| John Fitch | |
|---|---|
 |
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Nationality  American |
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| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Active years | 1953, 1955 |
| Teams | HWM-Alta, Stirling Moss |
| Races | 2 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1953 French Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1955 Italian Grand Prix |
John Cooper Fitch (born August 4, 1917) is a racecar driver born in Indianapolis, Indiana. The FIA Super Licence is a qualification allowing the Licence holder to take part in Formula One Grands Prix as a driver The United States of America —commonly referred to as the As in, the 1953 Formula One season consisted of a small number of Formula One races following the FIA's decision to once again run the World Drivers' Championship to Formula The 1955 Formula One season included the 6th FIA Formula One World Championship season which commenced on January 16, 1955, and ended on Hersham and Walton Motors (HWM was a Racing car constructor which was operational during the 1950s Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss OBE (born September 17, 1929 in London) is a retired racing driver from England. The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile ( FIA) to the most successful Formula One The term " pole position " comes from the Horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole In motorsport, the fastest lap is the quickest lap run during a race The 1953 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 5, 1953 at Reims-Gueux. Results from the 1955 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 11, 1955 Classification Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year He was the first American to race automobiles successfully in Europe in the postwar era. After obtaining an engineering degree from Lehigh University, he began racing in Europe. Lehigh University is a private, co-educational University located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of
In the course of a driving career which spanned 18 years, Fitch won such notable sports car races as the Argentine Grand Prix 1951, Mille Miglia 1955 (production car class), Dunrod Tourist Trophy, and Sebring endurance race as well as numerous lesser races. The Argentine Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One championship held intermittently from to. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles - pronounced 'miʎʎa was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Sebring International Raceway is a road course Auto racing facility located in Sebring Florida. he also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times, finishing as high as third. The 24 Hours of Le Mans ( 24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, Fitch also served as the first manager for Chevrolet's Corvette racing team, and the first general manager of the Lime Rock Park race track, where he organized (and drove in) a famous Formula Libre race in 1959, where Rodger Ward shocked the expensive and exotic sports cars by beating them on the road course in an Offenhauser powered midget car, normally considered competitive for oval tracks only. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM The Chevrolet Corvette is a Sports car that has been manufactured by General Motors since 1953 Lime Rock Park is a road course Auto racing facility located in Lime Rock Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville Formula Libre (also known as 'Formule Libre' is a form of Automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rodger Ward ( January 10, 1921 &ndash July 5, 2004) was an American Racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis A sports car is a term used to describe a class of Automobile. Road racing can be a term involving Road running, road bicycle races, or Automobile races Offenhauser was a racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983 Midget cars are very small Race cars with a very high Power-to-weight ratios and typically using Four-cylinder engines Despite their name they are fully An oval track is a dedicated motorsport circuit primarily in the USA, which differs from a road course in that it only has turns in one direction which is almost
In addition, Fitch emulated his ancestor, John Fitch who invented the steamship, by inventing many safety innovations for the race track and the highway, as well as designing and building high performance cars, including modifying Corvairs for resale. John Fitch ( January 21, 1743 &ndash July 2, 1798) was an American Inventor, Clockmaker, and Bronzesmith A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller A race track (or 'racetrack' or 'racing track' is a purpose-built facility for Racing of animals (eg * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve The Chevrolet Corvair was an Automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1959 to 1969 for the 1960&ndash1969 Model
Fitch has been active in crusading for increased safety on racetracks and highways, joining with medical experts such as Steve Olvey and Terry Trammel, engineers such as Bill Milliken and Karl Ludvigsen, and journalists such as Chris Economaki and Brock Yates, as well as many of his racing driver friends. Karl Ludvigsen (24 April 1934 Born - Kalamazoo Michigan. Cum Laude graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and attended both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Christopher "Chris" Constantine Economaki (born October 15 1920) is a legendary American motorsports commentator pit road reporter and journalist Brock Yates was executive editor of Car and Driver, an American Automotive Magazine. He has served as consultant to numerous research and governmental organizations on the subject of vehicle handling and dynamics, as they relate to safety. He also served as technical consultant for the film The Racers and design consultant for many racetracks, including Mosport, St. Mosport International Raceway (formerly Mosport Park) is a multi-track facility located north of Bowmanville Ontario. Jovite, Quebec, and Watkins Glen International, as well as Lime Rock Park. Watkins Glen International (nicknamed "The Glen" is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. Lime Rock Park is a road course Auto racing facility located in Lime Rock Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville
Contents |
Early life
John Fitch's stepfather was an executive with the Stutz Motor Company, which introduced him to cars and racing at an early age. The Stutz Motor Company was a producer of Luxury cars Production began in 1911 and continued through 1935 In his youth, Fitch would build cars from junk and drive them. In 1939 he saw the last auto race at Brooklands before the outbreak of World War II. There is also a type of Windscreen known as "Brooklands" or "Brookland screen" World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Fitch attended Kentucky Military Institute, then studied civil engineering at Lehigh University. The Kentucky Military Institute ( KMI) was a military preparatory school in Lyndon Kentucky and Venice Florida, in operation from 1845 to 1973 Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built Lehigh University is a private, co-educational University located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of In 1941 he volunteered for the US Army Air Corps. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U His service took him to North Africa, where he flew the A-20 Havoc and then on to England. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout By 1944, Captain Fitch was a P-51 Mustang pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, 335th Fighter Squadron, and is credited with shooting down a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Two months before the end of the war, he was shot down himself while making an ill-advised third strafing pass on an Axis train and spent the rest of the war as a POW.
Personal life
Fitch is an amateur sailor. He is married to his wife Elizabeth. He currently resides in Connecticut, near Lime Rock Park. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Lime Rock Park is a road course Auto racing facility located in Lime Rock Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville
Racing career
After the war, Fitch opened an MG car dealership and also began racing MG-TCs at tracks like Bridgehampton, New York, Watkins Glen, and Thompson, Connecticut. MG is a British Sports car brand founded in 1924 MG is best known for two-seat open sports cars but MG also produced saloons and Coupés Bridgehampton is a hamlet (and Census-designated place) in the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States.
In 1950 Fitch raced his Ford Flathead engined Fiat 1100, which he soon modified into the "Fitch Model B", and ended the year by driving a Jaguar XK120 in the first Sebring endurance race. Overview This design had the camshaft above the crank as in a modern pushrod operated overhead valve engine The Fiat 1100 was an Automobile produced from 1937 to 1969 by the Italian car maker Fiat. The Jaguar XK120 was a Sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954 Sebring International Raceway is a road course Auto racing facility located in Sebring Florida. In 1951 in addition to campaigning in his Fitch-Whitmore, he won the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in his Cadillac-Allard, drove a Cunningham C-2 for the Briggs Cunningham team at several races including the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans, and became the first Sports Car Club of America national champion. The Buenos Aires Grand Prix was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Briggs Swift Cunningham II ( January 19 1907 - July 2 2003) was an American sportsman who raced cars and yachts The 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 19th Grand Prix of Endurance and took place on June 22 and 23, 1951. The Sports Car Club of America ( SCCA) is a club and sanctioning body supporting Road racing, rally, and Autocross in the United States In 1952, Fitch continued to race the Fitch-Whitmore as well as a Chrysler-engined Cunningham C4R for the Cunningham team at several races (once again including Le Mans), a Sunbeam-Talbot for the Sunbeam team at the Alpine Rally, a Porsche 356 at a Porsche race at Nürburgring, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL for in the Carrera Panamericana. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925 Sunbeam-Talbot was a British car maker Background history The Sunbeam Motorcar Company Ltd was formed in 1905 to separate the Sunbeam motorcycle and Sunbeam was a Marque registered by John Marston Co Ltd of Wolverhampton, England, in 1888 The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile The Nürburgring, known as simply " The Ring " by enthusiasts is a Motorsport Race track in Nürburg, Germany. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat closed Sports car with characteristic Gull-wing doors Later it was offered as an open The Carrera Panamericana was a Sports car racing event on open roads in Mexico, similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy
In his most notable year, 1953, Fitch competed in many European races and was named "Sports Car Driver of the Year" by Speed Age magazine. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Speed Age is a former American Automobile Magazine. Book Photos That year, in addition to again racing a Cunningham C4R and Cunningham C5R for the Cunningham team (and becoming airborne at 140 mph and tumbling end for end while leading the French Grand Prix), competing in European rallies in a Sunbeam-Talbot for the Sunbeam team, and racing a Porsche 356 at Nürburgring, he also competed in the Mille Miglia in a Nash-Healey for the factory team, the Aix-les-Bains Grand Prix in a Cooper Monaco for the Cooper team, the Dunrod Tourist Trophy race in a Frazer Nash for the factory team, the Italian Grand Prix in HWM-Alta for the HWM team, and took his rookie test for the Indy 500 in a Kurtis-Kraft Offy but did not qualify for the race. The French Grand Prix ( Grand Prix de France) is a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile 's annual Formula One automobile The Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles - pronounced 'miʎʎa was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen The Nash-Healey Aix les Bains, Savoie France had a temporary race track called Circuit du Lac, that hosted Formula 2 Formula Junior and The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Frazer Nash was a British Automobile manufacturer and engineering company founded by Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1922 The Italian Grand Prix ( Gran Premio d'Italia) is one of the longest running events on the Motor racing calendar Hersham and Walton Motors (HWM was a Racing car constructor which was operational during the 1950s The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars The company was founded by Frank Kurtis. Offenhauser was a racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983 His win at Sebring with co-driver Phil Walters, defeating the powerful Aston Martin team under John Wyer, was the first win at that track for American drivers in an American car. Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury performance cars, whose headquarters are at Gaydon, England. John Wyer (b 11 December 1909, Kidderminster, England - d 1989 Scottsdale Arizona, U
In 1954, Fitch drove for Cunningham in a Cunningham C4R, and also Ferraris and again a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Scuderia Ferrari is the name for the Gestione Sportiva the division of the Ferrari automobile company concerned with racing The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat closed Sports car with characteristic Gull-wing doors Later it was offered as an open In 1955, in addition to driving a Maserati 250F in the 1955 Italian Grand Prix, Fitch raced for the Mercedes-Benz sports car team along with Juan Manuel Fangio, Karl Kling, and Stirling Moss, arguably the most formidable racing team ever, dominating all levels of competition from Formula One to diesel-engined production cars. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) The Maserati 250F (first raced January 1954 - last raced November 1960 was a racing car made by Maserati of Italy, used in '2 Results from the 1955 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 11, 1955 Classification Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the Juan Manuel Fangio ( Balcarce, June 24, 1911 - Buenos Aires, July 17, 1995) nicknamed "El Chueco" ("knock-kneed" Karl Kling (b 16 September 1910, Gießen &ndash d 18 March 2003, Gaienhofen on Lake Constance, Germany) was Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss OBE (born September 17, 1929 in London) is a retired racing driver from England. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum That year, Fitch won the production class at the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, coming in fifth overall behind his teammates Moss and Fangio in their Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racers. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat closed Sports car with characteristic Gull-wing doors Later it was offered as an open The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR was a sports racing car in 1955. Technical Highlights Despite a misleading name the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR was based neither on the
For the 1955 24 Heures du Mans, Fitch was paired with Pierre Levegh in a 300 SLR; while it was Levegh driving at the time of the 1955 Le Mans disaster, the initial confusion had his family in the United States notified he had crashed, when it was Levegh; Fitch was in the pits awaiting his turn. The 24 Hours of Le Mans ( 24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, Pierre Eugène Alfred Bouillin (b 22 December 1905, Paris &ndash d The 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans when a racing car involved in an accident flew into the crowd killing the driver ( Pierre Levegh The incident sparked his lifelong interest in safety innovations for racing and highways.
In 1956 Fitch returned from Europe and was chosen by Chevrolet Chief Engineer Ed Cole to head the new eight driver Chevrolet Corvette racing team for two years. Edward Nicholas Cole ( Marne Michigan, September 17 1909 &ndash May 2 1977 in Mendon Michigan) was an automotive executive The Chevrolet Corvette is a Sports car that has been manufactured by General Motors since 1953 Although the Corvette was at that point widely panned in the racing community as more style than substance, under Fitch's management the year began with setting a class land speed record for production cars at Daytona Beach of 145. The land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by any wheeled vehicle on land as opposed to one on water or in the air or on rails. 543 mph, followed by two class wins and a team win at Sebring. During this period, Fitch continued to race successfully with the Cunningham team, which was now competing around the United States in Jaguar D-types. Briggs Swift Cunningham II ( January 19 1907 - July 2 2003) was an American sportsman who raced cars and yachts The Jaguar D-Type, like its predecessor the C-Type, was a factory-built Race car. By the end of 1957, Fitch had begun racing in Maseratis, which he continued to race in 1958, mostly at the new Lime Rock Park, where he had been instrumental in the promotion of the track and where he was circuit director. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Maserati is an Italian manufacturer of racing cars and Sports cars established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lime Rock Park is a road course Auto racing facility located in Lime Rock Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville In 1959 he drove a RSK for Porsche at Sebring, a Lister Jaguar for Cunningham, a Corvette for Chevrolet's Bill Mitchell, and a Cooper Monaco. The Porsche 718 was an Automobile from Porsche released in 1958 and built until 1962 Lister Cars is a British Sports car manufacturer. George Lister and Sons Beginning in 1954 company manager and racing driver Brian William L Mitchell ( July 2, 1912 — September 12, 1988) was an important General Motors designer from the late 1930s to 1977 per
In 1960, Fitch and Briggs Cunningham joined the Corvette team as drivers to race once again at Sebring and Le Mans. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Briggs Swift Cunningham II ( January 19 1907 - July 2 2003) was an American sportsman who raced cars and yachts After that, they teamed to race a two liter Maserati at endurance events at Sebring and Road America through 1962, and a Jaguar E-type at Sebring in 1963. Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Jaguar E-Type' (UK or XK-E (US is a British Automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1974 Fitch also raced a Genie BMC in 1963, then returned with Cunningham to drive a Porsche 904 at Sebring in 1965 and 1966. Gilbern cars were made in Llantwit Fardre, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales between 1959 and 1973 Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Porsche 904 was officially called Porsche Carrera GTS due to the same naming rights problem that required renaming the Porsche 901. By this time, both were no longer enthusiastic about competing to win; according to Fitch, "I think we were there because we just liked to drive. And at Sebring we could, for 12 hours! Besides, it was the best place to watch the race. " [1] So, when a valve broke on the car in 1966, it marked the end of their racing careers for both of them.
Fitch still drives in vintage racing events, particularly at Lime Rock Park, as well as at Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races. The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Toyota (or simply Monterey Historics) is an annual event held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey
Fitch did, however, return to official automotive competition at 87 years of age in 2003[2] and again in 2005[3], when he was once again teamed up with a now 50 year old Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR owned by Bob Sirna, this time at Bonneville Salt Flats in an attempt to break the land speed record for the class, a novel venue for both car and driver. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 159 square mile (412 km² Salt flat in northwestern Utah. The attempts failed due to the fuel injection pump which limited the top speed to only 150 mph, but the team vowed to return the next year. Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an Internal combustion engine. With characteristic self-deprecating humor, Fitch noted that he had driven those cars faster than that in the rain, at night, on a road with 60 other cars. The extraordinary event is documented in a film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch, which is occasionally airing in HD on PBS [4]. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the
Engineering
Car design
Racing specials
Fitch designed a total of five cars. In 1950 Fitch built and raced a Fiat 1100 with the small (60 horsepower) Ford Flathead engine tuned for midget racing, which he soon modified into the "Fitch Model B" by adding a Crosley body. The Fiat 1100 was an Automobile produced from 1937 to 1969 by the Italian car maker Fiat. Overview This design had the camshaft above the crank as in a modern pushrod operated overhead valve engine Midget cars are very small Race cars with a very high Power-to-weight ratios and typically using Four-cylinder engines Despite their name they are fully The Crosley was an Automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States In 1951, in addition to campaigning in the Fitch-Whitmore, a Jaguar XK120 to which he had fit a lightweight aluminum body, saving 800 pounds, he won the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in a Cadillac powered Allard he had rebuilt from a wreck. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The Jaguar XK120 was a Sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954 WikipediaNaming The Buenos Aires Grand Prix was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cadillac is a Brand of Luxury vehicles owned by General Motors. This article is about the car company For the US Senator see Wayne Allard. In 1952, Fitch continued to race his Fitch-Whitmore in addition to other cars. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Fitch Sprint and Phoenix
As a roadracer, Fitch was particularly interested in the Corvair as the basis for a spirited road and track oriented car due to its handling, while others concentrated more on the Ford Falcon or Ford Mustang with the potential for more power. The Chevrolet Corvair was an Automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1959 to 1969 for the 1960&ndash1969 Model The Ford Falcon was an Automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1960 through 1970 The Ford Mustang sports coupe, manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, was initially based on the Ford Falcon His Fitch Sprint had only minor modifications to the engine, bringing it to 155 hp (116 kW), but upgrades to the shock absorbers and springs, adjustments to the wheel alignment, quicker steering ratio, alloy wheels, metallic brake linings, the obligatory wood-rimmed steering wheel (leather available for an additional $9. The Chevrolet Corvair was an Automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1959 to 1969 for the 1960&ndash1969 Model A shock absorber in common parlance (or damper in technical use is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or dampen shock impulse and dissipate A spring is a flexible elastic object used to store mechanical Energy. A wheel alignment is part of standard Automobile maintenance that consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car maker's specification Steering ratio refers to the ratio between the turn of the Steering wheel (in degrees or handlebars and the turn of the wheels (in degrees Brake linings are the consumable surfaces in braking systems, especially those used in vehicles A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel or hand wheel) is a type of steering Control in Vehicles and vessels ( Ships and Boats Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process 95) and other such minor alterations made it extremely competitive with European sports cars costing much more. Body options such as spoilers were available, but the most visually remarkable option was the "Ventop", a fiberglass overlay for the C-pillars and rear of the roof that gave the car a "flying buttress" profile. A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre see Spelling differences) is material made from extremely fine Fibers of Glass. An A-pillar is a name applied by car stylists and enthusiasts to the shaft of material that supports the windshield (windscreen on either of the windshield frame sides A flying buttress, or arc-boutant, is a specific type of Buttress usually found on a religious building such as a Cathedral.
Fitch went on to design and build a prototype of the Fitch Phoenix, a Corvair-based two-seat sports car, superficially resembling a smaller version of the Mako Shark based Corvette. A sports car is a term used to describe a class of Automobile. The XP-755 Mako Shark show car was designed by Larry Shinoda under the direction of GM Design head Bill Mitchell in 1961 as a concept for future With a total weight of 1,950 pounds (885 kg), even with a steel body, and with the Corvair engine modified with Weber carburetors to deliver 175 hp (130 kW), the car delivered spirited performance for $8,760. Weber is an a Italian company producing Carburetors currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S Unfortunately, the Traffic Safety Act of 1966 placed restrictions on the ability to produce automobiles on a small scale; this was followed by Chevrolet's decision to terminate production of the Corvair, which confirmed the end of Fitch's plan. He still retains the prototype however, and occasionally exhibits it at car shows. It is briefly glimpsed in the film Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch, mentioned above.
Other cars
Fitch's company, John Fitch & Co. , Inc. , went on to manufacture and market the Fitch Firebird and Toronado Phantom, but garnered less attention than the Sprint.
Safety inventions
In the aftermath of the Le Mans disaster of 1955, Fitch has devoted a great deal of effort to the task of increasing the safety of motorsports and driving in general, resulting in his company, Impact Attenuation Inc. . His innovations are characterized not only by their effectiveness, but also by their real-world practicality, as affordable and easily installed and maintained solutions.
Inspired by sand-filled fuel cans which he used to protect his tent from strafing during the war, he devised the Fitch Barrier system, now ubiquitous on American highways, for installation around fixed objects on racetracks and highways to absorb impact. Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft Fitch Highway Barrier System, invented by Race car driver John Fitch, comprises a series of Sand -filled yellow plastic barrels with black lids often found Typically, Fitch insisted on testing the system himself.
Other impact absorbing systems designed by Fitch are the Fitch Compression Barrier, suited for oval tracks and other such high speed situations with little runoff area, which comprises a set of strong, resilient hollow cylinders about a yard in diameter placed between the guardrail and the wall, gently absorbing the vehicle's energy without bouncing it back onto the track, and the Fitch Displaceable Guardrail where more room is available, a guardrail mounted on skids so that it can slide backwards on impact, gradually capturing the car. An oval track is a dedicated motorsport circuit primarily in the USA, which differs from a road course in that it only has turns in one direction which is almost Guard rail, sometimes referred to as guide rail, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from (in most cases unintentionally straying into dangerous or off-limits areas
As vehicular modifications for racing safety, Fitch also engineered the Fitch Driver Capsule, an easy to install seat incorporating a seatback which pivots integral with the seatbelt in order to reduce the inertial force experienced by the driver. A seat belt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a Safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a Vehicle against harmful movement that may result from He later extended the principle with the Fitch Full Driver Capsule, by anchoring the helmet to the seatback to prevent basilar skull fracture and hyperextension of the neck, in a manner similar to the function of the HANS device. A helmet is a form of Protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries a variation of the hat A basilar skull fracture (or Basal skull fracture) is a linear Skull fracture involving the basilar bone of the Skull.
In 1998, Fitch received the Kenneth Stonex Award from the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences for his lifelong contributions to road-traffic safety. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) The Transportation Research Board (TRB is a division of the National Research Council, which serves as an independent adviser to the President the Congress and federal agencies The National Academy of Sciences (NAS is a corporation in the United States whose members serve Pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science "In all, John Fitch's achievements in road safety throughout the world have spanned four and one-half decades. His lifetime contributions have covered the full spectrum of highway safety - the roadside, the vehicle and the driver. All have resulted in significant reductions in injuries and fatalities on the motorways of the world," said Transportation Research Board committee chairman John F. Carney III on presenting the award.
Other inventions
Fitch has also developed other automotive innovations, including the Evans Waterless Engine Cooling System, a propylene glycol based cooling system which does not require pressurization, the DeConti Brake, a liquid-cooled secondary braking system for light trucks, buses and similar vehicles[5], the Fitch Fuel Catalyst, which reduces the proportion of light chain (C1 - C4) molecules in gasoline, and inhibits oxidation and microorganism growth in both gasoline and diesel fuel [6], self-leveling automotive suspension systems, for which he has received several patents, the Salisbury Thermo-Syphon Fireplace which uses waste heat to provide convective heating, and the Fitch Cervical Spine Traction Therapy, which allows freedom of movement in bed while continuing to provide tension that relieves disk pressure. Propylene glycol, known also by the systematic name propane-12-diol is an Organic compound (a Diol Alcohol) usually a faintly sweet odorless and Catalysis is the process in which the rate of a Chemical reaction is increased by means of a Chemical substance known as a catalyst Redox (shorthand for reduction-oxidation reaction describes all Chemical reactions in which atoms have their Oxidation number ( Oxidation state Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, Shock absorbers and linkages that connects a Vehicle to its Wheels Suspension In Vertebrates cervical vertebrae (singular vertebra) are those vertebrae immediately behind (posterior to the Skull. In orthopedic medicine, traction refers to the set of mechanisms for straightening broken bones or relieving pressure on the Skeletal system. [7]
Companies
During his life, Fitch has founded or been associated at a high level with several companies, including John Fitch & Co. , Inc. , Advanced Power Systems International, Race Safety, Inc. , Impact Attenuation, Inc. , Impact Dynamics, LLC. , Roadway Safety Service Inc. , DeConti Industries Inc. , Consulier Industries, Inc. , Highway Safety Research Corp. , as well as Lime Rock Park. Lime Rock Park is a road course Auto racing facility located in Lime Rock Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville
Writer
In addition to numerous articles in magazines as well as the Encyclopædia Britannica, Fitch wrote his autobiography (somewhat prematurely, in 1960), Adventure on Wheels, published by G. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc P. Putnam & Sons. The book Racing Through Life by Carl Goodwin also documents Fitch's life. Fitch wrote of his years with the Mercedes-Benz racing team in his 2005 book, Racing with Mercedes Photo Data Research. In addition, a film documentary featuring Fitch attempting to break a speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, A Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch Chris Szwedo Productions was released on DVD and is being broadcast on the American Public Broadcasting System in 2006.
Career awards
In addition to receiving a Presidential Citation, Theater Awards, Air Medals, a Purple Heart, and a POW Medal for his wartime service, Fitch was awarded the Stonex Roadside Safety Award in 1998 and was inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame (2000) and the Sebring Hall of Fame (2002). Please see " Presidential Unit Citation " for other nations' versions of this award The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving
References
- John Fitch Biography
- Background of John C. Fitch
- DRIVEN, Hartford Courant, August 13, 2006
External links
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