18 replies to this topic

[Zawed]

Just wondering what happened to it after it was banned. Did they dismantle it or is it in a musuem or a private collection somewhere?

[John Cross]

Lauda used chassis '6', Watson used '4'. I think they were converted back to BT46 spec since these chassis numbers were used in subsequent races, but am not sure.

[Don Capps]

As usual, John is correct...they reverted to "normal" spec after Sweden.

[Roger Clark]

I thought I remembered a fan-car appearing at the Gunnar Nillson memorial meeting at Donnington Park a year or so later, but I could be wrong.

It was the meeting where Fangio drove a W125 and left current GP drivers ratther impressed ith his car control.

[Eric McLoughlin]

The fan car was definitely part of the Donnington Collection in 1993 - I took a photo of it at the time. Unfortunately, no scanner, no picture to post.

[Maldwyn]

On another point re the fan car - why was it allowed to keep the victory in Sweden when it was banned? Patrese's Arrows should have been credited with their first win as he finished second.

[Darren Galpin]

The victory was allowed to stand because the car was legal during the race. It was only banned afterwards. Gordon Murray, the designer, still has a letter from the FIA declaring that the car was legal under the rules at that time. It's a bit like that brake-steer system used by McLaren two years ago. It was declared legal by the FIA, yet was subsequenly banned due to a stewards decision, yet the results still stood.

[Darren Galpin]

Blowing my own trumpet here, but you may like to check out my article on "Ground Effect and the Fan Car" at http://www.racer.dem.../8w/fancar.html.

What follows is a quote from the article which may explain things:-

Rumour had it that Colin Chapman (here seen inspecting the BT46B) had sketched desigs for a twin-fan Lotus 79 on his flight back home, but although the Brabham car was declared legal, Bernie Ecclestone (team manager/owner of Brabham) decided that it was better to sacrifice the short term advantage of the fan car than to compromise the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA), of which he was president. This proved to be a wise move in the event of the FOCA/FISA wars of 1980 and '81.

[SteveB2]

Darren,

Really good article. A lot of information, concise, clear, wonderful pictures. I loved the one of Chapman lying on the ground looking under the nose of the Brabham. I need to say it again... really good article.

S.

[SteveB2]

BTW, (looking at the FORIX link) how did Watson spin off? Did he have contact with somebody or did he exceed the limits of the adhesion provided by the fan car?[p][Edited by SteveB2 on 09-27-2000]

[Maldwyn]

Interesting stuff Darren - thanks for the link.

[Zawed]

Steve, I think Watson retired from the race cos when he went offline to pass someone dust and dirt from the track got sucked in and buggered up the fan blades making him lose grip.

[MoMurray]

I may be wrong but as I recall the fan car was never actually banned. As Darren pointed out, Bernie Ecclestone agreed not to race the car in the future (in the best interests of the sport) but an official ban was never issued. They got around the "moveable aerodynamic device" rule by claiming it was a cooling device. Gordon Murray remains one of the all time giants of F1. It seems almost unthinkable in todays "we all must look the same" world that F1 cars could be so different and designers were able to make quantum leaps each winter.

MM

[dmj]

Recently I did read an article where it was stated that banning/withdrawal of the fan car was somehow related to a testing accident, where a test driver lost his life. Sounds like an apparent nonsense to me but maybe someone else knows more? No one was killed in a Brabham within next 8 years or so... But of course test shouldn't have been made with a F1 car only? Was there any accident including Chapparal fan car? Any hints or ideas?

[D-Type]

Definitely not a Brabham testing accident.

I don't think there was a Chapparal accident either.

However, even the most sensational journalism has a grain of truth in it ....

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by D-Type
.....However, even the most sensational journalism has a grain of truth in it ....

Oh you're kidding?

Sensationalist journalist care nothing for facts or reality... occasionally they let a little 'grain' slip in, but it's rare!

[Megatron]

I think Piquet drove it at the Gunnar Nelison Memorial

I don't think it was banned then and there, but politics essentially parked it the day it won in Sweeden with BE running Brabham and F1.

[scarbs]

I beleive Bernie still has it in his private collection, havign had it restored recently it was run at Goodwood (IIRC)

[gdecarli]

Originally posted by Megatron
I think Piquet drove it at the Gunnar Nelison Memorial

Yes, he did. See Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Trophy thread or The fan car raced twice! article on 8W.

Ciao,
Guido