Front suspension covers

A special Forum for the McLaren M23 series of F1 race cars.
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dmandam
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Front suspension covers

Post by dmandam »

I have been given a photo of Emerson Fittipaldi in an M23.
It has rain tyres, the rear suspension has the rectangular alloy cross bar instead of the black tubular frame, the windscreen is tinted yellow with Goodyear decals, the cowling has the black/white striping around the TEXACO and on the centreline and the intake is one of the tall/curved versions.
The real oddity is that the mechanic is working on the front suspension and there is a round cornered triangular plate on the tub that is clearly intended to fill in the hole in the top of the tub over the front dampers. The hole is as per the Tamiya kit, i.e. before the later rocker arms were introduced.
I have looked through all my references and cannot find any other images with this cover in place...and for the life of me I cannot work out how there would be enough clearance for the suspension to work with it fitted.
Does anyone have any ideas or images?

David M
Sydney, Straya

-Felix-
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Re: Front suspension covers

Post by -Felix- »

Hi David,

the M23 had three different suspension layouts. The first was the rising spring rate design from Gordon Coppuck used in 1973 and 1974 with the upper Wishbone as a welded structure from tubes acting on struts which then acted on the rocker on top of the damper. From 1975 on (I think, correct me?) the closed upper wishbone acting as a direct lever on the standing damper was used. Those were the configurations used, although a third one was tested, which was a pullrod operating layout, today commonly used but unusual at that time. Therefore there was a normal upper wishbone with a pullrod mounted on the upper wishbone near the upright, which then acted on a rocker mounted on the underside of the chassis and actuating the standing damper from the bottom up, not from the top down. So the damper was fixed on the upper end to the chassis, not lower end like the other configurations. Therefore, no moving parts on the upper side of the chassis and the hole was closed for aerodynamic reasons.
If I'm right, you should be able to sport the pullrod on the front suspension on the picture. If I recall correct, there is a picture in the Haynes Manual with that suspension.

Regards,
Felix
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Starr
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Re: Front suspension covers

Post by Starr »

Hi David,

I cannot post the pictures I have here due to copyrights. But watch your email later.

Regards,

Starr

PS: email sent, please let me know if you received it.
Classic Plastic Model Club - Lowell, MA
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