1965 Wolverine LD65 Sports Racer

American Jerry Hansen was both a successful privateer racer and an equally successful businessman. In 1965, he asked GM race car designer Lee Dykstra and coachbuilder George Anderson to create a Can-Am racecar. The idea was to eventually build three cars, although just one was ever built.

The car was given a steel tubular space frame chassis with stressed aluminum honeycomb sheets resulting in a semi-monocoque. The rear suspension was comprised of reversed lower wishbones, twin radius arms, and top links. The front was suspended in place by double wishbones. Mounted mid-ship was a Chevrolet small-block V8 engine mated to a McKee quick-shift, four-speed gearbox. Magnesium wheels were placed at all four corners.

While Dykstra was handling the mechanical aspects of the vehicle, the aluminum body was formed by Anderson. The design was said to have resembled the claws of a Wolverine, which earned it the designation 'Wolverine.'

The car's first competitive outing was on September 11th of 1966. It was raced at the Can-Am event at Circuit Mont Tremblant, St. Jovite. The car qualified 25th and finished in 20th place. The car was second to last and over a dozen laps behind race winner John Surtees in his Lola T70. This would be Hansen's first and only race with the Wolverine in Can-Am competition. The car would continue to race through 1972 in SCCA competition.

The Wolverine was painted in Jerry Hansen's race color: Maroon. Later owner Jim Place added his company name on the rear wheel arc - which still remains on the Wolverine today.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2017