Spa 6hr 2009.

[grantp]

Re. the 1964/1965 Spa 500 post previously ...

I later noticed that some of the photos were of slot cars but in the main they seem to be either the real thing from period photos or more recent version of what might be the real things.

The Ford GT comments are valid although it occurs to me that this was only a 500Km race at that time and maybe not of such interest for the GTs? There was certainly a GT (original shape) at the Nurburgring 1000 a couple of weeks later according to the photographic record at racing Sports cars.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...964-05-31.html

See car 140.

I note that of the starters in the 1965 500 one subsequently died of injuries received and another was thrown from his car in a major crash but subsequent condition goes unrecorded. That is some hit rate for the size of the grid. Considering the nature of the open pits on the downhill straight and compare that to current day tracks and it is no surprise that the 1960s have a poor reputation for driver longevity, especially Spa as it was.

That said it must have been a tremendous experience to drive it in its original form.

I also noted that the 1965 report lifted from Autosport was written by Patrick McNally - presumably THE Patrick McNally?

Finally; browsing the RSC collections and looking in 1964 I noticed that Corvette Grand Sports (mentioned earlier in the thread iirc) are featured a couple of times. (Also scroll to the bottom of the page for some interesting general shots of the start of the race and what looks like action at one of the early corners.)

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...964-03-21.html

[john ruston]

Terry how do you deduce that?

GT 40 was a pretty not particuarly well designed but a race car and Mustang a stock triuck.

The majority of things that Len Bailey worked on took years to sort.Not many that great from drawing board.

[terence]

Just going by modern day performance's John.

[john ruston]

Not the same cars are they?
Suppose only similarity between most of the cars racing today and those in 60's is that they they are mostly new !

[terence]

Yes,quite! You are right about the GT40 though,best looking car Ford ever produced.Interesting to see a Lotus Cortina and Elan both entered as 1600s,as most other manufacturers quote the production CC Rating.

[esper]

Lovely you still talk about the gt 40s the most beautifull Ford ever. But I have to say I go back to this Spa Slotcar site again and again (good story by JPvR!). The David Piper Green 250GTO and the Cobra Coupe no 1 (yes the one only recently discovered!!!) well close to heaven they are. So who is going to bring the continuation Cobra Daytona Coupe for next years 6h??????? as the value of the above originals could buy half of this years 6h grid (yes John counted from back to the front) Regretfully they wont bring those sad original GTO and Cobra museumpieces.
I just ordered some 4 inch tubing to start making a 289 Cobra frame

[grantp]

Originally Posted by esper

Lovely you still talk about the gt 40s the most beautifull Ford ever.

Hmm, true, but I still have a much softer spot for the Lola Mk6.

http://www.lolaheritage.co.uk/history/types/mk6/mk6.htm

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...-03-21-020.jpg

[wolf sun]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Why? I would have thought the high speed swoop down through Burneville,through the kink at Malmadey and the Masta Kink well worth doing,proper road circuit.

Absolutely, probably the best there ever was...but take a closer look at Raidillion, the devil is in the details!

[terence]

Originally Posted by esper

Lovely you still talk about the gt 40s the most beautifull Ford ever. But I have to say I go back to this Spa Slotcar site again and again (good story by JPvR!). The David Piper Green 250GTO and the Cobra Coupe no 1 (yes the one only recently discovered!!!) well close to heaven they are. So who is going to bring the continuation Cobra Daytona Coupe for next years 6h??????? as the value of the above originals could buy half of this years 6h grid (yes John counted from back to the front) Regretfully they wont bring those sad original GTO and Cobra museumpieces.
I just ordered some 4 inch tubing to start making a 289 Cobra frame

Must be reassuring for the owners of such cars to know that it is impossible to write one off!
WS,as for Le Raidillion,it is obviously a relatively easy section to loose it now,it would have been easier in those day's,still part of the challenge though
Can't help but be impressed by the grid possition of those Simca's.
Lola site is interesting Grant,only five Continuation T70s registered?

[wolf sun]

Terry, read the sign on the far left of the picture.

[terence]

Ahhhhh! That one! I was looking to far ahead at the corner itself.

[Dinkel]

http://www.lolaheritage.co.uk/scrapbook/120/120.htm

Loved the orginal T70 Mk3 cars.

[Al Weyman]

I spy a small block Chevy in amoungst that lot, at least I have several of those! :-)

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Dinkel

http://www.lolaheritage.co.uk/scrapbook/120/120.htm

Loved the orginal T70 Mk3 cars.

Some of those shots look vaguely familiar ....

[esper]

We quoted the most beautifull Ford of all time and now we are into Lolas. Lolas are not Fords are they???

[grantp]

Originally Posted by esper

We quoted the most beautifull Ford of all time and now we are into Lolas. Lolas are not Fords are they???

A small skip and a jump ....

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1964-1967-ford-gt.htm


Mind you I think Dinkel took the 'jump' rather too energetically ....

[terence]

Looking through some of those lap times reminds us of just how fast the original circuit was, 14.1 kilometers in 4.04,is going some! The time posted by one of the Simcas is pretty amaizing at 4.24,then I looked at who the driver was.

[wolf sun]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Looking through some of those lap times reminds us of just how fast the original circuit was, 14.1 kilometers in 4.04,is going some! The time posted by one of the Simcas is pretty amaizing at 4.24,then I looked at who the driver was.

Amazing, isn't it? I read somewhere that it would take a modern 'Effone' car only marginally longer to lap the old circuit than the new one. Bit of an exaggeration perhaps (and it would have to have a proper racing surface, not to mention needing a driver with b***s the size of maracas), but still mighty impressive.

[wolf sun]

And, to put things into perspective, speeds on Masta straight reached about 190mph before the war...

[terence]

I once read a Dennis Jenkinson report of Fangio going through Masta at 175! Coconuts come to mind! That would have taken ALL of the available tarmac,no cheating by using the painted bits in those days!

[esper]

Originally Posted by terence bower

I once read a Dennis Jenkinson report of Fangio going through Masta at 175! Coconuts come to mind! That would have taken ALL of the available tarmac,no cheating by using the painted bits in those days!

Fangio?????

[terence]

Maserati 250F.

[john ruston]

Seems the 09 Belgium GP made a loss of 5 million Euros.
I assume all those anti Spa people will have more ammunition to throw at circuit as Tax payer has to pick up shortfall?

[esper]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Seems the 09 Belgium GP made a loss of 5 million Euros.
I assume all those anti Spa people will have more ammunition to throw at circuit as Tax payer has to pick up shortfall?

This will show that the real income for the region comes from people like you and me and not F1. Somebody has to point on that because its easily overseen in politics.

[simon drabble]

It seems that Bernie has sewn up the income streams of any GP to the point that only an EM country can justify the cost of staging a race.
On that basis Spa might be better off without a GP, the same argument presumably applies to Silverstone. Time for circuits to ensure they can survive from other festivals which could bode well for historics - so long as Spa can get its licence back!!