Since the early days of Grand Prix racing many attempts were made to enter the Formula One and pre-war Grand Prix era. The period 1885 – 2021 contains over 650 Unraced projects. Every now and then new projects appear on the surface. To share with you all the stories i decided to summarize the stories per year. Don’t you worry, all the stories will be researched and eventually published. This is the summarized overview of the 1964 season.
BRM P67
In late 1963 the development began of the BRM P67, the design came from Tony Rudd. The car was intended for the 1964 season. What was so special about the BRM P67? The car was to be fitted with the 4WD system from Ferguson. After the company withdrew from racing, they offered their 4WD system to F1 manufacturers. The reason BRM choose for Ferguson’s system had to do with the new regulations for 1966. The Formula One would make the switch to the 3.0-litre engines. Eventually the car was built with the help of Mike Pilbeam.
To develop the car BRM choose from an BRM P261 chassis fitted with the P57 suspension with a 1,5-litre BRM P56 engine mounted back-to-front with Fergusson’s transmission system. The BRM P67 was ready in 1964 and Dickie Attwood tested with the car. Attwood would also arrive with the BRM P67 at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix. He managed to qualify the car on the last place for the race. However, BRM decided to withdraw from the race as the car was just a testbed. Eventually the car would appear in the period 1966 – 1968 a couple of times during hill climbs with good results!
Eduardo Medina
It has been a while ago when I was contact by someone who had pictures and documents regarding an Mexican F1 project in 1964. Forgive me if it wasn’t an Mexican project, it is what I recall. The team was active in the lower Formulae series in the early 1960s. However, in 1964 the team was working on their own F1 car. There isn’t much info available about it. More investigation will happen.
Eduardo Medina 
Honda RA270
Honda RA270
In late 1963 Honda started working on the Honda RA270. The car was designed as a test-hack for their new V12 engine. The car was painted in gold and we all know the photos of the 12 separated exhausts for the new engine. Jack Brabham tested the Honda for the first time in February 1964 at Arakawa. Honda intended to debut the Honda RA270 during the Grand Prix at Monaco that year. However, Honda decided to postpone the RA270 for Monaco. At the German Grand Prix, the team debut with the RA271.
Lotus-Honda
What is true about this rumour I can’t tell you. I read a couple of times that Colin Chapman and Honda were in speaking terms to fit the Honda V12 engine in a Lotus 24 or Lotus 25. The plan was to test the engine in pre-season testing in 1964. In 1963, Chapman cancelled the deal he made with Honda, which resulted Honda to debut with their own team. Eventually, it seems, the test-deal was postponed.
Maserati – Tipo 8
Maserati started working on a new F1 engine in 1963. The engine was similar to the engine of the Honda V12. This project was based around the Giulio Marelli 1,5litre V12 engine. The engine was tested on the test bank. However, the engine would not appear in a Formula One car eventually.
