Pete05
Premium
- 6,963
- Melbourne, Australia
Surprisingly they struggled and so did the other top runners if the previous seasons, BRM & Lotus.
This gave the edge to Brabham, who fielded a relatively simple spaceframe car powered by the 'underpowered' Repco V8 engine.
Nevertheless, Jack Brabham took the title in 1966 and Denis Hulme repeated that feat in 1967. By then the other teams and particularly the engine manufacturers had caught up and in 1968 the new Repco quad-cam engine proved to be the weak link. A switch to Cosworth DFV power for 1969 brought the team right back to the front of the grid, despite fielding what was basically an evolution of a four year old car.
There was no room for further evolution as rule changes left the existing Brabham designs obsolete at the end of the year. The now mandatory enclosed fuel cells required a sheet aluminium chassis, although Brabham, like Ferrari, did not develop a full monocoque car.
Designer Ron Tauranac did not move away from the familiar spaceframe just yet by using a tubular structure as basis for the 'semi-monocoque' of the new BT33. Brabham again opted for Cosworth power and the chassis was designed for the V8 engine to be used fully stressed. The body followed familiar Brabham lines with an easily recognisable nose, which housed the radiator and was flanked by two small wings.
In the car's debut, Jack Brabham qualified on the front row and won what was to be his last F1 victory.
ENGINE
Configuration
Ford Cosworth DFV V8
Location
Mid, longitudinally mounted
Weight
168 kg / 370.4 lbs
Construction
Aluminium block and head
Displacement
2993 cc / 182.6 cu in
Bore / Stroke
85.7 mm (3.4") / 64.8 mm (2.6")
Compression
11.5:1
Valvetrain
4 valves per cylinder, DOHC
Camshaft
Gear driven
Fuel Feed
Lucas Fuel Injection
Lubrication
Dry sump
Aspiration
Naturally Aspirated
Power
430 BHP / 321 kW @ 10000 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Chassis
Aluminium monocoque with fully stressed engine
Front suspension
Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension
Reversed lower wishbones, top links, twin radius arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering
Rack and pinion
Brakes
Ventilated discs, all-round, inboard at the rear
Gearbox
Hewland DG300 5 speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Weight
550 kg / 1212.5 lbs
Wheelbase
2413 mm (95")
Track (F/R)
1480mm(58.3") / 1556mm(61.3")
