216 replies to this topic

[Graham Clayton]

Back in the early 1960's Kenny Ellis experimented with a three-wheeled front-engined slingshot dragster:

[Duc-Man]

I don't think this one has shown it's face here yet ? the Peter Helferich "Pariah" I have found it appearing three time, twice at Elkhart Lake (Road America) "65 & '67.  and once at Mid Ohio '66. any one have any information ? what was it based on, and what powered it ? scroll back & forth in the link for a few more photos.

 

https://www.flickr.c...in/photostream/

 

Mike Scott (group7) in Canada

There is another obscure on in that album. It says PIRANHA on the front and looks like a formula car with some selfmade fenders but has the engine on the passenger seat.

[Graham Clayton]

Darel Dieringer in the Mario Rossi Plymouth in 1968, with extreme rake on the rear end. Designed to push more downforce onto the rear end, it instead made the car oversteer and fishtail.

 

Edited by Graham Clayton, 13 November 2016 - 22:31.

[Lee Nicolle]

Back in the early 1960's Kenny Ellis experimented with a three-wheeled front-engined slingshot dragster:

Having recently watched a clip on You Tube with Don Garlits I could imagine his comments on such a device.

For anyone interested in a very inspired racer just look him up on You Tube and be prepared to spend some hours!

And still playing at 83 or so with a 6 sec 185mph electric dragster!

And doing cackle fests and demo runs in one of his slingshot dragsters.

And I am really not interested in Drag Racing

[chunder27]

Garlits was and is a magnificent engineer.

 

First to really push the limits with nitro in fuel, first to master rear engines, sideways engine, turbines in a fueller.

 

Some of it didn't work, but he got there with most of it.  Swamp Rat 30 is one of the most beautiful cars ever made in any motorsport, and it was quick aswell which always helps.

 

If you can get hold of his book it is a great read, some of it is a bit "we went here then here" as a chronicle of a guy who raced all over the country would be, but the insights into why he did things and how he sorted issues is fascinating.

 

It was steering that sorted the read engine car eventually, despite several guys trying!!

[Graham Clayton]

In 1926 Panhard-Levassor developed a streamlined 1500cc car that was designed to break various distance records at the Montlhéry track. One of the more unusual features was that the driver's legs were designed to sit inside the steering wheel:

 

The reason for this unusual layout was that the steering wheel could be located lower in the cockpit, thus making for a more streamlined body. Unfortunately a fatal accident in testing lead to Panhard-Levassor abandoning the project, so the unusual sterring wheel was never put to the test during a record attempt.

 

Source: http://www.pilotos-m...ton Marius.html

Edited by Graham Clayton, 14 January 2017 - 10:04.

[Graham Clayton]

When Bobby Allison was unable to win any NASCAR races in an AMC Matador during the 1976 and 1977 seasons, he suggested a modification to the front grill that basically flipped it upside-down to encourage airflow up over the bonnet instead of below the car. Despite AMC showing a production Matador with the "upside-down grill" to prove it was a factory option, and thus eligible for racing, the NASCAR hierarchy refused to sanction the change. Allison was able to use a Matador with the new grill in USAC-sanctioned races. The car is on display at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

 

[Alejandro900]

I don't think this one has shown it's face here yet ? the Peter Helferich "Pariah" I have found it appearing three time, twice at Elkhart Lake (Road America) "65 & '67.  and once at Mid Ohio '66. any one have any information ? what was it based on, and what powered it ? scroll back & forth in the link for a few more photos."

 

 

Not too at all different from what we saw in Argentina between 1968 and 1973 in the  Sport Prototipos series, where between Berta and McLaren were some 1939 Ford's derivatives  and a handful of bizarre handmade and some with more will than skill handmade designs.

 

Visit : http://sportprototip...blogspot.com.ar Autos ...

[Graham Clayton]

The 1983 Ligier JS21, which featured very slim if non-existent sidepods:

 

http://joythis.com/d...768_stamped.jpg

 

[Graham Clayton]

In the early 1980s the average length of an NHRA Top Fuel dragster was 660 centimetres (260 inches). In 1984 Dave Miller built a Top Fuel dragster with a wheelbase of just 508 centimetre (200 inches), with the driver sitting in the middle, rather than in the rear of the chassis. The car never won any events, and was eventually banned due to the construction of the rollcage. Eventually the rules were changed so that a Top Fuel car had to have a 635cm (250 inch) wheelbase.

 

https://www.nhra.com...r-diamond-rough

 

[2F-001]

The 1983 Ligier JS21, which featured very slim if non-existent sidepods:

 

http://joythis.com/d...768_stamped.jpg

 

Not dissimilar in concept to the BT52, of the same year?

[racinggeek]

Somewhat similar in concept, 2F, but it's hard to argue against the opinion that the Brabham was far more stylish than the Ligier, which looked rather hodgepodged.

Edited by racinggeek, 05 March 2021 - 22:12.

[dolomite]

Somewhat similar in concept, 2F, but it's hard to argue against the opinion that the Brabham was far more stylish than the Ligier, which looked rather hodgepodged.

The BT52 was a clean sheet design whereas the JS21 was cobbled together based on the previous JS19 monocoque 

[Graham Clayton]

Back in 1965 Tom McEwen and Lou Baney shoehorned a blown Hemi engine running on 80 percent nitro into the backseat of a ’65 Plymouth Barracuda, creating what was probably the first rear-engined funny car. During its initial test runs, the car took off at 257kmh (160 mph) due to air getting under the raised front end, resulting in this huge crash. 

 

 

 

 

Unlike rear-engined Top Fuel dragsters, which took over from the front-engined slingshot designs, rear-engined Funny cars had all disappeared by the early-to-mid 1970's - they were inherently unstable and difficult to drive.

Edited by Graham Clayton, 26 December 2021 - 00:51.

[robert dick]

In the spring of 1912, Austrian Baron Leo Haan tried out his Laurin & Klement racer on the course of the Ries hillclimb near Graz, Austria.
As soon as the LK was equipped with the rudder, oversteering disappeared and through the fastest bends there was even a slight understeer.
And air resistence was not increased on straight stretches.  
The rudder was connected to the steering gear and worked in the opposite direction to the rudder of an aéroplane.

The Baron never used his rudder in a race, despite the fact that in 1912 adjustable aerodynamics were not ruled out.


 

[Lee Nicolle]

In the spring of 1912, Austrian Baron Leo Haan tried out his Laurin & Klement racer on the course of the Ries hillclimb near Graz, Austria.
As soon as the LK was equipped with the rudder, oversteering disappeared and through the fastest bends there was even a slight understeer.
And air resistence was not increased on straight stretches.  
The rudder was connected to the steering gear and worked in the opposite direction to the rudder of an aéroplane.

The Baron never used his rudder in a race, despite the fact that in 1912 adjustable aerodynamics were not ruled out.


I feel it also needs a winged keel.

[robert dick]

Macomber:

In July 1913, Leach and mechanic Scazighini started in a Macomber in the road race from Los Angeles to Sacramento.
They went out at Bakersfield when the clutch gave way.
The Macomber was powered by an air-cooled barrel-type rotary engine, designed by Walter Macomber.



In September 1913, two Macombers driven by Leach and Mansfield started in the very first race on Corona's boundary road, California.
The Macombers did not finish.


Description of the Macomber engine in The Automobile, August 1914:





In the fall of 1914, the Eagle Cycle Car Co. of Chicago put on the market a cyclecar powered by a small five-cylinder Macomber engine.