How They Built Cars When Beauty Was All That Mattered

[Thom]

This was a time when Western societies were not dictated by a somewhat sickening securitarian agenda.

[blueline]

This was a time when Western societies were not dictated by a somewhat sickening securitarian agenda.

Very true. But eventually the drivers themselves began to resist the carnage and death surrounding them and started their quest for some common sense improvements. That was good as I don't think the sport would have survived society's (and governments') condemnation - the bad looks were becoming overwhelming. Unfortunately however, and as usual, intentions of this nature often get carried too far.

I look at old race footage such as the 1970 Brands Hatch race featuring a rain-soaked battle between Elford and Rodriguez in their 917k's finishing 1 - 2 (Carpokes topic link below), and I'm amazed at not only the drivers' skills driving their cars in what seems like next to impossible ways, but also the pit crews, race officials and spectators who seemingly feared nothing. That was how it was.

Rodriguez' brother had been killed racing many years before, yet Pedro continued drive like a man possessed, piloting cars with almost indescribable power. If I'm not mistaken, the 917k's had magnesium frames and maybe other magnesium parts that, once burning, were impossible to extinguish.

I cannot imagine the skill and nerve it must have taken to drive cars like that. Pedro himself was killed a year later racing a Ferrari on a Nuremberg street course.

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