1961 Chaparral 1 Racer

Detroit was producing a new generation of lightweight, large displacement pushrod overhead valve V8 engines that soon found their way into the bellies of race cars produced by Hot Rodders, tuners, and road racers. They had proven their merit in Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles, and Chryslers and would even breathe new life into tired Ferraris and Maseratis. With refined engineering and improved casting techniques, it seemed like the possibilities were virtually endless. The engine, coupled with a proper chassis, soon became a dominant force in racing.

Scarab builders Troutman & Barnes met Jim Hall in November of 1960 to discuss the potential of a Chevrolet-powered front-engined sports racer. Later Hall ordered this prototype, known as chassis number 001, at a cost of $16,500, for the 1961 racing season. A second car with chassis number 003, would be delivered for the 1962 season. Hall was offered naming rights to his car, and he chose Chaparral, after a running West Texas bird.

The Chaparral 1 sports racer, in a similar fashion to the Scarab Sports Racers, had a lightweight space frame chassis wrapped with an aluminum skin. The chassis featured 1¼-inch diameter chrome molybdenum tubing with a front suspension comprised of unequal-length tubular wishbones. In the back, the rear suspension was relatively conventional, with reversed lower A-arms, a single top link, and twin trailing arms. The upright was a magnesium casting. Coil springs were used over Monroe shocks with welded-on spring seats, and anti-roll bars were placed in the front and the back.

Chassis number 001 was the prototype and it was given aluminum pannier fuel tanks placed on either side to help with weight distribution. The brakes were Girling calipers with custom cast iron discs. The rear brakes measured 10 inches while the front had 10.5-inch discs. The wheels were cast by Halibrand, measured 15 inches, and were designed for Troutman & Barnes. It was given a Halibrand differential which used a Mercury ring and pinion gearset, with quick-change drop gears.

The team began with a 283 cubic-inch Chevrolet block that was enlarged to 318 cubic inches by Art Oehrli of Traco. It was given triple Stromberg carburetors, Edelbrock manifold, and an Iskenderian camshaft. It had tubular manifolds to 4-inch pipes. It had an aluminum T-10 gearbox and an aluminum flywheel was used with a 10½-inch Schiefer clutch. The interior featured two upholstered alloy seats along with a three-spoke upright steering wheel.

Chuck Pelly designed the body which had a one-piece nose, a tail section, and two doors. The rocker panels were actually the fuel tanks. Molded-in stoplights were placed at the rear while the front had Plexiglas-covered Lucas spotlights. The completed car weighed just 1,479 pounds and was 15 inches shorter than the Scarab.

The un-painted prototype Chaparral was first tested by Jim Hall at an SCCA race at Riverside on June 5th, 1961. His first race in the Chaparral 1 was at an SCCA National, at Laguna Seca later in June. The car showed tremendous promise and may have won, but a broken valve rocker put him behind Chuck Sargent's Birdcage Maserati.

The car raced at the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix at Riverside on October 15th, where it qualified on the second row. Jim Hall managed a 3rd overall finish.

A week later, Hall raced at the San Francisco Examiner's Pacific Grand Prix. The car qualified on the 4th row, where it shared track space with the other fastest front-engined car. The race got to off to a bad start, as Augie Pabst's Maserati spewed oil on lap one. Jim Hall, running in 3rd, was the first one to hit the oil in turn 2. Eventually, Hall managed to get his car back on track and spent the rest of the race passing cars to finish 7th overall. During the second heat of the race, his engine blew up and brought him to a halt between 2 and 3.

The car endured a similar fate again on December 10th at Nassau, known as the Tourist Trophy, when the engine expired again.

Chaparral number 001 was joined at Daytona on February 11th, 1962 by Harry Heuer's number 002 car, driven by Dick Rathmann. Hall would finish the race 3rd Overall.

Chassis 003 and 001 were entered by Hall/Sharp at the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 23rd and 24th. Hall and Chuck Daigh were eliminated in chassis number 003 after 8 hours due to a broken steering knuckle. Subsequently, Hall co-drove 001 to 6th Overall and won the C/Modified class.

Chassis number 001 and 003 later raced at Mosport, Road America, Riverside, Laguna Seca, and the Bahamas during the 1962 season. 001 and 003 raced again in 1963 at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where cars wore new FIA bodywork and Chaparral 2-type noses.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2016