Brabham BT20

Active: 1966 - 1969
Team: Brabham Motor Racing Developments

Team: Ron Tauranac (CD)
Drivers: Denny Hulme, Jack Brabham, Guy Ligier, John Love, Silvio Moser, Peter de Klerk

The beginning of the new 3-liter Formula was thought to favor Ferrari and their V12 engine but Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac had other ideas. Their solution was to take a light spaceframe chassis and marry it to an Oldsmobile based Repco V8 engine. Repco's was a parts supplier and manufacturer in Australia that was heavily involved with the Tasman Series. Providing modified engines for the Brabham Tasman cars they were looking for a replacement for the Climax engines that they were currently using.

Oldsmobile had abandoned the all-aluminum block that they had been developing for a new Buick passenger car and this proved a good starting place for the new Repco engines. Brabham hearing of these developments contracted Repco to provide him with some 3-liter Formula 1 engines. In the hands of ex-Cooper engine man John Judd the Repco V8 would produce 311 bhp which was less than the new Ferrari's 360 bhp.

But a race car is more than just its engine and Ron Tauranac who had been working with Brabham since his Cooper days designed a chassis that was simple yet light. The multi-tubular spaceframe was also easy to fix after the inevitable accident. A big advantage for the new car was that it could go the distance on 35 gallons. The car won four races in a row and partnered with Denis Hulme, Brabham won his third World Championship and the first one to win it in his own car.

Specifications

Constructor: Jack Brabham England
Chassis/body: steel spaceframe with fiberglass body
Front suspension: double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: double wishbones, twin radius-arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: rack-and-pinion
Brakes: discs, all-round
Gearbox: Hewland 5 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive

Engine

Configuration: Repco Type 620 90º V8
Location: Mid, longitudinally mounted
Weight: 150 kg / 330.7 lbs
Construction: aluminum block and head
Displacement: 2.994 liter / 182.7 cu in
Bore / Stroke: 88.9 mm (3.5 in) / 60.3 mm (2.4 in)
Valvetrain: 2 valves / cylinder, SOHC
Fuel feed: Lucas Fuel injection
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated