Official Ford Motor Co. video - first F1 win in 1967 new Lotus and DFV Cosworth

[machoneman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6cm3eWEHM0

[falcongeorge]

Perfect timing. I read Graham Hills book "Life at the Limit" shortly after it came out, when I was probably 11-12 years old, and remembered it as being a really good read. But you know how it is, sometimes your childhood memories are through rose coloured glasses. A couple months ago, I ran across a copy of it on Abe Books, and thought "what the hell, I'll get it and read it again". I just finished it a couple weeks ago, and I'll tell you what, it was every bit as interesting and entertaining as I remembered it, really an excellent read. He had that great british combination of a very dry wit combined with a modest, self-deprecating humour. Really great read, I really enjoyed it. And there was quite a bit about his return to lotus after years at BRM, which was right at the time of this video. So perfect timing, thanks for posting this, combined with reading the book, a real trip back to my childhood days.

[falcongeorge]

that brief footage of Graham Hill at around 3:10 to 3:12 has an interesting back story, see how he is waving his hands around with Duckworth on his right, and Chapman on his left? Hill was a fair bit taller than Jim Clark, who the car was built around. He mentions in the book that he spun the 49 in practice first time out because his hand hit his thigh as he was coming out of a corner, and it interfered with him correcting for his slide exiting the corner, and he spun the car. After that, they fitted Grahams car with a slightly smaller steering wheel, so his hands would clear his thighs. That's some really cool footage, probably shot right after he spun the car?

[frnkeore]

Great memory's for me, too!!

I followed Formula cars, starting in 1959. I've always thought that a car should go fast, going straight and around curves. In though days, I longed for a Formula Junior and Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti, where my hero's and I became a mechanic because of my love of race cars. Although I never met Dan, I lived about 7 miles from his shop in Santa Ana. But, I did get to meet and race with Danny Ongias (We race in the same race but, different classes) My first SCCA drivers school, was his second, you had to have at least 2 drivers schools, to race, in your class.

Colin Chapman was another idol of mine and I bought a race car, engineering book, by him, in 'about '63. That book had the basic designs of the Lotus 18, 19 and 23 in it. The 18 was his first successful F! car, the 19 was used in the early years of CanAm (Gurney put SB Fords in them) and the 23 was, probably the most successful under 2 liter car of the 60's and 70's and about 85% of all of them, had the Cosworth in them, that the DFV was designed from.

I love Formula car racing so much, that in '72, I took a second out on my house, to buy a Forumla Atlantic to race, knowing that it would only guarantee one year of racing. With good friends and creative financing I was able to extend it to '79.

The car in my avatar, is my Brabham/Cosworth. The body work, originally looked a lot like the Lotus, in that film. I designed and built all the fiberglass body work on it, as you see it, including the delta shaped rear wing. I also, did all my own engine work but, had the guidance of a prominent engine builder to help and dyno my engine. That alone saved me a lot of money.

I'll be 75, in less than 2 months and that was the BEST thing I ever did for myself. Never let the thing that you want most, go undone!! You'll always wonder "what if" and never know.

[machoneman]

Great memory's for me, too!!

I followed Formula cars, starting in 1959. I've always thought that a car should go fast, going straight and around curves. In though days, I longed for a Formula Junior and Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti, where my hero's and I became a mechanic because of my love of race cars. Although I never met Dan, I lived about 7 miles from his shop in Santa Ana. But, I did get to meet and race with Danny Ongias (We race in the same race but, different classes) My first SCCA drivers school, was his second, you had to have at least 2 drivers schools, to race, in your class.

Colin Chapman was another idol of mine and I bought a race car, engineering book, by him, in 'about '63. That book had the basic designs of the Lotus 18, 19 and 23 in it. The 18 was his first successful F! car, the 19 was used in the early years of CanAm (Gurney put SB Fords in them) and the 23 was, probably the most successful under 2 liter car of the 60's and 70's and about 85% of all of them, had the Cosworth in them, that the DFV was designed from.

I love Formula car racing so much, that in '72, I took a second out on my house, to buy a Forumla Atlantic to race, knowing that it would only guarantee one year of racing. With good friends and creative financing I was able to extend it to '79.

The car in my avatar, is my Brabham/Cosworth. The body work, originally looked a lot like the Lotus, in that film. I designed and built all the fiberglass body work on it, as you see it, including the delta shaped rear wing. I also, did all my own engine work but, had the guidance of a prominent engine builder to help and dyno my engine. That alone saved me a lot of money.

I'll be 75, in less than 2 months and that was the BEST thing I ever did for myself. Never let the thing that you want most, go undone!! You'll always wonder "what if" and never know.

Very cool story. It's the epitome of do what you want to do!