| Photo ID # | I04.17.12_317_BRO_REA_0070_1 |
| Car #: | #317 |
| Driver (s) : | Hal Browing |
| Location: | Reading Fairgrounds |
| Date: | 1970's |
| Photographer: | Terry Shaub |
| Photo provided by: | Ed Shaub |
| Comments: | Interesting little coupe that I've been told had quite a few driver's take a turn behind the wheel. |
| Visitor's Comments |
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| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 04.19.12 | CHIP | Sprint Car with a Coup Body?? |
| 04.22.12 | Chuck Hassler | Car I think was owned by Jimmy Campbell. He owned several sprint cars before this. |
| 04.22.12 | Terry Fick | If the pic transfers like I want, I will make a point.
Remember when I wrote about spring and shock angles on another pic? This is
a perfect example. Note the 45 degree angle of the shock and coil over. When you were in school you were taught about leverage. The same thing applies here, if the spring is perfectly vertical it will have a greater effect than when you allow leverage to help the axle compress the spring. Pick a pic of a later model car, the spring is much closer to vertical than this. In defense, at that time people thought that mounting the spring as close to the lower ball joint as possible was the most important thing. The leverage never entered the equation at that time, even Indy cars ran "tilted" springs. Today, we know the most predictable suspension is one where the effective spring rate is the one with least variables, eg, less angle. Look at the suspension of a current Indy car, rods and levers resulting in a 1:1 spring rate ratio. A King car employed the same principles, a reason they were so dominant in their day. So let's apply the theory. Consider the car in the pic, if we want a spring rate at the axle of 400 pounds, what rate do we need to achieve that rate given the angle/leverage. In addition to the static rate as you increase the force (torque) will the angle increase the rate as the compression increases (yes). Look carefully, as you compress the axle the angle of the spring will increase to greater than 45 degrees. The greater the angle the less effective spring rate. You never see progressive springs on a race car for this very reason. The result is a car which is difficult to set up. Today, we have learned more, making the cars more competitive, allowing more drivers to run fast, increasing competition. Sadly, the technology costs money, so many times less talented drivers who can bring sponsor money become the "best". The question becomes, was the racing better then or now? Were the drivers better then or now? Ah bench racing. Not near as good as strapping your ass in one, but for old guys like me, all I have left. |
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