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Welcome...

The author of this automotive website also has a strong interest in general history. A new website named Strategy in History has been produced to put into public access some papers written in that area. Visitors here with similar interests may like to access this site.

This engines website includes at Appendix 8 and Illustrations for Appendix 8 details of Aero Piston Engines. One of these was the Rolls Royce 'R' type racing engine developed for the 1929 and 1931 Schneider Trophy seaplane competitions. The way in which this was the foundation of the famous Merlin fighter and bomber engine so vital to the Allies winning WW2 is described in the "Strategy in History" website at Contribution No. 10 with the title:-

"How American Sportsmanship saved Great Britain"

A short video of the 1931 S6B flying round the Solent racecourse to win the Trophy is included here, with the exciting sound of a 36.7 litre V12 at full throttle and 3,200 RPM!

This is the 66th addition (22nd August 2022) to a website which is not a commercial project, and which has now been running for 12 years. The format basically provides analyses of the engines for 'Grand Prix Cars-of-the-Year' (CoY) from 1906 to 2000. Motor-cycle data is also included.

Many items have been added which are post-2000. For these please consult Notes 13 Part 1/A,108,108B,111,112,119,120,121,129 (see list at end of Contents)

and Corrections and Additions at PP 1,7, Note 13 Part II at P.10,17,31,44 and 69.

The main period is sub-divided into 5 Eras:-
  • 1st Naturally-Aspirated (1NA), 1906 - 1923;
  • 1st Pressure-Charged (1PC), 1924 - 1951;
  • 2nd Naturally-Aspirated (2NA), 1952 - 1982;
  • 2nd Pressure-Charged (2PC, Turbo-Charged, TC), 1983 - 1988;
  • 3rd Naturally-Aspirated (3NA), 1989 onward.
As a quick introduction to the site, some visitors may like to view a small selection of the cars listed as "Grand Prix Cars-of-the-Year" (CoY).

This is provided in Note 127

Checking on this will give links to the selection.

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Overview & Analyses

The 49th enlargement used the latest data to provide the following:-

These 3 sections are a set which should be read consecutively.

Chart A1, from the Analysis UPDATE Part 2, gives a general look overall using the Parameter ECOM (see below) of the basic review 1906-2000, plus some added information on 2001-2018.

Combined Efficiency (ECOM) 1906-2006

               Efficiencies

Combined Efficiency (ECOM) is defined in an Addendum to the
1st Naturally-Aspirated Era (1NA)

  •                EV = Volumetric
  •                EC = Combustion
  •                EM = Mechanical

The details for the engines are given in Appendix 1 under row 130.

The Contents section below gives links to these Eras and to various general chapters on racing engine design and development.

Recently 4 new Appendices have been added to the site (see Contents):-

Each of these Appendices has associated ILLUSTRATIONS

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Visitors should consult CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS and also CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS PART 2 for the latest data on some entries where an index is provided for Engines (P.i) and another for Subjects (P.ii) to help locate changes.

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The 37th enlargement added a new section:

  • 'A Century of Grand Prix Engine Weights, 1906 - 2005'.

             Figure 1 from this section is shown below:-
  • Figure 1 from 'Grand Prix Engine Weights'

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    There have been recent enlargements which have contained the following items, all linked here:

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    The 61st enlargement added:-

  • Note 140: Ferrari Lap Speeds at Monza, 1948 - 1967
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    The 62nd enlargement added:-

  • Note 141: Colombo and the first Ferrari
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    The 63rd enlargement added:-

  • Note 142: Le Mans Fastest Laps, 1932 - 1967
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    The 64th enlargement adds:-

  • Note 143: COSWORTH Bore/Stroke Ratios 1967 - 2006
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    The portraits of the Designers in the sidebar are extended to show many more men involved in the 'Car of the Year' which is the core of the website

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    Appendix 1 is now fully updated with the changes. It includes the Weight Function (WF) on line 138.

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    Visitors' attention is drawn to the section
    Grand Prix Motorcycle Engine Development, 1949 - 2008

    Other motorcycyle data is given in

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    A general thesis linked to Note 66 and Note 124 (see below) is also accessible here as a Natural Rule of Thumb.

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    The Contents of the whole review are as follows:

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