Modus - Page 8

jjordan · 20 Feb 2007, 14:00 (Ref:1846436)

Davehut, is that the famous cornhusker Joe Kidd in the middle?

Davhut · 20 Feb 2007, 14:31 (Ref:1846458)

JJ: Yes indeed and Barb Smiley on the left! Hope you're well.
Allen: This would have been approximately late spring [April or May] 1974. Joe went over first in early March, GS followed and I came late. It was while he was still at Merlyn's, which he left about first of summer. Memory hazy on dates that far back. This new car was still under initial construction, and although that guy on the right looks a little like Howden Ganley of the day, I don't think it is. I am hoping some Brit will recognize him and more facts will emerge.

Simon Hadfield · 20 Feb 2007, 17:38 (Ref:1846603)

I am not sure this is a Modus, I have not seen a rollhoop like that on any Modus before and the cockpit is different too. I would also have expected a hub height steering rack and a large single rad. Could be wrong mind.

Chris Townsend · 20 Feb 2007, 18:03 (Ref:1846620)

Just a thought, but might this be Gordon Smiley's Elden under construction?
Elden had that front radiator arrangement

chris

Simon Hadfield · 20 Feb 2007, 18:11 (Ref:1846627)

I think this is Chris Featherstones much modified (v. much!) Mcrae GM1 undergoing its transformation. If it is, what an amazing picture to find!

Davhut · 20 Feb 2007, 18:33 (Ref:1846648)

Definitely not the Elden...look at this build pic in the Elden thread and you'll see the sidepods are completely different
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89301
Also not the McRae, the front suspension is different, the roll hoops (semi circular in the GM-1)don't match, and although there was a slab sided GM-1 in the states (ironically a former Smiley car as well), those were done with fibreglass by the then owner/driver when it was destroyed against Johnny Rutherford's F5000 while fighting for 19th place in some California race.
This chassis was something brand new and under construction in a small shop, god knows where, I can't remember. This was unique in that it has the side crossed injection trumpets typical of the V6 engined car Damien McGee drove, and the motor kind of looks like what was in the Capri sedan series car.
I think the key to ID is the unknown guy on the right!

These old photos are harder to ID because we all had SO MUCH hair!
It's amazing what turns up in the old negative boxes in my basement. Simon, pass along my regards to Marcus. It'd be nice to hear from him.

Simon Hadfield · 20 Feb 2007, 19:50 (Ref:1846703)

I think it is definitely the "Ward" actually Mcrae GM1-015, there is picture in Bernard Cowdreys book showing the car (but with a different nose). The give away is that you can see the top of the original curved front bulkhead under the new flat cockpit. I think the last two (?) Mcraes had the triangular rollhoop, you can see the original seatback panel with the seatbelt slots in and the front brake ducts are exactly the same as the photo in the book.

Simon Hadfield · 20 Feb 2007, 19:52 (Ref:1846707)

The trumpets are those of an Alan Smith V8 - I have the same on two of my cars!

Simon Hadfield · 20 Feb 2007, 20:14 (Ref:1846716)

Is the guy with the long hair Ken Stepney? (The car was to be called the Ward KS1) and the premises those of Ian Ward Racing? On the Mcrae identification the distinctive front anti rollbar can be seen with its cranked arms (sometimes seen mounted with the arms above the top wishbone).

Davhut · 20 Feb 2007, 21:03 (Ref:1846748)

Quote:

"...the distinctive front anti rollbar can be seen with its cranked arms (sometimes seen mounted with the arms above the top wishbone..."

Simon, the more I look at it, the more I think you're right. Good disguise though, but comparing the upper suspension pieces to this 1973 box standard GM-1, I can see the similarities.

Be nice to have someone post a finished picture of this thing. Stepney's name certainly sounds like I've heard it before.
I'll leave it to the moderators to separate this run-off out of Modus subject...

Simon Hadfield · 20 Feb 2007, 21:28 (Ref:1846759)

After all of this has anyone got any photos of either of the Modus F5000s or any clue as to what happened to them - Marcus and I asked Nick Jordan but even he had absolutely no idea as to their fate. To my knowledge not one bit, bodywork, wheels, etc has ever surfaced.

Neptune · 23 Feb 2007, 03:19 (Ref:1849587)

A couple of months ago, someone had a Shell oil ad for sale on Ebay. The car on the page sized ad looked like it was in the Modus family and I inquired of the seller and he did say it was the Modus F5000 car. The ad mentioned the GAA motor. Somehow, I mis-estimated the auction and missed being able to buy the ad. I do have the auction saved so I should be able to get a photo, although very grainy.

Neptune · 23 Feb 2007, 03:25 (Ref:1849594)

I see by the rules for posting, that I cannot post attachments anymore. I have found the photo of the ad of the F5000 Modus in Shell livery. I'd love to be able to post it.

Roger

Neptune · 23 Feb 2007, 03:59 (Ref:1849612)

See if this helps Simon. You should be able to paste in this number into Ebay and see the auction that ended in early January. I sure wish I could have bought it.

SHELL & FORD V6 FORMULA 5000 ORIGINAL ADVERT 1974
Item number: 180074008186

You can see the Modus family heritage here, but yet the nose is similar, but not the same as a F3 or FAtl. Note the side sponsoons look to be added on to a tub but not the same sponsoons as the later F3 or FAtl cars. Note also that the magazine page is supposed to be 1974.

Davhut · 24 Feb 2007, 13:30 (Ref:1850537)

That took some doing!

Neptune · 24 Feb 2007, 14:55 (Ref:1850572)

Davhut,

Last records I have seen from late 70s showed one of the Modus FSV cars to be owned at the time in Nebraska or Oklahoma. Any chance you might have seen it run back then? I'll have to do some digging to uncover who it was. The next thought would be is there any chance it is still in the area?

But then my car, M1-040 finished one season in F3, went to West Virginia, Connecticutt, Georgia, Florida, back to Georgia and finally to Ohio and M1-006 did AFAIK, 3 seasons of F3 before coming to the US in the Carolinas/ Connecticutt, California, Nevada, and finally Ohio, so these cars can and do move around.

Davhut · 24 Feb 2007, 23:50 (Ref:1850806)

I'll make a few email inquiries. I don't readily recall one.

Neptune · 26 Feb 2007, 03:47 (Ref:1851686)

Davhut,

Don Kehr from Nebraska region, SCCA, won the 1978 Midwest Divisional championship in a Modus M2. I have already checked w/ SCCA Nat headquarters and Don Kehr was no longer a member in the late 90s and now, I am no longer, either.

Did you know Dr David Kiser, Bill Riggs or Don McGrevey, all from the KC area, who were all involved in the early 60s with my Lotus Eleven. How can I send you a PM?

Roger

Marcus Mussa · 2 Mar 2007, 18:34 (Ref:1855733)

I have just purchased M1-014-F3 from Italy. The car was completed on 12/3/75 (this is the date on the RAC certificate of origin, where it is stated to be fitted with a twin-cam engine). It was purchased from the works with another car, less engine, by Beppe Gabbiani’s father in December 1975. The idea was that Beppe would use the cars for training before making his debut in cars (which he did in 1977 with a Chevron B38). Gabbiani fitted a Toyota Novamotor engine to one of the cars (which is what it had used in the second half of 1975). They then sold the cars (one with engine, one still without) to Trivellato or Pedrazzani (Beppe cannot recall which) in 1976 when they bought a Chevron B36. Gabbiani told me he was very quick in the Modus, but that the Chevron was the flavour of the month due to Patrese’s success. I hope this helps with the Modus story!

I hope to race this car in Classic F3 in the UK this year.

All the best
Marcus

Marcus Mussa · 3 Mar 2007, 08:53 (Ref:1856165)

Sorry, Chevron B36 should read B34!
Marcus

Nosme · 30 Jun 2007, 11:32 (Ref:1950430)

I just found this site again after many years. I had fogotton all about it to be frank.
Re-reading some of the posts about my old car takes me back. I bought this car from Phil Sharp on the recommendation of my mechanic, who knew Phil from their racing days.
The thinking then was it would have been built up with some good parts that he had collected together. It was a mistake I think as I could have bought Rosbergs winning Chevron for $2000 more!
Phil told me during the sale, after I was committed, that the rear suspension was a narrow confiquration, the factory had tried and disgarded as being unsuccessful. ( yeah right...........). The rear wing assembly was from a McLaren and it had the heavier gearbox.
Phil crashed the thing every time he drove it. I fortunately did not mind being in full opposite lock slides in this car due to my rally experience on weekends I wasn't racing. We just didn't know how to set this car up, now I look back on it. ( I am not kidding nor exaggerating about the full opposite slides.)
I bought another engine from Kenny Smith, who by the way was instrumental in getting me into single seaters, as apposed to staying in salon cars.
The choice at the time was buy a Pacific or Jimmy Richards old Sidchrome Mustang and take it to Australia to race. ( I had won 3 NZ championships by this time )

The new engine was rebuilt and some time spent on setting the car up. This transformed the car and the first meeting of the new season the car finished 3rd despite my helper on this weekend winding the brake bias the wrong way until I had terrible brakes. We only discovered this after the meeting. I had the fastest outright speed down the front straight of Ruapuna Raceway at 159mph. I just couldn't stop!

The next meeting I was doing some private testing and was running on lap record pace and feeling really confident that we were starting to get somewhere, when the springs in the webber carburettors broke and the throttle jammed wide open..............................

The car ended up about 3ft shorter than it had been. It was a write off basically. A very clever team member built a new tub for this car in his mothers garage. I tried to race it again, however with my injuries ( I had to be carried to the car, and I had to use both feet to push the brake pedal, ( you would never be allowed to do that now ) it was difficult.

I had to finish in the top 5 in a heat to get into the NZ GP. I didn't Qualify as we had problems with the car.
They let me start from the back because I had missed practise in a 20 car (Approx )field. On the first lap I was up to 3rd, then I lost 2nd gear, still 3rd, then I lost 3rd gear, and it was over. I had to walk on crutches, and was supposed to be at home.

I couldn't afford to race it anymore and eventually sold it ( I acutally swapped it for two road cars.

Anyway folks there is a little bed time story for you. Let me know if I can help, Cheers,
Steve Emson.

**John Turner** · 6 Jul 2007, 12:03 (Ref:1956078)

Good info; many thanks, Steve.

Dan Rear · 10 Apr 2008, 12:19 (Ref:2174484)

As posted elsewhere, the Derek Bell entry at Donny recently shows Marcus Mussa in an M1. Any history of this car Marcus, or anyone else for that matter?

Mike Rand · 12 Apr 2008, 18:10 (Ref:2175964)

Being new to ten-tenths and having spent the better part of this Saturday havng a ball poking around looking for several of my old cars, like the Modus 's, yes, I owned two at different times, mentioned in this thread and the Rondel/Motul M1 I can safely say I am indeed the Mike Rand from Lime Rock and VIR, currently managing the resurgent F2000 Championship Series [for both Pinto and Zetec powered 2 litre Ford motors in FC trim]. Our website, www.f2000championshipseries.com, includes our current registration list of 60 car/driver combinations with 45 expected next weekend at VIR to begin our third season.
I can't add any new information but can confirm I bought my first M-1 from Malcolm Kay over the off season of 1976/7 and converted it to the then current FC rules with a nice new Cosworth BDJ 1,100cc injected motor.
The second came into my hands following my divorce and was indeed the car John Fowler had brought in which he had sold to Bill Rutan in Connecticut previous to me buying it from Bill.
I must admit I have lost track of both of these cars so this has been fun reading about their current lives.
Next research will be on Brabham BT40's, curious where that car is now. I know where my March 71B is but not the 73B.
Wish now I had recorded chassis numbers...

tony griffiths · 13 Apr 2008, 08:07 (Ref:2176249)

Disagree ...... Phil Sharp didnt crash the car every time he raced it !

Helped hin build it and race it in the UK .. that was how DPS etc started.

Phil is one of the better blokes to have been in motor racing.