Go to Ultimatecarpage.com

 sport Ultimatecarpage.com  > Cars by brand  > United States  > Chaparral
Racing cars  > Other Sportscars
     2D Chevrolet
Car search:
Quick Advanced 


  Chaparral 2D Chevrolet      

  Article Image gallery (7) 2D001 Specifications User Comments (4)  
Click here to open the Chaparral 2D Chevrolet gallery   
Country of origin:United States
Produced from:1966 - 1967
Numbers built:2 (2D001 - 2D002)
Designed by:Jim Hall
Author:Wouter Melissen
Last updated:June 14, 2006
Download: All images
<< Prev Page 2 of 3 Next >>
Click here to download printer friendly versionAlthough the chassis was highly advanced, Hall gathered well proven parts to bolt onto it. A straightforward double wishbone suspension was picked for the front suspension, and at the rear each corner consisted of trailing arms, a single top link and a reverse lower wishbone. Girling discs were fitted all around and provided for plenty of stopping power. The Chevrolet V8 was carried over from the front-engined Chaparrals, but equipped with four Weber Carburettors and higher compression heads. A Colotti four speed gearbox was chosen, which already had proven its worth in the mid-engined Lotus and Cooper racers.

Just a few months after the first monocoque single seater, the racing world welcomed the first mid-engined monocoque sportscar; great minds really seem to think alike. Barely completed the Chaparral 2 debuted at the Riverside Grand Prix in October. Hall immediately impressed by claiming pole position, but in the race the lack of development and an electrical fire saw him retire from the lead after only four laps. There were two more outings for Chaparral that season with a third place finish as the best result. Hall retired from Formula 1 and completely focused on developing the Chaparral 2 into a race winner.

Over the winter the ties with General Motors were further strengthened and Hall received back door support in exchange for assisting the manufacturer's development team. Impressed by its early performance GM's personnel investigated the Chaparral 2 in detail and decided to build a specimen of their own, but using aluminium instead. It was described as an experimental vehicle, not to break the non-racing agreement of 1957, but it was an obvious answer to Ford's GT40 program, which effectively ended the agreement. The resulting 'Corvette GSIIb' was very light, but by far not as rigid as the similar composite Chaparral. One of the features Hall later adapted for the Chaparrals was the two speed automatic gearbox fitted on the GSIIb.

In March Chaparral commenced their 1964 racing program with two works racers. The most obvious changes were the smoothed out bodywork and the re-routed exhaust system, which now consisted of eight stacks pointed upwards through the rear bodywork. After a second place finish in the season's first race, Hall scored the 2's maiden victory in the next. This was a start of an impressive run in American road races, piling victory upon victory. While Hall recovered from a broken arm, Roger Penske added two victories to the team's tally in the important FIA sanctioned fall races at Laguna Seca and in the Nassau Speed Week.

<< Prev Page 2 of 3 Next >>

  Article Image gallery (7) 2D001 Specifications User Comments (4)