FB 1968 Russell Alexis For Sale

[Missingyou13]

SOLD


1968 Alexis.jpeg

Alexis Chassie Badge.jpg

Chassis No. 36 $20000.00 OBO
email: willroland53@hotmail.com (my son) for the spec

Well, you all know more then I.
My husband bought this car from Randy Morvant in Vidor TX., in the late 80's early 90's. Restored it, Brought it back to life. He ran it last at No Problem Race Track in Bell Rose, LA., in 2008 or 2009. She is ready to get back out there and play some more. I do know a little history on this car from back in its hay day it won division championship in early 70's with Anatolly Artunoff at the wheel. David and I met Anatolly at TWS in early 90's and he reminisced on his race. Somewhere in this house we have the race results from that race. We were able to locate because David researched that race via the www. David Passed in 2013.

Thank you

[Robert J. Alder]

This actually a Russell-Alexis chassis (per the chassis plate) and the nose badge. But looking at the tires (wide slicks) and what appears to be side-draft carbs, it's apparently been changed to a FB configuration.

The Russell-Alexis cars were the second batch of FF cars commissioned to be built to the "new" Formula Ford specifications when it was first created in 1967. The first batch of the new FF spec cars was built by Lotus, i.e. the Lotus 51. That first batch of cars was commissioned by Motor Racing Stables (MRS) racing school. The Russell school quickly determined that FF was going to be a winner series/formula and thus commissioned Alexis to build a batch of apx. 50+ cars. This is one of those cars built by Alexis. Can't see the actual chassis number in the pic.

After the run of Russell-Alexis FFs were built, Alexis continued building them as the Alexis MK 14s with modest changes.

All these these cars have the classic cigar-shaped and beautiful bodies.

I come by this info because of owning #15 Russell-Alexis which has a unique history, as told on my website. As you'll read, running them as FB was done in the day.

[Ralph Z.]

So, were any Alexis originally produced as FB cars or were they all FFs and some converted?

[marshall9]

This actually a Russell-Alexis chassis (per the chassis .

I come by this info because of owning #15 Russell-Alexis which has a unique history, as told on my website. As you'll read, running them as FB was done in the day.

Great website and build documentation. So your is now a FF again. If someone buys this one, do you have the "B" engine, trans, wheels , etc for sale ?

[Robert J. Alder]

Ralph,

My understanding that all the Russell-Alexis cars were built as Formula Ford. However in the case of my chassis, it was advertised and sold by Fred Opert as a brand new "FB Roller" to Mr. Bahor. It was delivered with FB wheels and tires and a 5-speed Hewland. Fred did this for God only knows what reason. Story has it that he couldn't sell it as a FF because us Yanks were slow to get on the FF bandwagon. So Fred improvised to move it. But it sure wasn't built as a FB by Alexis.

As to the car being sold here, I don't know how it came to FB configuration, if that's indeed how it is. Over the years more than a few FFs were converted to FB by simply slapping in a twin-cam (easy fit) and bigger wheels and tires.

FYI, before Alexis got the commission to build the 50+ Russell-Alexis cars, they'd only built a few formula cars, no doubt FB or F3 cars. But it was a only a handful of cars. I'm sure they were delight to get the Russell order for 50 FF cars.

As to my car, if you scroll down on it's history, the Twin Cam blew up so I put it back to FF with correct wheels and tires, Kent motor, and 4-speed. It's now running as a FF. The Goodyear Gold Stripe tires went to Calif for a Sunbeam Tiger restoration, the wheels to Australia for a true Alexis FB restoration, and the 5-speed Mk4 tranny to England for a vintage mid-sixties FJ.

[Ralph Z.]

Ralph,

My understanding that all the Russell-Alexis cars were built as Formula Ford. However in the case of my chassis, it was advertised and sold by Fred Opert as a brand new "FB Roller" to Mr. Bahor. It was delivered with FB wheels and tires and a 5-speed Hewland. Fred did this for God only knows what reason. Story has it that he couldn't sell it as a FF because us Yanks were slow to get on the FF bandwagon. So Fred improvised to move it. But it sure wasn't built as a FB by Alexis.

As to the car being sold here, I don't know how it came to FB configuration, if that's indeed how it is. Over the years more than a few FFs were converted to FB by simply slapping in a twin-cam (easy fit) and bigger wheels and tires.

FYI, before Alexis got the commission to build the 50+ Russell-Alexis cars, they'd only built a few formula cars, no doubt FB or F3 cars. But it was a only a handful of cars. I'm sure they were delight to get the Russell order for 50 FF cars.

As to my car, if you scroll down on it's history, the Twin Cam blew up so I put it back to FF with correct wheels and tires, Kent motor, and 4-speed. It's now running as a FF. The Goodyear Gold Stripe tires went to Calif for a Sunbeam Tiger restoration, the wheels to Australia for a true Alexis FB restoration, and the 5-speed Mk4 tranny to England for a vintage mid-sixties FJ.

So, it's not likely that this car was an original Alexis FB car. Likely an FF converted to FB.

[Robert J. Alder]

So, it's not likely that this car was an original Alexis FB car. Likely an FF converted to FB.

Yup. I'd bet money on it. Specifically a Russell-Alexis FF converted. The chassis plate clearly says "Russell-Alexis", "JRRD" (Jim Russell Racing Development)

[Ralph Z.]

You ARE the Alexis expert!

[Bongo]

Hmm... That doesn't look like a roll hoop from a '68 Russel Alexis frame. All the ones I've seen, including the three '69 frames in my garage have a taller roll hoop, with tubes exiting the bodywork nearly vertical, and bending over with a lot more room between the headrest bar and the top, and there seems to be an extra bend on the left side of the one pictured.

[Robert J. Alder]

Hmm... That doesn't look like a roll hoop from a '68 Russel Alexis frame. All the ones I've seen, including the three '69 frames in my garage have a taller roll hoop, with tubes exiting the bodywork nearly vertical, and bending over with about twice as much room between the headrest bar and the top.

I'll try to remember to take a picture of the original roll hoop that was on my car when delivered (new) to Mr. Bashor in 1968. It's an itty-bitty thing, probably coming only to about the top of your neck (not head). Scary! Any car run since those "good old days" would have had to have a proper roll bar fitted to it as some point in its life.

[Ralph Z.]

The roll bar on this car looks very similar to the one on my MK14. I'm sure these were all retrofitted after the original roll bars mentioned by Mr. Alder.

[Ralph Z.]

Mine...

[Bongo]

The roll bar on this car looks very similar to the one on my MK14. I'm sure these were all retrofitted after the original roll bars mentioned by Mr. Alder.

That makes sense.

Ahhh... the good old days...

No seat belts and a brittle aluminum cylinder filled with 4 gallons of racing fuel sitting in the crash zone right above your legs.

[Robert J. Alder]

The "Good Old Days." Here's the picture of the original Russell-Alexis roll bar. It was cut off and saved. It's 1" round tubing, not all that great wall thickness either. I was able to set in right in front of the contemporary roll bar. A bit different, huh? I was wrong. It didn't come just to the top of your neck. It came all they way up to maybe the back of your head.

[Missingyou13]

Hey guys

This is Her son Will. I have been doing what digging I can trying to find some of my dad's old stuff but I have been getting things off his old posts because I do not have access to the originals because I am out of town. Here is an an add from Fred Opert for a fc/fb Alexis. My dad also had documentation showing this car to be Run as team Opert's 1968 fb car. Did Alexis intend for the car to be a fb/fc car? Maybe not, but I suppose it was a "dealer added option". I will talk with my mom to see if she can dig more documentation up but it may have to wait until I get back to town.


And to clarify a little more, the car is set up as a FB however, My dad re-painted the car as it was when he found it with the hopes that someone from the cars past would recognize it and want it back. Although I think he liked it to much because he never really tried to sell it.

Thanks

[Robert J. Alder]

It's now clear that Fred Opert sold a number (Lord only knows how many.) of these Russell-Alexis FFs as FB rollers. The copy of the advert shown in this post was also in the documentation I received from Mr Bashor, the original buyer of my car. It was what got his attention. Clearly Fred was active advertising them as new FB/FC cars, albeit rollers. Remember, FB was an active class back then. FF wasn't recognized by SCCA until '71 (I think). So the market for the Russell-Alexis FFs was probably limited. Fred's no dummy. A cheap FB chassis was an easy sell back then.

So it's a matter of semantics if they are "converted" cars or not. Were they built by the factory as FB cars. Nope. Did Fred sell some Russell-Alexis (FFs) as FB rollers. Yup. I'd guess this car may well be of those cars "converted" by Mr. Opert as a new FB roller but we'd have to know more to say for sure. Anyone could have made that change at any time. A twin cam engine, different wheels and tires and maybe a 5-speed (not required) and whamo, you've got a FB car..

Anyway, thought you'd all like to see the Feb. '68 bill of sale from Fred Opert to Mr. Bashor. Kinda' hard to read, but it says, "CASH PRICE OF CAR, complete, but less engine, with Hewland Mark 4 five-speed gearbox, all instruments, etc., American mag wheels, Firestone tires." $3,475.00.

Ah, the good ol' days.http://teamterrificracing.net/RMVR%2...lesReceipt.pdf

And that's exactly what I purchased "unused & as new" our of Gen's barn in 2004.

[LolaT440]

Very nice car. I am really surprised you would sell off all the original FB parts that were associated with your car. It was quite a unique piece.

[Offcamber1]

I'd love to have one of those "Russell" nose badges. I have an "Alexis" badge on a beat up piece of fiberglass hanging on the wall of my garage. What a rare piece that Russell badge is!

[Robert J. Alder]

Very nice car. I am really surprised you would sell off all the original FB parts that were associated with your car. It was quite a unique piece.

I really do hear you. However, being a Formula Ford guy at heart (25+ years driving my beloved Titan MK6B FF) I didn't feel "converting" the Russell-Alexis back to FF (as the lads at Alexis had really intended) was exactly a crime against originality. It left England as a FF. If anything, Fred Opert bastardized the car, not me. I just put it back to what was originally intended, a FF. Also, the FB bits I sold off went to very good homes where "originality" was a key consideration; -- the rare American Racing mag wheels went to a fellow in Australia who was restoring a genuine and rare mid-to-late '60s factory Alexis FB needing those exact wide FB wheels. And the MK-4 Hewland 5-speed went to a fellow in England who really needed it for his period correct Formula Jr. And I was glad to help out.

My conscious is clear. The car remains an incredibly unique piece -- a Russell-Alexis Formula Ford with only nine race weekends of racing on it and has "as delivered new" and "originality" oozing from its every pore.

OK, I'll admit. It would have been cool to have just hung on to the wheels and gearbox, letting them gather dust. But..... dollar considerations plus where the bits went (to someone who could really use them) dictated they needed to move on.

[Ralph Z.]

Does anyone know if this car is still for sale?

[formula none]

It was a couple weeks ago. I traded emails with the seller. He's real busy........

[Missingyou13]

Does anyone know if this car is still for sale?

Yes this car is still available.

[Ralph Z.]

Would you sell it as a roller? (Without engine)

[Robert J. Alder]

Interesting. The recent (expiring with in the hour as this is being written) eBay listing is probably yet another of the Fred Opert (RIP this week) Russell/Alexis "FB Rollers."

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201642600687

I'd almost best money on it. The chassis details (Except for instrument roll hoop which was changed on the above car) look almost identical to mine. I even have the old original gas tanks (a tank behind the seat and more on the left side) from my car which in no way should ever be run. They were just alum cans, no foam, linked together with a rubber fuel line. YIKES!

This makes three of the Opert "FB Rollers" --- Mine, the one in this thread, and the one above on eBay that I'm aware of.

[marshall9]

Sold !

[Bob L.]

Sent link to Toly... not on apex...his reply:

i drove john bernardine's fc alexis with a climax and a six-speed at stuttgart and texas world in the mid-'80s...i'd tell them but don't care to learn how to get in.


so, a small bit of history.

Bob L.

[Gordy]

So is this car sold ?

[marshall9]

So is this car sold ?

Auction ended with a bid and reserve was met, so unless the bidder backs out, I would say yes. Under 9K.

[Ralph Z.]

Didn't know this was on auction.

[Gordy]

I am referring to this ad posted here , not the Ebay car.

[marshall9]

I am referring to this ad posted here , not the Ebay car.

My bad.

[Missingyou13]

I am referring to this ad posted here , not the Ebay car.

Car is still available

[Manuel Leonardo]

Hello, interested in the car and just sent you an email with my contact info.

Manuel

[Missingyou13]

Alexispg6 (1).jpg

Car sold

[scotts216]

FWIW:

Alec Francis and Bill Harris started Alexis in the late 50's in the UK, and the "factory" was their garage.

There were a dozen or so FJ, F3, F2 cars built up to and including 1971. One or two cars a year were built through this period, with varying degrees of success. I own the 67 one-off F2 car. In 1968, Formula Ford took off and Alexis, and the Russell Alexis was born. It was common for many of the Chassis', whether a FF or purpose built higher formula car to run in different classes depending on which engine might be installed.

I authored the Alexis Registry online years ago when I was racing, but it is currently offline - the reason for which I need to figure out. I had the entire Alexis history posted there. Someday I will try to find the time to find out what happened and resurrect the page.

[Robert J. Alder]

Hay Scott. Good to hear you're still kicking around. Let's have lunch. Been WAY too long.
Cheers,
Bob Alder
303-981-6364