Overview

Colin Chapman was one of the greatest ever creative forces in the automotive world but he left behind a mixed legacy. Was he an unparalleled innovator who advanced the state of the art of sports and racing cars? Or was he an uninhibited exploiter of the uncredited ideas of others? In death as well as life Colin Chapman excites fevered debate about his achievements and methods. Now Karl Ludvigsen gets to grips with the legend, digging deep beneath the skin of Chapman and his cars to explore and expose the motivations that drove this mercurial genius.

Full Product Details

Author:   Karl Ludvigsen
Publisher:   J H Haynes & Co Ltd
Imprint:   J H Haynes & Co Ltd
Dimensions:   Width: 21.00cm , Height: 2.80cm , Length: 27.00cm
Weight:   1.565kg
ISBN:  

9781844254132

ISBN 10:   1844254135
Pages:   400
Publication Date:   06 May 2010
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   In Print  
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.

Table of Contents

Concepts - how and why Chapman chose the paths he did to create new kinds of cars. Engines - for much of his career obliged to use the engines of others, Chapman nevertheless contributed to major advances. Transmissions - from the 'Queerbox' to automatic clutches, Chapman never ceased to search for better solutions. Suspensions - successes and failures of Chapman's constant search for a better marriage between tyres and car. Structures - from space frames to monocoques in both road and racing cars, Chapman was a master of structural design. Aerodynamics - with low drag the criterion in the early days, Chapman's exploitation of de Havilland's engineering know-how. Downforce - having first effectively applied aerodynamic downforce, how Chapman struggled with its further exploitation to his infamous Type 88. Management - an inspired exploiter of talent and ideas, how Chapman marshalled his own skills and those of others.

Reviews

In his book on Chapman, Karl Ludvigsen takes a close look a the business and aerodynamic details - good and bad - that defined the man, and he comes up with and oft-told tale: that of the hero with the feet of clay. In the topical stakes, though, with a Bahar-led Lotus looking to reignite the company torch (some of which was originally done with stolen fire), the book will ultimately provide a compelling contrast between the Hethel of then and the one of now. - Autoblog.com

Author Information

Renowned for his award-winning studies of the great cars, designs and engineers, Karl Ludvigsen brings to bear on this landmark book his 50 years of study of Colin Chapman's designs and achievements. Ludvigsen lives near Bury St Edmunds and his many books for Haynes include The V12 Engine and Red-Hot Rivals.

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