RE: trivia question (answer)

[Eaton Dave <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

techically, the first gp car with awd was the bugatti type 35 designed
in 1932.  it has a 4.8 litre supercharged dry-sump straight 8 similar to
the type 50 and 54 gp cars.  it had around 300hp.  this was a proper awd
with centre diff, unlike porsche's effort (the cisitalia-porsche) which,
although it had a number of interesting other features, had a primitive
on-demand awd system.

the type 35 never actually *raced* in a gp, but it did practice for the
monaco gp in 1932.  so i've discounted it.

both mercedes and alfa both designed awd gp cars in the early 1950's but
these also never came to fruition.

the ferguson factory's 1st awd gp car was built in 1960.  the very
innovative f99 was produced in 1960.  it was not particularly
successful, but raced in new zealand in the 1963 tasman series (driven
by graeme hill and innes ireland).  it was the basis for most future f1
and indy efforts.

brm designed an awd machine in 1964 (the p67) for racing under the new
f1 3 litre formula.  in 1969 most of the british f1 garages had awd
machines.

as most know the awd revolution hit indy cars earlier and harry miller
raced awd in the 500 a couple of times.  first with a 5l v8, and later
with a 6 litre unit.  1st drive in 1932 i think in the 500.  without
success.  the following (4-5) years bought a best of 4th (twice).
miller even took the cars to europe in 1933 where he got his butt kicked
by the alfa's (19s slower lap times!).  later on it was the "success" of
the awd indy cars in the mid to late 1960's (the awd lola t150/152's got
a 3rd with unser/donahue in 1969) which also influenced the british and
new zealand (mclaren) gp houses to experiment with it for gp racing.  in
1969.

awd was banned by the usac in indy cars after the 1969 season (as a
method of banning turbines), and is now also banned by the fia in f1.

but, to answer the question:

actually there was a little known british car built in 1948, which was
based on jeep mechanicals (!) and a german army (!!!) steyr v8 of 4.5l
and 250hp, in the spirit of detente ;-).  it was built by an archie
butterworth.  the project started in 1948.  he actually ran the car in
the 1951 silverstone tt.  it blew up.

so, according to my reckoning, this was the 1st gp undertaken by an awd
car.

the car went to the usa renamed the "butterball", where it raced pikes
peak.  the car is now in the fwd museum in clintonville.

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q

On Monday, July 13, 1998 1:28 PM, Michael Williams
[SMTP:daserde@ucla.edu] wrote:
> Eaton Dave decided to speak these words:
> 
> >ahh, easy.  the castillisa (sp?) designed by the herr dockter for a
fee
> >mostly consisting of a "get out of [french] jail free" card.  1949 if
> >memory serves.  only 2 (1?) were ever made, and never raced.
> 
> Actually, the first 4wd car was in 1902 designed by Jacobus Spyker.
It 
> won the Birmingham Motor Club hillclimb in 1906.  Porsche's car was
the 
> Cisitalia.
> 
> >
> >starter for 10, what was the 1st awd car raced in a grand prix?  and
the
> >last?
> 
> Well, in 1961, Ferguson Research Ltd created one that won the Oulton
Park 
> Gold cup race with Stirling moss as the driver.
> 
> BRM had one in 65
> 
> McLaren had the M9
> 
> Lotus had the 63 iun 1969
> 
> The Matra MS84 in 1969....
> 
> later...
> 
> 
> Michael Sheridan Williams
> ICQ# 11740998
> 
> 1985 4000 S Quattro 180,000+ miles, Turbo conversion soon?, Koni 
> Yellows/2Bennett, strut brace, Sport 8000 Tires, K&N, MOMO 4pt
harnesses, 
> Hella XL Driving lights (2x130w), magnacor wires....<out of breath>
> 1986 Oceanic Blue, 4000CS Quattro--Parting Out(ask if you want
anything)
> My father's: 1986 4000 CS Quattro--Graphite 161,000 miles
> 
> http://members.aol.com/daserde2
>