57 replies to this topic

[Paul Taylor]

Is there any record of what top speed / RPM the P83 was pulling at Spa in 1967?

Edited by Paul Taylor, Yesterday, 14:46.

[Doug Nye]

Yes.    

 

DCN

[Tom Glowacki]

OK, I'll bite.  Exactly what top speed and RPMs did the BRM P83 pull at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 1967?

[Doug Nye]

From Tony Rudd's race report to BRM principal Sir Alfred Owen:

 

"Stewart's maximum speed on the straight was 196 m.p.h. and he was emerging from the Masta Kink at 171 1/2 m.p.h....".

 

During practice JYS saw 11,000rpm in top gear.  When the transmission began jumping out of engagement during the race the engine was buzzed to an indicated 13,200rpm (instrument tell-tale possibly on bounce) yet held together...

 

Anyone who accused Jackie Stewart of being 'frit' when he embarked upon his safety campaign should have considered these figures just a year after he had been the victim in what could so easily have been a fatal accident at Masta.  Big cochones - really, really big.

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, Today, 09:07.

[john aston]

Anyone with initials DSJ ? 

[B Squared]

In August 1966, Road & Track had a cover story and 10 page technical analysis of this engine. Written by Joseph Lowrey:

Edited by B Squared, Today, 11:33.

[Doug Nye]

Joe knew his onions.  He was also an active member of the emergent Hants & Berks Motor Club, and had been a sometimes hyperactive owner/driver of an HRG - which he capsized at Goodwood very early on, maybe even at the opening meeting?  But his great claim to fame for me is that during wartime, c. 1942-43 he had an article published I think in 'The Motor' projecting nuclear fission as a potential weapon of massively destructive capability.  I asked him about it once and he professed absolutely no memory of having written any such thing, but I'm certain I had seen it.  In light of subsequent events I was staggered that it had escaped the contemporary censor filter - but it was probably just too far off the scale of appearing to be science fiction that nobody picked-up on its significance.

 

Sorry - I digress (again).

 

DCN

[nmansellfan]

From Tony Rudd's race report to BRM principal Sir Alfred Owen:

 

"Stewart's maximum speed on the straight was 196 m.p.h. and he was emerging from the Masta Kink at 171 1/2 m.p.h....".

 

During practice JYS saw 11,000rpm in top gear.  When the transmission began jumping out of engagement during the race the engine was buzzed to an indicated 13,200rpm (instrument tell-tale possibly on bounce) yet held together...

 

Anyone who accused Jackie Stewart of being 'frit' when he embarked upon his safety campaign should have considered these figures just a year after he had been the victim in what could so easily have been a fatal accident at Masta.  Big cochones - really, really big.

 

DCN

 

Fantastic info, Doug.  I've read in the past here and there that at the same Belgian GP, Clark was bouncing off the rev limiter halfway down towards Masta in his Lotus 49 at 193 mph and Gurney was timed at 196mph in his Eagle.  I imagine those speeds would have been the fastest that GP cars ran anywhere in '67, even higher than at Monza that year?

 

One wonders if they would have momentarily cracked 200mph while in the slipstream of another car...