Okay, how’s this for a restoration story? Britain’s original Formula One team – British Racing Motors (BRM) – took a massive step forward with plans to build 3 authentic ‘new’ 1950s V16 race cars…with the successful dyno test of an original engine after a painstaking restoration!
Hall and Hall, BRM’s technical partners, used the original ‘engine number two’ – a V16 dating back to the 50s – to help engineers overcome technical challenges around one of the most complex Formula One engines of the day – each with over 36,000 restoration parts.
It really has been painstaking – with little to no margin for error. Rick Hall, one of the founders, gives the example of a Rolls Royce supercharger – built from scratch.
It proved troublesome. But through trial and error, they managed to “flush out” the issues. And learn “a great deal about how this engine behaves.”
As they say, no pain, no gain. All the effort has been key to the central manufacturing plans of 3 all-new power units – at the heart of this exciting new project.
Nostalgia on the testing ground
It was a return for the engine to Hall and Hall’s dynamometer at RAF Folkingham, Lincolnshire. This was where the original BRM Formula One engineering team worked during the 50s.
The technicians ‘lunched’ the engine in 1999 after Jose-Froilan Gonzalez – one of the OG BRM team drivers – accidentally over-revved it during the BRM’s 50th Anniversary celebration at Silverstone.
The engine’s performance is pretty solid – 550BHP at 10,000 RPM and 2.5 psi.
Diamonds in the rough
It seemed like the fabled V16 was done and dusted – especially after the ’99 debacle.
But then, somebody unearthed 3 unused chassis numbers – originally allocated to the racing programme, but never built due to a change in the Formula One technical regulations at the time – making the 3 ‘new’ P15 V16 BRMs possible.
John Owen, 81-year-old son of BRM’s original owner – renowned industrialist, Sir Alfred Owen – has commissioned the first car. The public will get to see it later this year.
In the meantime, BRM have released a teaser film called ‘The Reawakening,’ which goes live this Sunday 21st March at 4PM GST. You can catch this at: http://www.britishracingmotors.co.uk
