Old TSCO single seater

[J Burleson]

What's the history of this car? Mark? it was mid engine? Is it still around?

 

[Mark Newhan]

View attachment 178264
What's the history of this car? Mark? it was mid engine? Is it still around?

Not the Mark you were looking for...

That is a Chenowth millennium. They were inspired by Indy cars. They were mid engine. The rear shocks laid down at a radical angle, thus they were ultra progressive,but struggled with handling.

Nicely built cars.

 

[J Burleson]

Thanks Mark(any Mark who has the answer will do!). I recently picked up a single seat bunderson that had a wing so was intrigued. Did anyone ever stand the rear shocks up to improve handling?

 

[Mark Newhan]

Thanks Mark(any Mark who has the answer will do!). I recently picked up a single seat bunderson that had a wing so was intrigued. Did anyone ever stand the rear shocks up to improve handling?

I remember one getting the modification. There were three or four built. Two were class 10's if I'm remembering correctly. Bob Gordon, TSCO, Rick Ellison and Ryan Thomas I think...

 

[bhernquist]

I remember one getting the modification. There were three or four built. Two were class 10's if I'm remembering correctly. Bob Gordon, TSCO, Rick Ellison and Ryan Thomas I think...

I had Ellison's Millennium rear shocks "stood up" after driving it at Laughlin the first time. We spent much time dialing it in and got it to handle the big bumps better. It really shined on the roads of Baja though. Won the Baja 1000 and 3 Baja 500s plus many other races with it. Great car. I think Ellison's putting it back together.

 

[chicken lips the ocho]

Would they be competitive today in class 1 and 10?

 

[J Burleson]

Did you ever notice the wing actually providing down force on the high speed stuff? I've ditched the wing on my car as it made (re)packaging of some stuff tricky. And I just saw it as unnecessary weight and most importantly I don't think it looked that cool! lol

 

[J Burleson]

What years were these built? What transaxle did they have?

 

[Steve_Sourapas]

I drove the first one with Ryan Thomas as it was a factory Chenowth car. We ran a Fortin 5 speed transmission with a Chevy V-6. Car was very fast but a handful to drive. Might be one of the best looking buggies ever in my opinion. It was built in 1998 as our first race was the 1998 Baja 1000 with that car. Very well built car by the team at Chenowth but we did struggle with the handling in the rear due to the shock design.

 

[bhernquist]

Did you ever notice the wing actually providing down force on the high speed stuff? I've ditched the wing on my car as it made (re)packaging of some stuff tricky. And I just saw it as unnecessary weight and most importantly I don't think it looked that cool! lol

Ellison's car was a 10 car with a Honda B16 and a Fortin 5 speed. The wing looked very cool on this car but not much else....

 

[La Tijereta]

Here is a "little older" single seater from the 88' Gold Coast race...

@ Centerline Images

 

[trent06]

I want to say Robby raced one at the Parker 425 maybe in early 2000's. I also thought I saw one pop up at a BITD race last year maybe...


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[Bro_Gill]

Yes, Bob Gordon had one built. Still 1 running around Mexico that comes north occasionally and I believe there was one in New Mex/Texas the last couple tears.

 

[Martin]

Bob Gordon's car went to Guam in 04 or 05 along with my Jimco class 1 mid engine car. My dad loaded both cars into the shipping container at the docks. I'm not sure if these cars are still in Guam or.......

 

[EOR1488]

Early 80's single seat too!

 

[bajataxi]

This class1 car originally belonged to Josh Waddell with a Acura NSX engine which traded hands to Grove Lumber and then to it current home with Darryl Freeman.

 

[J Burleson]

They are badass looking cars! Thanks for the history lesson everyone!! Can't wait to get my bunderson single seat out in the dirt! It's currently torn down to nothing and ready to start reassembly

 

[desertracer]

Found this old pic:

 

[MCM MOTORSPORTS]

Wayne Bannan from Queensland Australia has one and still runs it today. Nissan twin turbo V6 not sure what trans. He has had it since new.

 

[Steve_Sourapas]

Found this old pic:
View attachment 178343

Actually that's me driving at the 1998 Baja 1000 which was that car's first race. Not one of my better days as about 50 miles south of this picture I hit a 6 foot concrete pipe that ended our day.