Aston Martin Nimrod: Thoughts & info

[Rudernst]

A valiant effort, any comment ?

[Alex Hodgkinson]

Well, the Nimrod project really didn't end nicely...


http://s13.directupload.net/file/d/2...d9qf5m_jpg.htm

http://img74.imageshack.us/f/nimrod25eq.jpg/

http://img74.imageshack.us/f/nimrod0qu.jpg/

[isynge]

I had a real fondness for the Nimrod project at the time, and now, with the benefit of hindsight really appreciate how much they achieved with what was, realistically, so little.

Okay, it was no 956 or LC2, but in context it was genuinely impressive.

There's a great documentary film about their 1982 Le Mans campaign that's very much worth tracking down.

[lemansfan]

Any Idea where I can found this Film ???

[tlracing]

Originally Posted by lemansfan

Any Idea where I can found this Film ???

It is worth looking for - I believe someone had it transferred to DVD but can't give you any more help than that, sorry.

I had a very good reason for being interested though as I used to own the last-ever Nimrod. This was the carbon-chassis project NRA/C3-006 which was never completed.

The last I heard was that it had been sold more than once since I parted with it and may now be in California, still unbuilt.

[chunterer]

Couple of questions, am I right in thinking that these chassis sported two different engine types and secondly was Ray Mallock anything to do with it because I used to think that the Ecosse C2 was like a mini Nimrod!?!

Group C was an interest if mine but not enough to know much detail other than cars and drivers that were around at the time - I was too young in the early 80's!!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by isynge

There's a great documentary film about their 1982 Le Mans campaign that's very much worth tracking down.

Would this be it? I have not tried to download it.....

[KA]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Couple of questions, am I right in thinking that these chassis sported two different engine types and secondly was Ray Mallock anything to do with it because I used to think that the Ecosse C2 was like a mini Nimrod!?!

Group C was an interest if mine but not enough to know much detail other than cars and drivers that were around at the time - I was too young in the early 80's!!

There were two different Nimrod teams- Robin Hamilton's silver 'works' car (IIRC it was really never a 'works' Aston project as such- A-M director Victor Gauntlett was one of the backers of the project, but in his own right, rather than as a representative of the factory) and a second privateer entry owned by Viscount Downe.
Ray Mallock was certainly involved with the Downe car (if not both?), both as a driver and engineer.
AFAIK the similarity between Nimrod and Ecosse was no coincidence- the bodywork on the Ecosse was a scaled-down version of new bodywork designed by Mallock for the Downe car.

Both efforts used Aston V8s built by Tickford, although the Downe team experimented with a turbo version of the V8

[Adam43]

I saw one of the Bovis (Ray Mallock) cars at Gaydon yesterday.
It was a fun car, but I surprised that the sign only claimed that it had 400hp.

[KA]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I saw one of the Bovis (Ray Mallock) cars at Gaydon yesterday.
It was a fun car, but I surprised that the sign only claimed that it had 400hp.

Yes, that's a surprise- though having said that, I've got a book on Aston V8 race cars written in the early 90's, which has chapters on all of the Aston Group C projects and IIRC a recurring theme for all three of the early Aston-powered cars (Nimrod, EMKA & Cheetah) was that there was often a discrepancy between the power output claimed for the Tickford-prepared engines, and what the teams were actually seeing...

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by KA

There were two different Nimrod teams- Robin Hamilton's silver 'works' car....
....and a second privateer entry owned by Viscount Downe.

Ray Mallock was certainly involved with the Downe car (if not both?), both as a driver and engineer.
AFAIK the similarity between Nimrod and Ecosse was no coincidence- the bodywork on the Ecosse was a scaled-down version of new bodywork designed by Mallock for the Downe car.

Both efforts used Aston V8s built by Tickford, although the Downe team experimented with a turbo version of the V8

Great, thanks KA, that's put my mind at rest, I was convinced there was 2 cars and there was a connection with Mallock and Ecosse but needed it confirming!

For some reason I also thought that the one of the Nimrod's sported a 3.9 litre DFL lump at some point or other? But something tells me that was a different car, maybe i'm confusing the turbo and atmo C100's?

[andy97]

I think the Ecurie Ecosse cars initially used a race version of the Metro 6R4 engine & then used the a Cosworth DFL in C2.

There was an interview with Ray Mallock in a recent "Motorsport" magazine (3-4 months ago?) in which he talked extensively about RML, Ecurie Ecosse & the Nimrod project.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Great, thanks KA, that's put my mind at rest, I was convinced there was 2 cars and there was a connection with Mallock and Ecosse but needed it confirming!

For some reason I also thought that the one of the Nimrod's sported a 3.9 litre DFL lump at some point or other? But something tells me that was a different car, maybe i'm confusing the turbo and atmo C100's?

I think you are confusing these two cars. I'm sure that the Nimrods always used an Aston Martin engine. Mind you, the C100 was around at the same time...

[KA]

Originally Posted by andy97

I think the Ecurie Ecosse cars initially used a race version of the Metro 6R4 engine & then used the a Cosworth DFL in C2.

There was an interview with Ray Mallock in a recent "Motorsport" magazine (3-4 months ago?) in which he talked extensively about RML, Ecurie Ecosse & the Nimrod project.

Ecosse initially ran a Cosworth, then the V64V from the Metro in one car in '86 (IIRC there was sometimes a second car which always had a DFL)
The Rover-engined car had Austin Rover sponsorship and sometimes Marc Duez on board, and Ecosse then went back to Cosworth power the following season when they ran the cars in the red Royal Mail colours

[KA]

Originally Posted by chunterer

For some reason I also thought that the one of the Nimrod's sported a 3.9 litre DFL lump at some point or other? But something tells me that was a different car, maybe i'm confusing the turbo and atmo C100's?

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I think you are confusing these two cars. I'm sure that the Nimrods always used an Aston Martin engine. Mind you, the C100 was around at the same time...

As you say, I'm pretty sure the Nimrods were always Aston-engined- the Downe team experimenting with a turbo engine towards the end of the programme

C100 was around at the same time, and I think was always DFL. There was a turbo DFL project for the C100, but I don't think it ever raced?.

Were the Zakspeed Group C cars that ran in Germany based on the C100? IIRC, these appeared in both DFL and 4-cylinder turbo forms.
The other turbo DFL was the one that Tim Lee-Davey ran in his Tiga- but we're getting well and truly off-topic now!

[Dan Rear]

The Nimrods were always Aston engined, and the C100s always DFLs.

The EMKA though, again always Aston engined, was designed by Len Bailey, a year or so after he designed the original, and awful, C100. The EMKA was said at the time to be quite similar to the C100. Maybe this is where Chunt is getting mixed-up?

[Catchpole]

Originally Posted by lemansfan

Any Idea where I can found this Film ???

I bought a copy off e-bay years ago.

[Andy Clegg]

Originally Posted by KA

As you say, I'm pretty sure the Nimrods were always Aston-engined- the Downe team experimenting with a turbo engine towards the end of the programme

C100 was around at the same time, and I think was always DFL. There was a turbo DFL project for the C100, but I don't think it ever raced?.

Were the Zakspeed Group C cars that ran in Germany based on the C100? IIRC, these appeared in both DFL and 4-cylinder turbo forms.
The other turbo DFL was the one that Tim Lee-Davey ran in his Tiga- but we're getting well and truly off-topic now!

I've the 1984 Silverstone 1000KMS entry and both the Astons had 5340cc engines.
Andy

[fausto]

Originally Posted by Andy Clegg

I've the 1984 Silverstone 1000KMS entry and both the Astons had 5340cc engines.
Andy

Yes, but the Mallock car had the turbocharged engine...