191 replies to this topic

[stevewf1]

The drivers of that era truly needed a second casket for their giant manhood. Or someone to check them into the nearest asylum. No harnesses just so you could run a bit lighter; they sacrificed nothing in the pursuit of speed.

I remember reading a story that at LeMans, back when they did that sprint-to-the-cars type of start, Gurney would jump in and blast off and wait until he got to the Mulsanne straight to do up his belts - while steering with his knees...

[Barry Boor]

I thought that the introduction of belts came when the run-across start was abandoned. The start being abandoned BECAUSE of the matter of fastening belts.

If the belts were fitted properly a driver would have great problems fixing them himself, 200 mph or not.

[2F-001]

I'm sure I recall at least one year when the race was started with the cars in echelon and the drivers already installed, with the proposal that the co-drivers ran across the track with the keys... I assume that even in the late sixties, many would not have 'ignition keys', so I'm not sure how that was resolved.

Setting off unbelted, must have been done regularly, since it was widely reported as being notable that the Chaparral drivers (for example) were instructed by Jim not to move off until properly strapped in. I think that 2F was not particularly brisk from rest anyway, but taking the ADAC 1000km as a case (just because there I've seen more pics of it) 2F was setting off way, way back amongst the tiddlers despite qualifying right up near the front, but with the driver securely belted.

Edited by 2F-001, 28 February 2011 - 09:14.

[Amphicar]

I'm sure I recall at least one year when the race was started with the cars in echelon and the drivers already installed, with the proposal that the co-drivers ran across the track with the keys... I assume that even in the late sixties, many would not have 'ignition keys', so I'm not sure how that was resolved.

Setting off unbelted, must have been done regularly, since it was widely reported as being notable that the Chaparral drivers (for example) were instructed by Jim not to move off until properly strapped in. I think that 2F was not particularly brisk from rest anyway, but taking the ADAC 1000km as a case (just because there I've seen more pics of it) 2F was setting off way, way back amongst the tiddlers despite qualifying right up near the front, but with the driver securely belted.

1969 was the last year of the classic Le Mans start, with drivers sprinting across the track to their cars. It was modified for 1970, in response to 1969 winner Jacky Ickx's "walk protest" and John Woolfe's fatal first lap crash that year. In 1970 the cars started from the traditional echelon positions but with the drivers already onboard and belted in. In 1971 the echelon start was replaced by the "Indy-style" rolling start that is still used.

Edited by Amphicar, 28 February 2011 - 11:23.

[Giraffe]

I thought I'd seen all the dangerous looking racing cars I would ever see. That was until I visited Cholmondeley last summer..............


By null at 2010-07-17

By null at 2010-07-17

By null at 2010-07-17

Enough to scare the horses & make the babies cry!!!

Edited by Giraffe, 28 February 2011 - 11:47.

[eldougo]

This is the Harvey Templeton F/Ford made back in the 1970s. apparently it won it first race and Harvey was the designer and driver at 69 y/o well done.






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Edited by eldougo, 24 March 2011 - 08:03.

[Simon Hadfield]

This is the Harvey Templeton F/Ford made back in the 1970s. apparently it won it first race and Harvey was the designer and driver at 69 y/o well done.






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Yes, but thats not dangerous, that's genius! (A quite different thread)

[TomPrankerd]

The Rial ARC1, IIRC, first turned up with a rollbar which stopped bang level with the top of the driver's head, which they actually got away with for three or four races

That weird mirror on the Eifelland March isn't something I'd like in front of me when racing at a hundred and odd MPH.

The Life L190's big wide open low cockpit looked terrifying, though I suspect this was less of a problem as the thing could probably only do 30mph - downhill, with a following wind and a tow.

[kayemod]

The Life L190's big wide open low cockpit looked terrifying, though I suspect this was less of a problem as the thing could probably only do 30mph - downhill, with a following wind and a tow.

Now, you're just being silly.

[Tim Murray]

The Life L190's big wide open low cockpit looked terrifying, though I suspect this was less of a problem as the thing could probably only do 30mph - downhill, with a following wind and a tow.

Have you seen it lately, Tom? The gentleman who drove it at the 2009 Goodwood FoS appeared to be sitting on it rather than in it:

[Barry Boor]

Cor, doesn't it look like a Ferrari...

[cpbell]

Have you seen it lately, Tom? The gentleman who drove it at the 2009 Goodwood FoS appeared to be sitting on it rather than in it:

He looks like he's driving a hip bath!

[kayemod]

Have you seen it lately, Tom? The gentleman who drove it at the 2009 Goodwood FoS appeared to be sitting on it rather than in it:

I remember seeing him getting into the thing, he looked about 6' 4", hardly a typical F1 physique.

[TomPrankerd]

Have you seen it lately, Tom? The gentleman who drove it at the 2009 Goodwood FoS appeared to be sitting on it rather than in it:

Wow, that's pretty scary seen like that... I think I've only really seen higher-angle side-on shots of the thing before (photographers seem to have grown bored of the thing after the first couple of races). The one that really spooked me was a picture of Giacomelli (at Monaco, I think) taken head-on, and you can see how low and wide the actual cockpit is, compared to most cars of the era where you can see a helmet and not much else from that point of view. Having been out of touch with this sort of thing for years, I was amazed when I first saw the Goodwood pictures - wonderful to think someone's still got the thing!

The whole Life story is the sort of thing you couldn't make up.

Edited by TomPrankerd, 24 March 2011 - 21:14.

[Giraffe]

Herb Adams Escort Can-Am car


By giraffe138 at 2011-04-03

[stevewf1]

Herb Adams Escort Can-Am car


By giraffe138 at 2011-04-03

It must have an interesting drive train. Wonder how it handles on left-hand corners?

[PCC]

Herb Adams Escort Can-Am car


By giraffe138 at 2011-04-03

Please tell me that this is an April Fools joke. Or at least tell me what year it was.

[Giraffe]

Please tell me that this is an April Fools joke. Or at least tell me what year it was.

1983.There's a thread on it.

http://forums.autosp...showtopic=65333

[PCC]

1983.There's a thread on it.

http://forums.autosp...showtopic=65333

Ah yes, thank you. No wonder I hate that era of "Can-Am" - I don't even like to call it "Can-Am", it's an insult to the real thing. They should have let the series' reputation rest in peace, rather than in pieces.

[kayemod]

Herb Adams Escort Can-Am car


By giraffe138 at 2011-04-03

That car reminds me of some advice Brian Redman told us he was given before driving a Porsche 908, I think in the Targa Florio. "If you hit anything, make sure it's not the left (or maybe right) side of the car, that's where the petrol tank is."

[stevewf1]

That car reminds me of some advice Brian Redman told us he was given before driving a Porsche 908, I think in the Targa Florio. "If you hit anything, make sure it's not the left (or maybe right) side of the car, that's where the petrol tank is."

It does look like there is more duct tape on the right-hand side of that car.

Edited by stevewf1, 04 April 2011 - 03:58.

[wenoopy]

1983.There's a thread on it.

http://forums.autosp...showtopic=65333

Piero Taruffi's twin-boom "Tarf" record-attempt cars came to mind when I saw this one. Google leads one back to several threads on Tarf and other twin-boom cars like the "Nardi". Think of them as land-based catamarans, or as being analogous to twin-hulled racing power boats, perhaps.

[Ray Bell]

What about this one, then?



Ingredients seem to be a Skoda front and rear end, possibly a shortened Skoda backbone chassis. Then there's a potent-looking Holden 'grey' motor with triple SUs.

Photo courtesy Clare Russell, probably at Inverell or Tamworth Hillclimb.

[chequer57]

Maybe the CMS Formula Vee in original form could be added to the list .... Not a real crash hot car to be in if you mangae to have a roll over.



btw CMS stands for "Cullen Marine Services"

[David McKinney]

Ingredients seem to be a Skoda front and rear end, possibly a shortened Skoda backbone chassis. Then there's a potent-looking Holden 'grey' motor with triple SUs.

Wasn't there a car called the 'Skoden' around in that era?
Just a thought

[Ray Bell]

Yes, there was a Skoden, David...

But this isn't it. I would venture to suggest that this mixture was not all that uncommon.

The Skoden was a sports or GT car too, IIRC. John Medley will confirm.

[stevewf1]

Maybe the CMS Formula Vee in original form could be added to the list .... Not a real crash hot car to be in if you mangae to have a roll over.



btw CMS stands for "Cullen Marine Services"

Looks like it's been on its head judging by the left-front upright (and other things).

Edit: Should have looked at this a little longer before posting. Well, I guess the roll-bar did hold - sort of...

Edited by stevewf1, 06 April 2011 - 08:15.

[john medley]

No, not the Skoden -- rather the car called MiniDin, built by Ralph Sach and John Cummins, and later hillclimbed very effectively by Bathurst's Bob Bedwell. You were spot-on in your analysis of the mechanicals, Ray

Ralph Sach quickly replaced this car with the Nota Din

[plannerpower]

A question I have long wanted to ask; why was it called Mini-Din?

PS. G'day JM!

[john medley]

Hi KP: you were right: you were not present as resident philosopher and raiser of property values...

And the real question is " why was Ralph Sach's previous racing car, a humpy Holden, called "Din-Din"?"

[plannerpower]

I really shouldn't let those blokes out unchaperoned; they have gone to Lakeside today and may get into all kinds of trouble, especially in premises that purvey spermented & firituous likkers.

The "Din" thing has long interested me; Nota Din might be explained as a Nota with a HolDIN engine but it post-dated the others.

Din Din may have been a play on Holden but Mini Din is not easily explained.

[john medley]

Perhaps a cartoon character of the time, an experience undoubtedly beneath gentlemen like you and me.

Racer smaller than Din Din sedan = Mini Din?

Spermented? Firituous?

I trust you have sighted Mr Anderson's recently emailed test for alcoholism?

[GMACKIE]

Yes, there was a Skoden, David...

But this isn't it. I would venture to suggest that this mixture was not all that uncommon.

The Skoden was a sports or GT car too, IIRC. John Medley will confirm.

Driven in Appendix K races by Keith Malcolm IRCC.

[john medley]

And later, with big Buchanan body as a sports car by Garry Summers

[Shane Bowden]

Driven in Appendix K races by Keith Malcolm IRCC.

I believe the remains are in Victoria being screwed together again.

[eldougo]

The GAMBINI Mk 1 Built by the famous driver Fred Gamble in 1958 .



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[seldo]

The GAMBINI Mk 1 Built by the famous driver Fred Gamble in 1958 .



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Ermmm....was it home-built?

[eldougo]

........YES 750cc it started life as a Crosley Hotshot and out of this he built this HOTSHOT !

[RCampbell]

This Ocelot looks pretty scary to me. The caption says that Bill Krause is driving it "in exhibition" at Riverside. (March 1961)

[RCampbell]

Or the "H-Bomb", an H-Mod racer, built in 1961 and raced at Laguna Seca in the early 60's. It is powered by a 750cc Mercury outboard engine.
It was featured on Bring a Trailer in 2009.

[Giraffe]

Spotted on the grid at last year's Goodwood Revival meeting......


By giraffe138 at 2010-09-19

In my view, this is dangerous which ever way you look at it


By giraffe138 at 2011-04-26

Edited by Giraffe, 26 April 2011 - 21:21.

[Thundersports]

The Kilt or the car?