Colin Chapman

Colin Chapman was one of the greatest ever creative forces in the automotive world but he left behind a mixed legacy. Was he an unparalleled innovator who advanced the state of the art of sports and racing cars? Or was he an uninhibited exploiter of the uncredited ideas of others? In death as well as life Colin Chapman excites fevered debate about his achievements and methods. Now Karl Ludvigsen gets to grips with the legend, digging deep beneath the skin of Chapman and his cars to explore and expose the motivations that drove this mercurial genius.

ISBN 1844254135   Pages 400 ISBN13 9781844254132 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Haynes Publishing Group   Weight (grammes) 1565 Imprint J H Haynes & Co Ltd   Published in Somerset Format Hardback   Height (mm) 270 Publication date 06 May 2010   Width (mm) 210 DEWEY 629.228092   Spine width (mm) 28 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level General

Concepts - how and why Chapman chose the paths he did to create new kinds of cars. Engines - for much of his career obliged to use the engines of others, Chapman nevertheless contributed to major advances. Transmissions - from the 'Queerbox' to automatic clutches, Chapman never ceased to search for better solutions. Suspensions - successes and failures of Chapman's constant search for a better marriage between tyres and car. Structures - from space frames to monocoques in both road and racing cars, Chapman was a master of structural design. Aerodynamics - with low drag the criterion in the early days, Chapman's exploitation of de Havilland's engineering know-how. Downforce - having first effectively applied aerodynamic downforce, how Chapman struggled with its further exploitation to his infamous Type 88. Management - an inspired exploiter of talent and ideas, how Chapman marshalled his own skills and those of others.

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