On a Beardog chassis with an FF 030 motor.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The best constructor of the 1.5 Litre Period
Obviously, Lotus was the most successful constructor during the 1.5L period.
Let’s think about that for a minute.
Yes, Lotus had 22 victories during the period, winning 47% of all the Championship races staged form 1961-1965.
In comparison BRM had 11 victories (23%) and Ferrari 9 (19%). All of the other constructors combined had just 5 wins (11%).
But let’s look at some other indicators and then decide which constructor was the most successful. We’ll look at the top 5 constructors:
Lotus 255 starts 114 finishes 44.7% finish/starts 22 wins 8.6% wins/starts 30 podiums 11.8% podiums/starts 252 points
.99 points/start
BRM 120 starts 82 finishes 68.3% finish/starts 11 wins 9.2% wins/starts 37 podiums 30.8% podium/starts 220 points
1.83 points/start
Ferrari 109 starts 69 finishes 63.3% finish/starts 9 wins 8.3% wins/starts 35 podiums 32.1% podium/starts 177 points
1.62 points/start
Brabham 129 starts 62 finishes 48.1% finish/starts 2 wins 1.6% wins/starts 16 podiums 12.4% podium/starts 109points
.85 points/start
Cooper 161 starts 85 finishes 52.8% finish/start 1 win .6% wins/starts 15 podiums 9.3% podium/starts 111 points
.69 ponts/start
Yes, Jim Clark was the greatest driver. But BRM was the better car. Ive read more than enough about the Chapman/Clark chemistry. But I think Clark would have won 4 championships had he been with BRM.
Rebuttals cheerfully entertained, as long as you don't quote Vince Lombardi.
Let’s think about that for a minute.
Yes, Lotus had 22 victories during the period, winning 47% of all the Championship races staged form 1961-1965.
In comparison BRM had 11 victories (23%) and Ferrari 9 (19%). All of the other constructors combined had just 5 wins (11%).
But let’s look at some other indicators and then decide which constructor was the most successful. We’ll look at the top 5 constructors:
Lotus 255 starts 114 finishes 44.7% finish/starts 22 wins 8.6% wins/starts 30 podiums 11.8% podiums/starts 252 points
.99 points/start
BRM 120 starts 82 finishes 68.3% finish/starts 11 wins 9.2% wins/starts 37 podiums 30.8% podium/starts 220 points
1.83 points/start
Ferrari 109 starts 69 finishes 63.3% finish/starts 9 wins 8.3% wins/starts 35 podiums 32.1% podium/starts 177 points
1.62 points/start
Brabham 129 starts 62 finishes 48.1% finish/starts 2 wins 1.6% wins/starts 16 podiums 12.4% podium/starts 109points
.85 points/start
Cooper 161 starts 85 finishes 52.8% finish/start 1 win .6% wins/starts 15 podiums 9.3% podium/starts 111 points
.69 ponts/start
Yes, Jim Clark was the greatest driver. But BRM was the better car. Ive read more than enough about the Chapman/Clark chemistry. But I think Clark would have won 4 championships had he been with BRM.
Rebuttals cheerfully entertained, as long as you don't quote Vince Lombardi.
Five Easy Pieces..
...of advice for the beginning scratch builder, especially for the builder that fits this profile:
A middle aged gent who used to build models and fool around with slot cars 20 (or more) years ago, but hasn’t looked at an x-acto knife, putty, super glue, platicard or a soldering iron for longer than he can remember.
(I wonder who that might be?)
1. Take a deep breath and wait before you start buying stuff. There’s too much “stuff” out there, and the chances are you’ll end up buying a lot of stuff that you’ll never use, or a lot of stuff that you wished you’d never used. When you think you’re ready to start buying stuff., take another deep breath, go to #2 below, repeat it. In the meantime, hand over your VISA card to your wife and deactivate your PayPal account.
2. Read Slot Forum’s Scratch Building Section for a minimum of two months before you start buying stuff (see 1 above) or start asking questions on the forum. You’re going to have questions, and if you check out the forum thoroughly, you’ll find a lot of answers as most have already been asked and answered many times over. You might even appear smarter when you do pose a question or two. And remember, it isn't important that you be smart (or I'd be out of this game), just that you appear smart!
3. If you haven’t painted a car shell since you were 16, throw out everything you knew about painting. This does not apply if you happened to be a Da Vinci class painter in your youth. But what I remember about my youth is that I was always in a hurry and if there was ever a truism, then it is Haste makes Waste. Especially when it comes to painting.
4. Find a mentor. Many of the really great builders not only enjoy their craft, but welcome the opportunity to help others. Don’t abuse the privilege, (and it is a privilege when some of these fellows take an interest in your work). If you follow rule 2, and are patient and somewhat sensible (aren't we all?), your mentor will find you, which is actually the preferred route.
5. Enjoy the history of the sport and the cars that your are modeling. Buy the best books about the era, drivers and cars whether it is 1970’s Can Am or modern LeMans prototypes or 1960’s Grand Prix cars (the best of all of course). If I have to explain why you need to do this, you shouldn’t be reading this piece anyway.
Rules that I followed:
2, 4, and 5.
Because I didn’t follow Rule 1, I have a bunch of stuff that I an now ready to sell really cheap on the Swap Shop and
Because I didn’t follow Rule 3, I have some examples of the ugliest body shells that may one day appear in a gallery called: "Don’t do this!”
A middle aged gent who used to build models and fool around with slot cars 20 (or more) years ago, but hasn’t looked at an x-acto knife, putty, super glue, platicard or a soldering iron for longer than he can remember.
(I wonder who that might be?)
1. Take a deep breath and wait before you start buying stuff. There’s too much “stuff” out there, and the chances are you’ll end up buying a lot of stuff that you’ll never use, or a lot of stuff that you wished you’d never used. When you think you’re ready to start buying stuff., take another deep breath, go to #2 below, repeat it. In the meantime, hand over your VISA card to your wife and deactivate your PayPal account.
2. Read Slot Forum’s Scratch Building Section for a minimum of two months before you start buying stuff (see 1 above) or start asking questions on the forum. You’re going to have questions, and if you check out the forum thoroughly, you’ll find a lot of answers as most have already been asked and answered many times over. You might even appear smarter when you do pose a question or two. And remember, it isn't important that you be smart (or I'd be out of this game), just that you appear smart!
3. If you haven’t painted a car shell since you were 16, throw out everything you knew about painting. This does not apply if you happened to be a Da Vinci class painter in your youth. But what I remember about my youth is that I was always in a hurry and if there was ever a truism, then it is Haste makes Waste. Especially when it comes to painting.
4. Find a mentor. Many of the really great builders not only enjoy their craft, but welcome the opportunity to help others. Don’t abuse the privilege, (and it is a privilege when some of these fellows take an interest in your work). If you follow rule 2, and are patient and somewhat sensible (aren't we all?), your mentor will find you, which is actually the preferred route.
5. Enjoy the history of the sport and the cars that your are modeling. Buy the best books about the era, drivers and cars whether it is 1970’s Can Am or modern LeMans prototypes or 1960’s Grand Prix cars (the best of all of course). If I have to explain why you need to do this, you shouldn’t be reading this piece anyway.
Rules that I followed:
2, 4, and 5.
Because I didn’t follow Rule 1, I have a bunch of stuff that I an now ready to sell really cheap on the Swap Shop and
Because I didn’t follow Rule 3, I have some examples of the ugliest body shells that may one day appear in a gallery called: "Don’t do this!”
A brief history
These events are linked, but as I'm trying to keep this brief, I won't necessarily take the time to explain how and why.
1959: I am 5 years old and I tell my folks that what I want for my birthday is a plastic model kit of an F-86 Saber jet. We live in a very small town with a population of just over 1,000. The only plastic models are sold at the local drug store. My dad buys me a Revell Snark missile.
I build it anyway.
I realize that it’s not going to be easy trying to explain the difference between a jet fighter plane and a guided missile to my father, a Lutheran pastor.
1961: I’ve saved my allowance and dried enough dishes for my mom (@$.15 per episode) to have purchased a half dozen or so models. Of course they are all fighter planes. I go to the Rexall Drug store and buy the models myself. My dad and I have agree that works better for both of us.
1961: Firestone runs its annual Indy Champions advertisement in Life Magazine and I decide that those cars are pretty cool. Now I want to build race cars.
Rexall Drug has a few kits of sedans and hot rods. This is going to be tougher than I thought.
Christmas 1961: My best friend Terry gets an Aurora HO racing set. We spend the next 5 days at his dining room table wearing out the cars.
1962 - 1965:
I continue to purchase models, but they are still mostly fighter planes. The pharmacist explains that he doesn’t get to select the 6 or 7 model kits that come in every few months.
I still don’t own an HO racing set. Our family can’t afford to give presents like that. Mom tells me that when I’m 12 I can get a paper route and earn enough to buy my own racing set. I have to content myself with racing at Terry’s house and looking at the pictures of slot car sets in the Sear’s Christmas catalogue.
May 1965: Jim Clark wins the Indianapolis 500 in a super cool green car. Now I’m really hooked on race cars.
July 1965: TIME magazine profiles Jim Clark in a cover story. I learn about Grand Prix racing for the first time. I want to be Jim Clark.
August 1965: My father has accepted a call to Kalispell, Montana. I am very excited; we’re moving to a town in the Rocky Mountains with a population of 12,000 and it is sure to have more places than just a single drug store selling models and slot cars.
August 25, 1965: We arrive in Kalispell. The next day I visit Wheaton Cycle & Toy. There are two aisles filled with plastic models and one aisle devoted to HO racing sets ,Aurora and Tyco cars. There aren’t any 1/24 or 1/32 cars though.
November 25, 1965: My 12th birthday. Mom says I can get a paper route. I do.
November 25, 1966: I buy a BIG Aurora racing set with my earnings as my birthday gift to myself. The two cars that come in the set are a Ford GT-40 in British Racing Green and a Corvette Stingray in tan. I assemble the set and set it up in the basement on several plywood sheets.
1967: I’ve constructed some scenery after frequent visits to the Ben Franklin Crafts store. I have a dozen or so cars. I’ve replaced the stock tires with the super slicks. I’ve added racing numbers to my Ford GT-40, still the best car in my little collection. I start high school that fall. Around October, a local businessman announces that he is building a commercial slot track which will be in a storefront just 10 minutes from my home (and 2 minutes from Wheaton Cycle & Toy). Wheaton Cycle & toy starts stocking 1/24 cars.
1968: I buy a Cox Dino Ferrari and a Cox BRM F1. I think they are pretty hot. One day at the track some guy a few years older shows up with a car in a clear vacuum formed body with a brass rod chassis and spongy tires. His car laps my Dino Ferrari every 3 times around the track. The commercial slot track closes. It might have been open 9 months. I put my Dino Ferrari and BRM in the closet.
1969: Girls.
1970: Girls and a Girlfriend I keep my 4.0 average in high school but the slot cars and models start gathering a lot of dust.
1971-5: I'm off to University. There are some girls (now women) in this period too, but it's a bit of a blur. One day, shortly before I graduate from college, my mom informs me that she sold my slot car set and the cars in the closet at a garage sale. She sends me the $20. I’m actually quite upset about losing the Ford GT-40 and the Cox BRM.
1975-7: Graduate school. See above. I forgive mom.
1977: I have my Masters degree in International Economics, a job waiting in New York with Chase Manhattan Bank and a wife.
1977-1997: New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Hong Kong, New York. My son, David is born in 1984, my daughter, Annie is born in 1986. When David turns six, I buy him a huge HO racing set. I put it up in the basement. David isn’t all that interested. David is into computers and role-playing games. I take up painting miniature figures with him. It isn’t model cars, but it’s fun. Annie is into computers and every sport under the sun. I become a “soccer dad”.
2002: David is off to college, Annie is in high school, I’m single and looking for a new job. I’ve decided that after living my life in rather large cities, I’m going back to the mountains and my home state.
2003-present: I have the good fortune to get a great job in Helena, Montana. I meet Sarah and we get married in 2004. I discover that I love dogs. (That’s another story for some other forum). And then one day about 18 months ago I ask myself.. I wonder what’s happened to slot cars over the last 15 years? I ‘google’ slot cars. The addiction begins. I’m searching for a 12-step program now.
1959: I am 5 years old and I tell my folks that what I want for my birthday is a plastic model kit of an F-86 Saber jet. We live in a very small town with a population of just over 1,000. The only plastic models are sold at the local drug store. My dad buys me a Revell Snark missile.
I build it anyway.
I realize that it’s not going to be easy trying to explain the difference between a jet fighter plane and a guided missile to my father, a Lutheran pastor.
1961: I’ve saved my allowance and dried enough dishes for my mom (@$.15 per episode) to have purchased a half dozen or so models. Of course they are all fighter planes. I go to the Rexall Drug store and buy the models myself. My dad and I have agree that works better for both of us.
1961: Firestone runs its annual Indy Champions advertisement in Life Magazine and I decide that those cars are pretty cool. Now I want to build race cars.
Rexall Drug has a few kits of sedans and hot rods. This is going to be tougher than I thought.
Christmas 1961: My best friend Terry gets an Aurora HO racing set. We spend the next 5 days at his dining room table wearing out the cars.
1962 - 1965:
I continue to purchase models, but they are still mostly fighter planes. The pharmacist explains that he doesn’t get to select the 6 or 7 model kits that come in every few months.
I still don’t own an HO racing set. Our family can’t afford to give presents like that. Mom tells me that when I’m 12 I can get a paper route and earn enough to buy my own racing set. I have to content myself with racing at Terry’s house and looking at the pictures of slot car sets in the Sear’s Christmas catalogue.
May 1965: Jim Clark wins the Indianapolis 500 in a super cool green car. Now I’m really hooked on race cars.
July 1965: TIME magazine profiles Jim Clark in a cover story. I learn about Grand Prix racing for the first time. I want to be Jim Clark.
August 1965: My father has accepted a call to Kalispell, Montana. I am very excited; we’re moving to a town in the Rocky Mountains with a population of 12,000 and it is sure to have more places than just a single drug store selling models and slot cars.
August 25, 1965: We arrive in Kalispell. The next day I visit Wheaton Cycle & Toy. There are two aisles filled with plastic models and one aisle devoted to HO racing sets ,Aurora and Tyco cars. There aren’t any 1/24 or 1/32 cars though.
November 25, 1965: My 12th birthday. Mom says I can get a paper route. I do.
November 25, 1966: I buy a BIG Aurora racing set with my earnings as my birthday gift to myself. The two cars that come in the set are a Ford GT-40 in British Racing Green and a Corvette Stingray in tan. I assemble the set and set it up in the basement on several plywood sheets.
1967: I’ve constructed some scenery after frequent visits to the Ben Franklin Crafts store. I have a dozen or so cars. I’ve replaced the stock tires with the super slicks. I’ve added racing numbers to my Ford GT-40, still the best car in my little collection. I start high school that fall. Around October, a local businessman announces that he is building a commercial slot track which will be in a storefront just 10 minutes from my home (and 2 minutes from Wheaton Cycle & Toy). Wheaton Cycle & toy starts stocking 1/24 cars.
1968: I buy a Cox Dino Ferrari and a Cox BRM F1. I think they are pretty hot. One day at the track some guy a few years older shows up with a car in a clear vacuum formed body with a brass rod chassis and spongy tires. His car laps my Dino Ferrari every 3 times around the track. The commercial slot track closes. It might have been open 9 months. I put my Dino Ferrari and BRM in the closet.
1969: Girls.
1970: Girls and a Girlfriend I keep my 4.0 average in high school but the slot cars and models start gathering a lot of dust.
1971-5: I'm off to University. There are some girls (now women) in this period too, but it's a bit of a blur. One day, shortly before I graduate from college, my mom informs me that she sold my slot car set and the cars in the closet at a garage sale. She sends me the $20. I’m actually quite upset about losing the Ford GT-40 and the Cox BRM.
1975-7: Graduate school. See above. I forgive mom.
1977: I have my Masters degree in International Economics, a job waiting in New York with Chase Manhattan Bank and a wife.
1977-1997: New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Hong Kong, New York. My son, David is born in 1984, my daughter, Annie is born in 1986. When David turns six, I buy him a huge HO racing set. I put it up in the basement. David isn’t all that interested. David is into computers and role-playing games. I take up painting miniature figures with him. It isn’t model cars, but it’s fun. Annie is into computers and every sport under the sun. I become a “soccer dad”.
2002: David is off to college, Annie is in high school, I’m single and looking for a new job. I’ve decided that after living my life in rather large cities, I’m going back to the mountains and my home state.
2003-present: I have the good fortune to get a great job in Helena, Montana. I meet Sarah and we get married in 2004. I discover that I love dogs. (That’s another story for some other forum). And then one day about 18 months ago I ask myself.. I wonder what’s happened to slot cars over the last 15 years? I ‘google’ slot cars. The addiction begins. I’m searching for a 12-step program now.
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