Goodwood Test Day 1950

[PJGD]

Rupert (RLT) who posts here occasionally on motor sport topics typically, posted something of Jowett interest on the Autosport site:


Translation from Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Number 2311, 31 October 1950
The “Test Day” at Goodwood
A useful event that has been taking place for
three years in conjunction with the Inter-
national Motor Show in London
is the “Test Day” at Goodwood. A
small race track has been built on the no longer used Good-
wood airfield in southern England, where a race track
was created, where reporters, one at a time, on a Sunday get
the opportunity to get to know the latest models from English
automobile manufacturing better.
One of the most interesting experiences
this year was the “reunion” with the extremely
spirited Sunbeam, which — as mentioned
elsewhere — replaced the previously rigid front axle with
an independent front wheel suspension based on the Humber “Hawk”
system (two triangular wishbones + coil spring), the increased
displacement of the engine with
enlarged valves from 2.0 l to 2.3 l. The driving characteristics
have improved so much that this car is now finally in the top class.
The steering has become completely smooth and the suspension is softer
than before to the extent that the sporty character of this car allows.
Driving quickly around curves is downright a pleasure for the sporty driver.
Another lasting experience was the trip with the Allard guys,
who are less well known in Switzerland. Ford
engines are used for the drive (Mercury), the performance
of which has been increased through light metal cylinder heads and other
measures. A Cadillac engine could be seen in Allard's sports car.
What is impressive about these models is not only the large engine power
available to the driver, but even more so the excellent cornering ability
and the quiet behavior of the car at high speeds.
Theoretically, the strange design of the front axle (strictly
speaking, it is a pendulum axle) should give rise to concerns,
but in this short test it gave rise to no complaints, on the contrary.
The rear axle is designed as a De Dion axle, which probably
contributes significantly to the excellent road holding.
Only the visibility, which is noticeably impaired by
the high, overly bulky bonnet, could be better.
The “Jupiter”, a racy sports car based on the Jowett
Javelin, also has exceptionally good road holding.
Its frame, welded from straight pieces of tubing,
proves to be absolutely rigid even under strong road impacts,
which cannot be said of all English
sports cars. The suspension seems a bit hard at low speeds,
but the car only seems to “feel comfortable” at higher speeds.
The cornering position also meets the highest demands.
Judging by feel, the acceleration is excellent,
but over time it will certainly be possible to conjure up
even more horsepower into this engine (currently 60 horsepower).
It would go too far at this point to go into all the cars
that were made available for testing purposes at Goodwood. But
one thing should still be pointed out, namely the remarkably good brakes
on all test vehicles, especially on the fast and heavy ones.
A soft grip, not prone to blocking, and achieving a strong braking effect
with relatively little effort, they reflected the high level that
automobile construction has achieved in certain areas today.

[Keith Clements]

Not seen that before. Thanks Philip

[Nick Webster]

That is an interesting article, mentioning a rather differing selection of cars. I wonder if any others took part by way of more direct comparison with the cars in the article. The "Spirited Sunbeam" must be the Talbot mk2, perhaps in drophead form, at that date being the best that Rootes could muster as coming close to a sports car although the Alpine was less than a year away and surely would have caused more comment had it been there in prototype form.

Released from the burden of RAC Horse Power tax, the clues are there that the way forward for British sports cars would be big engines in light bodies, and arguably the most successful at this, Healey and Triumph were just about to come to this conclusion. The sporting element at Jowett must have felt a twinge of frustration that there was nothing in the armoury bigger than 1500cc. Class wins are all very well, but outright wins look even better.

Nick

[Keith Clements]

The large capacity versus small efficient engine battle has raged for years from F1 to the family car. I alternate between a 6 litre 12 cylinder normally aspirated engined car and a 1.8 litre supercharged and turbocharged engined car as well as my 1.5 litre normally aspirated Jupiter. Each is a delight to drive from the engine point of view but naturally you also have to consider the rest of the car and the differences in age.
Each era of cars required different solutions and each country had different social, environmental and economic reasons for the type of engine desired.
The americans loved the gas guzzling V8s, the europeans the high revving 4 cylinders and counties like Japan required small light compact cars.
Sports cars if used in competition had to comply with regulations and they changed regularly influenced by many different political arguments.
1950 was a particularly sparse time for motoring but it was the dawn of innovation with lots of engineering and technical innovation ready for the automobile industry as a result of the World War.
The 'sports car' arguably was a British invention and I would love to hear people's views on what is a 'sports car' and what 'sports cars ' were available in 1950 from all countries.