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Old 21 Mar 2012, 17:04 (Ref:3046066)   #11
chris bailey
Racer
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 235
chris bailey should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridchris bailey should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Good to see more RP24's emerging.

The RP24 was designed by the great Rory Byrne (Ferrari F1) in the Nissen Hut "factory" that Royale inhabited in the 1970's. I joined Royale as Rory's sidekick in the summer of '76 and drew a large proportion of the RP24. I had a hand in re-styling the car, as Rory originally had a chisel nose and squared-off sidepods. I took his general layout drawing home one evening and sketched the rounded nose (inspired by the T400 Lola F5000 of the same era). A bit more fiddling between us and the end result was one of the prettiest and most distinctive Formula Ford's. The NACA duct to the oil cooler was taken from an article in the 750 Motor Club bulletin I had at the time.

I worked with works driver Trevor Van Rooyen through the 1977 season, when he won over 30 races against star opposition (Mansell, Daly,Warwick,Leslie). The car suffered with understeer, which was mostly cured in '78 by playing with front and rear spring rates.

Best of luck with the rebuild.

Chris Bailey.
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