The Society of Automotive Engineers has its annual World Congress in Detroit every spring (well, at least the calender says it?s spring). One of the many nice things about the SAE is that the organization takes the history of automotive engineering seriously. The Society has a Mobility History Committee for just that purpose. At each Congress the SAE Mobility History Committee has a display of historic automotive artifacts and presents a series of talks on automotive history. In recent years, they?ve had century-old electric cars, like the 1916 Detroit Electric owned by EV enthusiast Jack Beatty, or Mrs. Henry Joy?s own Detroit Electric. This year?s congress had the theme of ?Achieving Efficiency,? so it was appropriate that the history committee invited respected author Karl Ludvigsen to talk about Lotus founder Colin Chapman, a man known for the aphorism ?simplicate and add lightness.? In conjunction, they also had a race-prepped 1960 Lotus Elite, Chapman?s first production street car, on display at Cobo Hall.
Ludvigsen has written almost 50 books on cars, marques, drivers and automotive technology. Many of them will be used as standard references for decades to come. In 2010, Haynes published Ludvigsen?s Colin Chapman: Inside the Innovator, a look at the manifold ways in which Chapman, his original ideas and those of others that he embraced and championed, influenced racing in particular and the world of cars in general. Ludvigsen first met Chapman in the paddock at Monza just before the 1958 Italian Grand Prix. He knew the man and his associates personally, and with Ludvigsen?s training in mechanical engineering and industrial design ? as well as his work within the industry for GM, Fiat and Ford of Europe ? he?s well suited for an honest assessment of Chapman and his work. It should be noted that Ludvigsen does not shy away from discussing Chapman?s less admirable character traits like his questionable business ethics and what some have said was a lack of regard for his racing drivers? safety. Ludvigsen related a dinner conversation he?d had with John DeLorean. Lotus had been brought in to do most of the engineering on the production De Lorean DMC-12, essentially a rear-engined Esprit with a French V-6 and stainless steel skin. At the time, Chapman had proposed to DeLorean that they merge their companies. DeLorean told Ludvigsen that he had his lawyers and accountants perform some due diligence and they reported that if what they discovered became public knowledge Chapman would have ?gone to jail immediately.?
Inside the Innovator is almost 400 pages long and delves into, as I said, the many areas of technology where Chapman was a pioneer. That won?t all fit in a 40-minute lecture, so Ludvigsen kept his remarks mostly to how Colin Chapman embraced aerodynamics and thereby changed racing forever. Woven into his presentation is how much Lotus?s efforts at the Indianapolis 500, where it won with Jim Clark in 1965, influenced the development of its aerodynamic Formula One cars.
While developing its Indy cars, Lotus and Ford (which powered Lotus?s Indy cars) experimented with what had to have been one of the earliest uses of data sensors on a race car?s suspension. They were looking to see how much the centrifugal force on the car caused by the track?s banking forced the car to settle down onto the suspension. They were surprised to find out that wasn?t happening, the car never lowered. On the contrary, the body was acting like a wing and generating lift.
Thus began a journey that started with wedge-shaped race cars, high-mounted wings that would get banned due to flimsy construction, front- and rear-mounted multi-element wings, and eventually the discovery of ground effects with downforce-generating side pods. Ludvigsen also discussed some of Chapman?s ideas that never got off the ground, so to speak, like a car with solid axles and de Dion suspension front and rear, or ideas that worked so well (or could have if they were allowed to be developed) that they were banned, like the twin-chassis Lotus 88. Another pioneer in the use of aerodynamics and downforce, Jim Hall of Chaparral fame, had similar experiences with sanctioning bodies banning his innovations.
As noted, Ludvigsen didn?t confine his remarks to technology. In response to a question, he stressed the important role that Hazel, Mrs. Chapman, had in her husband?s life and career. He also taught a little bit of linguistic history, giving the background of both ?simplicate and add lightness? (a phrase that Ludvigsen traces back, interestingly enough, to Detroit and a student of engineer and aircraft designer William Stout), and the Lotus brand name. You?ll have to watch the videos after the jump to find out the answer to that particular mystery.
Ronnie Schreiber, a native Detroiter, spent two decades working for DuPont Automotive. He edits?Cars In Depth, a realistic perspective on cars and car culture and the original 3D car site. If the 3D thing freaks you out or if you think it?s a conspiracy to get you to buy yet another new TV set, don?t worry, all the photo and video players used at the site have mono options.
Source: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/05/01/inside-the-innovator-karl-ludvigsen-on-colin-chapman/
thursday night football Butch Jones Star Trek Into Darkness Heisman watch John McAfee Jenny Rivera
No comments:
Post a Comment