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Post by Carl on Nov 16, 2017 19:02:35 GMT
Apropos of Gitanes - and the "Gitanes lady": the air-intake on the 1976 Ligier JS5 ("teapot") -- that was (almost) a piece of art! I often wondered if those large air-intakes that were used up to - and with - the 1976 season had a real effect on the engine performance (power), in other words, if the power dropped a bit when these high air-intakes were banned for the 1977 season? (Some teams, like Tyrrell, with the P34, ran mostly without air-intake at all in '76, so the effect might not have been that large.) The many different solutions for height-limited air-intakes in '77 were interesting. Some solutions turned out to be very similar, like those of Ferrari and Ligier - and those of Lotus and Shadow. But in general, a large variety of solutions were displayed, even for similar (e.g. flat 12) or identical (Cosworth DFV) engines. It was fascinating ... Fantastic picture! No way you could mistake that for another car! But the teapot did look a tiny little bit out of proportion if you ask me...  The high air intakes were actually banned at the beginning of the 1976 season. At the first three races (Brazil, South Africa and US West) the cars still had the high air boxes but in Spain, the start of the European season, they were banned and all the cars had new bodywork (or just removed the intake). The different solutions were fascinating indeed but in general you could say the solution was to split the intake in two. I always loved the initial Brabham solution! How extravagant those cars were back then...  Rene, I also really liked the very elegant Brabham twin intakes. Although elegance was compromised somewhat below the actual intake openings, I never looked beyond them...  |
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Post by René on Nov 16, 2017 21:39:36 GMT
Carl, selective vision can be very beneficial at times. |
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Post by Jamie on Nov 16, 2017 21:46:41 GMT
Carl, selective vision can be very beneficial at times. as can selective hearing........ask any married man  |
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Post by René on Nov 16, 2017 21:56:19 GMT
Carl, selective vision can be very beneficial at times. as can selective hearing........ask any married man Ha ha, you forgot selective memory!  |
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Post by Jamie on Nov 16, 2017 22:01:29 GMT
as can selective hearing........ask any married man Ha ha, you forgot selective memory! Indeed! |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2017 17:58:26 GMT
Speaking of Lotus 78, I've just uploaded Autocourse 1978(see the dedicated thread)
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Post by René on Nov 21, 2017 22:56:19 GMT
A great shot of Gunnar Nilsson in the 78 on his way to victory in the Belgium Grand Prix at Zolder.  (© Hoch Zwei) |
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Post by chrisb on Nov 22, 2017 5:52:01 GMT
Gunnar was always one of my favourites, the race i remember him best by was the 77 British GP when he was literally stuck behind Mario for lap after lap and then let loose, roaring off wow he was really quick - such a tragedy - such a true gent, a beautiful photo Rene thank you
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2017 7:51:14 GMT
Speaking of Lotus 78, I've just uploaded Autocourse 1978(see the dedicated thread) Oh man, I humbly genuflect! Thank you! |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2017 7:52:34 GMT
A great shot of Gunnar Nilsson in the 78 on his way to victory in the Belgium Grand Prix at Zolder. (© Hoch Zwei) Now you see why it's my favourite. What a beauty. Thank you, Rene'. |
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Post by René on Nov 22, 2017 18:15:11 GMT
Now you see why it's my favourite. What a beauty. Thank you, Rene'. Oh yes, I can see that! It's a beautiful car, so low and wide and aggressive lines. The colour scheme isn't bad either. |
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Post by charleselan on Nov 24, 2017 17:19:35 GMT
Those of us who remember can hardly forget Gunnar driving the Rapid Movements Formula Atlantic Chevron, mighty stuff indeed. Back in the day we had many good series offering real talent a chance to progress to the elite class that Grand Prix once was. Sadly due to that terrible disease we were prevented from seeing him lead the Arrows team in 1978, my goodness he would have been good in Tony Southgate's beautiful gold Warsteiner Arrows FA1.
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Post by chrisb on Nov 25, 2017 7:44:45 GMT
too true Charles, what I liked about the previous series the driver had the opportunity to prove themselves, from Formula Ford 1600, 2000, Atlantic, F3 - which was still the best series I felt for distinguishing the good and not so good, and you could spot someone had that something like Gunnar and you'd think, I'll keep and eye on him, he may be great and Gunnar was going to be, a real potential tragically taken -
With the advent of pay to watch TV and the, well for me anyway, the confusion around what series is what, we lost that path that one could follow, I have no idea who is winning in F2, whatever happened to some good racers that seemed to have vanished - Jack Harvey being one, whilst in MotoGP I am totally clear about what is happening in BSB, WSB. Moto2, 3 and GP, I even have an awareness as to the promotion of riders in the USA, whilst I used to be an avid fan of Indycars, Nascar, Imsa, etc again I have a very limited idea what is happening there.
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Post by charleselan on Nov 25, 2017 12:19:11 GMT
Chris your words have such resonance, and completely mirror my own feelings.
I have little idea, or dare I say interest, in the multiple lower formula these days. Far too many spec series which I find quite boring and uninspiring. With all these spec series where are the great designers coming from in the future, mind you do we need them now when computers appear to be playing such a huge part.
All of the series in motorcycle racing are superb and one can see young new talent emerging with complete clarity; car racing has lost its direction in every respect.
JC
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Post by charleselan on Nov 25, 2017 19:09:11 GMT
Attached is a picture of Gunnar in the FA Chevron B29, typically neat and crisp as all Chevron's were, lovely cars. Interestingly as I delved into this my thoughts that Gunnar had driven a March works car in F3 proved correct, as he actually wrapped up the British BP Series before mid season in 1975; then moved to Formula Atlantic in the Chevron where he won race after race. The irony and sadness of this little tale continues as the guy who won all of the early season FA races was non other than Tony Brise in his works Modus. Tony quit the series half way through as he then joined Graham Hill's Embassy team. The tragedy being that both died so young and neither in race accidents. I have little doubt that these two extremely talented drivers would have been hugely significant in the following decade or more. Attachment Deleted |
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