Best known information about Formcar
production history
(most of the 'discovery' work on this was done by
Renaud Lechalier - owner of several Formcars in France)
This is what we THINK we know.
If you have any additional information or
corrections, please contact the webmaster - Steve at WedgeRacing dot com.
Also, see this reproduction of an article
from the German magazine CURBS - translated to english .. by google :)
1962 saw the beginning of the manufacture of the Formcar kits. They were built in Orlando Florida and approximately 15 kits /cars were completed.
In 1963 Burgess Enterprises in Denver started to manufacture. Wendell L. Burgess became the authorized Western U.S.A. (west of the Mississippi River) manufacture and distributor of Formcars. Wendell appointed Vern Hagestad as Rocky Mountain dealer. Approximately 140 kits /cars were completed in Florida and approximately 50 kits /cars were completed in Denver, Colorado.
We have recently found that Formcar
Florida also sold cars in Texas through Robert Gilbert, Jr of Bob Gilbert
Foreign Motors, in Ft. Worth starting in 1963. Bob first bought himself a
formcar, then let prospective buyers take test drives before buying their
own cars.
Gilbert, helmet in hand, getting ready to test a formcar in Florida (1963)
Courtesy Bob Gilbert, III, 2017
1964 saw the introduction of the Formcar Model II. The changes in the Model II were minimal. (Items like a newly designed pedal assembly were included) Approximately 60 kits /cars were completed in Florida and approximately 15 kits /cars were completed in Denver, Colorado.
1965 saw the introduction of the Formcar Model III. This model was a complete new chassis and body design. It had a body with separate nose and tail sections. Approximately 40 kits /cars were completed in Florida and the Model III was not built in Denver. 20 of the Model III's were exported to Germany by Arie Luyendyk’s father. This model is the rarest and seldom seen in the United States
The Formcar Constructors closed shop in 1965. The total production of Formcars was approximately 255 kits /cars completed in Florida and 65 kits /cars completed in Denver, Colorado, for a total of 320+ Formcars produced.
There appears to be some discrepancy between the "known" number of cars manufactured and some of the known chassis plate numbers. Some of the chassis numbers are higher than the number of chassis thought to be built. We are not sure what this means.
According to Wendell Burgess, EVERY car manufactured in Denver has 'DEN' between the year and chassis number on the chassis plate.
We are trying to get confirmation from any of the early builders or relatives of them that we can locate.
Early print article on Formula Vee Formcars (source unknown).