Chevron B17c car-by-car histories
Reine Wisell in the works Chevron B17c Formula 2 car during practice for the Eifelrennen at Nürburgring in April 1970. Copyright Raimund Kommer (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike). Used with permission.
Chevron ventured back into F2 in 1970 with the new Chevron B17c, to be driven by Reine Wisell, Chevron's works F3 driver the previous season. Like the B10 before it, the B17c was a flop. However, a second example was sold into Formule Libre where it dominated the season.
Reine Wisell had been one of the top European F3 drivers in 1969 with the works Chevron B15 and had cemented his reputation with a fine victory in the Formula B race at Sebring in December 1969. Chevron's new 1970 F3 B17 sold well and the works also built a F2 version, named the B17c, in which Wisell could step up to Formula 2. Wisell's season started badly and got worse and by mid-season he had moved into Formula 5000, replacing Peter Gethin in Sid Taylor's McLaren M10B after the Englishman was given a berth in the McLaren F1 team. Wisell seized this opportunity, winning three races that autumn, but this merely emphasised how poor the B17C must have been. Meanwhile, a second B17c had been built for libre racer Steve Thompson and he dominated the 1970 BOC Formula Libre championship.
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Uwe Jantzen's Chevron B17C. Copyright Steve Quinton 2015. Used with permission.
A works entry for Reine Wisell (Motala, nr. Linkoping, Sweden) in Formula 2 in 1970 but completely unsuccessful. Also raced once by fellow Swedish F3 driver Gustaf Dieden at Mantorp Park in August. Acquired by Bobby Howlings and raced in a new libre races in 1971, still with its FVA engine. Then unknown until 1974 when it was owned by Uwe Jantzen (Bridgend, Wales) and used in libre and speed events. It reportedly had been bought as "ex-Wisell" and still had a FVA engine, but a Vegantune 1600cc engine was also reported. In 1975, Jantzen fitted a 1970cc Smuth FVC engine. Advertised less engine by Jantzen in April 1976. Bobby Howlings again advertised the "ex-Wisell" B17C in 1978 and it was then observed still with a FVA engine in libre at Brands Hatch with Tony Pollock (Winnersh, Berkshire) in December 1980. Raced by Len Bridge (Basingstoke, Hampshire) in the HSCC Pre-71 F2 series in 1985, advertised by Andreason Racing in December 1985, and then raced by Stephen Davis in historic racing from 1986 to 1988. Retained by Davis until 2021. Restored for him by Nick Overall and then sold via Overall to David Andrews (Dorset) in 2021.
Driven by: Reine Wisell, Gustaf Dieden, Bobby Howlings and Uwe Jantzen. First race: Thruxton (R1), 30 Mar 1970. Total of 10 recorded races.
Philip Sandwith hillclimbing his Chevron B17c in the 1970s. Copyright Philip Sandwith 2015. Used with permission.
Martin Bullock in his Chevron B17C at Hampton Downs in January 2010. Copyright Nigel Watts 2014. Used with permission.
Bought by Steve Thompson (Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire) for libre racing, fitted with a 1.8-litre Cosworth FVC engine. Hugely successful in libre in 1970, winning at least 14 races. The car was sold less engine to motorcycle racer Frank Mumford (Nottingham) for Formula Atlantic in 1971, and this is presumably the "Frank Ford" and "Frank Lord" entered in a blue B17C for a couple of races in August 1971. Then to Alex Seldon (Churt, Surrey) and fitted with a Cosworth BDA in early 1972 but again no record yet found of a race start. Almost certainly the B17c sponsored by Romans of Woking and entered for Malcolm Brown at Brands Hatch in November 1972 and later raced by Richard Leech (Guildford, Surrey) in a Castle Combe libre race in April 1973, then driven by Brown at Brands Hatch in August 1973. Advertised by Deryck Cook (Brookwood, Surrey), who was also sponsored by Romans of Woking, in August 1973 and March 1974 when it had a 1600cc Ford twin cam and a FT200 gearbox. Next seen when bought from Spencer Elton (Westbury, Wiltshire) by Philip Sandwith (Guernsey) in autumn 1974. Phil fitted a development Holbay twin cam engine and used the car in hillclimbs from 1975 until 1978, taking numerous class records. He retained the car until spring 1983 when it was sold to GuernseyBus. Run by garage manager Mike le Cras (Guernsey) at Le Val des Terres in July 1983. Later acquired by Chevron Cars who sold it back to Seldon in 1983 or 1985. Then to Richard Budge 1990, to Rob Harvey 2000, to Ray Davies 2003, to Martin Bullock (Perth, Western Australia) 2007. Bullock broight the car back to the UK to race in HSCC Historic Formula 2 events from 2013 to 2019, fitted with a Richardson FVA engine. Sold by Bullock in 2022 to former hillclimber Chris Merrick (Stroud, Gloucestershire). Raced by Merrick at the 2022 and in the HSCC Historic Formula 2 Trophy in 2023. Advertised by Merrick in February 2024.
Driven by: Steve Thompson, Frank Mumford, Richard Leach, Malcolm Brown and Phil Sandwith. First race: Castle Combe, 13 Jun 1970. Total of 20 recorded races.
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