Depends on which car, which year and which type od racing. The TR2, TR3S
and TRS Le Mans cars were BRG with, in some cases, different color nose
stripes to differentiate team cars. The TR3As and TR4s that ran Daytona
and Sebring were white with hard tops painted a different color, in one
case I believe dark blue. I know one year the TR3A rally cars were painted
apple green and the TR4 and Vitesse rally cars were painted pale blue
(Wedgewood?). The Le Mans Spits were BRG with different color stripes on
each team car. Those are the ones I can recall, there may be more.
As for national racing colors, this is what I recall from memory, my library
is at home.
England: BRG
Italy: Italian racing red
France: French racing blue
Switzerland: White/red stripe
Belgium: Yellow
Germany: White at first then Silver (more below)
USA: White/blue stripes or Blue/white stripes if you're Carroll Shelby
Spain: Yellow/red stripe
The national racing color for Germany was originally white until the early
30's. Around 1934 (don't recall the exact year) the formula for Grand Prix
racing was called the 750kg formula. Basically, grand prix cars could weight
no more than 750kg less consummables such as fuel, oil, water, tires etc.
That was basically the only rule. Back then, bigger was faster so large
dispalcement supercharged engines were used which, with the then current
technology were rather heavy. Cars were built right up to the max weight
and even tricks such as extra light weight wheels were used for the weigh-in.
Well, during scrutineering for a race, the all conquering Mercedes were found
to be barely over weight. Alfred Neubaurer, the Mercedes team manager, quickly
had the team mechanics stripe off the white paint from the cars allowing them
to make weight. The now bare metal Mercedes dominated the race and gained
the now famous nickname "Silber Feile" Silver Arrows. The cars of the 750kg
formula were incredible for their day. Power outputs were close to 900hp with
two stage superchargers and running on exotic fuels. The Mercedes team had
a full time chemist who would blend the fuel depending on the altitude and
weather conditions. At the high speed Avus track outside Berlin, the Mercedes
and Auto Unions ran with enclosed bodywork and had top speeds over 200 mph.
The Avus track was a section of autobahn, two lanes each way, separated by
a median. Ay each end was a 180 banked turn. The banking was parabolic, being
steeper at the top and surfaced in brick! Imagine barreling into the banked
turn at better than 180 in a car with 4 inch wide cord tires! No wonder one
of the surviving team drivers recently called the current crop of GP drivers
a bunch of overpaid nancy-boys!
Cheers,
Kurt Oblinger
Redondo Beach, Ca.
c394829@is6.mdc.com
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