Surtees TS8

Information

One of two cars owned by Doug Champlin and Fred Carrillo of Champ Carr (San Juan Capistrano, CA). These cars were run for Sam Posey US 1971 and Rocky Moran US 1972. One wrecked in practice at R4 Elkhart Lake 16 Jul 1972; a second only seen at R5 Brainerd 29 Jul 1972. A TS8 was advertised by Champ Carr Autoweek 21 Oct 1972. Two 'ex-Posey' TS8s appeared in the US in 1973: as TS8/008 was driven by Phil Palm, TS8/006 must be the car raced by Len Guneau (Hermosa Beach, CA) US 1973. Qual 38th at R1 Riverside and finished 12th in Heat 2. Later qualified for final at R9 Seattle but retired. Not seen in the 'Pro' series in 1974 but finished 3rd in an SCCA National at Riverside on 27 May 1974. Advertised by Cheryl Guneau and Jim Dittemore in Finish Line June 1975 as 'ex-Posey' and 'with deformable structures'. Advertised again by Cheryl Guneau (Hermosa Beach, CA) again in Autoweek in October 1975. Next seen with Dick Ferguson (Los Angeles, CA) 1976: retired at Elkhart Lake 29 Aug 1976, crashed in Heat 2 at Riverside 17 Oct 1976.

Then unknown until 'TS8/06' with Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) of Can-Am Cars Ltd for sale as 'project' March 1990 with TS5 and TS11 tubs. The TS8 had been stripped and the tub used in the rebuild of a TS7 leaving the rest of the car as 'a project'. The project was bought by John Bladon (Castor, Cambridgeshire) from Chuck Haines some time around early 2001. John found it consisted of:

'virtually a full car less engine and chassis. The rear end was completely assembled including original rear transaxle chassis crossmember,rear axles drive shafts, brakes and wheels, 2 front corners fully assembled including steering rack tank cover with the chassis and SCCA tags attached.'

John, in a masterly piece of understatement, says 'all I have to do is bolt it all to an ex factory chassis and fit an engine and we'll be off'! To Tim Slack (Mowsley, Leicestershire) early 2006. The car was then said to be nearly ready meaning a tub had been sourced from somewhere or fabricated. According to a later Silverstone Auctions catalogue, Slack raced the car in a Grand Prix Masters event at Spa in 2006, but it then remained in storage until it was auctioned in July 2016. The catalogue made no mention of the source of its monocoque. It was bought at the auction by Carlo Del Conte (Milan, Italy). Still with Carlo in March 2017.