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F1 News & Discussions => F1 History => Topic started by: geralddickens on May 01, 2018, 08:48:04 AM

Title: Tyrrell P34
Post by: geralddickens on May 01, 2018, 08:48:04 AM

I wonder if anyone can clear up a question?  I have just finished building a Tamiya model of the 1977 P34 that raced at Monaco.  It is basically the 1976 car, with First National City livery.  However I noticed that at earlier races (Brazil, South Africa, Argentina and Long Beach) the Tyrrell team raced the more bulbous p34b, but at Monaco reverted to the old model - anyone know why?  Was it just smaller and therefore better suited to Monaco?  Answers and theories welcome

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: John S on May 01, 2018, 05:03:30 PM

I don't have any hard evidence but the 1977 B car was a changed stretched chassis to cope with Petersen's height and this and other changes added a lot of weight to the car.

This modified car was a lot worse in corners than the original 1976 P34 car. Monaco is all about the corners and little else - it may have looked sensible to use the older but more nimble chassis just for that race.

It was to little effect however, if that's what happened, as both cars were DNFs in the race.

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: geralddickens on May 02, 2018, 08:27:44 AM

Thanks John, that was my feeling too.  I have tracked down the Motorsport report and there is this paragraph: 

'The Tyrrell team showed further confusion since Spain by back-tracking their 6-wheeler design to Monaco 1976, for the cars used by Peterson and Depailler, in an attempt to find out where they went wrong since the promising showing of the P34 cars last year'

However Monaco seems a strange place to undertake a test session, so I assume they just wanted a proven package (which had gone well in Monte Carlo the year before).  Thanks for the insight!

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on May 02, 2018, 09:05:29 AM

It may also have something to do with the steering. Monaco requires more steering lock than any other circuit and many teams build specific uprights, arms, racks etc just for Monaco. Tyrrell may have felt it better to use the older cars because they already had the proper parts on hand, especially since the new cars were not performing up to par.

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: geralddickens on May 02, 2018, 01:16:45 PM

Good point, too.  Thanks for your thoughts guys.

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: cosworth151 on May 02, 2018, 04:10:45 PM

Welcome to G.P. Wizard, Gerald! Glad to have you here.

At some point in the 1977 season, Ken Tyrrell replaced his chief designer Derek Gardner with Maurice Phillippe (designer of the Lotus 49, 56 & 72, and other great race cars). I think that was sometime around Monaco but I might be wrong on that.

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: geralddickens on May 02, 2018, 07:59:14 PM

That's an interesting thought too, and if you are correct in Maurice Phillippe coming on board at Monaco the lessons learned obviously worked as the 008 won the next year's race!

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: Calman on May 03, 2018, 06:06:16 PM

Off Topic, but I just wanted to welcome geralddickens to GPWizard! :)

I am a relatively newcomer myself, so like to welcome new faces to the community (a mature, respectful bunch of people).

All the best,
Cal :)

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: geralddickens on May 05, 2018, 02:33:46 PM

Thank you Cosworth and Calman!  I greatly look forward to lots of discussions, especially about the history and heritage of GP racing!

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: Scott on May 05, 2018, 05:24:49 PM

Hi GeraldDickens...can we call you something shorter?  Gerry or GD?

Welcome to the forum.  Hope you enjoy it!

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: geralddickens on May 09, 2018, 09:24:12 AM

GD is fine!

Title: Re: Tyrrell P34
Post by: cosworth151 on May 09, 2018, 06:39:31 PM

Welcome again, GD! This is a good place for F1 history. Some of us are old enough to remember most of it.  ;)