Where are the old cars?
Discussion
Was watching the old F1 season reviews on Sky and it got me thinking about the cars nowadays.
Just taking the 90's for example, there were tonnes of different teams that lived or died seemingly every year producing loads of different chassis and only really McLaren, Ferrari and Williams seemingly have museums or places to store their cars. I know there are museums like Donnington that have a bunch but apart from that, where are they all?
Nice to see the Leyton House car that Newey designed run at Goodwood a few weeks back. Have the people that ran it always had it or was it hidden away for years?
Not just F1 of course, what about all the GT cars from various series that aren't still running or rally cars or whatever?
Just hidden away under tarpaulins in a garage somewhere or what?
Just taking the 90's for example, there were tonnes of different teams that lived or died seemingly every year producing loads of different chassis and only really McLaren, Ferrari and Williams seemingly have museums or places to store their cars. I know there are museums like Donnington that have a bunch but apart from that, where are they all?
Nice to see the Leyton House car that Newey designed run at Goodwood a few weeks back. Have the people that ran it always had it or was it hidden away for years?
Not just F1 of course, what about all the GT cars from various series that aren't still running or rally cars or whatever?
Just hidden away under tarpaulins in a garage somewhere or what?
Some are privately owned, many have been scrapped, some are in museums and some are run on hill climbs. Old F1 cars from the 70's are pretty easy to find and run, however cars made form carbon fibre are very expensive to repair and the fibre over five or six years loses its rigidity and therefore the tubs make the car less safe on track.
It is a question of money, market and fashion. 1990's Rally cars and GT cars are vastly expensive to run, parts need to re manufactured and the plans are kept by manufacturers so costs are prohibitive. They are alive just hidden away by motorsports departments across the world.
It is a question of money, market and fashion. 1990's Rally cars and GT cars are vastly expensive to run, parts need to re manufactured and the plans are kept by manufacturers so costs are prohibitive. They are alive just hidden away by motorsports departments across the world.
I noticed Marussia with FV10 appear to be running a Super Aguri SA06 as a demo car.
These cars have had quite a life..
2002 Orange arrows A23,Minardi PS04,Super Aguri SA05,SA06.
Rather rare example of a modern F1 chassis design being recycled by numerous teams,
Some cars are being raced by some of these chaps:
http://www.bossgp.com/
These cars have had quite a life..
2002 Orange arrows A23,Minardi PS04,Super Aguri SA05,SA06.
Rather rare example of a modern F1 chassis design being recycled by numerous teams,
Some cars are being raced by some of these chaps:
http://www.bossgp.com/
Edited by Streps on Sunday 15th July 11:05
Not quite so sure if it's the same now but definitely in the 60's and '70s and into the '80s a lot of bits of last year's car would have found their way into the next year's car. You'd see what looked like a new car running around on the circuit, and think last year's must be retired in a garage somewhere, but in fact a lot of the bits and pieces would have been transferred and there'd just be a half finished husk and some bodywork lying around somewhere.
There is a Eurobrun on Autotrader at the moment. Makes a change from the two hundred million 1.9TDi hatchbacks of various sorts on there, anyway.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
belleair302 said:
however cars made form carbon fibre are very expensive to repair and the fibre over five or six years loses its rigidity and therefore the tubs make the car less safe on track.
No doubts on the expense but unsure of the "lifespan" query on Carbon... plenty of cars and aircraft from that era still in use with extensive carbon elements- been on an airliner recently? Many of them have considerably composite parts and often 20+yrs old, same for military fighter aircraft. McLaren seemed happy to let Lewis go out and hoon around in one of Sennas early CF cars last year, I'm sure if there was any concern about it being flexible the insurers would have had forty fits.onomatopoeia said:
There is a Eurobrun on Autotrader at the moment. Makes a change from the two hundred million 1.9TDi hatchbacks of various sorts on there, anyway.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
And quite possibly the worst advert I've ever seen on AT. Strange. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
scubadude said:
belleair302 said:
however cars made form carbon fibre are very expensive to repair and the fibre over five or six years loses its rigidity and therefore the tubs make the car less safe on track.
No doubts on the expense but unsure of the "lifespan" query on Carbon... plenty of cars and aircraft from that era still in use with extensive carbon elements- been on an airliner recently? Many of them have considerably composite parts and often 20+yrs old, same for military fighter aircraft. McLaren seemed happy to let Lewis go out and hoon around in one of Sennas early CF cars last year, I'm sure if there was any concern about it being flexible the insurers would have had forty fits.belleair302 said:
The Senna car had been through a serious rebuild and Lewis was only able to do a few laps and not in any serious anger. The fibre become flexible over time and the chassis does not hold its rigidity. Ask any McL owner when they last had their CF fuel cell replaced....and at what cost. I think 8 years is what McL quote before it needs replacing. McLaren have a team of guys who keep certain cars upto track spec and the fibre boys are often making fresh parts as and when.....night shift!!
Would that be because the fuel attacks the gell coats/acts as a solvent? Otherwise the UV in light may degrade the gell coat, but paint should protect it from that?
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