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Race Car Engineering

Started by Magoo , May 11 2012 20:32

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25 replies to this topic

#1 Magoo

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 20:32

It seems we have a reason to read Race Car Engineering again. The mag has a new regular column by our very own RDV. I know none of us will want to miss it.

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#2 Risil

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 22:36

Thanks for the advance warning.

Edited by Risil, 11 May 2012 - 22:36.

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#3 Canuck

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Posted 12 May 2012 - 00:42

An excuse to renew, just as mine ran out.

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#4 Tony Matthews

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Posted 12 May 2012 - 00:56

I am proud and delighted to say that I received the article directly from the man himself!

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#5 desmo

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Posted 12 May 2012 - 02:21

Good for RCE! How the hell does RDV find the time?

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#6 desmo

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Posted 12 May 2012 - 16:44

Yes we are.

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#7 Magoo

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Posted 12 May 2012 - 17:04

I am proud and delighted to say that I received the article directly from the man himself!

me too. I'm glad he sent it as I might not read RCE every issue and could have missed it.

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#8 mariner

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Posted 13 May 2012 - 09:37

I has sort of stopped buying RCE as it was begiining to have a " retro" theme to some articles as well as the usual mfr. supplied copy but this will make me look at it again.

Its nice in fact to have a designer NOT linked to ( today's) F1 being treated with respect.

Having read Tony Southgate's book and some of the things RDV has done around the world I think that being a "designer for hire" to Sports etc. teams is actually more of a professional engineering challenge than being one peice of a 200 person F1 design team repeating the same problem set year after year

Edited by mariner, 13 May 2012 - 10:14.

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#9 mariner

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Posted 13 May 2012 - 18:46

To sort of amplify the point above here is an obituary of Ted Cutting who designed the 1959 Le Mans winning Aston Martin.

http://www.telegraph...ed-Cutting.html

What is interesting is the range of enginering jobs he held down, from racecar design to giant bearing design to Aitomotive legistlation and fuels

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#10 Tony Matthews

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Posted 13 May 2012 - 20:35

I hope no-one minds me posting this here, but Ted Cutting designed one of the few cars that are, im my mind, aesthetically flawless. Then there is the engineering...

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#11 gruntguru

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Posted 13 May 2012 - 23:41

Gorgeous and a great drawing too Tony.

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#12 NeilR

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 00:16

Tony lovely pic. I will find a copy of RCE in the newsagent then and have a read. I stopped with RCE and Race Tech many years ago for the use of press copy and managerial chat stuff and locally they were expensive...this and lack of local relevance was part of the reason I started my own mag (forgive the self promotion):
Posted Image

Edited by NeilR, 14 May 2012 - 00:47.

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#13 Magoo

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 00:17

Sort of amazing the talented and accomplished people we have here. Not bad for a $#@% Internet message board.

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#14 mariner

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 07:48

Tony, that is a truly stunning peice of artwork of a beautiful car, thanks so much.

My wife came into the room whilst it was on the screen and said "wow"!

I would guess from the fire extinghuiser at the back it was done from a car running in historic racing?

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#15 GreenMachine

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 11:12

Tony, that is a truly stunning peice of artwork of a beautiful car, thanks so much.

My wife came into the room whilst it was on the screen and said "wow"!

I would guess from the fire extinghuiser at the back it was done from a car running in historic racing?

I agree, lovely artwork, one of my favourite cars.

I see the date on the drawing is '97, which could support it being a historic racer, in both senses

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#16 Tony Matthews

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 13:52

Thanks, the DBR1 was done as one of three, the others being the Ferrari Testa Rossa and TR250, all for Chris Nixon's book that was sold at very high price to a lucky few. Unfortunately, but not unusually, my fee did not cover the research time necessary to draw the cars in their completely original form - there were several changes to the body shape of the AM for a start - so it was agreed that I would do them in their current form, and a note of this was made in the text.

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#17 Kelpiecross

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 13:55

Tony lovely pic. I will find a copy of RCE in the newsagent then and have a read. I stopped with RCE and Race Tech many years ago for the use of press copy and managerial chat stuff and locally they were expensive...this and lack of local relevance was part of the reason I started my own mag (forgive the self promotion):

It looks like an interesting issue - especially the Citroen and Javelin. Is the mag available in newsagents or just subscription?

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#18 NeilR

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 22:25

Thank you. The javelin article is from the perspective of the builder of the car, Bruce Tyson. I often feel the builders or engineers get overlooked in the rush to ask the driver questions (often as insightful as 'how awesome are you?) so it is an detailed article from Bruce. The Citroen is a little article from the owners perspective. It is an interesting car for what it is. The owner is frank about its foibles. The Lola T140 I found interesting because the owner crashed it four years ago and sustained serious injuries. There were images of the car prior to impact showing a steering or front suspension failure, which brings up the issue of car life. The car was effectively a write off and was rebuilt at great expense, including machining the discs from cast iron billets as they are no longer available.
I'm happy to send a couple of back issues to international tech forum members if you will cover the postage cost.

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#19 Paolo

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Posted 15 May 2012 - 10:09

My luck: starting last month the importer apparently gave up and no more Race Car Engineering in my town stands.

Of course, perish the thought of not buying the reliquiary to Ricardo's musings.

I think this will be my first ever online subscription, it had to happen one day.

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#20 Lukin

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Posted 16 May 2012 - 12:03

Excellent work RDV, well done!

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#21 Magoo

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Posted 17 May 2012 - 01:05

Thank you. The javelin article is from the perspective of the builder of the car, Bruce Tyson.

Would this be one of the Javelins alluded to earlier that runs a Mopar engine?

One noteworthy feature of the AMC Javelin was the truly horrible front suspension. Similar to Falcon in layout but far worse in execution.

I would have no idea -- was the Javelin formally imported to Australia?

Your magazine looks very interesting. We don't have anything quite like it in the USA... or much of a market for it here either, probably.

Edited by Magoo, 17 May 2012 - 01:06.

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#22 Catalina Park

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Posted 17 May 2012 - 09:53

I would have no idea -- was the Javelin formally imported to Australia?

Yes, American Motors vehicles were imported in CKD kit form and assembled in Port Melbourne by AMI (Australian Motor Industries) I am not sure if the Javelin was CKD or fully imported but they did wear the AMI badge.
AMI was assembling Triumph and Toyota cars at the time. It was eventually taken over by Toyota.

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#23 NeilR

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Posted 18 May 2012 - 02:04

Magoo, you have a mag called 'grassroots motorsports' I think, which is similar in concept.
Yes this is the car. The race cars are allowed to move a suspension pickup point in a 50mm radius from the original position and uprights are free, but they must use the original suspension arms. Yes the front suspension has a falling rate at the front - hardly ideal.
The Javelin was imported and sold as a Rambler and all were powered by 401 V8 engines.

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#24 desmo

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Posted 18 May 2012 - 04:13

Supplemental air springs as a kludge against the falling rate perhaps? I've seen F1 systems with falling rate but I assume that's about aero.

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#25 Fat Boy

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Posted 18 May 2012 - 04:49

Beautiful car, Tony, well done.

Good stuff from you, too, RDV. I expect it to be the first of many.

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#26 NeilR

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Posted 18 May 2012 - 11:46

the shock/damper act on the top arm at around 50% of link length. Given the repositioned suspension points and lowered suspension the rate becomes falling, but original spring type/position must be used. I know that bump rubbers will be used to assist.
Rear axle is interesting. Additional links cannot be used, but additional dampers were used horizontally from the top of the axle housing to the chassis rail in place of a solid link. Much greater traction was the result.