If you are a fan of things that are streamlined, you will like the Tatra 77 automobile. It all started when Paul Jaray was working in the engineering department of the company that built the Zeppelin lighter-than-air blimps. Through his tinkering in trying to reduce the drag co-efficient for the blimps, he thought it might be cool to do the same thing with automobiles. Streamlining was the answer and it led to the Czech, transportation, and design masterpiece, the Tatra 77.
"The Tatra Company began manufacturing cars in 1897 in Kopřivnice, Moravia, today's Czech republic, making it the third oldest still existing automobile manufacturer in the world. Under the direction of Hans Ledwinka, the company employed many genius minds of automotive history, including Erich Übelacker and consultant Paul Jaray, who all designed the Tatra 77. Before designing the large luxurious T77, Jaray designed an aerodynamic body for the Tatra 57,
a mid-range model. This prototype was not further developed and failed
to reach production. Instead, Jaray constructed two prototypes for a
concept designated as the Tatra V570, which more closely conformed to his aerodynamic streamlining principles, featuring a beetle-shaped body.
However, at the time Tatra already had a cheap well selling car in its
production range, which was moreover popular due to its continuation of
simple and ultra-reliable tradition started by model Tatra 11.
Although the management saw the advantages of Jaray's concept, they
believed that the new model will be only an additional model with
limited production, which meant that it should be aimed at the top of
automobile market. The Ledwinka's team subsequently stopped work on V570
and concentrated on designing large luxurious cars. Tatra aimed at
making state-of-the-art cars that would be fast, stable, nearly silent,
economical and built to the most rigorous engineering standards, as well
as reflect modern aerodynamic research
.
A number of designers around the world were trying to construct an
aerodynamic car at the time, but Tatra was the first one to successfully
introduce it into serial production. There were numerous reasons why
Tatra designers took such a revolutionary approach to the conception of
the new car: First of all it was the aim to reduce drag, mostly air-drag, which increases with the square
of speed. A car with a common body shape of the era needed a very
powerful engine to reach higher speeds. The Tatra's new body shape was wind tunnel tested. However, the new type of coach building required a change of the whole car's concept.
The requirement of a small front face area limited the car's height,
which in turn required the use of a flat floor. That led to putting the
engine in the rear of the car, directly above the driven axle.
Subsequently there was no more need for a floor tunnel with a drive shaft and exhaust pipes, which contributed to weight loss. As the designers wanted to reduce the rolling resistance, they did their best to produce an engine as light as possible – an air-cooled V8 with a crank case made from elektron, a magnesium alloy. The transmission box was made from elektron as well and it was positioned in front of the rear axle and engine.
The rear position of the engine was favourable for the air cooling, while the oil cooler, battery
and spare wheel were positioned in the front of the car. The frameless
body was characterized by the central frame member, which was firmly
welded to the floor panels and which covered the linkage to the brakes,
gears, etc.
The front of the car has basically a rectangular cross section
and it is rounded at the front to the height of the floor. The front
bumper covers the front rounded fenders, while the lower half of the
lights is embedded in the front bonnet. The rear of the car has a
continuous dropping form, and it is divided by a vertical fin, which
starts at the rear end of the roof and ends almost at the rear end of
the car. The rear wheels have aerodynamic covers. The door handles are
embedded into the door panels, from which only the door hinges stood
out, if also not by much. The car had no rear window, and rear
visibility was fairly limited, and only possible through slots on the
sheet metal.
The first prototype of 1933 had a split windshield, while other
prototypes had a one piece windshield or even one formed by three
separate pieces of glass, with one large central piece and two side
parts angled sharply and flowing into the sides of the body.
The air was directed to the engine by rectangular ventilation inlets
behind the side windows and it left the engine compartment through the
rear exit vents. At the time, Tatra registered numerous patents
regarding the air flow to the rear engine compartment.
Later the rear part of the body was widened so that both the rear
fenders and door hinges were embedded into the bodywork itself. The air
now flowed through transversal inlets, which raised above the rear
rounded roof. The trailing edge was raised.
The Tatra 77 was a hand-built car with leather interior. Some cars
had a glass partition between the front seats and the rear seats. A
sliding roof was available.
An interesting feature equipped on a few of the T77 models was the
steering wheel in the centre of the dashboard. The front seat passengers
were seated on either side of the driver and the seats placed slightly
back, as on the modern day McLaren F1.
All other T77's had the steering wheel on the right hand side as
Czechoslovakia, like various other European countries, drove on the left
before WWII".
(text and photos courtesy
wiki)
If you by chance find a Tatra 77 in a barn please report it to the
International Tatra Registry. They are trying to document how many of these cars are left. It is really quite the academic project.
The pics below are courtesy of
Concept Carz and
Hemmings
