Jan Coombes Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 Is anyone going to the Grandprix? If so could you take some photos of the f1 side mirrors for me, the more the better. Show cars are good too. Intrested how they mount and all angles. Beers etc for thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 I'm pretty sure that the mirrors are part of the body moulding. The only movable part is the "glass" itself. I doubt the lenses are glass though, I should imagine they are some sort of plastic, or plasticised material... There won't be any mirror mount to photograph... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROC Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 Some photos of the Fosters girls would be good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Albert Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 Blatters You're not often wrong but when you are you really are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 Blatters You're not often wrong but when you are you really are Lets see a close up then. Those piccys don't show anything like enough detail to be conclusive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Albert Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Here you are Blatters Incidentally, aerodynamically F1 teams do make me larf Try driving (as a passenger of course) at 100 mph holding something shaped like these mirrors out the window... Why don't they use a TV screen in the cockpit? $400m a year budgets and no comon sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisbin Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Incidentally, aerodynamically F1 teams do make me larf Try driving (as a passenger of course) at 100 mph holding something shaped like these mirrors out the window... Why don't they use a TV screen in the cockpit? $400m a year budgets and no comon sense At a guess, probably because the rules require them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Albert Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Since when have rules had anything to do with Formula 1? Just ask the Michael, Ross & Rory show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Fatters Still can't tell conclusively that those are *definitely* bolted on to the tub.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 They aren't moulded in. Name one reason why an F1 designer would make a tub where damage to a minor component like a mirror would require tub replacement to fix? Also, see this pic of a tub... Edited to add: Found that pic on the first proper link from googling for "F1 car tub" - do a search Blatters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 They aren't moulded in. Name one reason why an F1 designer would make a tub where damage to a minor component like a mirror would require tub replacement to fix? Er, if it's made of the same material as the tub, it *won't* break, and even road cars have removable glass I'm pretty sure that the mirrors are part of the body moulding. So, one team down, 9 to go...... maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Ok, so widen "damage" to inclulde moulding/layup defects - and to claim that crabon fibre won't break is taking things a bit far! I'd lay odds that a decent birdstrike at speed would snap one off - especially given that they'd have a layup optimised for lightweight rather than outright strength. As evidence, witness them waving about all over the place from the cockpit cameras on the telly coverage... There are any number of reasons not to mould the mirrors as part of the tub (not least cos you'd be making a needlessly overcomplicated set of tooling) and absolutely no reason to make it integral. Next... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Hmmmm, don't recall seeing any of them flapping around recently. A bird strike would make a mess of a bolted on mirror, and you still run the risk of having to have the tub visit the dag man to fix the massive hole made by ripping the mirror out Take your point on the tooling, but I'm sure they make more complicated stuff than that. Making them part of the tub/body means that they *can't* flap around, that they remain rigid and therefore useable, during a race. They can optimise the shape of the stalk/stems/whatever so that they create less drag. They certainly seem to me to be shrouded, and from what I've seen (your picture above not withstanding) they don't seem to be a seperate part that's bolted on. Not using a bolt and nut means more weight saved, and something less to shake loose and fall off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Never heard of snap off mirrors then? They can be (and have been) made to survive on cars capable of operating in excess of 200mph.. (no idea if they do run them on F1 cars though, most likely not in case they fell off in a crash.. They only make complicated tooling if there's a sensible reason to do so. Mirrors are not a sensible reason. SEOT. Also, if you look closely, most pics of F1 mirrors show the joint condition of the mirrors to the tub having a sharp join - no radius. This would not be a very clever idea on a part with high loading (not to mention difficult to layup with no radii) - further suggestion of a mechanical fixing, IMO. Anyhow, I've found a pic of an F1 tub without mirrors, you find one showing integral mirrors. Until you do, I'm right - you're wrong, end of story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Yeah yeah. Can't seem to find *any* decent pictures of the mirror joints just now, and I've been looking on and off all day.... I'll have to see if I can find a current F1 mechanic lying around somewhere..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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