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I read a message on the
Vintage Race web from Simon Favre which that noted he
owned a 1958 Bourgeault Formula Jr., "the oldest car
trying to run in CSRG's open wheel group". I
wrote to him that I have a Frazer Nash web site for the
postwar models of these cars. One of the Frazer Nash's
brought into the US was a Le Mans Replica owned by Jim
Lowe, listed in the Frazer Nash records with the following
history:
"Bolt on wheels. Spare
wheel in boot. Wire wheel conversion in August 1953.
Exported to USA. Rebodied in mid-50's by Nadeau
Bouregault (sic)."
Noting the "similarity"
of these names, I'm asked if he knew any of the
history of his Formula Jr.'s constructor. Mr.
Nadeau Bourgeault, I've been told, worked in San
Francisco doing custom bodies. Further, I noted my
inquiry to him was "a very long shot..."
Mr. Favre replied:
"Not a long shot at all.
There was exactly one Bourgeault in the race car
business, and Nadeau was the one. He was a body and
fender man by trade. He was an absolute artist in
aluminum. He rebodied several cars as far as I
know, but I don't know what happened to them. My car was
his first purpose-built race car, and his only Junior.
His shop was actually in Sausalito, CA, north of
San Francisco in Marin County. The first shop he had was
at Bob Cornish Motors, then he moved elsewhere. Nick
Reynolds of the Kingston Trio drove my car, and later
went on to take 2nd honors nationally in another
Bourgeault running in Formula C.
Bourgeault also worked with Joe Huffaker on the first
BMC Juniors, then went off on his own after a falling
out. One of the local BMC drivers bought the original
body molds from Huffaker. He swears he can see the
impressions of rivet heads in the molds. He figures
Bourgeault must have done a prototype in Aluminum that
Huffaker took the molds off of.
There is a strong similarity in the shape of the hole in
the nose. Nadeau passed away in 1974, after a heart
attack. 2 or 3 of his other cars and some of the
original plans burned up in the Oakland Hills fire some
years back. The only other Bourgeaults extant that I
know of are one Formula B car that was in Reno for a
long time, and a sports racer currently being restored.
The B is about ready to make an appearance according to
its current owner. For a picture of the Bourgeault
Formula Junior, see:
ftp://ftp.team.net/vintage/Images/bfj-svc.jpg
FYI, one of the Bourgeault sports racers was fitted by
its owner with a BRM F1 engine! The car was subsequently
destroyed. I don't know if the driver survived.
Cheers, Simon"
I thanked Simon for this great
slice of history! I will correct the spelling of the
special-bodied Lowe Frazer Nash to "Bourgeault"
on the Frazer Nash web pages. I can't recall the exact
source of my misspelling, but the name appears as "Bourebault"
in an old anthology, "Sportscar Specials".
The Lowe Frazer Nash (421/200/183) was sold to Jim
Firestone. The car was completely destroyed and
Mr. Firestone was killed in a crash at a Paramount Ranch
race in December, 1957, according to the history I have
so far.
I also discussed Mr. Bourgeault with a San Diego-area
auto historian. He said the July 1961 issue of
"Car & Driver" has a story about him.
I'll look for this issue. |
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