Pete05
Premium
- 7,422
- Melbourne, Australia
Left to Right: W154, W165
The Tripoli Grand Prix marked a noteable exception among the Mercedes-Benz victories of 1939. The competition was not held according to the 3-litre formula dominated by the German racing cars, but according to the 1.5-litre category (voiturette formula), for which the Stuttgart team - up until then - did not have any entrants. With this trick, the Italian motor racing authorities responsible for organizing the prestigious Tripoli Grand Prix in Libya - at that time an Italian colony - hoped to undermine the dominance of the Silver Arrows and ensure once and for all victory for the Italian cars. The Italians' last win in this race had been back in 1934, since when the German cars had repeatedly triumphed on the Mellaha circuit. Caracciola had won in 1935 and Auto Union in 1936, while in 1937 and 1938 had been taken by Hermann Lang at the wheel of the winning Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes-Benz however, was not to be so quickly deterred from competing in one of the most important races of the Grand Prix world of the 1930's. From when the new regulations were issued, in September 1938, the Stuttgart team proceeded to take less than eight months to develop a completely new race car; the W165. The key drawings were soon provided by engine specialist Albert Heess and chassis expert Max Wagner, so that the first vehicle was ready to be tested by Caracciola and Lang at Hockenheim as early as April 1939. It was therefore with considerable astonishment that the international racing world saw two Mercedes-Benz W165 cars with a displacement of 1.5 litres appear in the list of contenders for the Gran Premio di Tripoli.
The new racing car bore a distinct similarity to the existing W154 racing car but appeared at first glance, to be a scaled-down version of the 3 litre racer. The struts of it's oval tubular frame were made out of nickel-chrome-molybdenum steel, with five cross-members supplemented by the rear engine bracket. The driver did not sit in the middle, but slightly to the right. With a full tank the W165 weighed just 905 kg. The engine too, even though it weighed just 166 kg, was clearly a close relation of the V12 engine from the W154. It was a V8 engine with a displacement of 1493 cc, a V-angle of 90 degrees and with four overhead camshafts and 32 valves, with an almost identical arrangement and drive system to those in the Grand Prix W154. The mixture was prepared by two Solex suction carburettors, with powerful support from two Roots blowers. It's output of 254 bhp at 8000 rpm equated to a power-to-swept volume ratio of 170 bhp - an absolute record figure. This power was tamed by large brake drums (360 mm in diameter), that almost filled the whole inside part of the spoked wheels. The engineers even allowed for the extreme temperatures to be expected in the host country - on race day the temperature on the track would be 52 degrees Celsius - by running the fuel pipes through tubular coolers.
The rest is racing history: the two Mercedes-Benz W165s left their opponents no chance. Caracciola, in his shorter-ratio vehicle, completed the entire race without a break, while Hermann Lang - in line with Neubauer's carefully devised tactics - made a brief pit stop to change tyres and won the Tripoli race in his longer-ratio vehicle (which had a higher top speed) almost a full lap ahead of his fellow driver. A historic victory.
ENGINE
Configuration
M165 90 degree V8
Location
Front, longitudinally mounted
Weight
195 kg / 429.9 lbs
Construction
Steel block and heads
Displacement
1495 cc / 91.2 cu in
Bore / Stroke
64 mm (2.5") x 58 mm (2.3")
Compression
6.5:1
Valvetrain
4 valves per cylinder, DOHC per bank
Fuel feed
2 x Solex carburettors
Aspiration
Two Roots-Type Superchargers
Power
256 bhp / 191 kW @ 8000 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Body
Aluminium panels
Chassis
Steel oval tube frame with 5 cross-members
Front suspension
Double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers
Rear suspension
DeDion axle, longitudinal torsion bars, hydraulic shock absorbers
Steering
Worm and nut
Brakes
Hydraulic drums, all round
Gearbox
5 speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Weight
700 kg / 1543.2 lbs
Length
3680 mm / 144.9"
Width
1510 mm / 59.4"
Height
850 mm / 33.5"
Wheelbase
2450 mm / 96.5"
Front track
1340 mm / 52.8"
Rear track
1280 mm / 50.4"
http://www.grrandprixhistory.org/merc165.htm
http://histomobile.com/m2/12/mercedes-benz-w165-formula/19059421.htm
http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/c9.htm
http://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/heritage/silver-arrows/mercedes-benz-w-165-1939/
http://silberpfeil.mercedes-benz-classic.com/news.php?lang=en
http://www.sportscarillustrated.com/News_2014/G/news14G_0699.html
http://www.stasher.us/mercedes_survivors.html
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/964/Mercedes-Benz-W165.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W165
Last edited:
