Formula Atlantic/Pacific

[Howard Wood]

Howard, the more info the better! You got to experience something most motorsport enthusiasts didn't so your stories are fascinating.

How cool is that, you designed the wings on that car. How did the front wing adjust? It may just be the angle of the photos you attached but it looks fixed to the nose. Did it actually sit above the nose? How did the straight line speed of this car compare with the competition? The clean shape and narrow track must have helped with this? Although I'm guessing if it suffered traction problems exiting corners this would have masked straight line performance?

The wing set up was inspired by the then current F1 Ferrari 312T. The wing sat above and slightly ahead of the nose cone on an adjustable alloy bracket.

You're absolutely right about corner exit speed affecting straight line speed, how often do you hear drivers complaining about a lack of power when it is actually a lack of exit speed? I think the Lyncar was pretty good through the air but also on a non ground effects wing car the amount of downforce you are running will dramatically affect top end speed. If the setup is off its too easy to add more downforce in compensation.

[Rod Grimwood]

More info on this car shortly, just found some (old) photos, Robin Irving in his just rebuilt Modus and yours truly after extracting it from his rumpis room under his house.

[Steve Holmes]

The wing set up was inspired by the then current F1 Ferrari 312T. The wing sat above and slightly ahead of the nose cone on an adjustable alloy bracket.

You're absolutely right about corner exit speed affecting straight line speed, how often do you hear drivers complaining about a lack of power when it is actually a lack of exit speed? I think the Lyncar was pretty good through the air but also on a non ground effects wing car the amount of downforce you are running will dramatically affect top end speed. If the setup is off its too easy to add more downforce in compensation.

Yep, thats right, and a lot of people try to overcome a lack of good handling with more horsepower, which tends to make the situation even worse.

I can see now how that front wing was separate from the bodywork. Very nice design!

[PhotoSmith]

From the top......
Brian Hartley -Pukekohe,
David Oxton - Pukekohe
Grant Campbell - Baypark,
Steve Milen - Manfield,
Eric Morgan - Baypark,
Radisich - Pukekohe.

[PhotoSmith]

Dave McMillan - RT1 - pukekohe
Roberto Moreno - Baypark
Charlie O'Brien - Pukekohe
Mike Rosen - Baypark
Steve Cameron - Baypark,
Dave McMillan - RT4 - Baypark

[Steve Holmes]

From the top......
Brian Hartley -Pukekohe,
David Oxton - Pukekohe
Grant Campbell - Baypark,
Steve Milen - Manfield,
Eric Morgan - Baypark,
Radisich - Pukekohe.

What sort of car is the red #19, 3rd pic down?

[PhotoSmith]

Chevron B39

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks. Nice looking car.

[Milan Fistonic]

Alan Crocker at Pukekohe

[David McKinney]

That's a rare one, Milan

[Howard Wood]

Milan and David,

That photo really got me thinking. Alan's car was a genuine 74B being the Wella car that Ted Wentz won for winning the British Wella FF championship the previous year. Mid season Wentz swaped to a Lola and Alan bought the car, I would guess in early 1975, and ran some British Atlantic races in it before bringing it to NZ for the Jan '77 series.

The standard 74B has a front radiator and very steeply angled cockpit profile and this is how Alan ran it in the UK and I thought here in 1976, until seeing this photo. I now recall an infamous flight from UK to here with Alan where he carried a complete cockpit surround with him as hand luggage, having convinced the airline staff that it was a priceless and fragile "art work". To add to the confusion, I had a spare clutch assembly and ignition spark box in my hand luggage as well (try doing that with today's airport security) so we caused a little mayhem everywhere we went!

Anyway, this was presumably to convert the car to later specs as in Milan's photo. I suppose he used my moulds but have no recollection at all and would have sworn that car remained as a 74B. Kenny S bought the car from Alan, primarily because it was such a genuine unmolested example.

[Rod Grimwood]

Here are a couple more of the Modus with Robin Irving This is before the experiments with new under floor and rear wing along with side pods. As seen Robin soon found out the traction limits on first peactice run.

[Rod Grimwood]

After first season of fun, Robin decided to try for some improvement and found it after a lot of fabrication and playing with settings. We were all learning as we went, and it put us in stead for things that we played with later.
Note adaption of RT1 wing along with other bits like reshaped nose, side pods, and underneath alot of work was done for air flow and down force etc. The times did change a bit but Robin was arealist and new it was just a fun car and was never going to be in the front half of field. He went more for mileage and experience which he hoped to put into use in future plans. Robin was a fairly handy peddler and had done very well in tin tops before this adventure.
This car was a good excuse for us to dissapear down south for a couple of weeks each Xmas ( now thats another story ) with the other boys and teams.

[Rod Grimwood]

photos

[Milan Fistonic]

Even more drastic modifications were made to the Modus that Robbie Francevic drove.

From this






to this

[Rod Grimwood]

A little action on the start line at Puke, thankfully no one was hurt.

[Rod Grimwood]

As above

[Steve Holmes]

Phenomenal series of photos here Rod. The driver of car 25 is really lucky. There is no sign of his roll bar anywhere, looks like it got torn off as the car went over.

[Howard Wood]

Phenomenal series of photos here Rod. The driver of car 25 is really lucky. There is no sign of his roll bar anywhere, looks like it got torn off as the car went over.

I assume that is the Dave Saunders accident. If so, the car was a March 722 which were hardly the strongest tub around (and you can take "tub" however you want). The roll bar is visible lying against the side pod in front of the rad, not a good look.
Note the groundskeeper's trusty Trekka in the background ready for a speedy (?) response. Some aspects of motorsport have improved!

[Rod Grimwood]

Yes it was Dave Saunders, he tangled with Mr Morgan and that is the roll bar beside the car.