24 Hours Centenary – Chaparral, the fastest bird at Le Mans
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24 Hours Centenary – Chaparral, the fastest bird at Le Mans

24 HOURS CENTENARY – PERPETUAL INNOVATION ⎮ Named after a flightless bird from the deserts of the U.S., Mexico and Central America, Chaparral made its mark in the 1960s with innovative prototypes in pristine white liveries born from the imagination of founder Jim Hall, a pioneer in the use of spoilers.

The heir to a large oil fortune, Jim Hall began his career in motorsport in the late 1950s, joining (Carroll) Shelby American, Inc. in 1957 and making a promising debut as a driver. Hall's friend Hap Sharp, a fellow American racer, loaned him his own Lotus 18 for the 1961 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in which he finished seventh. He took the start again the following year before representing BRP (a team managed by Stirling Moss' father) for the 1963 season with as best result fifth and sixth places.

The bird leaves the nest

But a new ambition had been brewing in Hall since 1961: to become a constructor with close friend Sharp. They chose the name of a Texas roadrunner, Chaparral. The species of bird has been famously immortalised in Looney Tunes' Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoons.

Chaparral started out with sports cars. The MK 1 was a classic front engine barquette with a tubular frame designed with the help of Scarab. Hall turned to General Motors to supply 300 hp 5.2-litre Chevrolet V8 engines for five cars. From 1961 to 1963, the MK 1 scored a stunning 12 wins and 10 second place finishes thanks to Hall and Sharp.

Convinced by European formulas, Hall and his team considered a central engine essential. The 1 was followed in 1963 by the boldly designed 2. In addition to a mid-engine, the new frame was designed as a monocoque, with resin panels glued together thanks to Andy Green's technique for constructing racing sailboats.

Hall employed the same reasoning as Colin Chapman for his all-aluminium Lotus 25, with a longer manufacturing time for the Chaparral. But, the 2 still remains the first mid-engined monocoque sports car (the Jaguar D-Type was equipped with a front motor). Chevrolet supplied an engine increased to 475 hp and the four-speed Colotti gearbox was quickly replaced with a two-speed General Motors automatic. The bodywork was inspired by the 1962 Chevy Monza concept car with its refined front bonnet and unique headlights position.

The bird takes off for Le Mans

Hall first experienced the 24 Hours in 1963, sharing a Ferrari 330 LMB with fellow American Dan Gurney, but the car's transmission failed after 126 laps.

The Chaparral 2, later named the 2A, clinched eight wins in 1964 shared between Hall, Sharp and Roger Penske. The 2A evolved into the 2C in 1965, already fitted with a spoiler at the extension of the rear cover.

Hall and Sharp decided to enter the World Sportscar Championship in 1966 at the pinnacle of the Ford-Ferrari duel. no small feat! All hopes were pinned on the 2D, very similar to the 2C in terms of chassis, but the bodywork had been transformed into a berlinetta to comply with CSI (International Sporting Commission, predecessor to the current FIA) regulations.

A singular rear wing was traded for a sizable spoiler with an intake on top of the roof to supply air to the engine. After a disappointing debut in the U.S. (retirements at Daytona and Sebring), the car took the start at Spa-Francorchamps in May with three-time 24 Hours winner Phil Hill and Jo Bonnier at the wheel. Three weeks later, the 2D won the 22 km race at the Nürburgring circuit.

The team's enthusiasm was at an all-time high going into the 24 Hours in mid-June. After clocking the 10th fastest time during the free practice, Bonnier improved his time by a staggering two seconds in qualifying. Unfortunately, rain fell over the circuit and wet tyres became necessary, but the 2D was fitted with five-bolt wheels that took much longer to remove and refit than the mid-throttle ones on the Fords and Ferraris. The 2D plummeted in the classification and was forced to retire with a failed battery shortly before midnight after 111 laps.

The bird's new wing

Chaparral then turned to the Can-Am Challenge Cup with a 2E fitted with a gigantic rear spoiler above the rear cover to improve grip. The car earned two victories and two second place finishes.

The car repurposed the bonded resin chassis of the 2D, but with a much boxier frame, laterally repositioned radiators and a truncated rear. The wide spoiler of the 2D was switched to a wing taken from the 2E and the wheels were changed to mid-throttle. To face off against Ford on equal footing, the Chevy engine was increased to 7 litres and the gearbox remained a two-speed automatic. With the left foot released from the clutch, drivers could press a third pedal which controlled the position of the wing, flat in straights and inclined while braking and in turns.

On the heels of a difficult early season with multiple retirements, two 2Es arrived at Le Mans. Phil Hill joined forces with British driver Mike Spence in the #7 while Bruce Jennings and Bob Johnson shared the #8. After qualifying second, the #7 held its own against the Ford Mk IIs, Ford Mk IVs and Ferrari 330 P4s. While still in the lead pack after 18 hours, the car suffered the failure of its automatic gearbox. The much slower #8 (by 10 seconds a lap) had already retired during the 10th hour with a broken starter.

And so ended Chaparral's adventure at Le Mans. The marque did however finish its endurance racing season in triumph with a win at Brands Hatch in late July (Phil Hill's last before retiring). Thereafter, Hall and Sharp returned to their favourite playing field, Can-Am, before Chaparral won the Indianapolis 500 in 1980 with the 2K single-seater. .

 

PHOTOS (Copyright - ACO Archives): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 1966 & 1967 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. From top to bottom: the 2F in its box in 1967 with Chaparral founder Jim Hall (behind the open door); rear and front views of the 1966 2D (#9) with licence plate from Texas, Jim Hall's home state (born in Abilene in 1935); the two wing positions on the 1967 2F, horizontal on the #7 for speed in straights and inclined on the #8 (followed here by the #19 Ferrari 330 P4 Günther Klass/ Peter Sutcliffe) for improved cornering downforce.

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