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Lola Mk5 Formula Junior


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#1 JtP2

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Posted 10 February 2015 - 21:38

While looking this car up for another reason, I notice it has push rod front suspension. This seems very advanced for the period and possibly a bit unnecessary as the suspension loads must be much less than now, no downforce. So why the complication of the system, was it to try it or something else? The F1 car of the same period has the coil spring dampers out in the air like most cars of the time.



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#2 Peter Morley

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Posted 11 February 2015 - 10:47

I think the primary reason was aerodynamic (e.g. less drag), despite only having 1100cc some Juniors were apparently reaching 140+ mph at the fastest races.



#3 Roger Clark

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Posted 11 February 2015 - 16:44

I'm sure that aerodynamics was the reason but it still begs the question, why didn't Broadley do the same in the Formula 1 car?



#4 Charlieman

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Posted 11 February 2015 - 17:55

I'm sure that aerodynamics was the reason but it still begs the question, why didn't Broadley do the same in the Formula 1 car?

Any mechanism using push rods or rockers creates big point loads on a chassis. Say, twice as much as conventional outboard/inboard spring mounting. At the point where the force goes up and then down, the designer has a lot to consider. How to spread the load and to assemble the structure tubes? In between all of this, the designer may have to thread cooler pipes for the radiator and provide access to the driver footwell.