Chevron B16, Chassis DBE-16 was originally sold to Archie Phillips of Northern Ireland. Phillips campaigned the car in 1970, running events in Ireland to a high level of success.He sold the car in 1971 to Adrian Wilkins, UK who ran it in various club and national races in 1971. At his final appearance with the car, Wilkins went off course while in practice at Thruxton, damaging the car but fortunately escaping with only a concussion.
The damaged car was sold to fellow sports racer Peter Smith, who reportedly used the salvageable parts to build a new B21, using the B16 chassis number.
Number DBE-16 – “The Peter Smith Car”, after stripping the B16 chassis he allegedly stored the chassis in a shed where it remained largely forgotten until the early 1990s, when Smith decided to repair and restore the purported chassis as the basis for a complete B16.
During this time Smith became aware of another B16 claiming this same chassis number. Smith reportedly obtained a letter from Wilkins stating his purchase in support of the chassis number associated with his car, using the letter as a primary document to acquire HSCC papers. Curiously, the HSCC did not contact the other owner of the B16 already associated with the chassis number DBE-16 so, with the competing claim unbeknownst to the other owner, no contention was recorded on the matter.
After Smith completed his car, it was sold to a private owner who, according to historian Alan Brown, continued to use that car though 2015.
Serial Number DBE-16 – “The Paul Weldon Car”, Meanwhile, returning to 1977, while the Peter Smith chassis was purported to have been hidden in a Yorkshire shed, Paul Weldon from the uK purchased a B16 reported to have also been the ex-Adrian Wilkins car. Though incomplete at that time, the frame had been repaired and repainted, some mismatched body panels were assembled on the car, and components were missing, Weldon was able to obtain important parts from the then ailing Chevron company, struggling to stay afloat after the untimely death of their founder, Derek Bennett.
During the process, Weldon befriended one of the Chevron factory fabricators who offered access to a personal trove of period correct B16 parts, allowing Weldon to get everything needed to complete the car. The finishing touch at that time would be the installation of a Swindon-tuned Cosworth FVC engine.
Having completed the car, Weldon entered the B16 at the BARC Historic Car Races, Brands Hatch, October 22, 1978, but ultimately was not able to attend.
In 1978, Weldon advertised the car in AutoSport magazine, selling it in 1980 to John Heath (UK). Heath would sell the car via Graham Cook to Brian Auger that same year, who, along with his son David, would race it at Donnington, and other vintage event venues, but, according to Graham Cook, had suffered another accident with David driving.
In 1981, Brian Auger moved to Queensland, Australia eventually selling this car to Nigel Hulme in 1985.
In 1986, Hulme returned the car to the UK, selling it to Adrian Hamilton. In 1986, this Chevron was purchased by Ernst Schuster, Germany. Schuster, having purchased it directly from Hamilton, engaged expert Edi Wyss to inspect the car while it remained in the UK. After inspection, Wyss restored the car for Schuster. At that time, they resprayed the car in white, installed an 1800 FVC engine, and tested the B16 at Dijon in the Spring of 1988.
During the restoration, Wyss was in touch with Tim Colman from Chevron cars, supported by a copy of his letter addressing the car. After the car was sold and imported to the US, Pete Lovely Racing, worked on the car, installed an engine rebuild by Dave Vegher. In 2000, Bob Gett, Boston, MA purchased the car, subsequently participating in numerous historic events with the car as prepared by experts at KTR Motorsports. In 2014, under current ownership. the car was serviced extensively by Veloce Motors. During this time the engine was removed for a comprehensive rebuild.
Importantly, of the two cars extant today, historian and Chevron expert Allen Brown notes in his detailed historical survey of Chevron B16 DBE-16, that the “Paul Weldon Car”, wearing a replacement Chevron ID plate issued approximately 1982, has always been described as the ex-Wilkins car and its identity was not challenged throughout years of historic racing participation, despite the emergence of the “Peter Smith Car” appearing in the 1990s.
