280 bhp, 1,975 cc Cosworth BDG DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine with fuel injection, Hewland FT-200 five-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes.
The Chevron B36 was designed to enter the 2-litre class of sports car racing, with the chassis accepting various types of engines. Over the model’s 11-year lifetime, 1976 until 1987, it was fitted with everything from a rotary Mazda engine to the Cosworth BDG inline-four and even a 3-litre, six-cylinder Talbot, installed in José Thibault’s B36 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1987. While only 21 cars were built, they travelled the world, entering a vast number of races in Japan, the United States, Canada, and Europe.
The chassis offered here, number 36-77-05, was built by Chevron in May of 1977 and delivered new to owner and driver Gordon Hamilton Jr, of Kansas. Fitted with the aforementioned highly developed Cosworth BDG 1,975 cc four-cylinder engine, it was entered in many events during the 1977, 1978, and 1979 seasons, including events at Road America, Indianapolis, and Road Atlanta. In 1978, Hamilton Jr was the winner of the SCCA Midwest Division Championship in class B/SR.
In 1980, Hamilton sold the car to Nile Lestrange of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Callipygian Racing entered the car for Lestrange in numerous events during the 1980 season, including Palm Beach, Daytona, Sebring, and the U.S. Championships at Road Atlanta. Lestrange also won the 1980 SCCA South East Divisional Championship, class B/SR, with this car. Lestrange was clearly fond of the car, and after the 1980 season, he put it into dry storage, where it remained for 27 years before it was sold to Grand Prix Classics in La Jolla, California, where it was soon sold to its current owner in Switzerland.
The car is now presented with FIA HTP and has recently completed a two-year frame-up restoration, costing in excess of €200,000, with invoices on file along with numerous images. The Cosworth BDG engine and Hewland FT-200 gearbox have also both benefitted from a complete rebuild, along with new FIA-compliant fuel tanks, ensuring that when this B36 returns to the track, it is in the best possible position.
Please note that this lot includes a collection of spare parts, such as bodywork and spare wheels and tyres, amongst others, which will be made available to the winning bidder.
CHEVRON B36 - RACE RESULTS | |||
DATE | EVENT | RACE # | DRIVER |
1977 | |||
27-May-1977 | Hutchinson GP, Wentzville | 69 | G. Hamilton |
11-Jun-1977 | Mid-America, Wentzville SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
25-Jun-1977 | Spirit of '77, Indianapolis Raceway Park | 69 | G. Hamilton |
8-Jul-1977 | UNCOLA, Brainerd, SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
16-Jul-1977 | Pueblo, Colorado, SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
13-Aug-1977 | Sears Point, SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
3-Sep-1977 | Jack Pine Sprints, Brainerd SCCA Regional | 69 | G. Hamilton |
11-Sep-1977 | Mid-America, Wentzville SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
23-Oct-1977 | U.S. Champions, Road Atlanta | 69 | G. Hamilton |
1978 | |||
2-Jun-1978 | Road America Sprints, SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
17-Jun-1978 | Mid-America Sprints, Wentzville SCCA | 69 | G. Hamilton |
15-Jul-1978 | UNCOLA, Brainerd, SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
21-Jul-1978 | Road America Can-Am, USA | 89 | G. Hamilton |
20-Aug-1978 | Lake Afton Grand Prix, SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
1-Sep-1978 | Jack Pine Sprints, Brainerd SCCA Regional | 69 | G. Hamilton |
4-Sep-1978 | Trois Rivières Can-Am, Canada | 89 | G. Hamilton |
9-Sep-1978 | Mid-America, Wentzville SCCA National | 69 | G. Hamilton |
21-Oct-1978 | U.S. Champions, Road Atlanta | 69 | G. Hamilton |
3-Apr-1978 | Mid-America, Wentzville SCCA National | 89 | G. Hamilton |
1979 | |||
1-Jun-1979 | Road America Sprints, SCCA National | 89 | G. Hamilton |
14-Jul-1979 | UNCOLA Bonus, Brainerd SCCA National | 89 | G. Hamilton |
22-Jul-1979 | Road America Can-Am, USA | 89 | G. Hamilton |
14-Aug-1979 | Lake Afton Grand Prix, SCCA National | 89 | G. Hamilton |
8-Sep-1979 | St Louis, Bonus, SCCA National | 89 | G. Hamilton |
21-Oct-1979 | U.S. Champions, Road Atlanta | 89 | G. Hamilton |
1980 | |||
13-Mar-1980 | Palm Beach, SCCA Regional | 77 | N. Lestrange |
11-May-1980 | Daytona, SCCA Regional | 77 | N. Lestrange |
19-Jun-1980 | Sebring, SCCA Regional | 77 | N. Lestrange |
19-Jul-1980 | Palm Beach, SCCA Regional | 77 | N. Lestrange |
15-Aug-1980 | Daytona, SCCA National | 77 | N. Lestrange |
6-Sep-1980 | Palm Beach, SCCA Regional | 77 | N. Lestrange |
24-Oct-1980 | U.S. Champions, Road Atlanta | 77 | N. Lestrange |