Highlights from the 1966 Can Am Stardust Grand Prix

Got the Bug · #1 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 10:20 AM

I found some clips on YouTube of the final race of the first season of Can Am in 1966. Some cool shots and interviews.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsNPg6gGkJA

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKCcKGBtuXU

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QyreqM0crw

Tom Kirkham · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 10:36 AM

Wow,

Thanks!

car4jim · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 08:52 PM

I notice the wing on the white car seems to change angle depending on whether the car is cornering or in a straight away. Any idea how the wing was actuated? What was the control logic?

Got the Bug · #4 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by car4jim

I notice the wing on the white car seems to change angle depending on whether the car is cornering or in a straight away. Any idea how the wing was actuated? What was the control logic?

I took a quick look at the Chaparral page on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaparral_Cars

It sounds like the 2E was designed to have an adjustable wing, but the FIA banned Hall from using it. As the race progressed you could start to see the wing on both cars start flapping around.

The wiki page was an interesting read.

Rick Parker · #5 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 10:26 PM

The wing was controled with a pedal that was depressed while in a turn to create down force. Obviously a lot of downforce created and the actuation mechanism on each car broke. Transmissions were automatics.

The real deal was the later car (2J) with a 2 separate snowmobile engines spinning fans, combined with the skirt around the square deck that sucked the car to the ground. That got outlawed pretty quick too. I saw that one at Laguna. Jim Hall was always thinking ahead of the pack.

tkb289 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 10:47 PM

Doug,

Thanks for posting this ... all of those beautiful Can-Am cars and the amazing group of drivers ... many of which are sadly no longer with us, but their accomplishments and contributions to racing live on.

For me the Can-Am cars from '66 to '72 are my favorites ... it's always great to see and hear them from time to time at the Monterey historic races.

Keep digging this stuff up ... it's great!

- Tim

Ralphy · #7 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 11:06 PM

Years ago my cousin's received a 4 lane figure 8 HO track for Christmas. The corners had a billboard wall with racing ads. Pretty cool, anyhow one car was a winged Chaparral. If you had the outside lane you could hold the control wide open through the turn. I then discovered if you took the wing off, the car would flip off the track. Believe it or not.......

Dave Schwaab · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 12:00 AM

Thanks for these links.

I still remember watching the 1968 Stardust race on live TV; and Hall's horrific crash when Lothar Motschenbacher's McLaren broke it's rear suspension and launched Hall's close following Chaparral.