Veritas Meteor
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| Veritas Meteor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Veritas |
| Production | 1951–1954 |
| Designer | Ernst Loof |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Racing car |
| Body style | Single-seater |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1,988 cc (121.3 cu in) inline-6 |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,250 mm (89 in) |
| Length | 3,370 mm (133 in) |
| Width | 1,550 mm (61 in) |
| Height | 1,050 mm (41 in) |
| Curb weight | 560 kg (1,230 lb) |
The Veritas Meteor was a Formula One and Formula 2 race car that raced for Veritas and private stables from 1951 until 1954.[1][2][3]
In 1949, designer Ernst Loof created the Veritas Meteor, a monoposto or single-seater with free-standing wheels based on the then valid Formula 2, according to which the 1952 and 1953 races for the automobile world championship were held. Racing cars with up to 500 cm³ and a supercharger or with a maximum of 2000 cm³ without a supercharger were allowed.[4]
The basis of the engine in the Veritas Meteor manufactured by Heinkel was the six-cylinder of the BMW 328, which was further developed by former BMW employees Karl Schäfer, Karl Rech, and Max Knoch. The eye-catching feature of the new in-line engine with a displacement of 1,988 cc (121.3 cu in) with the bore and stroke both being 75 mm (3.0 in) was the overhead camshaft, which controlled the valves hanging in the cylinder head in a V-shape. The crankshaft ran in lead-bronze bearings, while the connecting rods were roller-mounted on both the crank pins and the gudgeon pins. The engine produced 140 hp at 7000 rpm; it was water-cooled with 10 liters of water circulating and had dry-sump lubrication with a capacity of 12 liters.[5]
The power was transmitted to a self-locking differential and to the rear wheels via a single-plate dry clutch, a five-speed gearbox with a special oil pump, and a Cardan shaft. Depending on the race track, the gears of the differential could be changed to adjust the gear ratio.
The frame of the Veritas Meteor consisted of a tube lattice (trellis tube frame). The front wheels were suspended on double triangular links, with a longitudinal torsion bar acting on the upper links and the slanted telescopic shock absorbers supported on the lower links. The rear double-jointed axle, which was also torsion-bar-sprung, had a wishbone on each side and an additional wishbone above the differential, and from 1952 a De Dion support tube behind the differential.
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The foot brake acted hydraulically on four light-alloy drums via two brake cylinders. The car was driven either with steel disc wheels or with Rudge steel spoke wheels, both versions with center locks.
In 1950, the Hebmüller bodywork factory built a streamlined body for a Veritas Meteor on the order of the racing driver Karl Kling. Kling won the Solitude race with the car on August 13 of the same year. In 1951, Kling passed the car on to Hans Klenk, who the following year also had a normal racing car body (with free-standing wheels) made for slow and maneuverable courses. In this variant, Hans Herrmann started on August 2, 1953, at the German Grand Prix on the Nürburgring. Another streamlined body was made by Veritas at the Nürburgring for Paul Pietsch's Meteor. In contrast to the Hebmüller body, this had a closed cockpit and could be fitted over the existing racing car body if required. Pietsch wanted to start with it at the Avus race in 1952, but had a serious accident during practice, in which the car was severely damaged.
The Veritas Meteor did not achieve great success, probably due to the tense situation of the company since its founding.