Report From Italy
REPORT FROM ITALY
CARLO PERELLI
AFTER THE "absolute" one hour record set up by Mike Hailwood on the MV Augusta 500cc at Daytona last February, it is highly probable that the famous U.S. track will again be used, later this year, by a European rider for record attempts. In fact, famous Swiss sidecar ace Florian Camathias built a rather unorthodox outfit last winter, featuring the powerful Gilera double OHC four-cylinder 500cc engine (70 bhp at 10,500 rpm, five-speed gearbox in unit), with the intention of launching a massive attack on many world records early this spring, from the 10km (6.25 miles) up to the six hour one.
He tried out his new model over the two most famous European banked tracks, first at Montlhery in France and then at Monza in Italy, but owing to the bad conditions of the surface in both cases he had to give up every hope of reaching the speed targets he was aiming at.
So Florian, just to grasp something while at Monza, attacked the standing start kilometer record although his outfit wasn't prepared for this type of attempt (in fact it had no slick tire at the rear wheel, no appropriate inner gearbox ratios and, moreover, the tachometer soon failed to function). Despite all this, he clocked a record speed of 142.180 kmph (88.8 mph).
Florian has stated that he intends to repeat his record attacks next autumn on the Daytona track which he thinks quite suited to the high speeds of his machine. His "fight" should then be fruitful.
In the meantime, momentarily putting aside the record plans, Camathias is taking in the world championship and other international races which in the past ten years have been practically dominated by BMW's. After one or two minor races, good to spot and sort out the usual teething troubles, he has started by winning the Spanish G.P. at Barcelona and a week later on another tricky circuit, Clermont Ferrand, he overtook the whole field after a bad start and gained the lead, only to retire with ignition trouble!
The rather complex frame structure of his outfit is built up with 20mm and 30mm nickel-chrome-molybdenum steel tubes set straight or at tri-angle to obtain maximum strength, especially torsional, which is very important for this type of racing machine. The whole frame weighs only 25 kgs (55 pounds) and includes the "chair" support on the left hand side, in usual racing sidecar fashion. The same chair also carries the fuse-like, light alloy fuel tank: at the back of it there is the 6V-8Ah battery driven pump which takes the fuel to a small cylindrical tank just over the carburetors.
Camathias has tried to keep his outfit as low as possible (33") for better streamlining, low center of gravity and therefore good road holding. To obtain this he has also decided on a "frog" type riding position, not easily mastered as the machine has no saddle. Camathias lies on the bare light alloy cover for the rear wheel, and on a fiberglass cover over the engine. Wheelbase is 55.2"; maximum width 47.5". Weight is about 396 lbs.
Control operation is also rather unusual. The racing Camapagnolo disc front brake and the chair wheel disc brake are conjunctly actuated by a pedal, placed on the left hand side under the rear wheel spindle, very near the hydraulic pump. The Gilera twin cam full width rear drum brake is operated by the right hand side handlebar lever.
The bike's spoked wheels carry 3.00-16 (front) and 3.50-16 (rear) Dunlop tires; the racing car light alloy chair wheel has a 3.50-12 tire, common practice on racing sidecars. Suspension is fully by swinging arm, acting over Girling teledraulic shock absorbers; "travel" at the front is 3.94", at the rear 2.56".
