Topic: Solved NIC#629 - Techcraft-Buick hillclimb car of Roy Lane

[nicanary]

Please tell me what this car was called, who built it, and what the chassis and engine details were.

[tobytwirl]

is it the 66 brabham bt21x-Buick 4wd

[nicanary]

is it the 66 brabham bt21x-Buick 4wd

LOCKED for ypou. That's the engine and chassis details, but what was the car called, and who built it?

[tobytwirl]

Here's what I found:

1) The car was campaigned in F3 by Tim Schenken before an accident at Goodwood, where it was returned and rebuilt at the works using the unique Anthony Marsh/Hewland four wheel drive system.

Mr. Peter Blacksotne then campaigned the car in the British Hillclimb Championship acheiving FTD's at Loton Park and Shelsey Walsh during its very succesfull career.

2) Returned to MRD in 1968 it was rebuilt to accept an Oldsmobile/Buick V8 engine and Hewland gearbox but it had a testing accident at Goodwood and was then developed by specialist Chas Beattie to incorporate a Tony Marsh four-wheel drive system for Bryan Brown. It was unused and sold to Peter Blankstone

It was known as the 1966 BRABHAM BT21X QUATTRO when advertised for sale.

[nicanary]

Sorry, I think we are talking at cross-purposes. As far as I know, this puzzle car does not have 4wd fitted - I should have noticed this in your previous questions.

It is based on a Brabham BT21, and does have a Buick engine fitted, but the builder/driver was someone completely different. I will keep it LOCKED for you.

[tobytwirl]

I have evidently mistaken a steering link for a front driveshaft. that bt21X was a unique car that happened to have a vaguely similar paint job to the photo. Is it therefore Roy Lane's Techcraft built BT21/28 - Buick?

[nicanary]

I have evidently mistaken a steering link for a front driveshaft. that bt21X was a unique car that happened to have a vaguely similar paint job to the photo. Is it therefore Roy Lane's Techcraft built BT21/28 - Buick?

Yes, well solved.  It is the Techcraft-Buick which Lane built from a new Brabham BT21B chassis, and quite possibly the engine came from his previous mount, a BT14, although I'm not sure about that.  He sold the car to John Cussins, who painted it orange, and is driving the car in the puzzle photo.

Lane's next car was 4wd, I think using a BRM set-up.

When I was checking my source, I noticed that the car was sold at auction in 2010, and the buyer was not at all happy that he'd bought what he thought he'd bought. I reckon back in the 60s , Lane was building his cars using all manner of stuff from his armoury, and no doubt cars got cannibalised, and the 2010 item was not all original.