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Comment count is 12
Ursa_minor - 2011-06-17

In 600+ hp, awful handling cars on skinny, shitty tires with no seatbelts.


C. Eloi Marx - 2011-06-17

The cars of 1939 were significantly less powerful then the year before. Displacement was reduced from unlimited to 4.5L NA and 3L supercharged. The Benz previously had over 600bhp but this became about 490bhp with the new regs.

It's also a bit of a myth that the thin tires of the era made the cars hard to drive; in reality it just made them slow.


Ursa_minor - 2011-06-17

From what I've heard and read, the cars were/are pretty difficult to drive by today's standards, and I don't think the tires helped.

It still took brass balls to drive these cars like these men did, using the "get thrown from the crash to survive" safety procedures. Was the displacement regulated because of crashes in the year prior?


C. Eloi Marx - 2011-06-17

Quick correction: the new regs were for the '38 season.

The regs before that were a max weight of 750kg, and anything goes past that. Under those regulations the only cars that competed were Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union, and I suspect that the changes were made to try and lure more companies into building a GP car.

The earlier Auto-Unions were quite tricky to drive, with a tendency to snap over-steer. At the time this was thought to be due to the then novel mid-engine configuration (which actually causes a car to under-steer), but was actually caused by a flexing rear suspension. In this case more grip would have exacerbated the situation.


parlagi - 2011-06-17

Don't forget Bernd Rosemeyer got killed in January in an even more horrific wreck. He sent his car airborne and got flung out while going for a speed record. I'm sure that was at least part of the reason given for the new regulations, but I don't doubt they wanted more automakers competing as well.

There was a video of highlights from the 1937 season I wish I'd submitted instead. 380,000 spectators in Berlin watching guys roar around the huge angled Wall of Death, with no fences or barriers or anything.


C. Eloi Marx - 2011-06-17

The speed trial that Rosemeyer was killed at was done as a last hurrah for the unlimited cars; the new rules would have been in known about for months at that point. Safety was however a consideration in the new rules, which is why the engines were re-regulated by displacement and the silly max. weight rule was eliminated.


Mr. Purple Cat Esq. - 2011-06-17

dick semen is hilarious until he gets badly burned and dies.. then slightly less so.

also whats with the commentator?? is he taking the mickey or not? He definitely says "dick semen splashes round the corner" or some such at one point


Mr. Purple Cat Esq. - 2011-06-17

it was "semen splashes through [corner name]"


jimmicampkin - 2011-06-17

*Richard Seaman.

Poor bastard was trapped in his car with just a few broken bones and burned to death.


memedumpster - 2011-06-17

Benoit.


Ursa_minor - 2011-06-17

Shorsh Meyer.


Menudo con queso - 2011-06-17

The picture of them lighting each other's cigarettes in trenchcoats at breakfast is sexy as hell.


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