1967 Caldwell D-7

This Caldwell D7 is the lone survivor of a pair of cars commissioned by Sam Posey and built by Ray Caldwell and the Autodynamics team.

Trying to maximize the traction of the bias-ply tires of the day, the unusual design incorporated solid front and rear axles combined with a sizeable chassis-mounted wing. While it was very fast on big, smooth tracks, it became a real handful on bumpy surfaces. The bump steer was so bad at Bridgehampton that Sam loosened the steering wheel on the shaft to absorb some of the kick.

The Can-Am Caldwell D-7 was designed with a non-independent suspension conceived to maximize road contact for the era's newest, wider competition tires. This feature became, in Posey's words, 'Both the car's strength and its Achilles heel.' The sleek, aerodynamic chassis was built with a pair of narrow box sections running along either side of the cockpit. The engine is a 365 CID Blatz Chevy, and the transmission is a five-speed ZF.

Glimmers of the car's potential - beating the lap record in practice at Lime Rock, tying the record at Laguna Seca - were overshadowed by reliability and development problems. An aluminum spoiler replaced the wing, and the rear suspension was redesigned. It became safer and more reliable but lost some speed and edginess in the process.

In seven USRRC races in 1968, the D7 scored five top tens, including a 3rd at Riverside. Its 1967/68 Can-Am results were a bit less illustrious with twelve races resulting in 6 DNFs but also two top tens. Offered a Lola ride in 1968, Sam jumped at the chance, and teammate Brett Lunger campaigned the D7 for the 1968 season.