Bowin P3
From Bowincars
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Formula Twoclass. The car was designed by John Joyce founder of
Bowin Carsand assisted by Ray Parson's, better known as mechanic to the late
Jim_Clark
This was the first and only Bowin Car type to come out of the Joyce-Parsons association. The initial design and build project took just over 12 weeks to complete.
Three Bowin P3 cars were built. The first, P3-101-68 was for Queensland racing driver Glyn Scott using a spareCosworth#The_FVA_seriesacquired from Pier Courage after the 1968 Tasman Series. The second an enhanced P3a model P3A-103-69 was powered by a Lotus twin cam engine for Ian Fergusson which he used in the 1970 Australian Grand Prix and the third P3A-110-70 had an extended engine bay to hold a 179 Holden straight 6 motor for Barry Garner to use in hillclimbs.
Contents |
The Design
There were two major points about the Bowin Cars construction. The chief aim of the project was to build a car that was economical enough for Australian racers to afford and also easy to maintain - unlike most monocoques. Just as important was the fact that almost every component of the car, with the exception of the engine and transmission, was entirely manufactured in Australia.
Joyce designed his own magnesium hub carriers, and all other suspension members, his own wheels, steering and so on. All components were either fabricated in his own workshops or manufactured byAustraliancompanies - Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation cast the wheels and hub carriers. Most non-local components simply couldn't be manufactured in Australia, although Joyce would have been willing to try local producers if they existed. Those non-Australian components include English FPT fuel cells, made of the rare material hycathane, the
Girlingdisc calipers, fitted all round, and some other special fittings, including the lightweight aircraft battery that fits underneath the driver's knee.
The design programme for the Bowin P3 included as much planning for economic production and lifetime maintenance as for any other phase of the project. Wrapped up in the prime considerations of economics and adaptability was an intense dedication to the idea that this should be purely Australian Car.
McLaren, but the differences were really quite marked. The
monocoquechassis extends from the front bulkhead to the rearmost engine-transmission mount. The actual chassis projects forwards as far as the front suspension location, but the pedals, master cylinders, radiator and so on are hung on outriggers built on to the monocoque.
At the rear, the engine sits on integral monocoque rails, and the chassis is not an extension of the bottom or "tub"; of the cockpit part of the monocoque as on many integral chassis design cars.
The engine rails are cross-braced only at the rearmost point. The chassis is supplied complete with transmission (Hewland FT200) since the rear suspension is partly located on the transmission.
The fuel tank containers are an actual integral part of the chassis design and were built around the design intention of utilising only fuel cells as fuel carriers. The flexible cells are stuffed through apertures in the cockpit and clip into place on special mountings.
The seat is also part of the chassis and provisions has been made in its location for the installation of an auxiliary fuel tank to add to the twin 12 gallon cavities provided on each side.
The actualcockpitinterior dimensions are wider than a Lotus and Mclaren monocoque, although the exterior width is small. This makes for an extremely sleek and small body, with better comfort for the driver. A neat touch is the flared-out sides to the cockpit which Joyce hoped would overcome most of the driving problems associated with lack of elbow-room. The aero-dynamics of the monocoque design basically hinged on a constant upward sloping flat line that carried through from the mouth to behind the driver's head. Which was influenced by John's practical experience with this type of design in his wind-tunnel testing work conducted on the 1968 Lotus Turbine car for
Indy 500. Many of the ideas on that car were Joyce's and he has adapted them for the Bowin P3 as well.[1]
The Cars
The link from each chassis number leads to a page for each car
Chassis | Date | First Owner | Current Owner | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
7th July 1968
| I. Peters
| Detailed History & 7 Photos
| ||
20th Jul 1969
| I Fergusson
| destroyed
| Some History & No Photos
| |
27th Jun 1970
| B. Garner
| T Dowd?
| Some History & 4 Photos
|
Noteworthy Race History
RACE | DRIVER | PLACE | TIME | YEAR | LAPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
34th Australian Grand Prix[2]
| 8th
| -
| 1969
| 55
| |
Australian Gold Star round 4
| 1st outright
| 1968
| |||
Auto Federation Japanese Grand Prix[3]
| 4th
| -
| 1969
| 39
| |
35th Australian Grand Prix[4]
| 11th
| -
| 1970
| 41
| |
Queensland Hillclimb Championship
| B. Garner
| 1st
| -
| 1970
| N/A
|
Video Footage
Glynn Scott in Bowin P3 - Ford Cosworth starting 3rd on the grid. Finished 4th Overall IV Grand Prix of Japan 1969 J.A.F. Grand Prix - Fuji Grand Prix - Fuji International Speedway, Japan
Glynn Scott in Bowin P3 - Ford Cosworth. Finished 8th Overall - 34th Australian Grand Prix 1969
Drawings[5]
All Bowin P3 drawings can be viewed and printed from the following location.
Specification[6]
alloyand steel, utilising latest techniques in assembly with emphasis placed on ease of maintenance and repair.
double wishbones, operating entirely on adjustable rod-ends and a separate
anti-roll bar. Springing by
coil springs in conjunction with
shock absorbersknown as Armstrong dampers incorporating adjustable spring platforms. Suspension has built-in anti-dive qualities.
driveshafts hollow to reduce
unsprung weight. Rear hub carriers magnesium, cast. Suspension operates entirely on adjustable rod-ends with provision for toe-in and
camberadjustments.
Disk brakesall round, 9 3/4 inch diameter. Rear discs mounted inboard of hub carrier. Girling A.R alloy callipers. Twin master cylinders with adjustable ratio balance bar.
rack and pinionwith adjustable
steering columnand lightweight 10 inch leather-covered
steering wheel. Steering arms connected to rack by adjustable rod-ends.
TRANSMISSIONS: Hewland gearbox F2 type FT2000 with full magnesium casing. Five forwards speeds, plus reverse. Full choice of ratios.
Gearboxinclusive in overall price car.
WATER COOLING SYSTEM: Crossflow radiator low-mounted in nose, connected to power unit by allow pipes and flexible hoses. Includes allow swirl pot.
filter (oil)and alloy oil tank.
FUEL SYSTEM: Capacity 12 gallons each side in fuel cells in side panel. Twin filters and breathers. Provision for auxiliary tank under driver's seat.
fibreglassnose panel and engine cover of advanced
aerodynamics. Twin alloy rear vision mirrors. Seat integral in chassis and covered with detachable lightweight padding.
Battery (electricity)switch and separate
ignition systemswitch and starter
solenoid. Lightweight aircraft battery fitted beneath driver's knee.
tachometer, 0-8000
rpm, oil
pressure gauge, water
temperature gauge.
Thermometer
wheelbase
spokefour stud fixing of 13 inch diameter. Front 8 inch
rimwidth, rear 10 inch rim width.
wheelbase90 inch. Track front 56 inch. Track rear 56 inch ground clearance 3 1/2 inch.
fuel tankand fittings. Alternate
engineinstallations.
PRICE: Purchase price in 1968 was $7000 Australian dollars including transmission and wheels.
CONSTRUCTORS: Bowin Designs, 18 Consul Road, Brookvale, Sydney 2100 Tel: +612 9938 5433
References
- ↑ Rob Luck, Racing Car News, May 1968 Page 40-44
- ↑ The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix page 344
- ↑ Racing Car News, June, 1969 page 17
- ↑ The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix page 352
- ↑ Bowin Designs Pty Ltd - Bowin Drawing Archives
- ↑ Bowin Designs Pty Ltd - Company Files