Surtees TS19 rebuild contuinues

Contrary to our last news report about the team taking on a Surtees TS20 the owner changed his mind and bought a TS19 instead.

This car has a much better history as it was raced by Alan Jones during the 1976 Formula 1 season and is the reason the 1976 non championship race of champions event was never televised due to its controversial "Durex" sponsor.

This car however was in a poor state and required a lot of work which the Rob Austin Racing team are progressing with nicely.

The Engine was sent away and rebuild by Cosworth DFV specialist Geoff Richardson Engineering, all the suspension has been carefully removed, stripped of its plating, repaired and sent away to be crack tested, as time is an issue the gearbox was sent away for a service allowing the team to carry on with the large list of jobs to do to the car.

As the roll hoop was made of aluminium a new steel one has been fabricated in house as well as new top wishbones as the old ones were in a poor state. New front uprights have been drawn up and sent to be machined as well as wheels and fuel cell.

In fact the car is having so much work done that at one point last week the bay was nearly empty as nearly every part of it was being worked on.

Currently the tub is back freshly painted and has been mated to its new 500bhp engine while the suspension parts have now all passed crack testing and are currently being prepared to be chemically blackened as they would have been back in 1976 and as soon as they return along the new uprights and wheels the car can be reassembled and hit the track.

The car will be making its eagerly anticipated debut at the Brands Hatch Masters festival on the 30th of May.