Author Topic: Speedwell Sprite 1960  (Read 2515 times)

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Offline Lemming Motors

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Speedwell Sprite 1960
« on: May 26, 2020, 05:28:30 AM »
Came across this in passing, thought it might be of interest; apologies if it circulated already.

http://www.sebringsprite.com/pdf-files/SpeedwellStreamliner.pdf
A Bonneville Lakester please barman.
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Offline RidgeRunner

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2020, 07:32:01 AM »
     Some of the names rang a few way back bells for me.  A great new to me read, thanks for posting.

                    Ed

Offline MAYOMAN

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2020, 08:12:13 AM »
One name that stands out in that article is Costin. Michael Costin and David Phipps published in 1961 the comprehensive Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design book.

http://web.aeromech.usyd.edu.au/MECH4460/Course_Documents/Frames/Costin%20&%20Phipps.pdf

I used their informative publication in 1964 to design the X-1 rocket dragster, the predecessor to The Blue Flame absolute world land speed record holder. After studying Indy cars and F1 cars of the period, this book had it all in one place.
The road is long - Life is short - Drive fast

Offline MAYOMAN

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2020, 08:24:44 AM »
I thought I should show the rear of the chassis as well. The independent rear suspension was later modified in order to eliminate pitching motion - not a good thing with a thrust powered car.
The road is long - Life is short - Drive fast

Offline jacksoni

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2020, 09:00:40 AM »
Not to hijack- nice article- showing another unblown "G" class (not same one of course) Sprite:
Jack Iliff
 G/BGS-250.235 1987
 G/GC- 193.550 2021
  G/FAlt- 193.934 2021 (196.033 best)
 G/GMS-182.144 2019

Offline ggl205

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2020, 09:43:52 AM »
Dick, what kind of camber change did you see in bump at the front end of the X-1?

John
« Last Edit: May 26, 2020, 09:56:57 AM by ggl205 »

Offline MAYOMAN

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2020, 11:57:07 AM »
John, don't recall and I don't have the paper drawings. Too bad we didn't have CAD digital files. Unequal length A-arms must have allowed some camber change, but stiff shocks and limited travel would have kept it minimal.
The road is long - Life is short - Drive fast

Offline Peter Jack

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2020, 12:10:24 PM »
That was one of the first chassis books I ever purchased and probably in the top five of the most valuable books I ever purchased. I've still got it on a shelf and it's fun to still look through. It taught me early on that I should have been paying closer attention in math classes.  :-D :-D :-D

Pete

Offline ggl205

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2020, 02:53:49 PM »
Dick:

Those vintage suspensions factored in quite a bit of chassis roll to keep unequal a-arms civil. Without the roll, I bet there was massive camber change. But like you say, stiff springs and limited travel probably restricted any evil your front suspension would deliver.

Before computers, I followed Carrol Smith?s method of using pop cycle sticks on graph paper to see what suspension was doing dynamically.

John
« Last Edit: May 26, 2020, 02:55:28 PM by ggl205 »

Offline interested bystander

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2020, 08:21:24 PM »
Very generous of you Mayoman to pass on this small but very valuable book.

Costin and Keith Duckworth, who is credited somwhere in the book, went on to produce motorsports history.

Adding Carroll Smiths series of How TO - - WIN books to ones library should be mandatory to anyone reading Landracing.Com. that half way is, was, or will be a fabricator  of speed  record vehicles. 
« Last Edit: May 26, 2020, 09:19:54 PM by interested bystander »
5 mph in pit area (clothed)

Offline Lemming Motors

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2020, 01:46:16 PM »
Many years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Costin - he was the patron of a sports car club I belonged to in NZ and was visiting on holiday and spoke at a club meeting.

Frank Costin did the aero stuff but the brothers worked together on the Lotus XI (Mike was an employee, Frank a contractor). It's apocryphal but apparently the first aero design for the XI was rejected by Chapman because it was too long for the racing trailer. My Lakester has similar design constraints - 20 foot shipping containers come to mind. I feel I am in good company.

I don't know how many were built but apparently there was a Costin designed club racer a-la Lotus (now Caterham et al) that would out handle all comers, including the 7.
A Bonneville Lakester please barman.
Certainly sir; a lick of salt, a sip of gas and a twist of Lemming. More Lemming sir?
Just a squeeze.

A Squeeze of Lemming it is sir.

Offline Beef Stew

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2020, 11:42:49 PM »

I don't know how many were built but apparently there was a Costin designed club racer a-la Lotus (now Caterham et al) that would out handle all comers, including the 7.

The Lotus XI Club used a Ford Ten rear-end and Ford drum brakes instead of the De Dion tube and disc brakes of a standard Lotus XI. Also an 1,172 cc Ford flat-head four was the standard engine.


https://www.lotuseleven.org/Design&Prod/Motor%20Sport%20test%20of%20the%20Lotus%20Sports.htm
Former record holder at RIR ½ mile drags, El Mirage and Bonneville.

Beef Stew doesn't have his head where the sun-don't-shine. His head is in SoCal where the unusual is an everyday happening.

Offline PackardV8

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Re: Speedwell Sprite 1960
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2020, 12:44:46 PM »
But like you say, stiff springs and limited travel probably restricted any evil your front suspension would deliver.   John
Back in the bad old days when I was production sports car racing, we used to say any of these crap suspension designs can be made to work, if you don't let it.

jack vines