by khyndart in CA » Mon Aug 28, 2023 9:48 pm
August 12, 2023
Some of the old F5000 cars at this event brought back memories.
I last saw this 1968 Le Grand Mk 7 -002 # 7 at Bay Park in December 1968 with Rex Ramsey driving it.
It is amazing it has survived over 55 years when you read the opinions of Le Grand race cars back at that time.
e.g. " The highlight of the 1968 Pro season was when Sam Posey put Botsford's car on pole at Mosport Park, but he found the thing so scary that he retired to the pits after a single lap.
Other customers have, like Posey, been highly critical of the car. Dave Wolin noted that it flexed badly, so badly in Posey's case that it pulled itself out of gear. Mike Allison, a member of Botsford's crew in 1968, said that Peter Revson 'hated the car in practice due to chassis flex' and Mike also noted that the brakes were 'awful and inadequate'. Jerry Webber, who built his from a kit, was another to comment on the inadequate brakes. Don Richardson summed up his prototype car when he advertised it as "1250 lbs of rotting hell". All in all, it is hard to think of a Formula 5000 car that has been the subject of such consistent criticism."
http://www.oldracingcars.com/legrand/mk7/
Today, here is the car, driven by David Zavetsky.
December 1968.
The only photo I took of the car at Bay Park. It is the furthest one away with a mechanic sitting on the R/F tyre.
Perhaps that is Jack Inwood checking the cockpit / engine area.?
( Ken H photos )
August 12, 2023
Some of the old F5000 cars at this event brought back memories.
I last saw this 1968 Le Grand Mk 7 -002 # 7 at Bay Park in December 1968 with Rex Ramsey driving it.
It is amazing it has survived over 55 years when you read the opinions of Le Grand race cars back at that time.
e.g. " The highlight of the 1968 Pro season was when Sam Posey put Botsford's car on pole at Mosport Park, but he found the thing so scary that he retired to the pits after a single lap.
Other customers have, like Posey, been highly critical of the car. Dave Wolin noted that it flexed badly, so badly in Posey's case that it pulled itself out of gear. Mike Allison, a member of Botsford's crew in 1968, said that Peter Revson 'hated the car in practice due to chassis flex' and Mike also noted that the brakes were 'awful and inadequate'. Jerry Webber, who built his from a kit, was another to comment on the inadequate brakes. Don Richardson summed up his prototype car when he advertised it as "1250 lbs of rotting hell". All in all, it is hard to think of a Formula 5000 car that has been the subject of such consistent criticism."
[url]http://www.oldracingcars.com/legrand/mk7/[/url]
Today, here is the car, driven by David Zavetsky.
[attachment=2]20230812_103741.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]20230812_151949 - Copy.jpg[/attachment]
December 1968.
The only photo I took of the car at Bay Park. It is the furthest one away with a mechanic sitting on the R/F tyre.
Perhaps that is Jack Inwood checking the cockpit / engine area.?
[attachment=0]Baypark Dec 1968_NEW.jpg[/attachment]
( Ken H photos )