FOS sculpture

[The Surveyor]

Apologies for asking the stupid question...

The central feature sculpture at the FOS is always stunning, this years being no exception but are they real cars or replicas?

I've watched a couple of Youtube videos about this years and its a cracking bit of engineering and fabrication, one of the older clips mentions the difficulty of getting the original 'bluebird' landspeed record car for strapping to a sculpture which suggests they are original, however that was glossed over when they were showing the clip of this years being craned into place with the cars already attached. If original, how do they persuade Porsche to supply original unique museum race cars etc shackle them to a sub-frame and suspended them high in the air, fully exposed to all the weather and seagull crap for a whole week.

If they are original, it's very impressive. If they are dummy replica's then it's still very impressive albeit a little more sensible.

[DMC12]

I wondered the same thing, so asked at one of the information booths... They are indeed originals!

[The Surveyor]

DMC12 said:

I wondered the same thing, so asked at one of the information booths... They are indeed originals!

Cheers, I was of the 'they can't be originals...' opinion but that makes the sculpture very impressive indeed.

[ukaskew]

I heard somebody say they were real cars minus engines, and looking closely at my photos they're very unlikely to be anything but original most of the time.

I am intrigued by how they are fixed to the structure without drilling into the vehicle. They appear to be only connected at the tyres, but that can't be right as surely they'd need a solid mounting.

Goodwood FoS 2018 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Goodwood FoS 2018 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Goodwood FoS 2014 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

[WhyOne]

100% certain they are real cars.

My understanding they are drained of fluids, but otherwise complete.

[The Surveyor]

Looking at those excellent close-up photos, they look to be held in place by straps over the tyres only. The 911R has two per rear wheel and one per wheel at the front. Half a million quid motor held in the air by 6 ratchet straps

[Cold]

The Surveyor said:

Looking at those excellent close-up photos, they look to be held in place by straps over the tyres only. The 911R has two per rear wheel and one per wheel at the front. Half a million quid motor held in the air by 6 ratchet straps

Sod the lump of car shaped metal, the area immediately underneath the sculpture is open to the paying public. Having a silly sportscar land on your picnic is always going to ruin your day.

[smokingturbo]

Just a guess but are they attached via the wheel hubs, with the sculpture being attached between the wheel and the hub with longer wheel bolts? Just an idea but it does kind of look that way, and it's a fairly secure interface that would distribute the weight through the chassis?

[Stephanie Plum]

I remember some of the classic Lotuses up there a few years ago dripping fluids onto the ground underneath

[TheRainMaker]

Would think they are just straps around the wheels tbh. Wouldn’t think they would go anywhere (as been proven by the fact they are still there) it’s how cars are transported all the time.

Not very often you see wheels fall off cars.

The one upside down might have some solid suspension parts put on to keep the wheel to body distance right.

I’ve got no idea how they got them up there though

[neil27]

There is a short video about the Porsche Structure this year here:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI6aSYeJGqU

[chisteve]

Here’s a link for the company that supply and install the sculptures

http://littlehamptonwelding.co.uk/portfolio/goodwo...

[Simes205]

Didn’t the gr40’s hanging up there a few years ago have working windscreen washers?