Friday 25th February 2005

Vanwall racecar pictures released

Now we can show you what it looks like

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Yesterday we brought you the story about the new road-going 6.0-litre Vanwall V12 road-legal racing car. We couldn't bring you pictures then -- but now we can.

www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=9934

[minimax]

that is awesome. I really want one

[JAPES]

Climbing inside that thing and strapping yourself, tightly, into that harness would just about be the most exciting thing I could imagine. Let alone starting the engine and flooring the juice pedal. Crikey.

[Ali_D]

I want one!! Unfortunately its a little outside my price bracket! And where would I put the wife & child? I still want one though!

[cazzer]

I want the fat blokes one

[richb]

Fantastic... but why bother making it road legal? Surely the only place to enjoy this is on a track and anyone who can afford one of these as a toy can also afford an old Rangie and a trailer? Rich...

[v8thunder]

richb said:

Fantastic... but why bother making it road legal? Surely the only place to enjoy this is on a track and anyone who can afford one of these as a toy can also afford an old Rangie and a trailer? Rich...

Well, F1 cars of this era were actually road legal - they just fitted lights. In fact it wasn't unknown for some of the small privateer teams who couldn't afford their own truck to turn up in theirs with all the spares in the back of another car.

Besides, I bet you'd like to drive one on the road really! I would...

[900T-R]

richb said:

Fantastic... but why bother making it road legal? Surely the only place to enjoy this is on a track and anyone who can afford one of these as a toy can also afford an old Rangie and a trailer? Rich...

Because there's no fun whatsoever in driving around with a heavy trailer on your a** for hours, to enjoy at best two hours' worth of track time (never 'got' why people do that - my ideal is something you drive to the track, have a bit of fun with on track and get your groceries with on your way back. If it bothers you that you're a couple of seconds a lap slower than with something purposely engineered for track work only - why aren't you racing in the first place?)?

Conversely, this would be a glorious and suitably crazy thing to pilot around country lanes on a Sunday morning...

edited because my typing skills still suck...

>> Edited by 900T-R on Friday 25th February 10:31

[richb]

v8thunder said:

richb said: Fantastic... but why bother making it road legal? Surely the only place to enjoy this is on a track and anyone who can afford one of these as a toy can also afford an old Rangie and a trailer? Rich... Well, F1 cars of this era were actually road legal - they just fitted lights. In fact it wasn't unknown for some of the small privateer teams who couldn't afford their own truck to turn up in theirs with all the spares in the back of another car. Besides, I bet you'd like to drive one on the road really! I would...

Humm... urban legend maybe? I know that there were a few tracks where the team's working area was away from the track so the teams would make an impression by driving their cars through the streets to the track paddock, but this was a kind of 1950's "parade des pilote" rather than a common place thing. Love the car but I would rather enjoy it somewhere like Goodwood. Rich...

[FourWheelDrift]

v8thunder said:

Well, F1 cars of this era were actually road legal - they just fitted lights. In fact it wasn't unknown for some of the small privateer teams who couldn't afford their own truck to turn up in theirs with all the spares in the back of another car. .

The Late Maurice Trintingnant in 1960 on his way to the circuit.


PS. Love the Vanwall, reminds me of the 1958 car.

[vrooom]

This car is sooooooo pretty. i want one!!!

[richb]

FourWheelDrift said:

The Late Maurice Trintingnant in 1960 on his way to the circuit.

I agree it did happen occasionally, I have a picture of Moss doing a similar thing in this country! Rich...

[wolves_wanderer]

Wow, imagine the racket that little beauty makes

[dinkel]

Jag lump?

[Nick_f]

Er, Ronart, anyone?

[FourWheelDrift]

Nick_f said:

Er, Ronart, anyone?

Er.....designed by the same person.

[chris_crossley]

This is what small car builders should concentrate on. The car is stunning, in an old car way. Can't say i would want one as it's just too impractical. Unlike some of the none starters cars i have seen in the past few years. This car will not be one of them. It tick's all the right boxes to be a classic. What a brillient car for a sunday drive

Would love to have a go in one. If i had the cash it would be one that would make it into my car collection. Just for being utterley different (same as old racers disclaimer)

[z_chromozone]

[redacted]

[klassiekerrally]

I can imagine the sound it produces...

There's no engine like a V12 with carburettors...
Great!

[ettore]

The last time any Grand Prix cars were road-legal would have been the very early thirties. Fifties Grand Prix cars were anything but road legal (unlike the sports racers) but were, very occasionally, driven a few miles to the circuit from the teams local base. The authorities were rarely aware...

This seems like a slightly odd project to me but no doubt it would be an exciting drive. If you took the road bits off it and fitted some more suitable wheels (Vanwall often used alloys in period)it would look quite nice!

[944tom]

" Performance

Power/weight 360 bhp/ton
0—60 adequate " (from www.vanwallcars.com)

Thats a lot of power - sounds like fun