54 replies to this topic

[bradbury west]

Some of you may choose to hold your nose, but a quick search in the Daily Mail on line under Hugo Spowers or River Simple, or Rasa hydrogen car, I imagine, should bring up a detailed article  about Hugo’s project, or it used to do so. There was also a very neat cutaway drawing of the little car.

See of this works. I will give it a go.

Roger Lund

 

https://www.dailymai...just-60mph.html

 

Edit. I have quite surprised myself.…

Edited by bradbury west, 07 October 2024 - 21:09.

[E1pix]

This thread reminds me of the Caracal D Formula Vee, designed and built by Bill Noble in late 1980.

I believe he only ran the car in 1981 and ‘82, driven by himself, and the latter year won his first of five National championships — all in Vee, and all using engines he built.

This car then went on to Eric Tremayne of Colorado, in I believe 1983. All the Noble graphics were stripped off before being hand-lettered, pinstriped, and airbrushed with a large, Star Trekky-looking logo saying “Intersat,” complete with a starry sky background over much of the car, but showing no Aliens. ;-)

There was lots of, Ahem, Space to fill on the car. I only know this because the work used my brushes, and Eric drove it at four Runoffs from 1986 through 1990.

One wonders if the Caracal design was noticed by others, even overseas, and thought of as having potential — especially after it showed its own potential so quickly.

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

[Ray Bell]

The hydrogen vehicle didn't live up to expectations, I guess? That report is dated some seven or eight years ago...

Originally posted by Doug Nye
.....Since there was general acceptance that Van Diemen in winter testing would run an over-sized engine to guarantee customer-attracting lap times (? discuss ?) the Prowess's low-drag form really seemed to be working well since it had a very tired legal-capacity FF engine...with a bent valve...

Wasn't there a Tasmanian involved in that?

Anything's possible, then.

[2F-001]

I'm sure I've seen pictures of the Caracal FVee before, but would never have recalled its name; what a great looking car!

 

Are there any pics of it with your livery, Eric? It's deserving of a tidier appearance...

Edited by 2F-001, 08 October 2024 - 16:30.

[E1pix]

Haha, “tidier.” I did some minor lettering when Noble’s, Thankfully nothing on that chassis debut pic.

Here’s all I see when Tremayne’s, the lettering could totally suck for all we can see here. (LOL). I have unscanned slides, but…

I lettered it as #15, but it’s taped over here for this out-of-division race:
http://www.comicozzi...84-134.jpg.html