Anson
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FSV Produced:
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FSV Years: 1980-86
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Location:
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Gary Anderson and Bob Simpson developed a Brabham BT38 in 1975 to race it in Formula 3 and gave it the name ANSON (ANderson - simpSON) SA1
In 1975, Formula One mechanics Gary Anderson, who worked for Brabham, and Bob Simpson, who worked for Tyrrell, built a Formula 3 car called the Anson SA1. It was based on the Brabham BT38 and was raced by Anderson in Formula Libre. Anderson left Brabham at the end of 1976 to focus on designing the Anson SA2 Formula 3 car for 1977. A last minute withdrawal of sponsorship left the project in great difficulties and part-way through 1977 the car was withdrawn.
Anderson rejoined Formula One as chief mechanic at McLaren. He remained there for two years after which he joined the Ensign team.
In 1980, Anderson, Simpson and ex-Rolls Royce employee Jeff Hills formed Anson Cars, which built Formula 3 and Formula Super Vee cars for the next six years.
By 1981 the ANSON AS3 was achieving some success in Europe and was brought to the States as the SA3V to run the Super Vee championship. Franz Konrad won the German F3 with an Anson and this generated a lot of interest in the car.
The 1983-84 SA4 was a very advanced formula car with the latest technology very well incorporated. It was a scaled down Formula 1. Tomy Byrne was brought to the States to demonstrate its potential. He himself finish 6th in the European F3 with an AS4-VW.
In 1985, Anderson went to America to become the chief engineer of the Galles Indycar team.
By 1981 the ANSON AS3 was achieving some success in Europe and was brought to the States as the SA3V to run the Super Vee championship. Franz Konrad won the German F3 with an Anson and this generated a lot of interest in the car.
The 1983-84 SA4 was a very advanced formula car with the latest technology very well incorporated. It was a scaled down Formula 1. Tomy Byrne was brought to the States to demonstrate its potential. He himself finish 6th in the European F3 with an AS4-VW.
In 1985, Anderson went to America to become the chief engineer of the Galles Indycar team.
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The last Anson, the SA6 ,was built by Pacemaker Performance Cars in UK. It was designed for the Formula Super Vee series. Gary Anderson took a position with a Formula 3000 team in 1986 and later designed the first Jordan Formula 1.
In 1988, Mike McHugh purchased the company, with the goal of building Super Vee cars in California. Two months later, the two top executives in Volkswagen America who were instrumental in VW's support of the Super Vee series were killed in the Lockerbie air disaster and the market for the cars disappeared.
Anson's greatest achievements as a constructor were Franz Konrad winning the 1983 German F3 Championship and Tommy Byrne finishing 6th in the 1984 European F3 Championship |
The SA6 was introduced in 1985, it had a deeper monocoque and shorter sidepods that the SA4 series. Cast aluminium bulkheads front and rear took the major loads and the fuel and oil tanks were located amidships. Suspension was inboard all-round and featured pushrods at the front and rocking levers at the rear. All the suspension is interchangeable left to right. The rear spring/damper units were mounted vertically within the long bellhousing. The radiators were carried in the sidepods just ahead of the rear wheels.
Driven by Keith Fine in the UK it was not a success, the tub appeared to be insufficiently stiff and half way through the year Fine abandoned it. Only one other SA6 appeared in Germany, again without success, and at the end of the year Anson stopped producing F3 cars.
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Model |
Year |
Chasis ID# |
State |
Country |
SA-3 |
1982 |
SA 3 001 |
OK |
USA |
SA-3c |
1982 |
- |
- |
- |
SA-4 |
1984 |
SA 4 8A-359-372 |
NM |
USA |
SA-4 |
1985 |
359 |
CA |
|
SA-6 |
1985 |
- |
CA |
|
SA-6 |
1985 |
V601 |
- |
Australia |
SA-6 |
1985 |
V601 |
- |
- |
SA-6 |
1985 |
V602 |
PA |
USA |
anecdotal
"I can tell you a bit more about Ansons in US SV, although others may have much better info. As far as I know the SA 3 model first showed up in the US in 1982 (the old Wanadoo site that had a lot of this info is now off-line). Peter Moodie drove one, and several other drivers drove the car(s) as well. Ed Pimm won the SV championship in 1983 and while he split his time between a Ralt RT-5 and an Anson SA 3C, I believe he won most of his races in the Anson. In 1984 the SA 4 came over to the US, and I believe Tommy Byrne put it on the pole at the Long Beach GP SV preliminary race. By 1985 the SA 6 model came on line and was driven in SV by Johnny O'Connell and others." ~ Ten Tenths Forum