1973 Chevron B23

Chevron Cars Ltd. was founded in England by Derek Bennett in 1965. He was a mostly self-taught engineer who had a talent and passion for racing. Following an apprenticeship in electrical and mechanical engineering, he became a mechanic which quickly led to motor racing, initially in local racing events, and then in more competitive leagues. He became a builder, tuner, and maintainer of racing cars as well as a driver. His success with his home-grown racing specials led to requests for similar cars, convincing Bennett to establish himself as a constructor.

The Chevron marque would build cars for many racing series over the years, but they are most often remembered for its small-capacity sports cars, Formula Two, Formula Three, and Formula 5000 single-seaters. Bennett was working on a Formula One Chevron when he was killed in 1978 in a hang-gliding accident. Despite the tragedy, the firm survived and remained active in various forms, including replacement parts and auto manufacturers.

The early Chevron racecars were developments of Derek Bennett's Clubman specials - his front-engined open-top sports car powered with Ford engines - and intended for Clubman formulas. These early Chevron models were followed by the B3, B6, B8, and B12 of the mid-1960s which all shared similar mechanical components and designs, intended for various GT competition. The Chevron cars were uncomplicated and tended to use tried-and-true technology and components. Many of the cars were developments of prior models. This was not always the case, however, as evident by the Chevron B16 - the first car to be equipped with a diffuser and the first car with a crash box (a.k.a. a 'nose frame.').

The design of the Chevron B23 of 1973 was an evolution of the B6 of 1967. The reinforced steel spaceframe of the B6 was replaced by aluminum in the B19. The front of the chassis was a separate steel spaceframe for quick repairs and the suspension was comprised of front double wishbones with rear lower wishbones and top links. The engine bay could house a variety of engines depending on customers' needs and intended uses, however, most selected the Cosworth FVC powerplant.

The B19 was essentially a customer version of the single B16 spyder built to Chevron's Works driver Brian Redman's request to help keep pace with the Lola T210. The Spyder used design inspiration from the Porsche 908/3 that Redman had driven during the 1970 season. The Chevron Spyder proved very successful, including a victory at Spa. The B19 was also successful, both in the salesroom and on the track, with approximately 35 examples built. Despite competition from other marques, including Lolas and Osella-Abarth, the B19 scored numerous overall and class victories. Lola driver Helmut Marko would end the season as the European two-Liter Championship followed closely by the Chevron B19. The B19 may have won the Championship had the team not experimented with new Cosworth engines which - although fast - were not reliable which cost them valuable points.

The B19 was followed by the B21 for the 1972 season. It was not as successful as its predecessors and struggled to keep pace with Lola's T290. It did manage to score several notable overall and class finishes throughout the season including a victory by Dieter Quester in a BMW-powered example at Salzburgring.

Further development of the B21 near the end of the 1972 season resulted in a redesign of the front suspension that allowed for lower-profile tires. Several of the B21's were upgraded to this configuration and are commonly known as the B19/23. The B19 driven by Gerry Birrell received a Hart-prepared Cosworth BDA 2-liter engine which proved incredibly quick, helping him win four races and the championship.

For 1973, Chevron offered the B23 which used the latest modifications and suspension developments of the B19. The cars were competitive throughout the season with several notable class victories including at the Targa Florio, the Nurburgring 1000 km, and the Osterreichring 1000 km. Although competitive, the newer monocoque designs of the Lolas were proving more effective than the aging spaceframe setup employed by the Chevrons. To remain competitive for the following season, it was time for Chevron to design and build a new car.

The success of the refined Chevron B23 is further reinforced by its popularity among the racing community with 26 examples built. Many examples raced for several seasons and are still used in historic competition.

by Dan Vaughan

Derek Bennett was the individual responsible for the formation of Chevron Cars Ltd. He was a brilliant engineer, mostly self-taught, and had a talent for modifying, repairing, and sculpting automobiles. Near the close of the 1950s, he began working in a shop in North England where he quickly developed a name for himself. When he was not working at the track, he could often be seen at nearby tracks where he raced mostly custom-built racing cars.

Changes in racing regulations had many producers of racers scrambling to create a formidable contender that conformed to the new rules. Bennett had been contemplating purchasing a new racer but with the new changes, he felt he could produce a better machine than other marques were fielding. With no drawings and all the details in Bennett's head, he began construction beginning with a tubular space-frame chassis. Power was from a modified Ford Kent engine that had been taken from an Anglia. When the vehicle was complete, it carried the marque name 'Chevron'; the name had been inspired from a Highway Code symbol. Up to this point, his vehicles he had constructed were dubbed Bennett Specials.

The newly created racer, dubbed the B1, made its inaugural appearance in 1965 at Kirkistown, Ireland. Little testing had been done but the car still managed to set an impressive pace and finished in first pace. For the next few years Bennett created racers and gave them various designations. The B1 was introduced in 1965 and followed a year later by the B2. Both were Clubmans which was a British national formula series for open-top sports cars with Ford engines placed in the front of the cars.

The B3 was Bennett's first attempt at Gran Turismo competition. The 1.6-liter twin-cam Ford engine was mounted behind the driver and in front of the rear axle. The car was constructed for Alan Minshaw who had seen a small-scale model on Bennett's desk and had immediately produced funds to finance its construction. The initial estimates to create the car fell short of the actual figure and Digby Martland stepped in to provide the additional funds needed to complete the project. Once the project was complete, Bennett created a second racer, dubbed the B4, and fitted it with a BMW 2-liter engine.

During some initial trial runs of the Martland B3 racer, it attracted the attention of Peter Gethin who immediately ordered one for himself. The B3 made its racing debut a short time later where it emerged victorious. The Ford powered car was very impressive whereas the BMW powered B4 suffered from lubrication problems. The reason for this was the way the BMW engine was installed which sat vertically which prevented the oil to properly drain. A custom dry-sump lubrication system was later installed and resolved these issues.

After securing a deal with BMW Motorsports to supply engines through a dealership at discounted price, Bennett began creating more examples of the B4 GT car.

The B5 was powered by a BRM 2-liter V8 engine. Brian Redman drove a B5 in international competition in a Group 6 at Brands Hatch where he emerged victorious. This was Chevron's first international race win. Redman would go on to become a works driver for Chevron.

The B6 was very similar to the B4 but with a fiberglass body. It competed in Group 6 prototype competition against tough competition from Ferraris and other big-named marque's. After enough examples were created to homologate the cars, they were then able to compete in Group 4 GT competition. 50 examples had been required in order to compete; not all 50 were created - when the FIA stopped by Bennett's shop to perform the count, Bennett proved he had enough materials to create the racers. Only 44 examples were ever created.

The B7 was a single seat racer which competed in Formula 3 competition. The B8 was the 1968 version of the GT racer. The B9 was a Formula 3 car. The B10 was a Formula 2 racer.

The replacement for these two-liter cars came with the B16 and was quickly replaced with the B16 Spyder which had bodywork inspired by the Porsche 908 Spyder. The Chevron was a continuation of the B8 with styling help from Jim Clark. It had a spaceframe chassis, monocoque design, tubular frames, and a fiberglass body. The engine and gearbox was both placed midship. To make the vehicle easy to maintain, it had a removable front subframe. A 1790cc FVA Cosworth engine was used which provided an impressive 245 horsepower.

The B16 made its inaugural debut at the 1969 Nurburgring 500km race where it was driven by Brian Redman and qualified for pole position. From the start of the race, Redman led the pack and continued this for three-and-a-half hours before crossing the finish line victorious. The car was surprisingly fast though it did suffer from under-steer due to not enough down-force. The problem was later solved by adding two orange box rear spoilers

During the 1970 season, Lola introduced the T210 which had Redman struggling to maintain the lead. It was not long before the T210 was consistently beating Redman and the B16. Redman approached Bennett requesting an open car that was lighter and more nimble. The result was the B16 Spyder of which only one was ever created. This would set the foundation for the rest of the cars for years to come.

The B19 was introduced in 1971 and the B21 in 1972. These were used in Group 6 competition. The B23 was introduced in 1973; the B26 was also a 1973 car; the B31 was the final iteration of Group 6 cars introduced in 1975.

In 1972 the B24 was introduced and intended for F5000 competition. Continuing the tradition of Chevron cars, it won its inaugural race. Driven a year later by works driver, Peter Gethin, it became the first F5000 car to beat the F1 cars. The B24 were impressive racers but the Lola T330 cars were faster. Chevron would finish the season with 32 Top 3 finishes from 35 races while Lola managed 39 Top 3 finishes.

It is believed that eight examples (possibly 10) of the B24 were constructed. One was later rebuilt to B28 specification.

Other interests of the Chevron company during this time were Formula competition such as Formula Atlantic and Formula Two. Examples include the B25, B27, B29, B35 Formula Atlantic/Formula Two cars.

Derek Bennett's passed away after a hang-gliding accident. The company continued for a number of years. Ownership passed through the hands of a few owners.

by Dan Vaughan