When we see a preserved GP car being demonstrated are we really getting the whole deal - by which I mean are we really getting the genuine sound and fury of a famous racing car being fully stretched as in history ?

Some years ago there was a demonstration of old(er) racing cars at Sandown, Melbourne. Jack Brabham was in a Repco Brabham cruising around and everything seemed rather genteel and relaxed until Alan Jones appeared in a Porsche 906 (I think it was a 906) and he was really pressing on. He came up behind Jack and passed going so much faster that Jack obviously got a fright and darted sideways in shock. Alan disappeared into the distance but Jack remained steady and controlled for about a half lap until he entered the back straight whereupon it was as if a giant explosion took place and the Repco Brabham suddenly came alive and reeled in Jones to effortlessly blast past on the grandstand straight, the Repco engine on full song. Once the point had been made Jack then eased off again resuming his measured and steady and thus bland demonstration.

It was then realised that until this incident we hadn't been getting the definitive picture of a Repco Brabham in serious action.

There is a huge difference between a pre war Grand Prix Mercedes Benz or Auto Union being absolutely caned to the utmost in a pre-war Grand Prix to a preserved example now being demonstrated and being treated with care and general mechanical sympathy. What we don't get is the recreation of the ferocity and intensity of these machines as they were raced in their heyday. Obviously there is a need to avoid mechanical damage in a priceless old racing car but it would be illuminating if we could be treated to the sight of one of these cars in full flight, at the limit.

I often thought the sound of the 'historic' F1 field does not sound quite right

Presumed it was combination of lower revs, different exhausts and changes in noise regulation, but never recreates the 'sounds of the 70's'

That 's because most of us who had misspent youths around racing cars (and in my case shotguns and v loud rock music ) without ear protection are half deaf.

Pardon

Sometime in the nineties Rick Mancuso of Lake Forest Sports Cars brought a Ferrari 642 to Road America and it did some demo laps. The sound, to me, was magnificent.

Of course, I am also the guy who cannot hear the phone ring at home after spending some 50 years around unmuffled race engines....

On a related note, I still chuckle about a report in Vintage Motorsport magazine a few years ago. Brian French had a Ferrari F-93A with which he played. However, he did not have the Ferrari V-12 in it, as that was too complex to run and service. Instead, he had a Judd V-10 sports car unit installed. Nonetheless, the reporter in Vintage Motorsport breathlessly described the wonderful sounds of a Ferrari V-12 at full tilt.....

French today has a late nineties Benetton, but of course the Renault V-10 is not in it. This too has a Judd V-10. Just wonder if the Vintage Motorsport writer is aware of it.

Tom

Until recently the TGP field were not rev restricted and you can be sure that the top guys were spending loads of money to ensure that the 'developed' DFVs were giving at least as much power at high revs as the best engines in their day.

However both the series now run to lower revs in the interests of cost saving.

To some extent of course historic racers are not 'on it' to the same extent as the real drivers but they still make a great sound.