For Magnified

[DMNkilr]

they don't make nothing for me

They made this one car I kinda like, just remember it destroying the Can-Am series, and basically destroying the competition anywhere it raced

 

[jroyk]

IIRC, this is the Porsche that killed the Can Am series. It broke McClaren’s domination of the series. There was no place for it afterwards except to break closed course records.

 

[Mike L.]

They had to versions of that car. 200MPH and 230MPH+. Legendary

 

[DMNkilr]

IIRC, this is the Porsche that killed the Can Am series. It broke McClaren’s domination of the series. There was no place for it afterwards except to break closed course records.
View attachment 32708

I may just be demonstrating my ignorance, but it isn't it the same basic car? The 917 was the road racing version. I know the 917/30 pictured had the baddest engine they ever built. I was always partial to the closed cockpit models.

 

[jroyk]

I may just be demonstrating my ignorance, but it isn't it the same basic car? The 917 was the road racing version. I know the 917/30 pictured had the baddest engine they ever built. I was always partial to the closed cockpit models.

You’re right. There were so many variants. The long distance road racers had different wheel bases, smaller less powerful engines and different aerodynamics, but they were all 917s.

The Can Am series was my favorite series at the time. It was basically no rules racing except for safety and full fenders. Big block aluminum Chevrolets with Hilborne fuel injection were dominate before the Porsche showed up. There was just so much innovation from talented individuals before really big money killed it.

Jim Hall’s Chaparrals were always cool. He fielded one (2J) that employed an auxiliary snowmobile engine/fan that sucked air out from under the car to generate downforce. In theory, it would have stuck to a ceiling. It got banned for picking up loose asphalt and pitching it back at any car following.


I was lucky enough to attend a race at MIS in 1969. One of the orange McLarens (Bruce McLaren) won that day, but I was pulling for a new Boss 429 based 8 liter iron block powered Lola. It broke, but so did the fastest car that day, a Can Am Ferarri.

 

[DMNkilr]

The can-am stuff was so cool! Fuel injected big blocks with those calliope injectors could still be one of the coolest looks ever. I was fortunate enough to get to go through the Chapparal racing exhibit at the petroleum museum in Midland, TX years ago. Chapparal built beautiful cars and their aerodynamics were ahead of their time

The Lola's had the look

 

[jroyk]

The can-am stuff was so cool! Fuel injected big blocks with those calliope injectors could still be one of the coolest looks ever. I was fortunate enough to get to go through the Chapparal racing exhibit at the petroleum museum in Midland, TX years ago. Chapparal built beautiful cars and their aerodynamics were ahead of their time View attachment 32836 View attachment 32839 View attachment 32838

The Lola's had the look
View attachment 32841 View attachment 32842

#65 pictured above was a popular 1:24 scale slot car. Cox sold a bunch.

 

[Magnified]

Chapparal museum is still there. Have photos of my kids in the cars. The petroleum museum part of it is what I would characterize as being similar to a trip to the Musueum of the Party back in the old USSR. Take that place with a grain of salt.

 

[HRJ]

Last time I went down 349 (prolly been about 5 years) the old Chapparal HQ building was still there just south of Midland. Wonder if the test track is stil around? That would be really cool...

 

[DMNkilr]

Chapparal museum is still there. Have photos of my kids in the cars. The petroleum museum part of it is what I would characterize as being similar to a trip to the Musueum of the Party back in the old USSR. Take that place with a grain of salt.

I was lucky, the people we were visiting said the Chapparal museum was the only thing to see there