Now this book is wrapping up, I've embarked on my next one. I've decided to write a
history of car suspension.
I've been mulling-over writing a book about car suspension for a long time, and thought about writing a car modification suspension book. However, I could never get really enthusiastic about the idea. But, after exploring how cars of the past were so insightful in aerodynamics, and how so many fundamental breakthroughs in car aero occurred in the 1930s, I've been thinking of the historical context of car suspension.
(And I must add, Aerohead here was in part responsible for making me think more deeply about car aero history. I knew most of what he was saying but I'd never heard anyone saying it so strongly. So I decided to explore it.)
Maurice Olley , in car suspension terms, is very much the contemporary of Wunibald Kamm. Olley discovered absolutely fundamental breakthroughs in suspension design, just as Kamm did in vehicle aerodynamics. Both are well represented in today's car technologies - but almost no-one realises this. And both men made these breakthroughs in the 1930s.
So, I have started the new book.
I have also been looking for a
real suspension expert to to work with - someone to help an amateur like me. Jeff Howell was a brilliant man to work with on my aero history book, just as Dick Barnard was with my book on car aero modification. Both are highly qualified academics who have also worked with real car manufacturers - nothing in my experience beats that combination.
I have now found one of the world's best suspension experts, who to my delight has indicated he is happy to work with me. He is Doug Milliken, a member of the family of the most famous vehicle dynamic experts, ever (his father was Bill Milliken, known to a everyone interested in vehicle dynamics).
I first got in contact with Doug a few years ago when I was writing my book on small-wheel bicycles, and restoring my Moulton bike. Doug was involved in the aero canopy design of a very special Moulton, a bike that established several world records.
Doug expressed some interest when approached about the new book, and so I sent him a few chapters of my aero history book to show I wasn't just playing around, but was prepared to do the hard yards. So now, a new project - one I am very excited by.
An example of what I will be covering, one of the best suspension systems I have ever seen:
Variable damping with load, rising rate springs, low pitch, low cost. Hmm, what could it be?