Modus M3 car-by-car histories
Tony Brise in his first Formula Atlantic Modus at Oulton Park on 27 May 1974. Copyright Alan Cox 2010. Used with permission.
Built for Formula Atlantic from 1974 to 1976, the Modus M3 took Tony Brise to the 1975 John Player British Formula Atlantic Championship. Modus M3s quickly spread to Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Hong Kong and the United States.
Team Modus was set up by former saloon car driver and property developer Teddy Savory in 1973 to run Mo Harness in F3, first with an Ensign and later with a March 733. The company was named after and sponsored by Savory's property company Modus Homes. Later in the season, designer Jo Marquart joined from GRD to design the Modus M1, a very conventional car intended for multiple junior formulae, starting with F3. The car had a straightforward monocoque with highly conventional suspension involving double wishbones and outboard spring/damper units both front and rear. Bob Arnott put the prototype Modus M1 on pole position for its first race, and although Arnott never won a race, Tony Brise gave the marque its first victory in a works Formula Atlantic car in September and Danny Sullivan added a first F3 victory the next month. Jörg Obermoser, who had been a customer of Marquart at GRD in 1973, ordered Modus for both Formula Super Vee and F3, contributing significantly to Modus sales.
Modus built cars for F3 (Modus M1), Formula Super Vee (M2), Formula Atlantic (M3), Formula 2 (M4), Formula 5000 (M5) and Formule Renault Europe (M6) in 1974 and 1975, but all had very similar monocoques and similar bodywork. All the cars were numbered in a single sequence. F3 and Formula Atlantic cars were virtually interchangeable, as both used Hewland's MK 9 gearbox instead of the FT200 more normally used in Formula Atlantic, and both used the smaller F3 wheels, so all that had to be done was replace the F3 Ford twin cam with a BDA. This page is nominally about the Modus M3, but includes all the cars that had significant Formula Atlantic connections, such as Tony Brise's first car, widely reported as an M1, not an M3, and the team's M4 in 1976, which was described as a Formula Atlantic car with a F2 rear end.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have further photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
Tom Walkinshaw in his Modus M3 at Brands Hatch in July 1974, where it was wearing new sidepods "tapered at both ends". Copyright Gerald Swan 2017. Used with permission.
New to Tom Walkinshaw (Wembley, London) and raced in the 1974 British Formula Atlantic series, using Racing Services BDA engines and sponsored by Shellsport. Wrecked at Brands Hatch in July 1974 and not seen again.
This car is likely to have formed the basis of Walkinshaw's Modus M5 later in the season.
Driven by: Tom Walkinshaw. First race: Oulton Park (R5), 5 May 1974. Total of 4 recorded races.
Tony Brise in his Modus M3 at Mallory Park in June 1974. Copyright Rich Harman 2009. Used with permission.
Tony Brise in his Modus M3 at Mallory Park in October 1974. Copyright Alan Cox 2010. Used with permission.
New in May 1974 for Tony Brise to drive as a works Team Modus entry in Formula Atlantic in 1974. Brise won at Mondello Park and Brands Hatch in September, but then crashed in the warm up at Oulton Park on 6 October, again in practice at Mallory Park a week later, and, after repairs had been made, crashed more heavily at the Esses during the race. He did not appear again that season, suggesting the car was beyond repair.
Driven by: Tony Brise. First race: Oulton Park (R5), 5 May 1974. Total of 10 recorded races.
Tony Brise in his Modus M3 at Snetterton in March 1975. Copyright Ted Walker 2010. Used with permission.
New for the 1975 season for Tony Brise to drive as a works Team Modus entry in Formula Atlantic in 1975, focusing on the John Player championship. Brise was dominant, winning eight of his first nine starts. Wrecked in an accident in practice for the Brands Hatch round in July.
Driven by: Tony Brise. First race: Brands Hatch (R1), 2 Mar 1975. Total of 11 recorded races.
John Nicholson in the "ex-Gygax" Modus M3 at Oulton Park on 4 October 1975. Copyright Alan Cox 2010. Used with permission.
John Nicholson in the "ex-Gygax" Modus M3 at Thruxton on 12 October 1975. Copyright Andrew Scriven 2010. Used with permission.
Raced by Tony Brise at Monaco in May 1975, where Autosport described it as "his converted Atlantic Modus", but it's unclear when he would have raced it as a Formula Atlantic. He was second fastest in practice but eliminated by an accident when challenging for the lead. The car was repaired and converted to Formula Atlantic specification for Rüdi Gygax to drive in the British GP support race at Silverstone in July, where Autosport described it as "the ex-Brise Monaco F3 chassis". Gygax crashed in practice and did not start. Modus production records describe chassis 020 as the Gygax car. This car is then likely to be the car raced by Tim Brise as a works Team Modus entry at Silverstone in early August. After that, the car was loaned to John Nicholson - described as the works-loaned ex-Gygax car - and built up for him by mechanic Dave Price. Nicholson raced the car three times in October 1975, with his usual Pinch Plant Ltd sponsorship.
Driven by: Tony Brise, Rüdi Gygax, Tim Brise and John Nicholson. First race: Monte Carlo (R3), 10 May 1975. Total of 5 recorded races.
Tony Brise in his Modus M3 at Mallory Park in August 1975. Copyright Alan Cox 2010. Used with permission.
New in August 1975 season for Tony Brise to drive as a works Team Modus entry in Formula Atlantic, replacing his wrecked chassis 009. Brise was not racing for the Embassy Hill team in F1, so only raced the Modus four times. Danny Sullivan drove the car at Oulton Park race in October, as Brise was at the US GP, but he crashed in practice and did not start. For Dick Parsons at Thruxton, when Brise was racing in the F5000 Long Beach GP but he also failed to start. Brise drove the car a final time at Brands Hatch on 19 October. The car was then hired by David Purley for the Macau Grand Prix in mid-November.
Driven by: Tony Brise, Danny Sullivan, Dick Parsons and David Purley. First race: Snetterton (R5), 10 Aug 1975. Total of 6 recorded races.
Dave Charlton in his Modus M3 at Kyalami in 1976. Copyright David Pearson (motoprint.co.za) 2012. Used with permission.
Kevin Stopford in his Modus M3 at Kyalami in 1977. Copyright David Pearson (motoprint.co.za) 2024. Used with permission.
New to Scribante Racing for Dave Charlton to race in South African Formula Atlantic in 1976, sponsored by the United Tobacco Company's Lucky Strike brand. Charlton acquired a new March 76B mid-season, and the Modus was taken over by Kevin Stopford for the rest of 1976. Retained by Stopford for 1977 and thought to have been wrecked that season. Components from this car were acquired by the Domingos to assist in the rebuild of their own Modus M3. The monocoque from Stopford's car has been repaired and was reportedly still in South Africa in 2019. Still in South Africa in August 2024.
Driven by: Dave Charlton and Kevin Stopford. First race: Killarney (R1), 24 Jan 1976. Total of 17 recorded races.
Norman Dickson in his Modus M3 at Ingliston in April 1976. Copyright Colin Lourie 2024. Used with permission.
Des Donnelly in Gerry Kinnane's Modus M3 at Donington Park in April 1978. Copyright Alan Cox 2024. Used with permission.
New to Dicksons of Perth, and entered for Norman Dickson to drive with sponsorship from British Caledonian Airways in the Indylantic Championship, the ShellSPORT Group 8 series and in libre racing. The Nicholson BDA engine was swapped for 1970cc Swindon BDX engine for the Group 8 series, and Dickson also used this engine for the Ingliston Formule Libre series. Sold to Gerry Kinnane for 1977, and fitted with a Swindon BDA for Des Donnelly to drive in the Irish Formula Atlantic. Retained by Kinnane for Donnelly in 1978. Retained by Kinnane again for 1979 and driven by Patsy McGarrity, using Fred Smith BDA engines. Subsequent history unknown but David Plunkett recalls that McGarrity crashed the car. It is believed to have been rebuilt using the monocoque from M3/048, and thereafter took the identity of the donor tub. This means that M3/025 has effectively ceased to exist. Some remaining suspension parts may have been used on George Scott's Scottclimber Special hillclimb car.
Driven by: Norman Dickson, Des Donnelly and Patsy McGarrity. First race: Croft, 7 Mar 1976. Total of 49 recorded races.
Richard Scott in his Modus M3 at Brands Hatch in 1976. Copyright Ted Walker 2023. Used with permission.
Mike Nugent in his Modus M3 at Donington Park in April 1978. Copyright Alan Cox 2024. Used with permission.
New to Dicksons of Perth, and entered for Richard Scott to drive with sponsorship from Fife & Kinross Motor Auctions in the Indylantic Championship, the ShellSPORT Group 8 series and in libre racing. The Nicholson BDA engine was swapped for 1970cc Swindon BDX engine for the Group 8 series, and Dickson also used this engine for the Ingliston Formule Libre series. Sold to Gerry Kinnane for 1977, and fitted with a Swindon BDA for Mike Nugent to drive in the Irish Formula Atlantic. Whether Kinnane continued to own this car is unclear. For Nugent again in 1978. To Tyrrell Arnold late 1979, and retained for 1980. It was then sold to Patrick Plunkett (Dublin, Ireland). Marcus Pye reports that Plunkett crashed it very heavily on The Corkscrew hillclimb, at Ballyalban, County Clare, in the 1980s. He still the wreck in 2003, and still intended to start rebuilding it. Still owned by his son David Plunkett in June 2024.
Driven by: Richard Scott, Mike Nugent and Tyrrell Arnold. First race: Mallory Park (UK R1), 21 Mar 1976. Total of 50 recorded races.
Patrick Meschia in his Modus M3 at Boyeux-St-Jérôme in July 1978. Copyright Denis Briot 2016. Used with permission.
New to Roland Salomon (Riedbach, Switzerland) and fitted with a 1600cc engine, presumably a BDA, for the Swiss national championship. Used in all rounds of the series, wining the 1600cc class at least six times. To Patrick Meschia for 1977, when it was used in Swiss, French and European hillclimbs. Retained by Meschia for French hillclimbs in 1978, when it used a 2000cc engine. To Nestor Carrier and raced in the 1600cc class of French hillclimbs until 1982 at least. Subsequent history unknown, but this car was advertised by www.carclassic.com in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2003.
Driven by: Roland Salomon, Patrick Meschia and Nestor Carrier. First race: Dijon-Prenois (R2), 2 May 1976. Total of 38 recorded races.
New to Lynn Bentson (Las Vegas, NV) and used in the IMSA and Players (Canadian) Formula Atlantic series in 1976. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: Lynn Bentson. First race: Laguna Seca (R2), 2 May 1976. Total of 5 recorded races.
Phil Sharp in his Modus M3 at the Croft Indylantic race in May 1976. Copyright Will Picken 2020. Used with permission.
New to expat Kiwi Philip Sharp (Colnbrook, Berkshire) for the 1976 Indylantic series. The car was built up by Sharp at Dave Price Racing and the chassis may previously have been used as a F3 development car. Sharp also raced it in ShellSPORT Group 8 races, and rented by Derek Daly for the Phoenix Park Formula Atlantic race in September. Then taken by Sharp to New Zealand for the Formula Pacific series in January 1977, but crashed in practice for Bay Park and crashed again at Pukekohe. Sold to Steve Emson who rebuilt it and raced it at Wigram. Raced by Emson in the 1977/78 New Zealand Gold Star but crashed heavily at Timaru in October 1977 and effectively wrote the car off. A new tub was built locally and Emson raced it in the 1978 Internationals but was still injured from the Timaru accident. Later sold to Robin Irving who raced it from 1980 to 1982. According to Graham Vercoe's Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand, Irving sold it to Gary Devon, after which it went to Kenny Smith, then Dennis Thompson, then back to Kenny Smith again, all by 1991. In 1991, it was acquired by Vivian King (Sydney, Australia), restored, and raced in historic events. Advertised by King in 2002. Raced by King at Shannons Eastern Creek in September 2003.
Driven by: Philip Sharp, Derek Daly, Steve Emson and Robin Irving. First race: Brands Hatch (R4), 6 Jun 1976. Total of 27 recorded races.
Built in mid-1976 for Ian Grob to race in Formula 2 instead of the unsuccessful new Modus M7. The new car consisted of a Formula Atlantic chassis with a Formula 2 rear end and was designated M4, although it was little different to the cars then being run by in Group 8 by Norman Dickson and Richard Scott. Raced by Grob at Mugello, Enna-Pergusa and Estoril, but near the back of the grid at the last two of these. Grob then raced it in the ShellSPORT Group 8 race at Brands Hatch on August Bank Holiday Monday, where he qualified tenth in a huge field of 36, but crashed on the opening lap of the race. Much larger fields arrived for the last two F2 races of the season, at Nogaro and Hockenheim, and Grob was well off qualifying pace. The monocoque from this car (numbered "048-3-76") somehow ended up in Ireland where it was used to rebuild M3/025 in 1979 or 1980. The resulting car took the identity of 048. According to Marcus Pye, it was sold via dealer Brian McGinley (Northern Ireland) and after at least two more owners was owned by David Marsh (Bingley, Yorkshire). It was offered for sale on his behalf by Jim and Richard Evans (Yorkshire) in the late 1990s. By 2003, Marcus believed it was owned by Martin Brockhouse (Leeds, Yorkshire).
Driven by: Ian Grob. First race: Mugello (R8), 11 Jul 1976. Total of 4 recorded races.
Modus M3s and associated cars in 1974
The first Modus was an M1 for Bob Arnott to drive in F3, and the second an M2 for Peter Scharmann in European FSV. The first Modus to appear in Formula Atlantic were the cars of Tom Walkinshaw (chassis 003-FA) and Tony Brise in what was very probably the fourth Modus built, but whether it was chassis 004-FA or 004-F3 isn't known. Both of these appeared in May 1974. Chassis 006-F3 followed for Tony Brise to drive at Monaco, and these were the only Modus to appear in 1974. The next two cars, M1 007-F3 and M2 008-SV, were both exported to Jorg Obermoser in Germany, but did not race until 1975.
Modus M3s in 1975
Of the six Modus built in 1974, chassis 003, 004 and 005 had all been wrecked in accidents. Chassis 001-F3, driven primarily by Bob Arnott and Ivor Goodwin in F3 in 1974, was sold to Peter Clark for F3 in 1975; chassis 002-SV continued to race in FSV; and 006-F3 was sold to Dick Parsons for F3.
A further 17 Modus were built and raced during 1975. These were 007-F3, 013-F3, 014-F3, 015-F3, 016-F3, 020-F3 and 023-F3 for F3; 008-SV, 012-SV, 017-SV and 018-SV for FSV; 009-FA and 022-FA for Formula Atlantic; 010 and 019 for FRE; 011 to F2 specification for hillclimbs; and 021 for F5000. Of these 17, ten are a problem for another day: the four F3 Modus that had gone to Germany (007-F3, 013-F3, 015-F3 and 016-F3), the four FSV cars (008-SV, 012-SV, 017-SV and 018-SV) and the two FRE cars (010 and 019). Also the hillclimb Modus M4H (011) will be covered elsewhere, and the short-lived F5000 car is on the Modus M5 page.
Of the three F3 cars that stayed in the UK: 014-F3 was raced by Danny Sullivan in British F3, 020-F3 was raced by Brise at Monaco before becoming a Formula Atlantic car, and 023-F3 was for Eddie Cheever in British F3. The two Formula Atlantic cars 009-FA and 022-FA were both built for Tony Brise.
Four further cars were built at the end of 1975 but only raced for the first time in 1976: 024-FA, 025-FA, 026-SV, 027-FA.
Modus M3s in 1976
It is worth looking back at the three surviving 1974 cars before moving on to the fates of the 1975 cars. Peter Clark's 001-F3 was missing during 1976 but was used by Dud Moseley to create a S2000 Motus in 1977; 002-SV presumably continued in FSV in Germany; and Dick Parsons 006-F3 was fitted with a Neil Brown Triumph Dolomite engine and remained in F3 in 1976 before moving to the US in 1977 for Formula C with Mike Rand.
Of the 17 Modus built and raced in 1975, ten are a story for another day (the four F3 Modus that to Germany, the four FSV cars, and the two FRE cars), and the hillclimb Modus M4H and the F5000 Modus M5 have their own pages. Of the two F3 cars that had stayed in British F3: Danny Sullivan's 014-F3 was not seen after 1975, and Eddie Cheever's 023-F3 went to John Lain for British F3 in 1976. Of the three cars used in Formula Atlantic, 009-FA was wrecked in mid-1975 which left 020-F3 and 022-FA intact. Exactly what happened to these two is unresolved, as "ex-Brise" cars went to Southeast Asia and to South Africa.
Modus built at least 21 cars for 1976, in addition to the four cars (024-FA, 025-FA, 026-SV, 027-FA) built late 1975 that did not race until 1976. 14 of these 25 were F3 cars, three were for FSV, and two were for Formula 2 (the Modus M7 chassis 039-F2 and the Formula Atlantic-based replacement chassis 048-F2). The other six were for Formula Atlantic: Dave Charlton's 024-FA in South Africa, 025-FA and 027-FA for the Dickson's of Perth operation in Scotland, Roland Salomon's 034-FA in Switzerland, Lynn Bentson's 041-FA in the US, and Phil Sharp's 047-F3 in Britain.
So the mysteries to be solved in 1976 are: a car built by Mike Domingo from parts acquired from the Modus factory and linked in some way to an "ex-Brise" history; a car acquired by Team Harper for David Purley to drive at Macau which may or may not be the same "ex-Brise" car that Purley drove at Macau in 1975; and a car built for John Nicholson during 1976 that wore the 022 chassis plate but was built on a monooque dated July 1976. One of these may well be Brise's late season chassis 022 and another may be his early season chassis 020, but with new monocoques.
Mike Domingo in his Modus M3 at Killarney in 1976. Copyright Johan Pretorius 2024. Used with permission.
John Simpson in his Modus M3 at Welkom in 1977. Copyright David Pearson (motoprint.co.za) 2024. Used with permission.
Mike Domingo built up a Modus M3 for 1976 using what is believed to have been the first monocoque from Modus M3/022, which was replaced after an accident in July 1975. Raced by Mike Domingo in the South African Formula Atlantic series in 1976. Sold to John Simpson for 1977, but he crashed the car in practice at Welkom, his second event. The car returned to Team Domingo and was eventually repaired, apparently using a spare monocoque supplied to Dave Charlton in March 1976. It was raced by Yunus Domingo at least twice in 1979, and then by Jan Klinkert at Kyalami in May 1979. The car then remained with the Domingo family until 1995, when it was bought by Sam Thomas. Shortly afterwards, he sold it to to John McKercher. At this point it was found to have tub number 043-2-76, assumed to be a spare monocoque supplied to either Dave Charlton or Mike Domingo after their cars were built in 1976. Restored and used by McKercher in South African historic racing.
Driven by: Mike Domingo, John Simpson, Yunus Domingo and Jan Klinkert. First race: Killarney (R1), 24 Jan 1976. Total of 13 recorded races.
David Purley drove a Formula Atlantic Modus M3 for Team Harper at the Macau Grand Prix in November 1976 and at the Metro Manila Grand Prix five weeks later. The car was said in some reports to be the same one he had driven at Macau the year before, but Marcus Pye's research notes say that it was built up by Modus in 1976, the last car the factory built. It was sold to Rolly Abadilla (Philippines) and was raced by him at the Malaysia and Penang Grands Prix in 1977, and the Malaysia Grand Prix in 1978. Subsequent history unknown.
Driven by: David Purley and Rolly Abadilla. First race: Macau, 14 Nov 1976. Total of 4 recorded races.
John Nicholson in his Modus M3 at Teretonga in 1977. Copyright Kevin Thomson 2013. Used with permission.
English-domiciled Kiwi and successful engine builder John Nicholson took a Modus M3 out from England to New Zealand for the January 1977 Formula Pacific series. He then sold it to Robbie Francevic, together with two Nicholson BDA engines. Raced by Francevic in the 1977/1978 New Zealand Gold Star and the 1978 Internationals. He retained the car for several more years, racing it as the Typhoon. Graham Vercoe's Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand in 1991 said that Francevic still owned the car. Francevic told Australian Muscle Car magazine in May 2023 that he sold it to Kenny Smith. Later to Australian CAMS official Bryan Miller (Kiama, NSW, Australia) who noted that it had chassis plate "M1-022-F.A.75" and tub number "054-7-76". Raced by him in historic events from 1999 to 2001. In March 2003, Miller sold the ex-Francevic car to his brother Kevin Miller (Hobart, Tasmania). Raced by Kevin Miller from 2003 to 2008. He returned with the car at Baskerville in November 2021 and in September 2022.
Driven by: John Nicholson and Robbie Francevic. First race: Baypark Raceway (R1), 3 Jan 1977. Total of 19 recorded races.
Modus M3s from 1977 onwards
Of the 12 cars covered on this page, 003-FA and 004-FA had been wrecked in 1974, 009-FA had been wrecked in 1975, 020-FA and 022-FA were last seen with certainty in October and November 1975, 024-FA was raced by Kevin Stopford in South Africa in 1977, 025-FA was with Gerry Kinnane in Ireland, 027-FA was with Mike Nugent in Ireland, 034-FA was with Patrick Meschia in Switzerland, 041-FA was presumably still in the US but had lot been seen since late 1976, 047-F3 was with Phil Sharp in New Zealand, and 048-FA had last been seen at the end of 1976, but would turn up later in Ireland.
The two missing cars, 020-FA and 022-FA, will be explained by the mystery cars of Mike Domingo, Team Harper and John Nicholson. It would seem most logical that Domingo's was made up of parts, Team Harper's was the ex-Brise 022-FA that David Purley had driven at Macau in 1975, and that John Nicholson's car was a rebuild of the one he had driven at the end of 1975.
Ackowledgements
Many thanks to Marcus Pye for making available the results of his research into these cars conducted before 2003, when Australian owner Bryan Miller and Chris Townsend picked up the baton. Thanks also to Ruedi Gygax, Steve Emson, Jeremy Jackson, Richard Young, Kevin Miller, David Plunkett, Ian Hebblethwaite, Roger Sieling, David McKinney, Dan Rear, Simon Hadfield, John Lindsay, Greg Mills, Steve Wilkinson and Michael Ferner. Thanks also to Rich Harman, Alan Cox, Ted Walker, Andrew Scriven, David Pearson, Kevin Thomson, Gerald Swan, Will Picken, Colin Lourie, Denis Briot and Johan Pretorius for the use of their photographs.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
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