PBS Chassis

H Modified, C & D Sports Racer

PBS Engines
Sales Flier (to be added)

Mk-8; DSR

• Aluminum monocoque
• Mid-engine layout
• Available with any PBS 850cc engine
• Webster/VW 5 speed gearbox
• Single puck Airheart brake calipers
• Fiat 128 derived axles, bearings, and drive components
• Wheelbase: 79"
• Overall Length: 123.75"
• Overall Width: 56"
• Track: 54.5" front, 54.5" rear
• Front Overhang: 30"
• Rear Overhang: 15"
• Height: 25.5"
• Ground Clearance: 3"
• Cockpit Opening: 35.5"
• Front axle CL to Front of Roll Bar: 53.25"

Mk-7; CSR

• Aluminum monocoque
• Mid-engine layout
• Available w/ any PBS 1300cc engine
• Webster/VW 5 speed gearbox
• Double puck Airheart brake calipers
• Fiat 128 derived axles, bearings, and drive components
• Wheelbase: 87.5"
• Overall Length: 132.625"
• Overall Width: 61.25" front, 64" rear
• Track: 61" front, 62.5 rear
• Front Overhang: 30.5"
• Rear Overhang: 14.75"
• Height - Ground Clearance: 26.5"
• Ground Clearance: 3"
• Cockpit Opening: 36.75"
• Front axle CL to Front of Roll Bar: 58.75"

1973 PBS Mk-7
Vintage Raced.
Ford Crossflow, Webers,
Webster Transaxle.
Long Race History!!
Retiring from Racing.

Reported sold
Jan. 4, 2000 on
The Racers Network

Mk-6; 1968 thru 1974

• Plywood monocoque
• Same as on the Mk 5
• Mid-engine layout

These cars ...

Mk-5; 1968 thru 1974

• Plywood monocoque
• Built of 1/8" and 1/4" plywood, double laminated with fiberglass. A steel sub-frame was used to tie the rear suspension, engine mounts and roll bar together, and a steel bulkhead transferred steering gear, master cylinder and front suspension loads into the monocoque section.
• Rear engine layout

Dick Colburn says, "I owned the PBS 'Woody' in 1974. I liked the idea of a plywood monococque chassis, and it worked fine in that era. Today, we have moved from cellulose and lignin to glass, carbon or nylon-derived fibres, and use artificial binders such as polystyrene and epoxy. As an exercise, plywood would be good, but it is too heavy for its strength relative to more modern materials.

The PBS, as I recall, used steel bulkheads for all critical mountings, with plywood panels tying the bulkheads together. No important loads were fed directly into the wood, unlike what is done today with carbon-fibre chassis. The "Woody" had its engine at the rear, behind the Hewland, and was quite tail-happy. We still had fun together, and the car took me to my first Runoffs in '74. I sold the car to Ron Kutzer, in Northern California."

These cars ...

Mk-4; CSR and DSR,
1968 thru 1974

• Mid-engine layout
• Wheelbase: 82 to 86"
• Overall Length: 139.5"
• Overall Width: 60.625"
• Front Overhang: 29"
• Height - Ground Clearance: 22.75" without roll bar
• Cockpit Opening: 31.625"

Bob Snow raced an Mk-4 DSR for PBS Engineering, with a PBS SOHC 850cc engine, for a number of years with great success. That car was later restored to its original condition by PBS, and is now owned by Steve Feig of Corona CA. He races it with VARA.

Bob also raced an Mk-4 CSR with a PBS 16 valve 1300cc engine. A Second car was driven by Randy McDaniel. Both won many races, Randy's most notable being the June Sprints.

David Fairchild of Richmond, VA, has raced a 1969 PBS Mk-4 with a 1300cc engine.
 

Mk-3; Formula C

This car was built in 1969 as an exercise in open wheel design.
 

Mk-2 (GT-2); H Mod Coupe, 1968

Bob Swenson raced his Mk-2 for several years. He even drove the car in the 1968 American Road Race of Champions (SCCA's national championship at the time) at Riverside Raceway in 1968 [entered as a PBS GT-2], but was classified as a DNF (did not finish) due to a broken suspension piece after compleing only one lap.

The car was powered by a FIAT 850cc engine, with a PBS DOHC cylinder head, which made about 90 bhp at 8500 RPM.

Bob's car was later sold to an owner who modified it heavily. Unfortunately, the car was changed to the point that, when later requested, PBS could not get it back to its original condition. So, instead, they installed a roadster (Mk-4) body on the chassis.

PBS also built a second Mk-2, which was sold to Elliott Mendenhall in Texas. (Elliott's son, Craig Mendenhall, is now racing a Cheetah in DSR). Elliott's car was sold several times, and fortunately was maintained in original condition. It was finally sold to a serious collector in Japan for over $125,000. Over the years, PBS has done several rebuilds of the engine for the current owner.
 

Bob Swenson
Turn 11 at
Sears Point Raceway, CA
circa 1968

1968 ARRC
Race Results

Mk-1; H Mod

This car was built in 1964. PBS had developed their "DOHC engine from the Fiat 600D engine and required a suitable chassis to house it."