Technology in race cars (11): Chaparral 2 - Plastic Playmobil

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Technology in race cars (11): Chaparral 2 - Plastic Playmobil

Created on November 19, 2021

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

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Archivbild

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Dave Friedman

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Norm Koury

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Archiv

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - The overall winner caught on public roads before the race... (12 Hours of Sebring 1965)

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - with massive spoiler

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Maserati Tipo 61 (1961) - Jim Hall at the wheel

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Chaparral test track "Rattlesnake Race Way"

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - "Rolling Chassis" on the test track

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Data recording on magnetic tape in the Chaparral sports car

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - involuntary crash test

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - the plastic chassis is clearly visible; tennis balls protect the intake manifolds

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - see-through drawing - targeted airflow over and through the car

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Chaparral 2A (1964) - Downforce is required, cowcatcher version

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - distinctive front spoiler, reminiscent of a moustache

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Rear spoiler, the forerunner of the rear wing. Note the massive support of the front spoiler

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - adjustable rear wing - heralding an aerodynamic revolution

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - the mysterious "automatic" - torque converter with two-speed gearbox

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Cockpit with manual gearbox despite automatic transmission

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Chaparral 2C (1965) - aluminum chassis was 50 kg lighter, but more susceptible to vibration than the plastic version

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Chaparral 2C (1965) - the Chevrolet engines were quite voluminous

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Type 2A on the left, the dark plastic chassis is clearly visible, Type C with aluminum chassis on the right

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Approach with the open car trailer

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Chapparal 2E (1966) - Ship loading of the 2E 1966 for the Bahamas Speedweek; the high rear wing well camouflaged

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Jim Hall behind the wheel at Sebring

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - with high windshield and fins

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - starting number 66 (Sharp) on the occasion of the 12 Hours of Sebring 1965

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Final preparations on the evening before the race at Jim Hall's overall winning Chaparral (12 Hours of Sebring 1965)

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Almost forgotten is the unexpected rainstorm that totally shuffled the rankings - Here you can see the Chaparral 2A of Bruce Jennings in the pit lane (12 Hours of Sebring 1965)

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Porsche 904 GTS (1965) ahead of Chaparral 2A (1965) - at the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - Unusual photo of the winning car crossing the finish line - Jim Hall in Chaparral 2A (12 Hours of Sebring 1965)

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Chaparral 2A (1965) - The overall winner Jim Hall in his Chaparral during the race (12 Hours of Sebring 1965)

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Summary

Jim Hall and his partner Hap Sharp founded the Chaparral racing car company together, making them one of the most important drivers of innovation in the sixties. Not only did they install a plastic chassis, they also used an automatic transmission and did pioneering work in racing car aerodynamics, all shown on the Model 2 (A-E). This report from the Technik im Rennwagen series describes the development history of this special model.

This article contains the following chapters

Plastic instead of steel pipes
Optimization of the aerodynamics
Automatic in racing
Successful

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The years 1958-1978 were the two most creative decades in the history of racing technology. This series portrays the most innovative, pioneering and exotic designs of Formula 1, Indy cars, sports cars and CanAm, and at the same time traces the major lines of development that still have an impact today. The series started with Lotus, one of the most important innovation drivers of these two decades. And the series will also finish with Lotus: With the first ground-effect Formula 1 to win a world championship in 1978, the Type 79. Alongside Lotus, Texan racing car manufacturer Chaparral was the most important driver of innovation between 1958 and 1978. The company was founded by Jim Hall, heir to a Texan oil dynasty, and Hap Sharp, who was also active in the oil business. Hall would have had the best prerequisites to become a playboy. But he became a serious engineer. That didn't rule out something playful. "Autosport asked him in an interview what the most important motive for his involvement in race car construction was. His answer: "It's fun. I'm nothing more than a boy who never grew up! What is also important is the challenge of realizing something that no one had ever thought of before." Imagine a statement like that from the technical director of a current racing team...

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