22 replies to this topic

[ehagar]

Just a question for those in the nostalgia forum. What was the first series/race where air jacks were used as part of the pit stop?

Was it in Le Mans?

[David M. Kane]

Yes, it was LeMans on the Brock Yates design Shelby Cobra Coupe. It might
possibly been the idea of Dan Gurney.

[Ray Bell]

I think you might look at NASCAR for this...

Joe Fan?

[Ian McKean]

Works Aston Martin DBR1/300 at Tourist Trophy at Goodwood in 1959. But weren't air jacks used before that in Indy?

[cabianca]

Brock Yates is an ink-stained wretch. Peter Brock designed the Shelby Daytona coupe.

[dretceterini]

yes, and most of them were actually constructed in Italy. That is why the first one is different than the rest!

PS; I call him Brock Master-Yates....ya, I know...crude but appropriate, IMO...

Stu

[dbltop]

Nascar does not allow air jacks,they must use the external hand pump device like you would see at any garage. However,your local mechanic would need to pump several times to lift a car, the type used by the pit crews requires 1 1/2 pumps and a lot of muscle.

[Catalina Park]

I agree with Ian about the Aston Martin team at the TT at Goodwood in 59.
But I seem to recall a pre war attempt with air jacks, Possibly the German streamliners at Avus?

[bergwerk]

Originally posted by cabianca

Brock Yates is an ink-stained wretch.

..........and a notorious freeloader as well.

[David M. Kane]

Shelby Daytona is the car I meant. I didn't realize that Brock had such a warm spot in so many peoples heart!

[Dennis David]

Sorry to barge in but those pesky Germans at Auto Union had on-board air jacks in 1938 at least. All they had to do was connect an air hose and up she went.

[Doug Nye]

Sounds if the unfortunate Mr Yates's fan club meet annually in a telephone booth. What has he done to upset you gents? I'm just interested to know - you see.

DCN

[Ian McKean]

can't really see the point of the air jacks. Surely a normal quicklift jack lifts the car just as quickly!?

[Catalina Park]

With the Streamliner bodies fitted to the Mercedes cars (pre war) it would have been hard to line up the quick lift jack onto the usual jacking points so the air jack was easier for them.

[Ian McKean]

How do quick lift jacks work on modern sports racing cars e.g. Le Mans? They all seem to have negligible ground claerance these days.

[rdrcr]

Ian, with air jacks, all four corners of the car can be raised simultaneously. The ease of which is accomplished by one guy with an air hose. In some racing series there are restrictions on how many crew members can be over the pit wall.

The air jacks are recessed up into the chassis and the bottoms of the jack rods are flush with the undertray.

[dretceterini]

Mr.Nye (and all) :

I do not know Brock Yates on a personal level, but I do not think he is a very good writer. I also disagree with many of the opinions he presents. It is really nothing "PERSONAL"..

I have even more of a "problem" with Gennie Obert. Dave Gooley, an American photographer asked me to help her with a number of stories on wierd Italian cars and some not so wierd, such as Alfa 1900s of the 1950s. I did it for FREE. Not only didn't she mention my name, she didn't even say thank you!

I don't mind helping at all, if I can...but when someone can't even say "Thanks", they go to my "S" list.

This kind of thing has also happened to my good friend Jm Sitz, who is the historic editor of the US magazine, Vintage Motorsport. Jim has a photographic mind which is really helpful. Show him a photo and he will say "that's so and so, 3 laps before he spund on such a date, at the xxx corner of xxx race"!! Jim's area of "expertise" is American sports car racing of the 50s, but he did spend some time in Europe. He REFUSES to go "modern" and get a computer...he still uses a typewriter...and he is "only" in his 60s!!!

As to my "attitude" about Yates and others......a LOT of people seem to want something for nothing in this life, and have no intention to give back or even say thank you....to those I say "F" off and die, or just "F" off !!


Stu

[Barry Lake]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Sounds if the unfortunate Mr Yates's fan club meet annually in a telephone booth. What has he done to upset you gents? I'm just interested to know - you see.

DCN

Doug, You could try reading his book on Enzo Ferrari, for a start.

Then you will know why people become angry at having been sucked into forking over hard earned money.

[bergwerk]

Originally posted by Barry Lake



Doug, You could try reading his book on Enzo Ferrari, for a start.

Thanks for reminding me.

It had the same effect on me as the "Fleet Soda" I had to ingest prior to my recent sigmoidoscopy.

[ffiloseta]

Originally posted by Ian McKean
can't really see the point of the air jacks. Surely a normal quicklift jack lifts the car just as quickly!?

Haven't you seen Speed Racer ?

[Ian McKean]

Originally posted by ffiloseta


Haven't you seen Speed Racer ?

No. Does she have nice legs?

[ffiloseta]

Ian, I can't believe you are not familiar with Speed Racer. It was an anime series from the late sixties (early seventies) starring a race driver, his family and his car, the Mk V. This car had a lot of special devices controlled by buttons on the steering wheel. Probably the most spectacular of this devices was a set of air jacks that Speed Racer used to jump over other obstacles and even other cars !

Speed Racer's girlfriend did llok as if she had great legs, though.

[Ian McKean]

Sorry, ffiloseta, I'm not!

Thanks for the info!