ABOUT THE KRACO MARCH 83C AND ITS DESIGNER

Topics:  March 83C, Robin Herd

Kraco
Spring 1983

THE MARCH 83C

Within just three years of Indy Car racing, March Engineering has emerged as one of the field's hottest manufacturers.  No less than 17 March-Cosworths were in the 33-car field for the Indy 500.  Winner Tom Sneva drove a March and four others, Kevin Cogan (5th), Howdy Holmes (6th), Pancho Carter (7th) and Scott Brayton (9th) cracked the top-ten.  Teo Fabi sat on the pole in a March and Kraco's Mike Mosley was in the middle of the front row.  Fabi's second lap of 208.049 set a qualifying record and his average for four laps was 207.395mph.  Mosley turned a very impressive 205.372.

SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL:  March 83C
WHEEL BASE:  1112"
FRONT TRACK:  66"
REAR TRACK:  63"
ENGINE:  Cosworth V8, double overhead cam - 4 valves/cylinder 161 cu. in., turbo-charged, 720 BHP at 11,000 RPM.
CHASSIS:  Aluminum honeycomb panel construction with carbon fibre used for extra rigidity and driver protection.
BODY:  March fiberglass resin, carbon fibre composite.
WHEELS:  March 15" diameter x 10" wide (front)
15" diameter x 14" wide (rear)
TIRES:  Goodyear Eagle Speedway Specials.
TRANSMISSION:  Hewland DGLR-300, 5/speed March, Transverse, 4/5/speed.
DRY WEIGHT:  1,500 pounds.

DESIGNER ROBIN HERD

Founder of March Engineering in 1969, Herd's cars have won over 300 races in Formula One Grand Prix, F-3, Can Am, USAC, CART and Sports Car Racing.  He designed the car driven by Tom Sneva to this year's Indy 500 victory and the cars piloted by pole-sitter Teo Fabi and Mike Mosley, who sat in second position front-row center.

In the mid-sixties Herd served as Chief Designer on the McLaren Grand Prix Racing Team.

Prior to that, at age 24, he served as Senior Scientific Officer on the Concord aircraft design team.  He is a graduate of Oxford University with a double first in physics and engineering.

This year marked another first in Robin Herd's career as the March factory delivered its 1000th race car!  Kraco Car Stereo received the first 1983 delivered from the England-based plant.

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