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Re: Comparing F-1 engine runs with Warbirds...

Posted by John Parker on Thu Jul 10, 2003 08:18:53 PM

In reply top Comparing F-1 engine runs with Warbirds... posted by Joe Scheil on Thu Jul 10, 2003 06:39:18 AM

: : Minardi just paid Cosworth US $10M for use of approx 100
:
:
: Remember that this is the least current engine in current
: use and is the cheapest. Think too of the scale of the F-
: 1 game and the warbird movement. A Merlin is very large c
: ompared to a F-1 engine, probably six times the size of li
: ke parts. Large aluminum pieces are complex in the extrem
: e. Figure the cost would be in excess of 250K-300K a moto
: r for a run of 100...But why the easy Merlins? A run of 1
: 00 DB-605's would end up with 90 extra motors, as Flugwerk
: would not be able to sell more than a few "replica?" Fw-0
: 190Ds.. To sell a production run of motors for a few plane
: s requires a need (racing?) money and attrition, to keep i
: t going.
:
: The problem with a warbird engine is that outside of Reno,
: the engines are not destroyed on a regular basis. A Mina
: rdi cooks an engine every 4-5 days or so on average. The
: Ferrari engine deal to the Suaber team is a lot more expen
: sive, and competitive. The Ferrari team budget was 420M U
: SD last year to win, and I think they sold Sauber last yea
: rs engines for 40M. With the cost and beauty of F-1 what
: it is, it is impossible for mortals to just hang around an
: d watch. Reno is on the other hand very accessable.
:
: Hopefully there will be a way to do this cheaply in part i
: n the future, but remember that these engines are at the l
: imit of metallurgy and technology, even today. Developmen
: t stopped when the jets came and the brain trust that was
: involved in creating these wonderful machines is for the m
: ost part dispersed to the winds. I would be surprised if
: new engines are ever built, but I never thought there woul
: d be Fw-190's being recreated either. The current value o
: f a core Merlin is 25K USD. That is what engine builders
: have to contend with. A pickled core DB-605? Who knows?
: But I'd like to buy one.
:
: Joe ;)

Hi Joe

thanks for those thoughts - they are really valuable.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that I see a formula 1 engine as a really cutting edge bit of machinery and if the bods that build these can do what they do then anything is possible - for a price.

It would be a really interesting thing and very productive for all of us on this site if we could look at what a business case for new build engines/ parts would look like and try to bridge the gulf of fantasy versus reality. This would be a very low level base vector towards future thinking and inform the discussion a little better. Why not involve opinion from rebuilders / restorers , F1 , manufacturers etc

I am sure there would be a lot of very insightful comment to be had. I would be happy to try to scope up a draft proposal for us to look at and then move on. What do you think

Kindest regards
John P
:

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