British motorsports industry

[DCC]

I was reading Peter Wright's book titled Formula 1 Technology and I thought his analysis on the British motorsport industry was very interesting.

In the article he sorts the reasons behind the leap of British motorsports when compared to other countries:

1. A pool of designers and engineers skillled in aeronautical sciences: Engines, structures, flight dynamics and aerodynamics.
2. The establishment of new aeronautical engineering colleges by a government (temporarily) commited to a strong indigenous aircraft industry.
3. A diverse components industry that had grown to support the war machine.
4. A country literally covered in airfields that had no further uses but were ideal for holding motor races.
5. A nation confident in its engineering ability to win an ever more technological struggle.

He also points some other important subjects:

- Individuals were designing and building racecars in their garages for club races, where the competition was intense.
- New companies of the early days helped the unemployed engineers to find jobs and have become even more succesful.
- High costs to build new engines or mechanical parts caused to establish a strong component industry. Thus, unknown modifiers slowly became famous builders like Coventry Climax (engines), Hewland (gearboxes), Cosworth (engines), AP Racing (brakes and clutches) and Specialized Mouldings (composite bodywork).
- Technical regulations of the clubs like the 750 Motor Club gave great freedom to chassis design and improved aerodynamical designs where best chassis designs, aerodynamics and setups usually won.
- Colin Chapman's discovery of sponsorship helped the teams to gain more money.
- The staff were being exchanged between teams frequently and in an industry based in a small area this was leading to information exchanges between teams.

I've posted this on another forum but there were not many replies. Maybe people didn't have much to add. I would like to read your opinions about these. What do you think?

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by DCC

Thus, unknown modifiers slowly became famous builders like Coventry Climax (engines), Hewland (gearboxes), Cosworth (engines), AP Racing (brakes and clutches) and Specialized Mouldings (composite bodywork).

I have to disagree with two of those. Coventry Climax was a well-established engine manufacturer, dating back to 1903, & AP racing was the competition department of Automotive Products, manufacturers of Lockheed braking systems & Borg & Beck clutches - two more long-established names.

[911thillclimber]

Are not these qualities common in Germany, Italy etc for the same 'war' reasons?

If the UK is more prolific in motorsports then i think it is as much to do with the freedom and inginutity (sp) of the engineer/racer in those post war days at grass roots, The Club Racer.
Modified road cars are the same for those not wishing to race on track, the freedom was/is around to allow these changes.

The Hot rod movement in the late 60's and the early 70's (which I feel part of) shows just that. Dream it, and simply do it well.

It is the freedom to experiment and the education to actually do it which has developed a fantastic industry second only to the USA (and that is debatable)

[Al Weyman]

Funny enough I have an article in an American book which is a complimation of different magazine articles. Anyhow this one is called Cafe Racer and about hot rodding in the US and it traces its routes and gives credit to the old greasers and their modified motorbikes in the 50's tearing up and down the North Circular Road etc. which I thought was quite interesting.

[p261brm]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

I have to disagree with two of those. Coventry Climax was a well-established engine manufacturer, dating back to 1903, & AP racing was the competition department of Automotive Products, manufacturers of Lockheed braking systems & Borg & Beck clutches - two more long-established names.

Agree absolutely Climax were no back street engineers, during their golden age with Hassan at the helm surrounded by a group of engineers second to none they were a class act. The same goes for all the constituent companies whose involvement improved the breed the staff were and are highly qualified professional engineers.