DOCSLIB.ORG

BRABHAM RALT HONDA the RON TAURANAC STORY Online

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
BRABHAM RALT HONDA the RON TAURANAC STORY Online SBGsR [Get free] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY Online [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY Pdf Free M. Lawrence ebooks | Download PDF | *ePub | DOC | audiobook Download Now Free Download Here Download eBook #475138 in Books 2011-02-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .61 x 5.51l, .74 #File Name: 1588501590290 pages | File size: 59.Mb M. Lawrence : BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my time, and all praised BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY: 0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great StoryBy Elderly PersonFascinating story about Ron Tauranac's career designing and building race cars and his interactions with Jack Brabham and other figures in the racing world. It did help that I'm an old formula racing fan and frustrated driver/mechanic.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A difficult man produces cars easy to raceBy Ricardo MioIt you're a true-blue racing fan, motor racing is a journey. First, you get sucked-in by the noise, the speed, and the excitement; then you identify with one or two of the drivers; then you learn about the uniqueness of each circuit; then you become curious about the cars: how they function, and about the engineers who design them, which leads you to buy a book such as this. After that, there's no turning back. You're hooked.ldquo;Brabham+Ralt+Hondardquo; is not for the casual fan. Itrsquo;s for the hardcore. Which is not to say itrsquo;s a dry recitation of racercar graphics; it isnrsquo;t. Author Mike Lawrence knows how to tell a story, how to balance the human with the technical, to produce a lively account of what it takes for a car builder to compete at the highest levels of motor racing for half-a-century.As a constructor, Ron Tauranacrsquo;s most successful years were in partnership with fellow Aussie Jack Brabham. Every type of open-wheel car they built proved highly successful: Formula Ford, F-III, F-II, F-I, and Indy car. Their best year was 1966, when Jack Brabham won the F-I world championship, and dominated in F-II, while in America a copy of their BT12 Indycar won the USAC National Championship. Tauranac and Brabham originally met in Australia in the mid-1950s. When Brabham moved to England to drive for Cooper Cars, he stayed in touch with Tauranac, seeking a level of technical skill that Charles and John Cooperrsquo;s tiny company did not possess. Tauranac designed a special step-down gear cluster that lowered the engine three-inches and made possible the ldquo;Low-linerdquo; Cooper T53 that Jack drove to the 1960 F-1 championship. By then, Tauranac had moved to England as well, and in 1961 the two began building racing cars that bore Brabhamrsquo;s name. The company itself was named MRD (for Motor Racing Development). By 1963, the company was competing full-time in F-1 with Dan Gurney as Brabhamrsquo;s co-driver. In 1964, Gurney won two F-I events and with a bit of luck would have been champion. The team did win the championship in 1966 and rsquo;67 and nearly won it again in 1970. The Brabham-Tauranac association ended at the close of 1970 with Jackrsquo;s retirement and return to Australian. Tauranac discovered he couldnrsquo;t make it without Jack and sold the team to Bernie Ecclestone at the end of 1972.Before starting Ralt (which stands for Ron and Austin Lewis Tauranac) Ron consulted as a design engineer for a number of teams including Team Lotus, which wanted to hire him full-time. With the formation of Ralt, Tauranac resumed his winning ways as a designer/builder of F-II F-III and Formula Atlantic, in conjunction with Honda.Ron was not an easy man to work for but, besides building winning race cars, he produced a number of top-flight mechanics many of whom went on to have successful careers in F-1, most notably Ron Dennis of McLaren fame. Besides highlighting Tauranacrsquo;s remarkable career, the books contains a number of pointers on construction and suspension tuning from the man himself. Among Ronrsquo;s observations: ldquo;I have always tried to make my cars driver-friendly, as well as mechanic-friendlymdash;cars which handle predictably and respond clearly to set-up adjustments. A racing driver is unlikely to be successful unless he has complete confidence in his car, knowing not only that it is unlikely to let him down, but also that it has no hidden vices to land him in trouble. This means giving him a car that is strongly built and comfortable to drive, with easily adjustable chassis and suspension settings, to enable handling characteristics to be tailored to his own and the circuitrsquo;s requirements as rapidly as possible.rdquo; In other words, Ron may have been a difficult man to work for, but for 50 years he produced cars that were not difficult to maintain and race successful. Five stars.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great BookBy dalminhoRon Tauranac was the best designer or formula cars ever. There has not been one model that was not a race winner. When you read the book, you will also notice the large number of other good designers that became famous after working with him. You will also notice the number of great drivers that drove his cars. This is a great book about the greatest designer. 288 pages, 63 illustrations, size 5.5 x 8.5 inches. Until now, the man whose racing cars have won more victories than anyone else's, and whose design skills have brought fame to hundreds of drivers and made champions of a good many of them, has remained in the background. Ron Tauranac - British-born, but brought up in Australia - always preferred to let his cars sing his praises where it really mattered - on the race tracks of the world. They have never been known as Tauranacs, but the names Brabham and Ralt will be very familiar to anyone who has followed motor racing since the Sixties. And so, of course, is Honda, the company which supplied the engines for some of Tauranac's most successful Brabham and Ralt racing cars and with which he still retains close links as a design consultant, working behind the scenes on several of their motor racing activities. Sir Jack Brabham, in his foreword to this long overdue biography, pays generous tribute to his former business partner into whose hands he entrusted the design and construction of all his own racing cars from 1962 until his retirement from driving in 1970, plus all the production Brabhams which brought so much success to many other top drivers during their formative years. Many of Ron Tauranac's former colleagues and customers - amongst them the most powerful people in motor racing today - speak candidly about the man they have known and worked with, someone who has never courted popularity, but whose talents have been such that his contribution to the motor racing scene is possibly beyond measure. Anyone who is either involved in the sport or fascinated by it will be delighted that through this book The Ron Tauranac Story has finally been told. [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY By M. Lawrence PDF [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY By M. Lawrence Epub [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY By M. Lawrence Ebook [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY By M. Lawrence Rar [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY By M. Lawrence Zip [SBGsR.ebook] BRABHAM RALT HONDA THE RON TAURANAC STORY By M. Lawrence Read Online.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Thebusinessofmotorsport ECONOMIC NEWS and ANALYSIS from the RACING WORLD
    Contents: 2 November 2009 Doubts over Toyota future Renault for sale? Mercedes and McLaren: divorce German style USF1 confirms Aragon and Stubbs Issue 09.44 Senna signs for Campos New idea in Abu Dhabi Bridgestone to quit F1 at the end of 2010 Tom Wheatcroft A Silverstone deal close Graham Nearn Williams to confirm Barrichello and Hulkenberg this week Vettel in the twilight zone thebusinessofmotorsport ECONOMIC NEWS AND ANALYSIS FROM THE RACING WORLD Doubts over Toyota future Toyota is expected to announce later this week that it will be withdrawing from Formula 1 immediately. The company is believed to have taken the decision after indications in Japan that the automotive markets are not getting any better, Honda having recently announced a 56% drop in earnings in the last quarter, compared to 2008. Prior to that the company was looking at other options, such as selling the team on to someone else. This has now been axed and the company will simply close things down and settle all the necessary contractual commitments as quickly as possible. The news, if confirmed, will be another blow to the manufacturer power in F1 as it will be the third withdrawal by a major car company in 11 months, following in the footsteps of Honda and BMW. There are also doubts about the future of Renault's factory team. The news will also be a blow to the Formula One Teams' Association, although the members have learned that working together produces much better results than trying to take on the authorities alone. It also means that there are now just three manufacturers left: Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault, and engine supply from Cosworth will become essential to ensure there are sufficient engines to go around.
    [Show full text]
  • The Binalong Motor Museum Auction 26/07/2020 10:30 AM AEST
    Auction - The Binalong Motor Museum Auction 26/07/2020 10:30 AM AEST Lot Title/Description Lot Title/Description 0 The Binalong Motor Museum was founded in 1990 by two friends 9 LAND SPEED: Seven books relating to the conquest of speed (click to read more) LAND SPEED: Seven books relating to the conquest of speed including; The Binalong Motor Museum was founded in 1990 by two friends, Dr. 'Book of the Racing Campbells' by Richard Hough; 'Fastest on Earth' by Stuart Saunders and John Fitzpatrick, a retired surgeon and solicitor Captain G.E.T Eyston; 'The World's Land Speed Record' by William with a shared passion for vintage motor cars. They acquired a paddock Boddy'. and spent a year building a shed to house both car collections, and at Est. 150 - 200 the same time, formed Binalong Early Motoring Club, which exists to this 10 SHELBY: Four books relating to the Cobra, Shelby and Ford GT40 day.Several years later John moved to Melbourne, and Stuart took over SHELBY: Four books relating to the Cobra, Shelby and Ford GT40, as Curator. The museum and restoration workshop went on to attract three softcover and one hardcover. visitors from all over Australia and overseas, becoming a ‘destination’ for Est. 50 - 150 car clubs and motoring enthusiasts alike. Stuart says that it has been a 11 AMERICAN: Four books relating to American Automobile Racing joy to meet so many people with similar interests from all over the world, AMERICAN: Four books relating to American Automobile Racing and tells of one couple from the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • SAE-A E-News July 2020
    e-News Welcome to the SAE-A’s E-News. This publication augments the quarterly VTE magazine by providing members with the latest news in a format that allows it to be passed on via email. We hope you enjoy it and July 2020 encourage you to be actively involved in its content. Formula SAE Online in times of COVID-19 SAE-A’s most popular and coveted event, Formula SAE (FSAE) has had to face the reality of COVID-19 and cancel the event in its usual format. But all is not lost, a more targeted event will be held professional feedback. • an online business plan event online focusing on the static In all cases, the online competition • the option of a face-to-face elements of the competition. will enable teams to present any physical technical inspections However, in these challenging major changed systems embodied in of their vehicle organised for times this is quite fitting as so many their 2021 vehicle. each state (usual local tech- workplaces are revising work The 2020 online competition nical inspectors) and a video practices with more time spent in represents an opportunity to get a conference design review. online interactions rather than f step up on 2021 by getting a There are no points allocated to ace-to-face meetings. thorough critique of their developing these last activities, its more a The SAE-A’s board and the FSAE designs. feedback session committee has been working For the integrated 2020 On-Line Unlike previous years with separate diligently on a program for the 2020 FSAE-A Static Events Competition, EV and IC categories, this year there event so students do not miss out it is presumed that some teams will will be one combined category for on what is a very important learning be working on a new, or significantly both classes with prizes for 1st, 2nd experience during their time at changed, vehicle for 2021, whereas and 3rd in each event - design, cost university, and for their future others will have been focusing on and business plan.
    [Show full text]
  • The Chequered Flag
    THE CHEQUERED March 2016 Issue 1 FLAG F101 MR322G £100 MR191 £295 1985 British Lewis Hamilton Truck Grand signed Formula 1 Prix Silverstone photo, our choice programme. Signed inside by two-time Moto GP World Champion Barry Sheene who later turned to Truck Racing, plus tickets MR225 £295 Pedro Rodriguez De La Vega signed ticket MR273 £100 Patrick Head, Adrian Newey, and Ross Brawn signed 2010 Sixty Years of Formula One Silverstone cover, they were all engineers MR322F £150 1987 Truck Prix signed official MR238 £350 Brands Hatch Graham Hill signed 4 x 6 photo programme. mounted onto card Signed inside by Rod Chapman (7x European Truck Champ) Barry Sheene (2x Moto GP Champ) Davina Galica (F1), Barry Lee (4x Truck World Champ), plus tickets MR117A £175 01303 278137 Michael EMAIL: [email protected] Schumacher signed photo, our choice Buckingham Covers, Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4BF 1 Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] SIGNED SILVERSTONE 2010 - 60 YEARS OF F1 Occassionally going round fairs you would find an odd Silverstone Motor Racing cover with a great signature on, but never more than one or two and always hard to find. They were only ever on sale at the circuit, and were sold to raise funds for things going on in Silverstone Village. Being sold on the circuit gave them access to some very hard to find signatures, as you can see from this initial selection. MR261 £30 MR262 £25 MR77C £45 Father and son drivers Sir Jackie Jody Scheckter, South African Damon Hill, British Racing Driver, and Paul Stewart.
    [Show full text]
  • Bernie Ecclestone
    F1 People – Bernie Ecclestone Welcome to F1 People, a Sidepodcast series giving you an insight into the names that have shaped Formula 1. This is by no means a definitive list. In this first series, we’ll feature seven significant figures, starting with Bernard Charles Ecclestone. Bernie Ecclestone was born on October 28th 1930, in a small village in Suffolk, and brought up in Bexleyheath, Kent. He left school at 16 to work in the local gasworks as an assistant, so he could pursue his passion of motorcycles. After the end of World War II, Ecclestone began to trade motorcycle parts, and formed a dealership with Fred Compton. He had a go at racing, taking part in the Formula 3 500cc series, but a couple of accidents made him rethink his plans, and he returned to the business world. He bought out Compton, and turned the motorcycle business into a growing emporium, including auctions, loans and property deals. In 1957, Ecclestone became the manager of Stuart Lewis‐Evans, a racing driver from Wales. Ecclestone bought the F1 team Connaught to give Lewis‐Evans a drive, along with a couple of other promising drivers. He even had a go himself at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix but did not get past qualifying. Bernie left the sport again, but returned in 1968 and 69 to manage Jochen Rindt in the Lotus. In 1972, he bought the Brabham team and put all his efforts into making it a winning constructor. The team cost him £100,000. He gradually made Brabham more and more competitive through the 1970s and well into the 1980s, but by then, other concerns were taking up his attention.
    [Show full text]
  • Per La General Motors L'affare È «Okey» Becker E
    MARTEDÌ 9 LUGLIO 1985 l'Unità - SPORT 19 Dopo l'alleanza Ford-Fiat, la GM sta per sbarcare nella Casa di Arese L'artefice del trionfo Keke Rosberg all'Alfa Romeo? Pirelli è un Per la General Motors l'affare è «okey» mancato Il nome del finlandese consigliato da Ecclestone che lo considera tra i tre piloti più forti della «formula 1» - Il team del «biscione» diventerà la scuderia del colosso automobilistico di Detroit - Un campione ideale per un marchio che punta sulla velocità e la guida sportiva musicista no fra breve tempo solo quattro, cinque mente seguita dalla Bmw che ha esteso i pro­ ingiallendo. La General Motors porterebbe Automobilismo gruppi automobilistici. Si creeranno alleanze pri turbo alla Arrows. Williams ha paura che soldi, programmi, una ventata di professio­ planetarie. Vedremo industrie fondersi fra la Honda non gli rinnovi l'esclusiva dei pro­ nalità in una scuderia che ormai sta vivac­ loro per battere la concorrenza-. pulsori giapponesi il prossimo anno quando chiando alla giornata. L'Alfa Romeo potreb­ Dal nostro inviato Dal nostro inviato La previsione di Bernard Hanon si è avve­ scadrà il contratto. Ecclestone è convinto che be veramente cambiare pagina, mettere alle LE CASTE! LET — Mi/a Genera/ Motors ho rata. -L'importante non è la scritta sotto il i turbo Ford saranno presto messi sul libero spalle gli errori commessi in questi anni, li­ LE CASTELLET — Il primo consigliato di prendere Rosberg, uno dei tre cofano, ma produrre a costi sempre più bas­ mercato perché l'industria automobilistica berarsi di partners che non si sono rivelati trionfo dopo 28 anni.
    [Show full text]
  • Triple Echo These 1970S Formula 3 Cars Helped Three Drivers to F1 and Two to World Championships
    historic f3 Triple eCho These 1970s Formula 3 cars helped three drivers to F1 and two to World Championships. They still stir the blood today by marcus pye ormula 3, Formula 2, last-corner sort-outs, came a fascinating if Formula 1. The career racing relatively gutless three-year 1600cc interlude. driver’s aspirational ladder But F3 grew to 2-litre capacity in 1974, and has used to be so simple before remained there ever since. motor giant-led sidestreets Engine sizes have remained static, but power complicated the issue. Prior has risen dramatically, today’s 230bhp outputs to the birth of Renault and Nissan V6 categories, just about keeping pace with huge technological Fand GP2, which superceded F2’s replacement advances in chassis design and construction. F3000, there was no hiding place in F3. After all, any class with significantly more power Although 500cc motorcycle-engined cars than grip is likely to serve a more relevant role inaugurated the British championship in 1951, in the training of future Grand Prix stars. and established a world-leading racing car Which has been ‘the best’ 2000cc sub-era? industry, it was not until ’64 – after six seasons The answer is necessarily subjective. First- of Formula Junior slingshot the likes of Jim generation machines raced up to 1980, the Clark, John Surtees and Denny Hulme towards revolutionary wing cars to ’84, and subsequent F1 world titles – that F3 returned, gaining flat-bottomed chassis all have their followings, continental flavour and respect. and memories of current drivers’ heroes are Following the matchless one-litre ‘screamers’ perpetuated in historic racing throughout which slipstreamed round Europe until 1970, Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Sir Frank Williams Received the 'Bernie Ecclestone
    SIR FRANK WILLIAMS RECEIVED THE ‘BERNIE ECCLESTONE AWARD BY BREMBO 2014’ ON THE OCCASION OF THE SPANISH FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX The Founder and Team Principal of Williams Martini Racing received the 2014 edition of the ‘Bernie Ecclestone Award by Brembo’, to have contributed to the growth of Formula One, reaching prestigious results thanks to personality and entrepreneurial capability. (Circuit de Barcelona, 10th May 2015) – During a private prize ceremony taken place at Williams Martini Racing Hospitality inside the paddock of Circuit de Barcelona, Riccardo Cesarini, Brembo Performance Group Director, donated to Sir Frank Williams the prize ‘Bernie Ecclestone Award by Brembo 2014’. The award, a braking system of a Formula One car, was achieved with the following motivation: “To have contributed to the spread and growth of Formula One worldwide, reaching prestigious results with personality and entrepreneurial capability. The Williams name has been synonymous with top-level motorsport since the 1960s, with the foundation in 1966 of Frank Williams Racing Cars and later in 1977, along with Engineer Patrick Head, establishing Williams Grand Prix Engineering. Williams Martini Racing achieved 16 FIA Formula One World Championships, 9 in Constructors’ Championship and 7 in Drivers’ Championship, scoring 114 victories. Brembo is honoured to assign this award to Sir Frank Williams”. The international prize ‘Bernie Ecclestone Award by Brembo’ was born in 2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Italian Company. In that occasion, Alberto Bombassei, Brembo Chairman, gave to Bernie Ecclestone a braking system personalized with the colour of the Italian flag. In 2012 the award was assigned to Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Ferrari Spa Chairman, while in 2013 the prize was conferred to Niki Lauda, non-executive Chairman of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team.
    [Show full text]
  • The HSRCA 1960S Racing Cars Groups M and O Newsletter No.18
    The HSRCA 1960s Racing Cars Groups M and O Newsletter No.18 March 2012 Ed Holly (Registrar) [email protected] Welcome to the first M and O Racing newsletter for 2012. What a year it is shaping up to be, plenty of new cars debuting, or about to, and the interest is already building for the most important M & O event every 2 years with the running of the 4th Tasman Revival in November. In fact it looks like being a very busy end to the year with the with the 50th anniversary of the AGP at Caversham being celebrated with an Historic event at Barbagello. This weekend is also the traditional Sandown weekend and is only 2 weeks before the Tasman Revival itself. Post Tasman there is the New Zealand meetings at Hampton Downs over consecutive weekends with the theme being a tribute to Denny Hulme. Planning for the Tasman Revival is continuing apace. The Tasman Revival committee has employed the services of an event and marketing company, Lehman and Associates, and to produce the programme to a very high standard, a graphic arts and publishing company. On the next page you will see the flyer produced by the latter company. It is nice to see Spencer Martin in Paul Moxham’s Brabham Alfa BT23D selected as the subject, as Spencer is the only Australian Tasman driver to also run in the Tasman Revival. Overseas interest too is solid, and expectations are that we should have at least as many overseas cars as previously. Sir Jack Brabham named as one of Australia’s 100 Living Treasures.
    [Show full text]
  • Trade Mark Inter-Partes Decision O/169/07
    O-169-07 TRADE MARKS ACT 1994 IN THE MATTER OF APPLICATION NO 2277746C BY FORMULA ONE LICENSING BV TO REGISTER THE TRADE MARK: F1 IN CLASS 41 AND THE OPPOSITION THERETO UNDER NO 94004 BY RACING-LIVE (SOCIETE ANONYME A DIRECTOIRE) Trade Marks Act 1994 In the matter of application no 2277746C by Formula One Licensing BV to register the trade mark: F1 in class 41 and the opposition thereto under no 94004 by RACING-LIVE (Société Anonyme à Directoire) BACKGROUND 1) On 13 August 2001 Formula One Licensing BV, which I will refer to as FOL, made an application to register the trade mark F1 for a variety of goods and services in 10 classes. During the examination process the application was divided. Application no 2277746C was published for opposition purposes in the Trade Marks Journal on 23 September 2005 with the following specification of services: arranging, organising and staging of sports events, tournaments and competitions; production of sport events, tournaments and competitions for radio, film and television; provision of recreation facilities for sports events, tournaments and competitions; provision of information relating to sports via internet or computer communications mediums; organisation of sports competitions, all the aforesaid services relating to Formula One motor racing. The above services are in class 41 of the Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957, as revised and amended. The publication stated that the application was proceeding because of distinctiveness acquired through use. 2) On 21 December 2005 RACING-LIVE (Société Anonyme à Directoire), which I will refer to as RL, filed a notice opposition.
    [Show full text]
  • Download the Official 2002/2003 Formula 1 Annual
    The Official 2002/2003 Formula 1 Annual, Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Publishing, Formula One Publishing, 2003, 0954414705, 9780954414702, . DOWNLOAD HERE Life of Senna The Biography of Ayrton Senna, Tom Rubython, May 1, 2004, , 602 pages. Inside the Mind of the Grand Prix Driver The Psychology of the Fastest Men on Earth: Sex, Danger and Everything Else, Christopher Hilton, Jan 18, 2004, , 384 pages. This book gets behind the PR-speak to explore what Grand Prix drivers really think and feel. They talk with rare frankness of their hopes and fears, how they began racing and .... The Piranha Club Power and Influence in Formula One, Timothy Collings, Sep 1, 2004, Sports & Recreation, 336 pages. Now fully updated, "The Piranha Club" is the first serious study of Formula One's most intriguing and influential figures - the men who wield the real power. It is an .... Formula One Yearbook 2003-2004 , Luc Domenjoz, Jan 1, 2004, , 224 pages. The International Grand Prix annual, and the essential reference guide to the 2003 Grand Prix season. Many articles, anecdotes and analysis. Complete and detailed results of .... Flat Out & Flat Broke Formula 1 the Hard Way, Perry L. McCarthy, Sep 1, 2002, , 256 pages. Perry McCarthy decided at the age of 18 that he wanted to reach the top in the world's most expensive sport. This is his autobiography.. Juan Pablo Montoya , Christopher Hilton, May 1, 2003, , 144 pages. 'There's an expression in the United States 'someone's got iced water in their veins' and that's how he drives: take no prisoners, don't give a damn, don't be intimidated by ...
    [Show full text]
  • 20 7584 7403 E-Mail [email protected] 1982 Brabham Bt49/D
    14 QUEENS GATE PLACE MEWS, LONDON, SW7 5BQ PHONE +44 (0)20 7584 3503 FAX +44 (0)20 7584 7403 E-MAIL [email protected] 1982 BRABHAM BT49/D Chassis Number: BT49D-18 Every epoch of Grand Prix racing has been graced by magnicent cars which transcended the normal creations of genius and which pushed the boundaries of performance beyond the reach of even their most stellar rivals. Debuted in the autumn of 1979, Gordon Murray’s Brabham BT49 design is regarded by the South African’s peers as the ultimate Cosworth DFV-powered chassis in an extraordinarily competitive era which saw the Ford-badged three-litre V8 engine win 155 Formula 1 World Championship races over an incredible 17 years. Evolved over four seasons by F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team, in three distinct specications, Murray’s family of BT49s were very special in almost every respect. Freed at last from the compromises previously imposed by cumbersome and thirsty 12-cylinder Alfa Romeo engines, in both at and vee formats, Murray delighted in shrink-wrapping the compact DFV in the neatest, sleekest package. Supremely elegant and stunningly detailed the BT49’s monocoque was beautifully crafted in aluminium with carbonbre stiening panels. Setting new standards aerodynamically his masterpieces were quick out of the box and netted six pole positions. With promising tools at their disposal at last, although the mercurial turbocars won the arms race in terms of power, Murray and his lieutenants worked tirelessly to maximise the inherent advantages they had. The team proved most adept at mastering the complex sliding skirt ‘wing car’ concept which unlocked extraordinary new parameters of cornering speed without, on the Brabham at least, sacricing basic straight line speed.
    [Show full text]