R.I.P Keith Duckworth
19-12-2005 | 11:06 PM
#48
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,795
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From: Wiltshire UK
Originally Posted by Rick
Keith was known throughout
racing and industry for his "Duckworthisms". Some of them are such
pithy engineering maxims that it's worth repeating a selection below.
* It is better to be uninformed than ill-informed.
* Development is only necessary to rectify the ignorance of designers.
* If you're telling the truth, it's simple. If you're lying, you have to
remember what yesterday's lie was. It's safer to be honest.
(I suspect this was about Colin Chapman, who used to lie pretty much for fun!)
* Academics are seldom any use at engineering. One must have a mistrust
of theorists.
* First ideas usually turn out to be complicated.
* In engineering there is an answer to everything. It's just that
we're usually too ignorant, or too dim, to see it.
* It costs you very little to scrub out drawings on paper, and to
start again. As soon as you have things in the metal, where you're
fighting to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, that's hopeless.
* A genius can make for penny what a good engineer can only make for
two bob.
* I think that borrowing money is the biggest immorality that there is.
* As far as I can see, in a large company the last thing you can
afford to do is not to start replying immediately a question is
asked.
* One of the things that I have often done wrong was to stop
projects at stages of development, because we couldn't afford to
produce triumphs of development over design.
* To my thinking, turbochargers in Formula 1 engines were always
expressly against the rules.
* One of my principles is that young fools go on to become old
fools.
* Inherently, by nature, I'm one of those people who'd rather do a
few things very well then what I see as the other extreme, which
is to make a nonesense of lots of things.
racing and industry for his "Duckworthisms". Some of them are such
pithy engineering maxims that it's worth repeating a selection below.
* It is better to be uninformed than ill-informed.
* Development is only necessary to rectify the ignorance of designers.
* If you're telling the truth, it's simple. If you're lying, you have to
remember what yesterday's lie was. It's safer to be honest.
(I suspect this was about Colin Chapman, who used to lie pretty much for fun!)
* Academics are seldom any use at engineering. One must have a mistrust
of theorists.
* First ideas usually turn out to be complicated.
* In engineering there is an answer to everything. It's just that
we're usually too ignorant, or too dim, to see it.
* It costs you very little to scrub out drawings on paper, and to
start again. As soon as you have things in the metal, where you're
fighting to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, that's hopeless.
* A genius can make for penny what a good engineer can only make for
two bob.
* I think that borrowing money is the biggest immorality that there is.
* As far as I can see, in a large company the last thing you can
afford to do is not to start replying immediately a question is
asked.
* One of the things that I have often done wrong was to stop
projects at stages of development, because we couldn't afford to
produce triumphs of development over design.
* To my thinking, turbochargers in Formula 1 engines were always
expressly against the rules.
* One of my principles is that young fools go on to become old
fools.
* Inherently, by nature, I'm one of those people who'd rather do a
few things very well then what I see as the other extreme, which
is to make a nonesense of lots of things.
What a sad loss, both to the racing world and engineering itself... I doubt there will be anyone quite like him ever again - the epitomy of someone who got off his arse and did things properly rather than reading and talking about them.
time to crack out "Cosworth: The Search for Power" again.. what a cracking read that is, anyone who hasn't read it should!
19-12-2005 | 11:29 PM
#50
Very Very Sad indeed.... 
One of the engineering worlds true Genius`s,Not only for his own brilliance but also for his ability to drive others to emulate his feats of engineering...
Has left a real legacy as someone who really did change a lot of peoples lives.....
Keith....We salute you....
One of the engineering worlds true Genius`s,Not only for his own brilliance but also for his ability to drive others to emulate his feats of engineering...
Has left a real legacy as someone who really did change a lot of peoples lives.....
Keith....We salute you....
20-12-2005 | 12:50 AM
#58
Too many posts.. I need a life!!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 718
Likes: 0
From: Stavanger, Norway
Lost for words! the best days of my life has definently been behind the wheel of a cosworth! the fellowship and all the friends I`ve gained from this interrest.. I really have alot to thank him for..
R.I.P Keith
R.I.P Keith
RIP 
20-12-2005 | 07:09 AM
#64
15K+ Super Poster!!
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 15,885
Likes: 17
From: Stockport, Cheshire
time to crack out "Cosworth: The Search for Power" again.. what a cracking read that is, anyone who hasn't read it should!
20-12-2005 | 07:23 AM
#65
PassionFord Post Troll
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,216
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Very very sad. He is personally responsible for a lot in my life and an interest in the cosworth marque since the first sapphires were released.
RIP. Gone but far from forgotten.
RIP. Gone but far from forgotten.
20-12-2005 | 09:18 AM
#75
Banned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,078
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Originally Posted by richm
it's easy to forget the man was soo much more than YB.. FVA, BDA, DFV some of the great successes..
As an engine designer he was always waaay ahead of his time and this showed on the race circuit and on the various road car projects that Cosworth were involved with..........
Roll of Honour
1958 Cosworth was founded by Keith Duckworth and Mike Costin
1959 The first Ford-based Formula Junior power unit was developed
1964 Cosworth moved to Northampton
1967 Jim Clark won first time out with the DFV engine. DFV engine dominated Formula One for 15 years and won 155 World Championship Races
1968 Graham Hill won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1969 Jackie Stewart won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1970 J Rindt won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1971 Jackie Stewart won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1972 Emerson Fittipaldi won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1973 Jackie Stewart won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1974 Emerson Fittipaldi won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1976 James Hunt won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV. DFX CART/Indy engine won 151 races between 1976 and 1989
1977 Cosworth received RAC Diamond Jubilee Award
1978 Mario Andretti won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1979 Rick Mears won the CART/Indy title with the DFX. Keith Duckworth received British Design Award from the Duke of Edinburgh for the DFV engine
1980 Johnny Rutherford won the CART/Indy title with the DFX. Alan Jones won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV
1981 Nelson Piquet won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV. Rick Mears won the CART/Indy title with the DFX
1982 Keke Rosberg won the Formula One World Championship with the DFV. Cosworth received award from Autosprint for 150 Victories in Formula One. Rick Mears won the Cart/Indy title with the DFX
1983 Al Unser won the CART/Indy title with the DFX
1984 Mario Andretti won the CART/Indy title with the DFX
1985 Al Unser won the CART/Indy title with the DFX. HRH Duke of Kent opened Wellingborough Manufacturing site
1986 Bobby Rahal won the CART/Indy title with the DFX. Cosworth received The Queens Award for Export Achievement
1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth won the World Touring Car Championship. Bobby Rahal won the CART/Indy title with the DFX
1988 Carlton Communications purchased Cosworth
1989 HB V8 3.5litre Formula One engine won 11 races between 1989-1993
1991 HB V8 engine powered Jaguar XJR14s won the World Sports Car Championship
1992 Cosworth received The Queens Award for Export Achievement. DFX CART/Indy was replaced with the XB which won 6 races in its first seas
1993 Nigel Mansell won the CART/Indy title with the XB engine. QG V6 engine powered Ford Mondeo to win the World Touring Car Championship. AC V8 engine won the International Formula 3000 Championship
on
1994 Cosworth received British Design Council Award for the AC engine. Michael Schumacher won the Formula One World Championship with the Zetec-V8 engine. AC V8 engine won the International Formula 3000 Championship. Ford Escort RS Cosworth won the Monte Carlo Rally
1995 Jacques Villeneuve won the CART/Indy Championship and Indianapolis 500. AC V8 engine won the International Formula 3000 Championship. Richard Scammell (Managing Director) received MBE from the Queen
