DOME | gamas43

The Dome Co. Ltd (株式会社童夢 Kabushiki Kaisha Dōmu?), Literally a “baby dream”, is a Japanese automotive manufacturer, mainly involved in the construction of sports cars, both in wheelchairs and in discoveries.

History

The roots of the house have started since 1965; In that year Minoru Hayashi built the first sports car, based on the Honda S600 chassis. It belonged to Tojiro Ukiya, was renamed because of its shape, “Karasu” (Japanese raven). Although it was built with a small budget and in a short time in Karasau, the search for the lowest weight and the most aerodynamic thrust was emphasized thanks to the use of reinforced materials with polymer matrix fibers (FRP). The car made its debut at the Suzuka Clubman Race despite the lack of Hayashi experience in the sports car industry. In 1966, it was the turn of the “Macransa”, always based on the Honda S800, to compete in the Grand Prix of Japan, followed three years later by “Kusabi”, a Formula Junior car, and “Panic” In 1971.

The birth of the Dome

In 1975, near Takaragaike, near Kyoto, Hayashi created the Dome with the intention of giving birth to a small automobile builder, but the technological contribution derived from sports cars was predominant.

In 1978, the first road concept car Dome Zero (童夢 – 零) was created by a Nissan L28 engine, which was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. The following year the Dome created the Zero audience, called Dome P2, which was presented at the Chicago and Los Angeles lounges. However, the car did not get the approval of the Japanese government and was never produced in series. The P2 prototype, modified at the back to accommodate the Cosworth DFV engine and with a magazine revision using a long queue, took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1979 under the name of Dome Zero RL and also at subsequent editions , In an evolved version, without however obtaining significant results [1].

The Dome went on to create sports cars for the Toyota sports department, Tom’s. These cars, which competed in the national championship called All Japan Super Silhouette Championships, were then used in Group C races of the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, which included the cars of the World Sports Prototype Championships. At the end of the decade, the Dome began collaborating with Honda.

La Hayashi

Subsequently, Minoru Hayashi helped his cousin Masakazu Hayashi (who already produced aluminum wheels for cars) to create his Hayashi formula car formula. After producing cars for the Japanese Junior Formula 1600 championship for ten years, the two created the first Formula 3 car, the “Hayashi 803”. This model was followed by the “Hayashi 320” in 1981, designed by Masao Ono, already a designer of the Kojima KE007 and KE009, cars participating in the first two Japan Grand Prix in Formula One World Championships in 1976 and 1977.

With a Hayashi 320 Osamu Nakako won the 1981 title of the Japanese F3. An 320 modified for Atlantic Formula, and with Toyota, won the prestigious Macau Grand Prix of the same year with US pilot Bob Earl. The next car, 321, had shorter sports life. He went on to draw for the Dome Sport Cars and Hayashi Racing used a Ralt car to win the Japanese title of F3 in 1982, with Kengo Nakamoto.

In 1984, the Hayashi 322 was again winning in the F3 championship with Shuji Hyodo. Also the following year, the Hayashi 330 model was competitive, to win a race and allow Syuuji Hyoudou to come third in the championship. 331 of 1986 was less competitive. A crisis in the aluminum wheels market forced the Hayashi to abandon the world of racing.

The return to the construction of road vehicles

In 1988 the Dome returned to the design of road vehicles with the creation of the Jiotto Design studio. The product was Jiotto Caspita, but never came into production because of the economic recession.

Formula Nippon

The Dome has, since the end of the 1980s, been again at national championships for wheeled cars, passing through the F3000 Japanese Championship. He employed pilots like Jan Lammers, Keiji Matsumoto, Ross Cheever and Thomas Danielsson, but did not initially build special cars but used Lola or Reynard chassis.

This continued until 1991, when the Dome debuted as a builder in the category, with a car, the “F102”, powered by Mugen. The following year he received the first statement with Marco Apicella, on “F103”, in the All Japan F3000 Championship Race in Autopolis on the same circuit. New win in 1993 always with Apicella in Sugo Inter Formula.

Always with the Italian pilot Apicella, aboard “F104”, v

La Formula Nippon

La Dome partecipò, dalla fine degli anni ottanta, nuovamente a campionati nazionali per vetture a ruote scoperte, passando al Campionato giapponese di F3000. Impiegò piloti come Jan Lammers, Keiji Matsumoto, Ross Cheever e Thomas Danielsson, senza però inizialmente costruire vetture apposite ma impiegando telai costruiti dalla Lola o dalla Reynard.

Ciò prosegui fino al 1991, quando la Dome fece il debutto come costruttore nella categoria, con una vettura, la “F102”, a motore Mugen. L’anno seguente ottenne la prima affermazione con Marco Apicella, su “F103”, nella All Japan F3000 Championship Race in Autopolis sul circuito omonimo. Nuova vittoria nel 1993 sempre con Apicella nella Sugo Inter Formula.

Sempre col pilota italiano Apicella, a bordo della “F104”, was awarded the title 1994, seasoned by three big prizes won, two poles and five fast laps. It was the first and only time that the national championship of F3000 was a prize for a Japanese production car. The commitment to the category, renamed Formula Nippon since 1996, continued until 1997 with drivers such as Shinji Nakano, Katsumi Yamamoto and Juichi Wakisaka but with much more modest results.

The approach with Formula 1

In 1995 Tadashi Sasaki arrived at the Dome and shortly after the company announced the project to enter Formula 1, starting with testing with a car designed by Akiyoshi Uko, called Dome F105, using Minardi’s transmission and hydraulic system.

Apicella was named test driver for the 1996 season, although later tests were conducted by Japanese drivers such as Nakano and Naoki Hattori. The entry into the circus, scheduled for the 1997 season, was not successful; The designed Dome F106 was never completed either because of the lack of funds or the refusal of Mugen to supply engines. In 1999 all the development work was done by Honda, involved in partnership with British American Racing.

Recent projects

In 1999 the Dome created its English subsidiary, Dome Cars Ltd., and built the Dome Tunnel in Maihara, Shiga Prefecture. The wind tunnel, initially set up to support F1’s commitment, then destined for that in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, in which the Dome has been participating since 1996, both as a team and in support of other stables in the development of the Honda NSX. The Dome also cares for the development of aerodynamics in the JTCC of Honda Accord.
In 2001, DOME Carbon Magic was created at Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, for the development of carbon car components. The Dome then continues to develop the HSX in the new Super GT series that replaced the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship.

The Dome also developed the S101 prototype by virtue of the new Le Mans 24 Hours regulation since 2007. The new car was named S101.5. The S101 was raced by Racing for Holland, reaching 25th in the LMP1. In 2008, the Dome introduced the closed cockpit for the car named S102, Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1); The car, which took part in the prestigious French race, managed by the same Dome, came 33rd, at 101 laps from the first.

In 2012, a new car run by Pescarolo Sport at 6H Spa and at the 24-hour Le Mans takes on the track. In the French race the car is not classified, while in the Belgian race it is fifteen.