Equinox 1986 - the creation of F1 Turbo engines...

[johnpeat]

Someone pointed this out to me on Youtube earlier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedd...

It's a fantastic watch

[PanzerCommander]

Ohh they have part two up now, I'll have to make sure I watch that, part one was very interesting despite being more of a big block and supercharger kind of person.

[johnpeat]

It's fantastic in a "how they used to work" sort of way - hell they even use now-protected rainforest wood for their formers

The good old days eh?

[n3il123]

This site has a few good videos on it downloadable too

http://www.f1archives.com/blog/category/07technica...

[PanzerCommander]

johnpeat said:

It's fantastic in a "how they used to work" sort of way - hell they even use now-protected rainforest wood for their formers

The good old days eh?

Mad isn't it, these days a 5 axis CNC machine would have the engine parts cut from billet in less than a 100th of the time it would take the craftsmen to make the casting blocks.

Most definitely bookmarked for later.

[johnpeat]

PanzerCommander said:

Mad isn't it, these days a 5 axis CNC machine would have the engine parts cut from billet in less than a 100th of the time it would take the craftsmen to make the casting blocks.

Most definitely bookmarked for later.

The whole thing has a feeling of raw/basic/primal energy to it - they use hammers and chisels and soldering irons, their 'computer' isn't even solid-state, the engineers are all droll men who talk slowly and soporifically.

All that pipework for the test engine rig - a compressor the size of a gypsy caravan with pipework that only Fred Dibnah would love - it's just amazing.

It's must watch, really - a real attitude adjuster.

Those are men for whom satnav, cupholders, ESP and self-dipping interior mirrors would be heresy!!

[PanzerCommander]

I have just watched the second part now, it really is fascinating. But working in engineering (I'll resist the temptation to call myself an engineer because I haven't got my degree yet (currently working on it)) means that stuff like this interests me a great deal, I'm gong to have to have a look at the other videos too I think.

They mentioned the VAX (the computer they are using) I have used one (well a virtual interface through windows to a machine) they are awful things to use, but at the time they were the new thing on the block!

[johnpeat]

I started work in IT (on IBM Mainframes coding COBOL/CICS and a 'network database' called MIMS/MITROL) the year before programme was set and the tech they have is a bit outdated even for the time.

That very young Ross Brown is using a BBC B!!! We had those at school (1982/3) and college (4/5) - the Vax is from an earlier age again tho.

There's a Tandy MC100 on there at one point - as well as an early 'luggable' PC unit which I don't recognise specifically (although we had Compaq-made units around 86/87/88 which I used to lug home to play Tetris!!)

I'm not a young man by any means but it doesn't seem THAT long ago - the tech is there, they have carbon-fibre and ECUs but they're still using oscilliscopes and recording results using clipboards - it's a weird combo