SPEED ON THE LAND

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22520, 30 September 1938, Page 19

SPEED ON THE LAND

DETAILS OF FASTEST

CARS

WHAT IS THE GOOD OP RECORD-BREAKING ?

The new land speed record of 357.5 miles an hour, established by G. E. T. Eyston, in his 6000 h.p. car, represents the culmination of a most interesting contest between two British drivers in cars widely divergent in their important characteristics. The two drivers are Eyston and John Cobb. The latter has announced his withdrawal from the lists on the grounds that his car was designed for an ultimate maximum of 350 miles an hour.

Eyston's car, Thunderbolt, is fitted with two Rolls-Royce aero engines, developing a total, of 6000 h.p., and weighs seven tons. Its most interesting feature is the steering arrangement, two pairs of wheels at the front in tandem, both being operated by the steering mechanism. The two engines are arranged side by side behind the driver's seat, and transmit their power to,.the back wheels.

This is the car with which Eyston established the previous record of 312 miles an hour, but since then it • has been considerably modified, the changes involving a higher power output, an» improved clutch (with which he previously had trouble), and a better streamlined body. The car driven by John Cobb in his attempts is a vastly different affair, by comparison being much lighter and not having nearly the same power output. It is fitted with two Napier Lion aero engines developing a total of 2500 h.p., one driving the front wheels and the other the back ones. The car has a central backbone chassis; shaped like an "S." One engine is placed at an angle on one side of this, and the other at a similar angle on the other. This very ingenious plan was adopted to simplify the problem of arranging the two engines to drive the two axles. In each case the drive shaft enters its differential housing at an angle equivalent to the angle at which the particular engine is set.

The Driver's Seat

The driver's seat is arranged ahead of the front wheels, and the whole car is enclosed by a perfectly streamlined body, the only projections on which are the housings over the wheels, and a small, glass-fronted conning tower in which the ..driver sits. The car weighs only three tons, which is light compared with >Eyston's vehicle. The ball was set rolling a few weeks ago by Eyston raising his own record to 345.49 miles an hour. Then Cobb, after waiting for- good weather at Bonneville Salt Flats, U.S.A., beat this by achieving 350.2 miles an hour. Apparently, Gob.b. .attained,, the absolute maximum of which his car is capable in doing this, and has 'realised the futility.of making any more attempts. Eyston has expressed -his intention of aiming at 360 miles an ; hour. "..'" ■ Eyston's success, of course, raised the old question. "What-isfthfegjp* of these efforts?" r l£ ' That they demand courage of the highest order is manifest to anybody who has ever sat in a car 'at "speeds approaching 100 miles an hour. There also is-the numan urge to do something which nobody: else has ever done previously. From the point of view of the progress in design, however, neither of. these reasons is .valid. For the real justification we must look elsewhere. . ' Probably the two most important factors are the lessons in real streamlining wliich«hey teach, and? the development of: balance,and road-hold-that.they have any real influence on car design for several years to come;,.particularly streamlining. It is not generally realised that an outward streamlined form on a touring car is rarely real streamlining because;of the necessary incorporation of the cooling Radiator, through which air passes and strikes the flat bulkhead, separating engine from the body interior, thus pletely destroying the object of tne smooth exterior lines. Also, m no case of a standard,;model has the undercLriage been faired scientifically. However, it is practically certain that real streamlining will come sooner or Concerting road. holding, however, enguVeeri are avid for improvements time, •..and it is from such sneed attempts as this that most ot tt» factories, is obthatfthe production of suitable = tyres for* ■ such as •**«?»«" which the terrific centrifugal forces tend to throw the treads right off the carSaseS has been of considerable benefit to the private owner, or the successful solutions of these, problems nave helped' In the development ■of tho?e fine tyres which we have to-day. So that, whether the drivers concerned go out with that object in view (which is extremely doubtful), attempts on, the land speed irecord do nrnbablv have a most beneficial in nuence on thl design of private, cars They also enhance the prestige of the country responsible for the design of the successful vehicles.