Description:

Despite the amount of grunt available, the car is remarkably communicative, responsive and relatively easy to drive. The current owner is a large old Historic Formula Ford competitor, yet following only 20 minutes of wet familiarisation managed to qualify seventh in Derek Bell Trophy first time out. It has had a largely rebuilt tub and all brand new suspension components (including rear suspension uprights) in 2002. In 2004 it had a set of new valve springs/rockers all round and a new clutch, and in 2005 the bottom end was freshened. It has completed just Derek Bell Trophy at Silverstone Classic 2006 since (when it ran faultlessly). The suspension components have been crack tested July 2006. The car is immaculate, ‘spannered’ and race-ready. All the original moulds, jigs, drawings etc (from John Surtees) are available at a UK firm so getting the car repaired or fettled is no problem. It comes with a set of wets and a fairly comprehensive history file.


History

In its day, this was the car to have. The first owner was Sam Posey ("The Nearly Man") and the first time he drove the car at Laguna Seca in 1972 he put it on pole position, despite not even having tested the car before (see photographs). Even more remarkable was that the engine was 10% off the pace; yet he went on to put it on pole position in six of the eight races in the rest of that season. It started every race from the front row, and was second overall in the 1972 championship, losing, effectively, by one point. In some ways, his effort in the Tasman series of 1972/73 was even more remarkable. Neither he nor his team had ever been to New Zealand or Australia before. The races were held every weekend, on a different track each week. All the races were two-day events -- practice on Saturday and race on Sunday, with no opportunity to test. A puncture rather unluckily cost him a win at Teretonga Park, New Zealand on 28th January 1973 (he finished second). He was an uneventful 5th at Surfers Paradise, Australia on 4th February; just missed getting into the points (he was 7th) at Warwick Farm on 11th February having started on the third row; was 6th at Sandown Park, Melbourne on 18th February and was unlucky at Adelaide a week later, just missing pole and getting a puncture in the race followed shortly afterwards by his engine blowing up on the 50th lap. Given that he'd never seen any of these tracks before, he finished a creditable 8th in the championship that year. It must have been a good car as Gijs van Lennep raced its sister (chassis TS11-02) for Jacky Epstein's Speed International and won the European Championship the same year.

Competition History

2nd overall (6 out of 8 pole positions) 1972 US F5000 championship and 8th Tasman series 1972/72 (inc one 2nd place)
Performance Data

• F5000
  
• 680k lbs
  

Engine

• Chevrolet
  
• V8
  
• 5,000cc
  
• 550
  
• Lucas-MacKay fuel injection
  
• Cast iron
  
• 750miles
  
• 0 miles since freshened
  

Fuel System

• Fuel Tank
  
• 4 year
  
• Electric & Mechanical
  
• 100 octane pump
  

Oil/Water System

• Side pods
  
• Rear
  

Electrical System

• Coil and distributor
  
• No
  
• Dry cell
  
• No
  
• No
  

Transmission

• Hewland
  
• 5
  
• No
  

Rear End

• In unit with gearbox
  
• No
  
• Limited slip
  

Body

• Aluminium monocoque
  
• Dark blue
  
• Excellent
  
• Original livery
  

Chassis

• Aluminium monocoque
  
• Aluminium alloy
  
• Excellent
  
• Excellent nickel plated. New 2002
  
• Excellent nickel plated. New 2002
  
• Coil over dampers double adjustable
  
• Disc, magnesium calipers
  
• Megnesium
  
• Avon slicks
  

Interior

• New, plumbed-in
  
• 3
  
• Original/excellent
  

Spares

• Set of wets - wheels and tyres
  
• Original body parts from 1980/90's