Tony Vandervell's Vanwalls

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It was Tony Vandervell's disillusionment with the B.R.M. project and the Ferrari element of his Ferrari based Thin Wall specials, that led to the birth of the Vanwalls, the name being a combination of Vandervell and Thin Wall. In 1932 Tony Vandervell had negotiated the exclusive UK manufacturing rights from the American Cleveland Graphite Bronze Company of Ohio for their patented thin wall bearings and it was on this technology that he built his fortune and ultimately his racing cars.

Appropriately the first Vanwall was to have made its debut at Goodwood on April 19th 1954 driven by Ascari but the arrangement fell through due to Lancia's committment to the Mille Miglia - they were unable to loan Ascari. A lot of the initial testing was however carried out at Goodwood and the car ultimately saw its debut in the hands of Cooper driver Alan Brown at Silverstone on May 15th where, although it failed to beat the established teams, it was clearly seen to have outstanding potential.

In the foreground is one of the classic Costin teardrop bodied F1 cars, probably a 1958 model and behind it the 2.5 litre streamliner. Both of these cars can normally be seen on permanent display at Tom Wheatcroft's Donington collection near Derby.

The Streamliner is chassis number VW6 evolved by Frank Costin, with bodywork built by Abbey Panels, for the 1957 Reims race where it none started due to driver problems. Stirling Moss who was to have driven it was laid up with sinus problems and although Stuart Lewis-Evans and Roy Salvadori both tried it, neither felt they could get the best out of it in its undeveloped form on the fast Reims circuit.  It was later rebodied as an open wheel car and was comparatively successful setting fastest lap in the 1957 Italian GP. Subsequently it has been restored to its beautiful streamliner configuration.

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