Re: GTV6 inboard brakes - why?

["Robert S. Wilkinson" <wilk@domain.elided>]

All of the jags with "IRS"--62-87 E-types,XJ6,XJ12,XJS--had inboard rear
brakes.  Work great, and contribute to a beautifully smooth ride.
Discontinued due to cost and maintenance cost.  I "defeated" mine on my 71
XJ by installing wire wheels that weigh twice as much as the stock
alloys--boosting the unsprung weight back up.  I feel very guilty, but I
love the look of wires.  Anyone selling some for a 105 so I can replace
those turbino mags??

Bob Wilkinson
72 Spider

The Lotus 72 F1 car had inboard brakes at the front, and chimney-like
cooling ducts to keep them cool.  This added some overall weight to the
package, since it needed half-shafts just to transmit the braking force
to the hub, but it was a net win in unsprung weight.  Unfortunately, one
of those shafts broke and caused the accident that killed Jochen Rindt.
F1 rules may now prohibit inboard brakes, I'm not sure.  Certainly no F1
car uses them today.  That may be for packaging reasons (clean airflow
around the transaxle is probably more important), it may be that with
the advent of carbon brakes, the savings in unsprung weight isn't
worthwhile anymore.

james montebello
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided