The ex-Brian Redman, South African Formula 1 Championship
1971 Chevron B18 Formula 2 Monoposto
Chassis no. 71/4

Unlike the greater majority of Britain's racing car industry, which is located between London and the south midlands, Chevron hailed from Bolton in Lancashire. The company was founded by Manchester-born Derek Bennett, a talented engineer and successful racing driver in the Clubman's category. His first car was the 1,172cc Ford-powered Bennett Special, which was followed by a one-off Formula Junior. The latter failed to match the success of Bennett's Clubman's car, for which there was sufficient demand for him to set up as a constructor in the mid-1960s. Nowadays Chevron is best remembered for its highly successful small-capacity sports and GT cars and its Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 5000 single-seaters. A Formula 1 car was on the stocks at the time of Bennett's tragic death in a hang-gliding accident in 1978, and although it was later completed, the company never progressed any further in motor racing's premier category. Following Bennett's death, the company was run by his sisters for a short while before passing into other hands.

First seen in 1967, Chevron's first monoposto racer was a design for Formula 3, the B7, which served as a prototype for the first such car produced in significant numbers: the B9. Successor B15 and B17 models were as good as anything in the Formula 3 category in the late 1960s, and then for 1971 the factory came up with an design intended for Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula Atlantic: the B18. Chevron's designs hitherto had used tubular spaceframe chassis, with some stressed skin stiffening, and the B18 took this a stage further, being a 'semi monocoque' built around square-section tubing. This kept damage repair relatively simple, while a bolt-on rear sub-frame facilitated engine changes for drivers competing in more than one category. Previously noted for its sleekness, Chevron's formula car took on a more boxy look with the B18, which featured prominent wings, the front carried above a large rectangular nose intake. The B18 whilst not at the cutting edge of contemporary Formula 2 design was always considered a practical car and effective racing car.

The B18 had first appeared in the summer of 1970, and the following winter the car offered here was driven by Brian Redman in two rounds of the South African Formula 1 Championship, presumably as a development exercise. Chevron's works driver and winner of the inaugural European Sportscar Championship in 1970, Redman had retired to South Africa at the season's end. It would turn out to be a short sabbatical, lasting only four months. By the time he eventually retired from full-time professional racing at the end of 1989, the Lancastrian driver had added multiple wins in virtually all the international endurance classics apart from Le Mans, to an already illustrious record that included podium finishes in the Formula 1 World Championship. Resident in the USA from 1974, he won the SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship three years consecutively from 1974 to 1976, and in 1981 was the IMSA GT Champion.

Entered by Richter Motors Racing, fitted with a Cosworth FVA engine and driven by Redman, '71/4' finished 2nd in the opening round of the South African Formula 1 Championship at Killarney on 9th January. Redman drove the car again in the second round at Kyalami on 30th January, posting a 'DNF' (engine). Thereafter, the Chevron came to France where it competed in several hill climb events. In 1994, the car was acquired by Dr Veit Dennert, from whom it was purchased in 1999 by the current vendor. Specialising in the restoration of classic automobiles and competition cars, the vendor's company completely restored '71/4' in 2005, the car is currently fitted with an FVA incorporating modifications from the later Cosworth YB engine, running Webber carburettors and a Hewland Mark 9 gearbox. Since restoration it has competed three times at international level. Completed but not yet submitted, a DMSB passport comes with the car, which is described as in 1st class condition and ready for use.