VANWALL VW 1958

Tony Vandervell was a rich English man working in industry. He began the motor race with a Ferrari 125 in 1949.

Tony Vandervell in his Ferrari 125 :

He ran in Formula 2 during five years with the same type of car. But the 1954 year saw changes in the technical regulation of this category. Particularly in the engine maximum cubic capacity. It passed to 2.5 liters .
Vandervell profited to ask to manufacture a new model with a man of the race: John Cooper, who had already proven reliable in the category of F2.
This last accepted and built the first car which has the name of Vanwall. Vanwall 01 was born. The party which Cooper built was only the frame. Of its own characteristic: it was with tubes, low and shaped.
Vandervell had given it as an engine an assembly of four cylinders of 500cc of origin Norton Manx (mark of motor bike).

Vanwall 01 starts for the first time in the 1954 British Grand Prix in Silverstone. Driven by Peter Collins, it was qualified 11th (on 31 cars) but will not finish the race because of an engine break-in.

Peter Collins and his Vanwall at british grand prix 1954 :

In 1955 good results are not yet at the « rendez-vous ». Hawthorn, Schell and Wharton will pass successively at the steering wheel of this Vanwall. The best result of the season will be 9th at the British Grand Prix.

Bitish grand prix 1955 at Aintree, Schell and the Vanwall team :

1956 will be for Vanwall the beginning of a victorious era. At the beginning (Vandervell had means) Vanwall wanted to improve the car and its results. He put all its research team on the go. But the problem is Vanwall team was made up engine manufacturers, not aerodynamicists.
By chance, Vandervell learned from one of his truck-drivers that he could ask the assistance to Colin Chapman (Colin Chapman was a brilliant aerodynamicist which founded the Lotus mark).
Colin Chapman built the frame and Frank Costin (the “ Cos ” of Cosworth) dealt with aerodynamics. Both were coming from the mark Lotus.

Colin Chapman at Sebring in 1956 :

The result was astounding: since 1956, Vanwall finally started to mark points in the world championship.
It finishes 4th at the Belgian Grand Prix.
But Vanwall remains powerless facing Ferrari and Maserati which have much more powerful cars.

Vanwall in 1956 :

1957, Tony Vandervell is always thirsty for victory. He finds - logically - that results are not yet good. The asset has just been created: the Vanwall VW57.
A monster of power (for the time) and agility which will finally win the first title so much coveted, the Constructor World Championship.

Caractéristiques de la Vanwall VW 57 :

Vanwall F1 1957 - Caractéristiques Techniques

1957 Vanwall F1- Technical Specifications

Constructeur

Vanwall

Car maker

Vanwall

Conception

·         Carrosserie, Frank Costin

·         Chassis, Colin Chapman

·         Moteur, Leo Kuzmicki

Design

·         Body, Frank Costin

·         Chassis, Colin Chapman

·         Engine, Leo Kuzmicki

Moteur

·         4 cylindres en ligne

·         Double arbre à cames en tête

·         2 soupapes par cylindre

·         basé sur une mécanique Manx Norton de 500cc

·         Alésage Course 96 x 86 mm

·         Cylindrée 2490 cm3

·         Injection Bosch

·         Carburant AvGas

·         285 CV à 7,300 t/mn

Engine

·         Straight 4

·         DOHC

·         2 valves per cylinder

·         based on 500cc Manx Norton

·         Bore & Stroke 96 x 86 mm

·         Capacity 2,490 cc

·         Bosch fuel injection

·         Alcohol fuel

·         285 bhp at 7,300 rpm

Transmission

Boîte de vitesse longitudinale à 5 rapports placée sous le siège du pilote

Gearbox

5 speed longitudinal gearbox under driver's seat,

Châssis

·         Structure multitubulaire fine, renforcée au niveau du moteur

·         Freins à disque Vanwall / Goodyear

·         Roues Borrani de 16"

Chassis

·         Small tube space frame, coil springs
Vanwall/Goodyear disc brakes

·         Multi tubular frame with unstressed engine

·         Borrani wire spoke 16"

Voies:

Avant 1,365 m

Arrière 1,314 m

Track:

53.75" Front

51.75" Rear

Empattement

2,292 m

Wheelbase:

90.25"

Longueur

4,26 m

Length:

168"

Hauteur:

1,14 m

Height:

45"

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