BLOODY MARY

 
 

Bloody Mary was a “special” and was continually revised. This inspiration for this car is roughly the middle 30’s version. Bloody Mary was powered by a heavily modified, alcohol burning, vee-twin JAP motorcycle engine. The chassis was ash. The front suspension and “radiator” came off a GN. Later two JAP engines were chained together and shoehorned into this tiny, featherweight car! Bloody Mary was a rough and tumble garage creation but routinely beat much more sophisticated machines.


Chassis number: 1003

VOITURETTE CLASS


Engine: Box Stock Project yellow clone. This car uses a pulse type fuel pump because the inspiration car doesn’t leave anywhere for a gas tank higher than the engine. Power is roughly 20% down from other Gittreville cars with “stage 1” engines but so is the weight.

Drive: Comet variable but not the bolt-on unit, rather, the drive has been put together from individual parts. 72 tooth #35 driven sprocket. 3/4” jack shaft over the axle. One wheel drive but with a choice of which wheel is driven depending on the course being run. After Gittreville, the builder considered switching to a live axle - traction was feeble. However, the car is extremely nimble with one wheel drive and this is refreshing after the builder’s two other cars. It is likely to stay as it is.

Brakes: two 4 1/2” drum brakes. These work independently. Left rear is controlled by a foot pedal and the right rear is controlled by a hand lever. The car is phenomenally light. The inspiration car has the driver extremely far back, and our simple drive systems force a rear engine so the weight balance is heavily biased to the back. The idea was that the independent brakes would help a little with steering when the front wheels are off the ground... as it happens, three wheels are often off the ground! The 4 1/2” brakes are too feeble to steer with. Braking overall was initially characterized as highly suspect but after multiple revisions has been upgraded to poor. New brake pedal allows phenomenal pressure but doesn’t really improve things. N.B. go with a 6” brake.

Wheels: 17” x 120, front (Suzuki) and initially, 17” x 140 rear (Yamaha, aluminum rims). The outside rear rim was converted to a pretzel at Gittreville. Car now has steel CT90 rears. These wheels + decorative cosmetic parts (exhaust pipes and single rear fender) took the car from 196lbs in August to its present (final) weight of 210 lbs.

Tires: 2.25 Firestone vintage tires front and 2.50 Michelin Gazelle tires rear.

Front suspension: 1/4 elliptic (36” buggy spring cut in half leaves removed). Straight axle. Positive camber.

Steering: Go-kart type.

Rear suspension: none. Moseley “Wind Bag” seat cushion (folded inner tube) helps with that.

Body: Aluminum sheet. “Radiator” cowling is poplar. Mahogany body supports.

Frame: 1/4” plywood “tub”. Double box section “rails” glued up from 1/2” plywood. This plywood tub is key to everything. Incredibly rigid and astonishingly light.


DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 63.63”, ground clearance: 3.5” (under seat)

Front track: 36.75”, rear track: 33”

Overall length: 95.75” (to the tip of the exhaust)

Body width (at widest): 22.5”, radiator width 12.25”

Height: 31.25” (fairing over steering wheel), height at scuttle: 26”

Weight: 210 lbs