The Chevrolet Chaparral 2X VGT, flanked by the Chaparral 2J (L) and the 2D coupe (R). Photos courtesy GM Media.
Jim Hall’s Chaparral race cars were among the most innovative designs of the 1960s, encompassing the use of lightweight composite materials; massive, downforce-generating rear wings; aluminum drivetrains; and even active aerodynamics. Chaparral cars haven’t been at the forefront of competition since Johnny Rutherford won the 1980 Indianapolis 500 driving a Chaparral 2K, which means their ingenuity is largely unknown to a new generation of race fans. Enter GM’s Advanced Design Studio, which has teamed with Jim Hall and game developer Polyphony Digital to introduce the Chevrolet Chaparral 2X VGT to the driving simulator game Gran Turismo 6, targeting today’s race fans along with tomorrow’s racers, designers and engineers.
The very first Chaparral race car wasn’t engineered or constructed by Hall, but instead by Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes with Hall’s input. Featuring a conventional front engine, rear drive design, the Chaparral 1 (essentially an evolution of the Troutman and Barnes-built Scarabs) was sold to a number of teams, including one fielded by Hall and Hap Sharp. A year later, in 1962, Hall and Sharp founded Chaparral Cars, Inc., and immediately set to work on designing the Chaparral 2.
Chaparral 2C.
The Chaparral 2 used a semi-monocoque fiberglass chassis which positioned the 327-cu.in. Chevrolet V-8 behind the driver, creating the very first sports racer to employ a mid-engine layout and monocoque construction. In the car’s first outing, at Riverside in 1963, Hall put the Chaparral 2 on the pole and established a new track record, but that proved to be the highlight of the season. As with any new race car, Hall spent much of the year debugging the car, but also developed a partnership with General Motors that gave him access to the automaker’s aerodynamic research and engineers.
The Chaparral 2 helped Hall capture the United States Road Racing Championship in 1964, and in 1965 the team won the 12 Hours of Sebring. Development work on the Chaparral series was ongoing, and in conjunction with GM, Hall implemented such advancements as the data acquisition system, a torque converter transaxle, a racing-focused automatic transmission and increasingly sophisticated aerodynamics.
Chaparral 2E.
The Chaparral 2E Can-Am car debuted in 1966, and it carried a massive, driver-adjustable rear wing that transferred downforce not to the flexible bodywork, but rather to the rear wheel hubs themselves. Up front, the intakes didn’t flow air across radiators and oil coolers (which were mounted near the center of the car), but directed airflow to help reduce front end lift at high speeds. An evolution of the car, the Chaparral 2F, debuted in the World Championship endurance series in 1967, and set the fastest lap in five of the series eight races.
The best known Chapparal, however, was likely the 2J “Sucker Car,” which employed a snowmobile engine to power a pair of fans that vented air from beneath the chassis. By creating an area of low pressure beneath the car, the 2J was sucked down to the track without the use of a large, drag-inducing rear wing, improving performance in both corners and on straights. With Vic Elford at the wheel, the 2J managed three pole positions in four races, but was plagued with reliability issues (many relating to the engine that powered the fans) that hampered the car’s potential. By the end of the season, the FIA announced a ban on “moveable aerodynamic devices” for the coming year, which made the 2J illegal for competition.
Chaparral 2J, the infamous “sucker car.”
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Gran Turismo franchise for the Sony Playstation gaming console, the designer, Polyphony Digital, has invited automakers to create virtual cars that show the future of automotive design. Chevrolet’s entry will be the Chaparral 2X VGT, which GM’s vice president of global design, Ed Welburn, calls “…an example of what our designers are capable of when they are cut loose, no holes barred. A fantasy car in every sense of the word.”
Mark Reuss, GM’s executive vice president, global product development, purchasing and supply chain, gave another clue to the reason why that automaker chose to reimagine the Chapparal, saying, “Jim Hall and Chaparral blended the art of racing with science in an unprecedented way, changing the sport forever and inspiring a new generation to experiment with aerodynamics and unconventional materials. His race cars were four-wheeled physics projects that proved innovation – and a strong Chevy race engine – could drive you to the winner’s circle.”
Jim Hall (L) coaches John Surtees at Edmonton in 1969, as mechanic Franz Weis looks on. The car is a Chaparral 2H.
If a car in a video game fires up interest in the history of racing, or goes so far as to inspire the next generation of constructors or drivers, we’re all for it. Look for the Chaparral 2X VGT to appear in a future online update of Gran Turismo 6, and to see the real Chapparal 2, 2D, 2E, 2F 2H, 2J, and 2K, visit the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas.
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