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Gerard Larrousse, Renault, Alpine |
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A large carrer between Alpine and Renault
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Gerard Larrousse knew the rallys and the races on circuit,
from Dauphine the 1093 with Formula 1 1500cc Turbo. His technical opinion
on the models which he drove, is interesting :
- Renault Dauphine 1093
Today, a sporting car has 50hp moreover than an ordinary car.
The 1093 had 10hp moreover than a Dauphine Gordini. For the remainder,
it had just there a tachometer brought back in the storing shell on
the left. The engine had a pipe and a special camshaft, it is all.
One was always handicapped in power, Renault not having never known
to make a powerful engine at that time, whereas the English, them,
could do it. But the 1093 learned how to you to drive; there was very
few adhérance, it was put on the roof very easily. I put some of them
on the roof, moreover. (Auto Passion # 108)
- Renault 8 Gordini
Compared to the 1093, another world: it had 90cv all the same! Mine
was prepared again by Bozian, with a good engine and good gear box.
The engine went well. But there still, in power, it was a little in
competition. Favour compared to the 1093, it had disc brakes, an hemispherical
cylinder heads engine, two large Weber carburettors. It is the only
car which I kept and I have one in perfect state of functioning; when
I take it, I do not find that it is the engine which makes oldest;
it is rather the handling which is older. Then there, it is impressive
and completely obsolete : you have a nose gear and a rear wheel-axle
unit, both are disunited completely. Moreover, that slows down only
on the front brakes. It is still a car very amusing to lead today.
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Alpine A110
I used all the versions of Berlinette: 1150, 1300, 1440, 1600, 1800...
Then its principal qualities, it is easy to say : initially, to
be a small car, not broad, one is very tight inside. However, a
small car, that goes very quickly on a small road ! The Alpine wast
fantastic for the rallys, it had an excellent motricity, all the
weight was practically on the back, with the engine in overhang,
and thus a handling, I would say, average, but which one could possibly
benefit because of his great handiness; what made it effective while
making it possible to place it to come out of the turn as quickly
as possible. Moreover, it was very well motorized, rather even surmotorized
that the opposite. (Auto Passion # 108).
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Alpine A210/220
I drove A210 protos with Patrick Depailler and Henri Grandsire.
It was more one racing car racing, for the circuits, with its central
engine and that began to hold the road correctly. Not very powerful
either, engines remaining limited in cubic capacity. There was a
significant aerodynamic approach, though imperfect since with this
time one did not know all the elements of them. Marcel Hubert worked
like a navvy on top, competing with Charles Deutsch at CD. But they
privileged much the Cx by occupying little Cz. Thus there were all
these accidents at Alpine (with A220) and also at Matra. People
always curled the catastrophe with cars in extreme cases of takeoff.
The 3 liters was very dangerous and I had chance of me to draw some.
In Mans, Mauro Bianchi had a serious accident and Henri Grandsire
broke our car. Not by their fault: each time that one took the bump
before Mulsanne, it took off. (Auto Passion # 10
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