3 Wheelin!

[Takis]

Here are some pictures from the begining of the `70s showing an original GTAm racing in Greece.
Enjoy Takis.

[Takis]

keep enjoying......
Takis.

[italcarguy]

I don't think I'll ever understand what the deal with these cars going that fast, under control, on 3 wheels!

[Takis]

And I only thought that Alfa Romeos were doing it on three wheels,how about BMWs..........
Takis.

[italcarguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAKIS And I only thought that Alfa Romeos were doing it on three wheels,how about BMWs.......... Takis.

[GTV4EVR]

We hardly ever saw Alfas on the track back in the day (or now for that matter). I don't have any pictures, but I used to love to watch Sir John Whitmore on 3 wheels through Moss Corner at Mosport!

[borrani]

This is just a fantastic thread, and just amazing pics, many I've not seen before. Also, great discussion on the dynamics as well.

Fabrizio's Super pic is really something. Compare this to period TI Super pics, and the TI Super is leaning just as much, but the front wheel is still on the ground, tons more suspension travel. Nowadays they're fastened up tight.

It's amazing how much lean is involved with the old GTA's and GTAm's. I know the roll axis, the axis that connects the front and rear roll centers is pretty odd with the Alfas, which contributes to it. I'm wondering how much the sliding block had to do with it. They may have had to keep it extra soft in the back to make it work well.

Not that many GTA's had aluminum floorboards, which the books say they abandoned due to lack of structual integrity, or until roll cages got better with the advent of the GTA Jr. However, many pics of period GTA's were cars sold to Autodelta, which were early cars, which may have had the aluminum floorboards. Adriansen's book states that most the alum. floored cars were under serial number 100, with number ranging from 1 to 999. So really, only a handful of GTA's had them. My car may have had them, but certainly doesn't now. My car was first owned by the son of an Alfa Romeo dealership owner, in Siena, IT. He said he put every Autodelta piece he could on there, and I've got a few pics of my car back in the day, none on 3 wheels however, but definitely one of it massively understeering around a corner!

My own car has just a front 26mm bar, no rear for now. It's an understeerer at present, and doesn't lift its front wheel. I have a standard trunion bar, too. My car weighs 1870lbs w/o gas, which isn't ultralight at all. I'm racing against another '65 Sprint GT weighing only 100lbs more than me!

Cheers,

Steve S.
AR 613 169 manufactured July 26, 1965, 1st purchased March 15, 1966

[ar1750gtv]

Anthony,

Great picture of Fabrizio to bump this classic AlfaBB thread!

I notice also how the rear fender is rubbing on the tire. Now thats a suspension working hard! Please describe that particular corner. What radius, what speed is it taken at, etc?

[smestas]

I saw these pics on the web and thought I'd do a thread revival.

Up On Three

[super-racer]

Here are two pics of me three wheelin' at Fontana.

By Myself:
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...3&image_id=150

With a BMW behind me:
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...03&image_id=22

[Azzurri GTV]

Here's one.

[fafner1]

Three wheeling results when the roll stiffness is concentrated at one end. It is standard practice to try to concentrate the weight over the drive wheels (front or back) and then balance the car by cranking up the roll stiffness at the other end. The resulting cross loading also increases the traction the inside drive wheel can provide while accelerating. Increasing the roll stiffness at the non-driven end is usually done by putting on a stiffer sway bar, which counteracts roll by trying to pick up the inside wheel. At some point a stiff bar will exert enough force to actually lift the inside wheel. Once the inside wheel is in the air the sway bar is in effect maxed out, it can no longer contribute any additional roll stiffness. It looks a little strange, but my VW GTI feels completely normal cornering while carrying the back inside wheel several inches of the pavement.

Sir John Whitmore used to be able to lift the front wheel on his Lotus Cortina high enough to clear the rumble strips on the inside of the track. This gave him an advantage by allowing him use a tighter line through the corners.

[Sprintn]

Schuey,
I have a painting of that picture you just posted! It is titled "Dancing Alfa" and done by Bill Stroud.

those are all nice pics! But I hope they are not stolen from other sites or Joecab is going to be all over you guys!!!

Keep'em coming! I personally like all of them!!!

[chasking]

I've been trying to find a better shot of this, especially from the front: Gabriele Tarquini's 155 in the British Touring Car Championship in 1994, at Donington in the UK.

I saw this on a video, and it was truly amazing. He managed to keep in under control, land and continue racing.

It reminded me of the end of The Gumball Rally when Gary Busey's character put that Camaro up on two wheels to go between lines of traffic on an L.A. freeway.

[smestas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasking I saw this on a video, and it was truly amazing. He managed to keep in under control, land and continue racing.