|
|
|
|
|
| ||
The Shadowfax was created by Mr. Harvey Templeton in 1969. At the age of 57 Templeton had earned the SCCA Rookie of the Year award for the 1966 season. He sat on the pole at Runoffs in 1966 and 1973.
He built the Shadowfax cars from scratch in his garage. They were unique machines and brought with them advanced designs and mechanical components. They are the only FV racers to utilize a zero-roll suspension. Most other cars of the era used a Z-bar setup.
The name Shadowfax came from the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, as did the name Ringwraith. The Ringwraith was Templeton's first attempt at building a FV racer. It was a technically advanced machine that lacked in aesthetics. It used zero-roll suspension technology meaning it had zero resistance to roll which improved handling. There were no vertically mounted shocks as found on other FV racers. In its place, it had two nonfunctional horizontally mounted shocks which complied with the rules of the day, but served no functional purpose.
The Shadowfax was the second attempt at building a Formula Vee racer. The cockpit was at a very reclined angle, meaning the driver was almost lying down while in operation. It had a low frontal area with a frontal nose splitter that helped the car cut through the wind. Though the car never won the national championship, it did provide Templeton with many overall victories and even a pole position at the SCCA runoffs on two occasions.
In 2003, Templeton passed away at the age of 94. He had built three racing machines that had controversial appearances but fantastic racing results. In the Monoposto Group, the Harvey Tempmleton's Shadowfax is the only car allowed to race with the zero-roll rear suspension setup.
He built the Shadowfax cars from scratch in his garage. They were unique machines and brought with them advanced designs and mechanical components. They are the only FV racers to utilize a zero-roll suspension. Most other cars of the era used a Z-bar setup.
The name Shadowfax came from the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, as did the name Ringwraith. The Ringwraith was Templeton's first attempt at building a FV racer. It was a technically advanced machine that lacked in aesthetics. It used zero-roll suspension technology meaning it had zero resistance to roll which improved handling. There were no vertically mounted shocks as found on other FV racers. In its place, it had two nonfunctional horizontally mounted shocks which complied with the rules of the day, but served no functional purpose.
The Shadowfax was the second attempt at building a Formula Vee racer. The cockpit was at a very reclined angle, meaning the driver was almost lying down while in operation. It had a low frontal area with a frontal nose splitter that helped the car cut through the wind. Though the car never won the national championship, it did provide Templeton with many overall victories and even a pole position at the SCCA runoffs on two occasions.
In 2003, Templeton passed away at the age of 94. He had built three racing machines that had controversial appearances but fantastic racing results. In the Monoposto Group, the Harvey Tempmleton's Shadowfax is the only car allowed to race with the zero-roll rear suspension setup.
| Formula VeeFormula Vee is a single-seat junior racing league that was governed by strict racing rules creating some of the most competitive racing of all time. In comparison to other racing leagues, Formula Vee (FV) is low-cost. The buy-in was around $2000 with a competitive machine costing just over $5000. In modern times the price has increased to around $15,000 - $20,000 for a competitive racer. In comparison to other racing leagues, this is still very low. Throughout the years, the rules have changed to lower the costs, improve performance, or to allow for the substitution of parts as many have since been discontinued. Since the playing field is relatively even in terms of mechanical components and capabilities, drivers must heavily rely on their skill and technique in order to emerge victorious. Formula Vee traces its history back to 1960 and was started at the request of Volkswagen dealers. Three years later, the league was established and recognized as a class within SCCA (Sports Car Club of America). By 1966, it was ranked third out of the 17 classes, in terms of numbers of racers. These mid-engines cars were limited to a 1200cc engine, gearbox and suspension - all courtesy of the Volkswagen Beetle. Air restrictors may be used to keep the power similar for all drivers. The transmission is a VW Type 1 four-speed gearbox along with a set of VW ratios. The body is fiberglass and the chassis is a tube frame. The chassis are known for their low-cost and easy repair and high structural integrity, allowing most drivers to walk away from accidents. Dunlop produces a tire specifically for Formula Vee and this is the only tire allowed in the sport. The tire is suitable in wet or dry racing conditions. Wings are not allowed. Limited slip differentials or any type of traction-control is prohibited. The 1040 pound racer is capable of speeds up to 120 mph. Some of the more renowned producers of these historic racers are Zink, Autodynamics, Lynx, and Formcar. The cars are no longer produced but aftermarket parts are still available. In the sport of FV, the best driver wins. |
1969 Templeton Shadowfax |
|
| Year | 1969 |
| Make | Templeton |
| Model | Shadowfax |
| Body Style | Formula Vee |
| Engine Location | Mid |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Body / Chassis | Fiberglass |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Builder | Volkswagen |
| Engine Configuration | I |
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 1200.00 cc | 73.2 cu in. | 1.2 L. |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 4 |
| Transmission | Manual |
| View Specifications |
| Similar Automakers |
| Add Review |
| Other models by Templeton |
 |
| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| Historics at BeaveRun |
| Vehicle Spotlight | ||
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
