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Chassis:
Of the 17 ERAs constructed, the featured R4B has had an active racing career of well over 60 years now. In its early competition years many modifications were completed by the works team, making it one of the fastest ERAs ever constructed. One of R4Bs main drivers was Raymond Mays himself. He entered it both in the major Grand Prix and local British road races and hill climbs. Two years into its career, the first major revision was carried through. A 2 litre engine and a revised box section frame chassis with independent front suspension was assembled, bringing it up to C-Type spec. A year later R4B was brought up to D-Type spec, which included a drilled lightweight chassis. Today it remains in that state, although many worn parts have been replaced.
Amazingly its racing career stretched well into the 1950s where it was raced by later Grand Prix drivers like Reg Parnell. However, it was most successful in the hands of Mays who scored many victories on the British hill climbs, especially at Shelsley Walsh. In all it scored 26 victories, making it the single most successful ERA chassis ever built.
Today R4B is a regular competitor in historic Grand Prix races. With plenty of power available from the 2 litre engine and an extremely well balanced chassis, it is often more than a match for Grand Prix racers designed 20 years later. R4B is pictured here in action at the 2005 Silverstone Classic, where it again showed its speed, but was not able to participate in the feature race due to technical problems.
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