The origins of stripes on the upper surfaces:

[David Morton]

Does anybody know why stripes are put on these cars?
I heard one story which might be true and quite evocative of cars years ago. Apparently the national racing colours
of the USA was White painted bodywork and Blue painted Chassis. (Correct me if I'm wrong please) When racing cars with chassis gave way to monocoques the white remained and the blue stripe was added over the top of the car's bodywork. Quite simple really. Now they don't really mean
much at all except the owners wishes / preferences. But its quite a nice tale to relate after dinner I suppose. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Ah,
but the Cunninghams of the fifties had the blue stripes and they wre most certainly space frame cars. I submit the stripes were just a way of adding the additional national color to the car. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twocents.gif

Shelby used the stripes on all of his cars from the Cobras to the GT350s.

Rick /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[David Morton]

Thanks Rick. It was just something I heard from a guy who used to be in one of the race teams and is now retired. Full of wonderful tales about how they often cheated just to pass scrutineering, and he can still relate just about every position throughout every race, when the rain came , when it stopped, who said what to who and when. It was just one of his stories and it made some sense in a way.
Told me once he lost a trailer with a Ferrari on it. Went back up the road about 30 miles and there it was parked up on the side of the road with the towing bracket broken - the only damage. Another time he drove from the UK to Maranello and back to the UK non stop to collect parts - about 900 miles each way.
Said he once he cut a chassis underneath because his car was a few millimetres too high and a couple of them jumped up and down on it to lower it a bit, passed scrutineering and then welded it back up again for the race. A lot of things still go on today.
Dave

 

Briggs Cunningham has been quoted as saying in fact the blue stripes on his cars were inspired by the pre-war national colors of the USA, white body and blue chassis rails. It had nothing to do with space frames or monocoques. Ford, Shelby, and others picked up on the idea. You should learn to listen to your elders!

Gramps

 

[David Morton]

I did and look where I ended up..........
Great info - thank you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif :
I bow to your seniority. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flehan.gif
When you get to no 1 on the seniority list I guess there are no stones left unturned. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
These smilies are fun.......

 

Hi David,

I think the Cunningham white body/blue chassis is urban legend!

The main body colours with or without stripes were simply national colours as determined by the FIA.

Some examples are USA (White Body, Blue Stripe),Great Britain (Dark Green), Italy (Red), Germany (Silver), Belgium (Yellow), Switzerland (Red Body, White Stripe), Spain (Red Body, Yellow Stripe), Ireland (Green, Orange Stripe), Holland (Orange), Japan (White with Red Circle), Sweden (Blue, Yellow Stripe), Australia (Green, Gold Stripe), South Africa (Gold, Green Stripe), New Zealand (Black, Silver Stripe).

In the 1950s/1960s the colour codes were more specific, ie Spain Red with Yellow Bonnet and South Africa Gold with Green Bonnet. This however evolved into the more attractive and more easily identifiable stripes.

Regards,
Andre 40

 

[BenL]

[ QUOTE ]
Some examples are USA (White Body, Blue Stripe),Great Britain (Dark Green), Italy (Red), Germany (Silver), ...

[/ QUOTE ]
I thought Germany's color was white, but they some how managed to convince the ruling body that that silver was close enough, so they could save weight by not painting their cars.

 

[David Morton]

Thanks.
Andre, You see - another stone unturned.
Ben, I guess that would be typical.

 

Hi Guys
Stripes on teem cars of the same colour were added for pit recognition.

Regards Chris

 

Hi All,

Germany's pre-war colour was white. Saving paint would be a clinical German approach!!!

This reminds me, have any of you heard Peter Ustinov's 'Grand Prix du Roc?' It's a complete mickey take of the Monaco Grand Prix but held round the Rock of Gibralter. I'll guarantee that you'll cry laughing! Ustinov must have had a tremendous insight into the racing scene for he mimmicks the drives so exactly that when you close your eyes you could be listening to the actual people. he also mimmicks the engines and sounds like a V12!

The point of the story is that Amedee Gordini was known to have run his team on the smell of an oil rag budget. When Ustinov walked into the pits Gordini offered him a cigarette as he was a chain smoker. Ustinov then asked him why his cars were unpainted silver instead of the national French blue. Gordini gave him the story about saving weight when the truth was that he couldn't afford the paint!

The Grand Prix is opened by the Duke of Edinburgh driving a Morris Minor. Get a copy, it's a laugh a minute!

It's said that frowning takes many more facial muscles than smiling or laughing!
Andre 40

 

[David Morton]

on ebay at the moment £4.99
search :Ustinov grand prix gibraltar

 

Wow, thanks for that, David, I only have an ancient scratchy old record!

Regards,
Andre

PS Isn't it amazing what our website has to offer. I thought the world was small until I saw Google Earth! Now I know exactly how small it is!