Anthony Cyril Rudd (8 March 1923 – 22 August 2003) was a British engineer involved in aero engine design and motor racing, with particular associations with BRM and Lotus.
Rudd became involved with motor racing in the 1930s when he became an informal assistant to Prince Chula and Prince Bira's White Mouse Racing team. This inspired him to take up engineering as a career and family influence led him to take up an apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce.
Rudd's engineering studies were interrupted by the Second World War during which he served in the Royal Air Force. Trained as a pilot, he flew Avro Lancasters on a tour of 30 operations.[1] He became an expert in diagnosing failures in Merlin engines, but his main interest remained cars. Rudd resumed his engineering apprenticeship after the War and built an Aston Martin-based 'special'.
Careeredit
Arrival at BRMedit
The much-delayed BRM V16 engine was fitted with Rolls-Royce superchargers and Rudd was seconded to BRM in 1951 to assist with their development. He never returned to Rolls-Royce, becoming part of the BRM team for almost two decades. Rudd was involved in the development of the V16 and four-cylinder P25 cars and started to assume more prominence after the Rubery-Owen takeover of the team. Peter Berthon and Raymond Mays were eventually sidelined after the drivers threatened to strike and Rudd assumed full technical control of the team in 1960.
Successes at BRMedit
Rudd put in place proper engineering procedures within the team. Rudd drove a monocoque Killeen car at Folkingham and increased his interest in vehicle rigidity.[2] His spaceframe and monocoque V8-engined designs took BRM to 1 constructors' and 1 drivers' World Championships. However, his H-16 engine for the new three litre formula (based on two of the successful 1.5 litre V8s on top of each other) proved to be heavy and overcomplicated. The team struggled with the complex design and gradually lost momentum in the late Sixties. Rudd claims that the H-16 would have been successful had the drawings been followed accurately - as it was the engine had heavier castings than planned and its power-to-weight ratio was unfavourable; it also had breathing difficulties and only started to improve when it fired as a sixteen-cylinder engine rather than two eights. After abandoning the H-16, Rudd designed a compact V-12 that was to be the foundation of renewed success in the years after his departure from BRM. As a sideline to BRM's main development, Rudd and Peter Wright were also involved with the design of a ground effect car that never raced; driver John Surtees was adamant that it could not be made raceworthy. Rudd and Wright were later to be reunited at Lotus on work that did lead to successful ground-effect racing cars.
The move to Lotusedit
During a poor 1969 season and after management changes at BRM, Rudd left for Lotus Cars, gradually working up to the position of Engineering Director on the road-car side of the company - he was not directly involved in racing, which Colin Chapman looked after. Rudd's achievements included the development of Lotus' own four-cylinder engine as well as improving production quality of their cars. Rudd also developed Lotus as an engineering consultancy working on high-technology projects for the rest of the automotive industry, creating another profit centre within the business.
Ground effect and consultancyedit
Team Lotus were struggling in the mid-1970s and Rudd led the research effort that produced ground effectLotus 78, which brought the team back to the forefront of Grand Prix success. Rudd went back to the road-car side of the company to research active suspension, turbocharging, and lead consultancy work for other manufacturers.[clarification needed] After Chapman's death in 1982 Rudd took on an increasingly significant role in the business but advanced engineering remained his forté.
Final return to racingedit
After the conviction of Fred Bushell for financial irregularities related to DeLorean, the Chapman family (who retained ownership of Team Lotus) asked Rudd to step in to head the racing team. He returned to racing for a year in 1989 until the team was sold on, then retired to become a freelance consulting engineer.
Retirement and writingedit
In retirement, Rudd remained active in the Society of Automotive Engineers, wrote a widely acclaimed autobiography It Was Fun: My Fifty Years of High Performance and collaborated with Doug Nye on a multi-volume history of BRM. Tony Rudd died in 2003 at the age of 80. He was married to Pamela and had three daughters.[3]
BRM: The Saga of British Racing Motors, Doug Nye with Tony Rudd, MRP - Volumes 1, 2 and 3 have appeared, covering the front-engined cars, spaceframe rear engined cars and monocoque V8 cars respectively; Volume 4 will cover the H16, V12s and Can-Ams.
It Was Fun: My Fifty Years of High Performance, Tony Rudd, MRP.
BRM V16, How Britain's auto makers built a Grand Prix car to beat the world, By Karl Ludvigsen, Published by Veloce
Referencesedit
^. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
^"The Killeen Cars". tardis.dl.ac.uk. from the original on 8 May 2019. I spent the afternoon testing it and was totally entranced .. The car had a profound effect on me and launched me on my stiffness crusade
^"Tony Rudd". Motor Sport magazine archive. October 2003. p. 17. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
January 01, 1970
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For the stockbroker see Tony Rudd stockbroker Anthony Cyril Rudd 8 March 1923 22 August 2003 was a British engineer involved in aero engine design and motor racing with particular associations with BRM and Lotus Tony RuddRudd at a Formula 1 race in 1967Born 1923 03 08 8 March 1923Stony Stratford United KingdomDied22 August 2003 2003 08 22 aged 80 Children3Engineering careerEmployer s BRM 1951 1969 Lotus 1969 1989 Contents 1 Early life and war service 2 Career 2 1 Arrival at BRM 2 2 Successes at BRM 2 3 The move to Lotus 2 4 Ground effect and consultancy 2 5 Final return to racing 3 Retirement and writing 4 Bibliography 5 ReferencesEarly life and war service editRudd became involved with motor racing in the 1930s when he became an informal assistant to Prince Chula and Prince Bira s White Mouse Racing team This inspired him to take up engineering as a career and family influence led him to take up an apprenticeship at Rolls Royce Rudd s engineering studies were interrupted by the Second World War during which he served in the Royal Air Force Trained as a pilot he flew Avro Lancasters on a tour of 30 operations 1 He became an expert in diagnosing failures in Merlin engines but his main interest remained cars Rudd resumed his engineering apprenticeship after the War and built an Aston Martin based special Career editArrival at BRM edit The much delayed BRM V16 engine was fitted with Rolls Royce superchargers and Rudd was seconded to BRM in 1951 to assist with their development He never returned to Rolls Royce becoming part of the BRM team for almost two decades Rudd was involved in the development of the V16 and four cylinder P25 cars and started to assume more prominence after the Rubery Owen takeover of the team Peter Berthon and Raymond Mays were eventually sidelined after the drivers threatened to strike and Rudd assumed full technical control of the team in 1960 Successes at BRM edit Rudd put in place proper engineering procedures within the team Rudd drove a monocoque Killeen car at Folkingham and increased his interest in vehicle rigidity 2 His spaceframe and monocoque V8 engined designs took BRM to 1 constructors and 1 drivers World Championships However his H 16 engine for the new three litre formula based on two of the successful 1 5 litre V8s on top of each other proved to be heavy and overcomplicated The team struggled with the complex design and gradually lost momentum in the late Sixties Rudd claims that the H 16 would have been successful had the drawings been followed accurately as it was the engine had heavier castings than planned and its power to weight ratio was unfavourable it also had breathing difficulties and only started to improve when it fired as a sixteen cylinder engine rather than two eights After abandoning the H 16 Rudd designed a compact V 12 that was to be the foundation of renewed success in the years after his departure from BRM As a sideline to BRM s main development Rudd and Peter Wright were also involved with the design of a ground effect car that never raced driver John Surtees was adamant that it could not be made raceworthy Rudd and Wright were later to be reunited at Lotus on work that did lead to successful ground effect racing cars The move to Lotus edit During a poor 1969 season and after management changes at BRM Rudd left for Lotus Cars gradually working up to the position of Engineering Director on the road car side of the company he was not directly involved in racing which Colin Chapman looked after Rudd s achievements included the development of Lotus own four cylinder engine as well as improving production quality of their cars Rudd also developed Lotus as an engineering consultancy working on high technology projects for the rest of the automotive industry creating another profit centre within the business Ground effect and consultancy edit Team Lotus were struggling in the mid 1970s and Rudd led the research effort that produced ground effect Lotus 78 which brought the team back to the forefront of Grand Prix success Rudd went back to the road car side of the company to research active suspension turbocharging and lead consultancy work for other manufacturers clarification needed After Chapman s death in 1982 Rudd took on an increasingly significant role in the business but advanced engineering remained his forte Final return to racing edit After the conviction of Fred Bushell for financial irregularities related to DeLorean the Chapman family who retained ownership of Team Lotus asked Rudd to step in to head the racing team He returned to racing for a year in 1989 until the team was sold on then retired to become a freelance consulting engineer Retirement and writing editIn retirement Rudd remained active in the Society of Automotive Engineers wrote a widely acclaimed autobiography It Was Fun My Fifty Years of High Performance and collaborated with Doug Nye on a multi volume history of BRM Tony Rudd died in 2003 at the age of 80 He was married to Pamela and had three daughters 3 Bibliography editBRM Raymond Mays and Peter Roberts BRM The Saga of British Racing Motors Doug Nye with Tony Rudd MRP Volumes 1 2 and 3 have appeared covering the front engined cars spaceframe rear engined cars and monocoque V8 cars respectively Volume 4 will cover the H16 V12s and Can Ams It Was Fun My Fifty Years of High Performance Tony Rudd MRP BRM V16 How Britain s auto makers built a Grand Prix car to beat the world By Karl Ludvigsen Published by VeloceReferences edit Tony Rudd Times Online Obituary Archived from the original on 29 June 2011 Retrieved 27 February 2011 The Killeen Cars tardis dl ac uk Archived from the original on 8 May 2019 I spent the afternoon testing it and was totally entranced The car had a profound effect on me and launched me on my stiffness crusade Tony Rudd Motor Sport magazine archive October 2003 p 17 Retrieved 24 December 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tony Rudd amp oldid 1187794938, 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