LDS (automobile)
LDS is the brand name for a total of 13 race cars that developed the South African racing driver and engineer Louis Douglas " Doug " Serrurier in the 1950s and 1960s for Formula 1 and built. It was DIY projects ( in English usage "Specials" ), which were used only to South African and Rhodesian racetracks. By 1968 they appeared with various drivers in many races of the South African Formula 1 Championship. In addition, they were reported in the years 1962 to 1968 and the Grand Prix of South Africa, which was part of the Formula 1 World Championship. At these events they competed against international competition. The LDS Mark 1 was the first constructed in South Africa race car that crossed the finish line in a Formula 1 World Championship race.
Background
Since 1960, a national auto racing championship was played in South Africa, which is modeled on the rules of Formula 1. The race to the South African Formula 1 championship, which did not count for the Formula 1 World Championship, took place mostly on South African routes in East London, Killarney or Kyalami; in each year but also a race in neighboring Southern Rhodesia was discharged. In the 1960s there was in South Africa a " dedicated driver community," often with the worn-out race car European manufacturers went to the start. However, some racers also constructed their own vehicles, which are called "specials" in English usage. Among them was Doug Serrurier.
The cars
Serrurier constructed from 1957 to 1966, five different models, of which several copies were made .
LDS Mark 1
The 1957 LDS designed Mark 1 used a tubular frame, which was modeled on that of the Cooper T41. Serrurier changed the rear suspension: Instead of the transverse leaf springs of the Cooper his car had wishbone. The Mark 1 was designed for different engines. It was created in five copies, which were driven by Alfa Romeo, Porsche or Climax engines. Of particular note are two vehicles that were also taking part in the Formula 1 World Championship races:
- The südrhodesische racer Sam Tingle bought the second copy of the Mark 1, which was equipped with a four cylinder engine of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and a Cooper gearbox. The engine had been revised using components of the Roman tuning operation Giannini; his performance amounted to 140 hp. With it, Tingle qualified for two World Cup races: the Grand Prix of South Africa in 1963 he went from position 17 in the race, but retired after just two laps after a fracture of the mid shaft. Two years later, Tingle qualified in the same place for the last place, and came in 13th and finish last.
- The third copy of the Mark 1 was built in 1960. It was equipped with a Climax FPF - engine. The car was driven by successively Errol Hamman, Fanie Viljoen, Dave Clapham and Jackie Pretorius at various races of the South African Formula 1 Championship. Pretorius reported the car for the Grand Prix of South Africa in 1965, which was a round of the Formula 1 World Championship, but retired there from as early as the pre-qualification.
LDS Mark 2
1962 constructed Serrurier the LDS Mark 2, which had a lower line and the Cooper T53 was modeled. As drive modified Alfa Romeo engines, which were combined with a five-speed gearbox from Hewland, mostly serving. Serrurier built four copies of the Mark 2 Two of them, including one with a Climax engine and a Cooper - gear, were used by Fanie Viljoen and Bosman genes exclusively in the context of the South African Formula 1 Championship.
The third vehicle is Serrurier announced his team Otelle Nucci to the Grand Prix of South Africa in 1962, 1963 and 1965. Between 1962 and 1963 he qualified for the race entry. In 1962, he retired after a technical defect, 1963, he was twelfth with eight laps behind the winner Graham Hill.
LDS Mark 3
The Mark 3 was constructed in 1964 a copy of the Brabham BT11. Serrurier received in the design and construction of the cars of Brabham support. The car was powered by a 2.7 -liter engine of Climax. The Mark 3 was a single piece.
Sam Tingle put the Mark 3 one at the Grand Prix of South Africa in 1967. He qualified for the tenth starting position and took it before Graham Hill in the Lotus factory and before Piers Courage in Rob Walker Racing's private BRM into the race. He retired after a flat tire out prematurely.
For the Grand Prix of South Africa 1968, the Mark 3 received a 3.0-liter Repco engine. Tingle qualified for the Team Gunston with a gap of seven seconds behind the pole sitter Jim Clark for the second to last on the grid. In the race he fell after 35 rounds due to a faulty ignition. The Grand Prix of South Africa in 1968 was the last World Championship race at which an LDS was reported.
LDS Mark 4
In 1964 the LDS Mark 4, the technically oriented on the Mark 3. Serrurier drove the car itself in various races of the South African Formula 1 Championship. A use in a World Championship race did not exist.
LDS Mark 5
1965 produced two copies of the LDS Mark 5 For them it was replicas of the Brabham BT16, which had been designed for Formula 2. A vehicle was fitted with a 2.0 liter Climax engine, the other was a Formula Junior engine of Ford Cars were no longer in a Formula 1 World Championship race in appearance.