21 replies to this topic

[arttidesco]

 

Over on another popular forum for faces that has a 500 Racing page dedicated to 500 F3 a poster understands that "thropping" is the act of leaning into the corner, and reaching down to hold on to the side of the car as demonstrated above by Andrew Turner in his Cooper Mk 6 at last years Castle Combe Autumn Classic.

 

He wonders if anyone else has heard the term or if Pete Becker was pulling his leg ?

[Doug Nye]

Bells on the other one...  DCN

[2F-001]

I thought thropping might be the sound of a half-litre single at idle...

[arttidesco]

Thanks Doug and Tony, I thought it was thrift shopping

[2F-001]

Nice pic., btw.

[Allan Lupton]

If he didn't lift it like that, the front wheel might not leave the ground.

[Doug Nye]

Now that's my kind of physics ...  Nice post.  

 

DCN

[RonPohl]

Man and Machine are one!

[GMACKIE]

Fancy that reminding me of this Brockbank gem :-

 

[Eric Dunsdon]

I dont remember seeing much 'Thropping' in 1950's 500cc racing.

[Rupertlt1]

John Coombs, #15 Cooper at Goodwood, 1952:

 

https://revslib.stan...log/fn170yf6188

 

RGDS RLT

[nexfast]

I dont remember seeing much 'Thropping' in 1950's 500cc racing.

 

Another example: See here (second photo):

 

http://www.500race.o.../Whitehouse.htm

 

Curiously enough, it says the technique was later banned.

[Eric Dunsdon]

Another example: See here (second photo):

 

http://www.500race.o.../Whitehouse.htm

 

Curiously enough, it says the technique was later banned.

Thats a nice post about 'Big Bill'. Maybe the technique was banned before my spectating started in May 1952?.

[eldougo]

 

He should be wearing seat belts anyway Very foolish indeed.

Edited by eldougo, 29 March 2016 - 00:13.

[GMACKIE]

A seat harness if fine...provided it is used in conjunction with a good roll-hoop.

[Lee Nicolle]

I feel I am right in saying that here in Oz you must wear belts and have a rollbar?

That chap would be safer wearing motorcycle leathers as the chance of falling out would exceed the chance of fire.

Pretty little car and should be fun to drive,,, but not crash!

As for hanging out like that, not really very clever, though it should give some inside weight!

[Paul Hamilton]

I feel I am right in saying that here in Oz you must wear belts and have a rollbar?

That chap would be safer wearing motorcycle leathers as the chance of falling out would exceed the chance of fire.

Pretty little car and should be fun to drive,,, but not crash!

As for hanging out like that, not really very clever, though it should give some inside weight!

Roll bar and belts are optional at CAMS historic events in Oz for cars of that period.  

 

Some drivers of older cars without belts in the UK do wear leathers underneath their mandatory fire resistant gear but that would generally be a bit too hot in Oz.  A few years back they sought an exemption from the requirement to wear the fire resistant gear but that was not approved by the relevant FIA authority.

[raceannouncer2003]

 

 

George Keck, Cooper, Arlington, Washington, 1955

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 29 March 2016 - 05:50.

[Lee Nicolle]

Roll bar and belts are optional at CAMS historic events in Oz for cars of that period.  

 

Some drivers of older cars without belts in the UK do wear leathers underneath their mandatory fire resistant gear but that would generally be a bit too hot in Oz.  A few years back they sought an exemption from the requirement to wear the fire resistant gear but that was not approved by the relevant FIA authority.

That does ring a bell, I am not sure if I have seen any of those without. 

I do watch them sometimes and they are good and fairly fast little cars,,  though with 880 JAPs. Grenekle and co.Sound glorious

[Rupertlt1]

It may have been banned but it still went on in 1955:

 

https://revslib.stan...log/bn117nk2441

 

https://revslib.stan...log/cy416kd7386

 

RGDS RLT

[Sharman]

It may have been banned but it still went on in 1955:

 

https://revslib.stan...log/bn117nk2441

 

https://revslib.stan...log/cy416kd7386

 

RGDS RLT

Nah! He's patting it like you would a horse's neck

[46700]

I dont remember seeing much 'Thropping' in 1950's 500cc racing.

I was gofor mechanic for a fairly competitive driver1954/ 1959 & never heard that practice called that,  however it was quite a widely used  practice to hold the driver in more or less correct position as seat harness was into the future