PaceCars@aol.com wrote:
>
> If you wanted to do an accurate replica, you would need to put a set of
> hinges in the middle of the chassis ;>).
Interestingly enough, a discussion on the "strength" of Chapman's race
cars has been going on on the "Alfa Digest" of all places. Here was my
posting on one point:
To:
AlfaDigest <alfa-digest@mailgate.wizvax.net>
It took me only a few minutes to track down my best-remembered comments
on Lotus fragility. In Michael Cooper-Evans bio of Rob Walker, there is
a chapter devoted to the first season Walker ran a Lotus for Moss -
1960. As you might know, Rob Walker and Stirling Moss gave Chapman his
first GP victory: Monte Carlo, 1960, in their first race with the car.
Quotes from the book:
"But at his (Moss - JH) request, his chassis had been constructed to
rather
more robust specifications than those of the Team Lotus cars."
"Stirling and Rob had given Colin Chapman his first Grand Prix victory
- but only just; after the race it was discovered that both forward
engine mountings were broken and the front end of the engine in
Stirling's car was supported by only a water pipe."
Later in the chapter, there is a discussion of the massive shunt
Stirling had at practice for the Belgian GP, when the rear driveshaft
broke at 140 mph, collapsing the rear suspension. Moss spent much time
in the hospital after this one!
""This component had failed several times before and Colin Chapman had
already designed a stronger version which was available in time for the
race, but that, of course, was too late for Stirling."
--
--
Jim Hayes Winchester, MA, USA
hayes@mediaone.net http://www.fotec.com/jim.htm
jeh@fotec.com http://www.fotec.com/
All generalizations, with the possible exception of this one, are false!
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