The Screamer Returns!

[Keith]

Hooray!

One of the Two examples of 787B now in US

To race in Historic Racing - best news ever. To be honest, if I was fit, I would buy an airplane ticket to see that in a heartbeat. Hopefully they haven't strangled it and for those who have heard it in the flesh, you will never ever be happy with a 2014 F1 turbo engine, ever. To those that haven't - one more thing for your Bucket List.



Photo courtesy of Walter @ Ultimatecarpage.com

Forget what it sounds like?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81zhOQ5PvaE"]Mazda 787B onboard lap with Johnny Herbert at Le Mans 2011 - YouTube[/ame]

Just watching this single lap of an absolute symphony of metal (you can keep your Beethoven) reminds me what intense physical effort it takes to pedal one of these around Le Mans. My respect for those that do it in 2 hour or even double stints throughout the night.

I love Johnny Herbert - one of the very few characters left in the game. If he hadn't been a racing driver, I would like to think of him as Head Chauffeur for St Nicholas.

 

[Seymour Snerd]

Thanks for that, Keith. I once got a few laps in a Formula Mazda at Sears Point, and the sound and feel is truly wonderful. It makes me wonder how close one could get to the 787B/R26B experience by building (say) an SLC with a tuned Renesis engine, although the latter is (I think) half as big.

 

[Jack]

Those exhaust pulses breaking the sound barrier will make your ears bleed if you're
at the pit wall! FRIGGIN AWESOME! Thanks Keith...

 

[Jim Craik]

Thanks Keith, great stuff!

I was fortunate enough to have been at Le Mans in 1991. I will say that although I have seen and heard a lot of race cars (including the Matra V12). The 787B was easely the loudest.

Also a very beautiful car, I just love it in the green and orange, like the Gulf cars, an iconic Le Mans scheme.

In 1991 they had Factory Jaguars, Mercedes, Peugot, Porsche 962s and an unknown german kid named Schumacher. It was a great year and I was delighted that the Mazda won!

It would be great if they had one next week at Monterey.

 

[Keith]

There have been a few hardy types on here (!) who have lusted after a 20b in an SLC.

I think the bloodline would be perfect!

With all the complications of flat cranks etc, if people really want THE noise this has to be it. Expensive, perhaps but they're getting better (and cheaper) all the time and nothing has to be custom built - all the parts are readily available.

It's not a very popular choice in the land of muscle but in Europe they have a serious following.

Me? I just love screamers. When I rebuilt my Ford 289 Hi-Po for my '67 Shelby, it HAD to rev to 8K!

Brighton Sea Front, around 1980

 

[Keith]

It appears this example (I don't think it's the Le Mans winner but it is the twin - only 2 were built) is owned by Mazda North America and your chance to see it run is this weekend like it did in 2012 and 2011. I didn't know that.

As Walter says. "Today, one of the two examples is owned by Mazda's North American arm and has been prepared for historic racing. As can be seen in our 23-shot gallery, it competed in the 2011 and 2012 Monterey Motorsports Reunion and is scheduled to race again this week at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca alongside three other rotary-engined Mazdas."

You may have missed it unless you live close to Laguna Seca. That thing must be awesome down the corkscrew!

 

[Seymour Snerd]

With all the complications of flat cranks etc, if people really want THE noise this has to be it.

I have a very loud flat-crank V8 car, and although its "really pissed-off bumble-bee" sound is thrilling, it doesn't have those 3rd-order harmonics that make Wankels and V12s so musical. We should ban engines with ignition patterns indivisible by 3. I don't know about Beethoven, but I'm sure Bach would agree.

And re: rotary SLCs, RX-Heven (Dave) actually built one, right?

 

[Rich E.]

I'd bet hard cash it will be at the Monterey Historics if its track ready in time. Since they're North American headquarters are in SoCal, they sponsor that specific track, and have put on a multi-lap display every year I've been there, I feel confident it'll show up.

 

[Chris Martino]

Flat out-

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxXtpMngivM]Mazda 787B great sound - YouTube[/ame]


Chris

 

[Jim Craik]

Chris, that was fabulous!

 

[Chris Martino]

Saved the best to last - I've watched this a few times... Thanks Keith for the reminder of just how awesome this bad-ass was / is.

The drama takes a few seconds to build, the echos in the distance don't prepare you for what's coming.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtUEPwHnxmU]Mazda 787B, Le Mans 2011. Premiere partie de la ligne droite des hunaudieres. - YouTube[/ame]


Chris

 

[Jim Craik]

RichE,

Howdy, we are still working on a get together for next week, I'll keep you informed.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

Wow....sounds like some kind of wild animal beast tempest...no words to describe this.

 

[Jimmy P]

Keith, thanks for posting this info because if you hadn't Chris might not have posted those two video's which were bloody brilliant. WOW, that is an unbelievable sound. I once owned a 3rd Gen Rx-7 and came a whisker from installing a 20B (3 rotor) after hearing one at a local shop. The sound of that car was intoxicating. The 4 rotor in these videos is deafening but I had to turn the sound up just to get the full ear splitting sound. I remembered working the corner at the 24 Hours of Daytona back in the 70's when the Mazda rotories began to make hay and recalled two things about them......the very "angry bees" in a can sound and the HUGE fire splashes from their exhaust.

 

[John S]

I remember that car (the green/orange one) very well indeed. Back in the day I was at Le Mans and at first I loved it. It just revved so high. Then comes the night and you do get tired.
The next morning is Always very special and you realise these guys are still racing and I remember I started to hate that screamer. I really hurt when it came past and you just wanted to get away from the track.

I love the sound of of Mike's GT40 and the one on youtube 'GT40 spin', I love the sound of the McLaren F1 GTR at Le Mans (gave me goose bumps back in the day), but this machine made your ears bleed.

John

 

[Keith]

Ah, the sight and smell of an A4 Pacific 4-6-2, and the sound of a Mazda 787B.

By God! I certainly grew up in the right era! :thumbsup:

 

[Jimmy P]

Mr. LONGSHANKS, Surprised you did not mention the Rolls Royce Merlin also. Recalling many an air show where the Spitfire or Mustang appeared. Great Sound. Sad to say I never got to hear (or see) the A4 Pacific 4-6-2. What a beaut.

 

[Keith]

Well, that would be the patriotic stance but to be fair, the Merlin is an OK noise as is any other multi cylinder motor at full chat, and it might just be sacrilegious to say so, but there's a few other piston engines I prefer over the Merlin and none were made by Rolls Royce.

Bristol - haha, now there's a totally different story. Listen to the Super at around 1:40 & 2:00. Don't forget, it was 6 of these and their relative destructive performance (even well into the jet age) which ruined the Bay of Pigs for some and convinced Kennedy that the adventure was over.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wauve72wQNs"]Hawker Sea Fury and Bristol Centaurus Radial Engine - YouTube[/ame]

If you really want to float my boat on memorable (non car) engine noises - and I have personal experiences of this thanks to the Canadian Air Force - this is what I'm talking about. This stuff, kind of stays with you..

Nothing but nothing (for me) get's quite this close.....but I guess we all have different opinions, and for now, you can enjoy mine!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6K4iSxET6g"]The Sound Of Starfighters F-104 - YouTube[/ame]

I mean look at it - listen to it!

 

[Keith]

Oh My Gosh - Look at this.

Laguna Seca last weekend....

Thanks Walter..









Rare! or what?



Got to go and lay down in a dark room now. What wouldn't I have given to be there just the once....

Oh well, thanks to Walter's magnificent photography, I don't feel that left out..

 

[Robert May Eng.]

There have been a few hardy types on here (!) who have lusted after a 20b in an SLC.

I think the bloodline would be perfect!

With all the complications of flat cranks etc, if people really want THE noise this has to be it. Expensive, perhaps but they're getting better (and cheaper) all the time and nothing has to be custom built - all the parts are readily available.

It's not a very popular choice in the land of muscle but in Europe they have a serious following.

Me? I just love screamers. When I rebuilt my Ford 289 Hi-Po for my '67 Shelby, it HAD to rev to 8K!

Brighton Sea Front, around 1980

That must have been about the same time the big bad yellow Camaro Rampage was running at Brighton. Pete killed it just after I rebuilt the engine. It broke a half shaft at full throttle on a dual carriageway and just turned left on him and flipped up a bank. Twenty stitches in his swede and a trashed car:thumbsdown:. Its since been restored. History on a drag car anyone - its a Chevy Camaro ! - Page 2

Bob