Two weeks in the life of Lotus Formula One mechanics in 1978.
Lotus Team mechanics,Silverstone, 1973. (Note the secretive working conditions. Not !)
(Ken Hyndman photo )
Two weeks in the life of Lotus Formula One mechanics in 1978.
Lotus Team mechanics,Silverstone, 1973. (Note the secretive working conditions. Not !)
(Ken Hyndman photo )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 01-01-2016 at 08:19 AM. Reason: *
I will sign off with a signed photograph of the winning driver for Lotus in 1978, American, Mario Andretti.
Once again, I hope you all have a wonderful 2016
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 01-01-2016 at 05:39 PM.
October 21, 1973. Brands Hatch. Formula 3 grid.
I took this photo of the front of the grid just before the start. Unfortunately the car in the centre of the front row has an official blocking the driver who is Tony Brise. Two years later at Long Beach I talked to Tony about this race which he went on to win. There is a story which I will complete tomorrow if anyone is interested.
Formula 3 fields were large and exciting with up to 40 cars and loaded with future stars.
In this photo on the front row with Tony is Ian Taylor in # 1. Michel Leclere is in# 55 A Alpine A3468
# 4 car is Masami Kawashima.
# 25 is Alan Jones in his GRD, # 61 is another Australian, Larry Perkins in his Brabham BT 41.
(Ken Hyndman photos )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 01-03-2016 at 08:06 PM.
[QUOTE=khyndart in CA;50712]I will sign off with a signed photograph of the winning driver for Lotus in 1978, American, Mario Andretti.
Ken, did you work with Nigel Bennett, I just finished reading his autobiography "Inspired to Design"? He had a great career with Lotus, Lola, Penske and a great working relationship with Mario. NB quietlyachieved a lot in both F1 and Indycar ( CART in those days).
Happy New Year!
I am interested in the story Ken - no doubt you have read 'Lost Generation' by David Tremayne about Williamson, Brise and Pryce - a superb book.
Grant,
I was only at Trojan Racing and Lola and Nigel were the competition !. He was highly regarded and Patrick Head worked with him as they developed the Lola T 260 for Can Am and Jackie Stewart to drive in 1971. That was before Patrick came to Trojan.
Thanks for the book recommendation.
Ken.
Brands Hatch. October 1973 Formula 3 race.
Some more album pictures of the race.
At the start Leclere had rain tires on his good looking Alpine # 55 and took the lead.
Tony Brise in his March 733 # 5 stayed close through the first few corners then passed for the lead by the 2nd lap.
Tony stayed in front for the rest of the race. By winning the race and Alan Jones finishing in sixth place, Tony had enough points to win the 1973 John Player Formula 3 International Championship.
You can see from the results what a large and talented field it was. Formula 3 was an exciting spring board for many great drivers.
John Player Formula 3 International Championship
Brands Hatch, 21 Oct 1973
Results Laps Time/Speed
1 Tony Brise March 733 [21] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#5 Team Kent Messenger Racing 30 0.48.26.2
98.47 mph
2 Russell Wood March 733 [3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#15 The Chequered Flag 30 0.48.28.0
3 Ian Taylor March 733 - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#1 Chris Andrews 30 0.48.28.6
4 Christian Ethuin Martini MK12 [004] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#52 Motul-La Defense 30 0.48.44.6
5 Larry Perkins Brabham BT41 [31] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#61 Team Cowangie 30 0.48.45.0
6 Alan Jones GRD 373 [060-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#25 DART Racing with GRD 30 0.49.01.2
7 Jacques Laffite Martini MK12 [005?] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#50 BP Racing 30 0.49.16.6
8 Richard Robarts March 733 [4] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#11 Myson Racing 30 0.49.28.4
9 "Teleco" March 733 [15] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#16 Angeleri March Racing Brazil 30 0.49.28.4
10 Jean-Pierre Paoli Martini MK12 [007?] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#49 BP Racing 30 0.49.40.6
11 Derek Lawrence Ehrlich ES2 - Ford twin cam Ehrlich
#59 Dr Joseph Ehrlich 30 0.49.50.0
12 Mo Harness March 733 [25] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#20 Team Modus Racing with Shellsport 29 0.48.49.6
13 Alain Serpaggi Alpine A364B [3648] - Renault R16 Dudot
#56 Alpine Renault 29 0.49.05.4
14 Danny Sullivan March 723 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#64 29 0.49.21.6
15 Randy Lewis Brabham BT41 [16] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#43 Wrangler Racing Team 28 0.48.48.6
16 Jimmy Fuller Brabham BT38C [19] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#46 ADM Business Systems Ltd 28 0.49.46.2
17 Roelof Wunderink Ensign LNF3/71 [71.2] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#57 28 0.50.08.0
18 Philippe Albera March 733 [23] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#7 Antar March 27 Not running
19 Per-Olof Zetterström Brabham BT41 [21] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#65 Alladin Racing 27 0.48.42.6
NC Ulf Svensson Brabham BT41 [14] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#45 26 0.49.24.0
R Barrie Maskell Dastle Mk10 - Ford twin cam
#60 Competition Car/Hesketh Racing 23
R Max Jean ("Jean Max") Martini MK12 [003] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#51 Motul-La Defense 20 Handling
R Michel Leclère Alpine A364B [3649] - Renault R16 Dudot
#55 Alpine Renault 17 Puncture
R Masami Kuwashima March 733 [18] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#4 Reystan Racing 16 Accident at Dingle Dell
R John MacDonald Brabham BT41 [30] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#29 15
R Conny Andersson March 733 [16] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#14 Ge-Kås Kläder 9 Accident
R Bernard Béguin Martini MK12 [002] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#48 Ecurie Volants Shell 7
R Pierre-François Rousselot March 733 [22?] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#8 6
R Tony Rouff GRD 373 [059-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#27 DART Racing with GRD 4 Clutch
R Lella Lombardi Brabham BT41 [18] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#44 4 Wrong tires
R Gunnar Nordström GRD 373 [048-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#30 Karlsons Klister Racing Team 3 Accident
R José Espírito Santo March 733 [6] - Ford twin cam Mohr
#19 3
R Mike Wilds March 733 [26] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#3 Dempster International Racing Team
(see note 1)
2 Accident at Westfield
R Brian Henton Ensign LNF3/73 - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#36 1 Accident at Hawthorn
R Jean Ragnotti March 733 [24] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#6 Antar March 1
DNS Alain Cudini Martini MK12 [001] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#69 Ecurie Elf Did not start
DNS Buzz Buzaglo March 733 [723-1] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#66 Did not start
DNS Bernard Chevanne Martini MK12 [006] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#68 Ecurie Volant Shell Did not start
DNQ Lionel Friedrich March 733 [13] - Ford twin cam Holbay R73
#2 Did not qualify
DNQ Matt Spitzley March 733 [7] - Ford twin cam Brown
#62 Did not qualify
DNQ Rod Smith GRD 372 [030-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#63 Did not qualify
DNQ Ole Vejlund Ensign LNF3/72 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#34 Did not qualify
DNQ Håkan Dahlqvist Merlyn Mk 22 [440/F3/73] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#41 Karlsons Klister Racing Team Did not qualify
DNA Max Bonnin March 733 [723-5?] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#9 Nota Interim Did not arrive
DNA Roger Hurst March 733 [713M-6] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#22 (see note 2)
Did not arrive
DNA Pedro Passadore GRD 373 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#26 DART Racing with GRD Did not arrive
DNA Mike Tyrrell Ensign LNF3 - Ford twin cam Holbay
#38 Marc Gregory Property Developers Did not arrive
DNA Val Musetti Royale RP11A [6] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#58 (see note 3)
Did not arrive
DNA Bjorn Stenberg Brabham BT41 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#67 Did not arrive
All cars are 1.6-litre F3 unless noted.
( Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 01-05-2016 at 01:14 AM.
Michael,Originally Posted by Michael Clark
Yes, David Tremayne's book is excellent and he kindly sent me a signed paperback copy.
My personal story was after Tony Brise's great but unsuccessful drive at the first Long Beach F 5000 race in Sept. 1975 where I was a goffer on the Theodore Team, we all went to the "Queen Mary" for the awards function. Tony was sitting at our table and I mentioned to him that he had come a long way in the 2 years since I had seen him win at the 1973 Formula 3 race at Brands Hatch. He admitted that had been a highlight for him to win there and that he had finally been noticed. We also talked on how he had married his Janet one week before I had married my Judy in June / July 1974. I also invited them both to come and visit us in San Diego and get away from an English winter and Teddy Yip said he could stay at Teddy's La Jolla home. I know Tony liked the idea but he had to get back to England to develop and test the new Embassy Hill Formula One car.
How shattered we were when that news came in of the late November 1975 plane crash.
(Ken Hyndman )
Brands Hatch. October 1973
Brands Hatch as it is today. ( note the difference in advertising !)
(Ken Hyndman,top photo.... justgoldhospitality.co.uk,lower photo )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 01-05-2016 at 05:52 PM.
Jan 17. 2016.
Something a bit different but something with "heaps of grunt".
"SuperDraco" engines that can take a rocket from 0 to 100 mph in 1.2 seconds !
I know this is a motorsport site but I wanted to share something that most of you do not get the opportunity to witness.
We live in California about 30 miles from the Vandenberg Air force Base which is also the place where rockets are launched on the West coast of the USA. So while many of you went to see cars rocket around Hampton Downs on Sunday, I went with a friend to the base to watch this rocket launch today. Unfortunately so did a lot of others after being told the weather was perfect for a launch and therefore the roads were very packed. When we arrived the fog had rolled in and by launch time we could hardly see a thing. But the launch was a success and just hearing the noise and feeling the ground shake was an awesome experience.
As you read the following you will see the end result was not a complete success. (Ouch ! )
On the crowded road to the launch site just over the hills on the left and the fog is hiding all the action.
(Ken Hyndman photo )
Launch site the day before minus the fog. (NASA photo )
The launch of the rocket.
Read through this site to see what happened off the coast near San Diego.
http://gizmodo.com/watch-as-spacex-l...emp-1753411190
( Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 01-19-2016 at 12:59 AM. Reason: **
A pity all the hard work, preparation and expense came down to the failure of a support arm not locking in place.
This was an expensive failure after coming so close.
(Ken Hyndman )
I came across this photo that was stuck in the back of a binder. It has some water damage but it does show Ken Smith working at the front of his Lotus 41 along with other team members. (Is that his father helping to pour in the fuel ? ) I think the photo was taken at Pukekohe in late September, 1969.
Any input on the exhaust system would be appreciated as I thought it originally came out below the left 1/2 shaft. Is it a 1.6 litre engine or 1.5 twin cam engine ? Thanks everybody.
(Ken Hyndman photo )
As I was saying. The Lotus 41 used to have the exhaust come out below the left half shaft.
(Ooops ! )
(Somewhere in South America in 1968 I think )
(Photographer unknown.)
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 02-24-2016 at 09:20 AM.
Nice work ! Yes Ken ran the 41 as a 1.5, virtually all the tc cars were 1.5 until the FVAs arrived. The car was often called a 41B, I have no idea if it was but it was ex-Chas Lucas Engineering. In the pic with Morrie holding the funnel it looks to be in its blue livery, so the high-level pipe would have been a heat-resistant pale yellow. Originally Kenny ran it in crisp white with red Coke advertising roundels. From admittedly-tortured memory the exhaust was chrome at that time.
Thank you GD66.
That was an excellent answer and I appreciate it.
(Ken H)
Here are two more photos of the Ken Smith Lotus 41 after it had grown a rear spoiler. A lot like the 1969 Tasman Ferrari.
(Photos thanks to Gavin..PALLMALL )
.
Note how the rear wing puts down force on the engine and chassis on the Lotus 41 in comparison
to the F1 Lotus 49 that in 1969 had the rear wing applying force to the rear suspension which by the time they got to Barcelona for the F1 GP the wing designs were collapsing with disastrous results for the Lotus F1 team and all high wings were subsequently banned.
(Jochen Rindt before and during his rear high wing collapsing crash at Barcelona in 1969 )
(Ken Hyndman )
( Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 02-25-2016 at 03:39 AM.
Los Olivos. California. March 6. 2016
Here is a slight change of scenery.
I trundled my 1962 Austin Mini Cooper into town today and found this 2016 BMW M8 crouching next to my parking space. I just wanted to show the old and the new and to let you know that I am a very proud senior citizen and owner of a car that still gets a lot of attention from the ladies that climb out of the fancy new cars much to the chagrin of the owners of both the BMW and the Porsche !..
. Long live original classic Mini Coopers !
( Ken Hyndman )
No contest Ken...........
Happiness in the Hyndman driveway is when the boys in their sixties can get out in their toys from the sixties.
( Ken Hyndman photo )
Great stuff Ken , Thank you .......... Grant
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