<< Prev Page 3 of 3 Hall and Sharp kicked off the 1965 season with a stunning win in the prestigious Sebring 12 Hours. Against America's and Europe's finest the further developed Chaparral took the pole position, fastest lap and overall victory leaving the Fords and Ferraris to bite their dust. It was the start of a second highly successful season in the continent's USRRC and FIA mandated races. In October a more conventional aluminium chassis was debuted in the 2C (the B suffix was skipped to prevent the 2C being confused with GM's GSIIb), which in familiar fashion took the fastest lap and victory at the season opener.
For 1966 the UssRC was replaced by the all new Can-Am Challenge series, which attracted a lot more European attention. For the FIA mandated races Chaparral developed the fibreglass 2 into the fixed-head 2D, which scored the company's first European victory in the Nürburgring 1000 km race. The aluminium 2C chassis was used as a basis for the open 2E Can-Am racer. Jim Hall continued to push the boundaries with aerodynamical revolutions, but stronger competition and stricter regulations prevented the Chaparral team to ever match the stunning 1964 and 1965 seasons.
With nearly two dozen victories in two seasons, the original Chaparral 2 remains as the most successful of all of Jim Hall's racers. The composite chassis was revolutionary and the advantages were not accepted for another two decades when the carbon composites structures debuted in Formula 1 racing. Four chassis were constructed, but only three were used. All three were converted to either 2D or 2F specification and survive to this day. Today the three chassis each represent one version of the fibreglass 2 evolutions, so there is one 2, a 2D and a 2F in existence. << Prev Page 3 of 3
Ultimatecarpage.com
> Cars by brand
> United States
> Chaparral
Racing cars
> Other Sportscars
Hall and Sharp kicked off the 1965 season with a stunning win in the prestigious Sebring 12 Hours. Against America's and Europe's finest the further developed Chaparral took the pole position, fastest lap and overall victory leaving the Fords and Ferraris to bite their dust. It was the start of a second highly successful season in the continent's USRRC and FIA mandated races. In October a more conventional aluminium chassis was debuted in the 2C (the B suffix was skipped to prevent the 2C being confused with GM's GSIIb), which in familiar fashion took the fastest lap and victory at the season opener.