Edwards
Sports Car
Edwards
Sports Car
|
THE EDWARDS SPORTS
CAR....
After carefully
considering the characteristics of foreign sports cars, Edward,
decided his car must have comparable appearance. performance, and
roadability. On the other hand, he felt the American roads,
drivers, and economic conditions differed so drastically from
those on the continent as to make design changes advisable. Lower
gasoline prices and taxes in America obviated the necessity of
extremely small engine and chassis size. Availability of vital
parts was another important consideration.
Being a creative
individual, Edwards decided to design and built his own car. The
famous firm of Diedt and Lesovsky, race car engineers, was chosen
to build the new design and Norman Timbs was selected as
mechanical engineer.
Chassis specifications read like a blue
book of European design. The rigid frame uses large diameter
tubing in the BMW manner. All four wheels are independently
suspended. Front suspension is by parallel arms and springing is
by low rate coils. A flavor of Mercedes design is shown in the
drilled members anti steering linkage. Trailing arms and torsion
bars are used at the rear.
The "old reliable" of
midget racing, the Ford V-8 "60", was selected because
of its proven ability to withstand high speeds for long periods.
The engine was modified and built-up by Eddie Meyer Engineering.
Although the stock Meyer-Ford unit has a displacement of 153 cubic
incites. it may be sleeved to 2 litres (122 cu. in.) for
competition in European Formula 2 events.
Power is transmitted
via a heavy duty clutch and transmission to a drive shaft running
over the frame. The differential unit is mounted directly on the
frame, driving to each rear wheel thru cardan shafts and
universals.
Many automotive authorities who have viewed the
Edwards Sports Car have enthusiastically declared it to be "the
most beautiful automobile ever”.
ROAD
end TRACK. December, 1949 |
