following 3 chevrons…….

a) B34/19/76 (Keke Rosberg Car): 76/19 was a Fred Opert team car for Juan Cochesa and Rosberg in NZ 1977. Then sold to Norm Lankshear, Bryan Hartley, Ken Smith and then John Wigston.

b) B34/12/76 (Fred Opert team) car drivers unknown, spare car in NZ 1977.

c) B39/01/77 (ex-Campbell B39)

d) He understands my Chevron, bought from Higgins (NZ) was imported from Asia along with a March by Graham Simms. Then sold to Ken Smith (NZ), Andy Higgins (NZ), Dave Gathercole (UK), and Rod Stead (UK) then sold to Andy Huxtable (UK).

Regards my car B34/21/76 the investigation continues………..
a) We know Pocholo Ramirez had a B34 (described as ex Opert) used in S.E.Asian races for a long time, from 1977 to 1983). This is probably chassis 21.

b) From 1976 race reports Opert seems to have had at least four B34s in action in the US/Canada.
So more help please!….. Apparently Graham Simms is now in Canada. Can anybody assist with contact details as he may be able to clarify and provide further history/records on my B34??

The Race Records for Chevron B34 –76–21 (from old racing cars) suggest both José "Pocholo" Ramirez and Keke Rosberg are linked with this car.....but lets see?!?