Saturday, December 29, 2007

Tyrell Racing in F-1







Robert Kenneth Tyrell came from an unassuming background that did not include much in the line of Motorsports. His father was in the lumber business, and during the Great War (WWII) Ken enlisted in the RAF and became a mechanic on Hurricanes and Spitfires. It appears that the orderly methods of working on fighter planes became the basis for his managerial approach to his race teams. After the war he went into the lumber business with his brother and supplied the leading sawmills in his county. At this time Ken was an avid football fan and was a supporter of his local team. A friend, Alan Brandon introduced him to Motorsports racing via the Formula 3, 500 cc class of open wheel racecars. Ken soon bought Alan’s car and began racing. He had a modest career as a driver and was even chosen by John Wyer as a member of the Aston Martin team in 1956.

Prior to 1960 Ken had been racing Cooper F-3 and F-2, and he came to realize that he might better put his talents to use as a team manager rather than a driver. In 1960 he left Cooper and set up his own Formula Junior team. The Tyrell Racing Organization progressed with quite a number of successes in various classes and Formulas. In 1968 Ken took the big step and managed the Matra Formula 1 team with Jackie Stewart as his lead driver. In 1970 Ken bought a March 710 Cosworth Ford and raced that in F-1. The next big steps in Tyrell Racing came in 1971 with a car of his own design and manufacture, the Tyrell 003. The thing that amazes me the most is that these cars were built in a small garage at the back of his lumberyard.

Tyrell racing cars, for the most part, may have not been the most innovative designs with a couple of exceptions. In 1976 and ’77 Tyrell introduced the innovative and unusual P34 6 wheel Formula 1 racecar. The P34 even won the Swedish GP of 1976 with Jody Schecter as the driver.

In 1990 Tyrell introduced the Tyrell 019 with a step up front chassis that was commonly used in F-1 at this time. Instead of having a flat bottom from the front to the rear, the floor of the chassis is raised from a point behind the front wheels. Jean Alesi was the chosen driver for the Tyrell 019.

The Tyrell 022 of 1994 was powered by Yamaha V10 and driven by Mark Blundell and Ukyo Katayama. Yamaha supplied the engine on the condition that Katayama was given a place on the team. The Yamaha engine proved to be fragile and somewhat gutless as it was giving away 100-horse power to the rest of the cars in F-1 that year.

This particular Tyrell was driven by Katayama and now has a Judd V10 engine. Even though it may not have been a front-runner, it is still a neat car. Tyrell continued to race in F-1 until 1998 but finally decided to retire from racing, as he did not have a budget or an engine for 1999. Ken’s comment on his retirement from racing, “Well, I had a lot of good times when you think about it.”
I will say this about this car, “if you are ever near it when it comes past at full chat; wear ear plugs as it just plain hurts.” Umpteen thousand revs and a 160 mph: Oh my God what a sound. As I overheard in the pits, this car set a new lap record at Miller last summer.

Friday, December 28, 2007

The Tyrell F-1






I thought that I was going to have some time today, Silly man that I am. Have been doing "Honey do's" all the flipping day. I'm pooped. I think that tomorrow I will have a few minutes to spend at the computer. Today I am posting a few more photos of the Tyrell F-1 car.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Punlished at last.

I can now say that I am a published writter. I wrote a short piece and sent it to "FORZA" magazine. They printed it in the Feb. 2008 issue on page 10. Titled "Remembering a Lovely TR59" it is about my experience with a special Ferrari racecar.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Tyrell Formula 1 continued.






Just a quick post about the Tyrrell F-1 car at Miller. I am posting some detail pictures of the car. One detail that struck me was how small the master cylinders for the brakes and clutch are on this car. I guess that I am just used to production car master cylinders. I hope that you have had a very Merry Christmas.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Tyrell Formula 1






For a change of pace lets do a Formula 1 race car. This car is a 1994 Tyrell 022 Formula 1. Originally I believe that it came with a Yamaha engine. It now has a Judd V10. What ever it is a neat car. It is quite possible that the Yamaha engine was made by Judd so the engine is prpoper. This car also set a new track record at Miller last summer.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Ford GT 40, part X






Work, work, work, oh how I am beginning to hate that foul four letter word. I thought retirement was supposed to be a time of leisure. Leisure, Hell, I am working my butt off with 12 and 13 hour days. Now that I have that off of my chest I am going to publish a few more photos of Tom Malloy's Ford GT40 Mark IV.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The Ford GT 40, part IX





I am sorry that I have not had the time lately to keep up on my posting. I have changed my work days to four in a row. I usually work any where between 10 to 13 hours on a shift come home, sleep and then get up and head back to work. Tonight is my last night of working this week and then I have three nights in a row off.


I am putting on 4 more pictures of qanother Ford GT 40, this one is a Mk II and was pretty quick.


I am in the process of sorting through all of my photos of racecars and putting them into folders so that I can put them on cd's. If anybody would like a cd I am selling them for $10.00 including postage. Let me know what you are looking for and I will see what I can do.


Paul

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

The Ford GT 40, part VII






I really should take the time and proof read what I write. "The Gord GT 40" is not what I meant to say in my last post. I guess I was in too much of a hurry. We are watching Alexis this week and Terri is out doing some errands and I have both kids to take care of today before I have to go to work at 2:30. Again I am posting 5 more photos of GT 40's that I came across at Miller.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

THe Gord GT-40 part VI






I came across all of these GT-40's at Miller, some at the Shelby club meet and some at the vintage sprts car races that have been held at Miller. I will also get around and include the Cobra's and GT-40's that Larry has in in collection.