Chaparral 2H
02-02-2009, 11:47 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Chaparral 2H
They were at it again...this time the Chaparral 2H was driven. The 2H has not been driven in public since 1969 so that made it extra special.
The 2H was referred to as the "whale" - I guess because of the long body and big tail.
This is an interesting car.
Starting at the rear:
The wing is polished aluminum and has an adjustable "aileron" (for want of better description). The wing is hydraulicly operated by a pedal in the cockpit.
The pivot point on the wing allows air pressure to hold the wing in the down (max downforce) position. On the straightaway, the driver would hold the wing pedal to the floor to put the wing in the horizontal position.
Due to a rules change, the wing had to be mounted to the chassis instead of the rear suspension. Under max downforce this caused the chassis to compress the suspension. To counteract this, Jim Hall installed an "active" system of 2 cylinders (like shocks) that pressurized and push up to counteract the downforce on the chassis (or transfer the downforce to the suspension depending on how you look at it).
The engine was actually a structural member of the car. The rear suspension was attached to the engine. The rear crossmember looks like it is hinged in the middle allowing rear toe to be set. And the crossmember can be tilted fore and aft.
The transmission is a standard, but uses a torque converter instead of a cluth. The car was started in gear. Since there was no clutch pedal, the driver left-foot braked for the turns and then pushed the wing pedal with his left foot on the straights.
Originally, the cockpit was enclosed. The driver sat down very low in the car. The clear side windows were necessary for the driver to see out the side of the car because he couldn't see over the body. The rearview mirrors were originally mounted low on the body behind the front tires. The driver also had to climb into the cockpit through the small side windows. The 2H driver (forgot his name) refused to drive the car with the enclosed cockpit so they designed a clear plastic cockpit cover with an opening (like an Indy car). As you can see from the pics, the driver still sat very low in the car but in a more upright position than before.
The battery was located in front of the driver - below his knees.
Tires - the back tires are ~19" tread width. The front are ~15" tread width.
this is the air intake on the top back of the car for the radiator
videos to come
The 2H was referred to as the "whale" - I guess because of the long body and big tail.
This is an interesting car.
Starting at the rear:
The wing is polished aluminum and has an adjustable "aileron" (for want of better description). The wing is hydraulicly operated by a pedal in the cockpit.
The pivot point on the wing allows air pressure to hold the wing in the down (max downforce) position. On the straightaway, the driver would hold the wing pedal to the floor to put the wing in the horizontal position.
Due to a rules change, the wing had to be mounted to the chassis instead of the rear suspension. Under max downforce this caused the chassis to compress the suspension. To counteract this, Jim Hall installed an "active" system of 2 cylinders (like shocks) that pressurized and push up to counteract the downforce on the chassis (or transfer the downforce to the suspension depending on how you look at it).
The engine was actually a structural member of the car. The rear suspension was attached to the engine. The rear crossmember looks like it is hinged in the middle allowing rear toe to be set. And the crossmember can be tilted fore and aft.
The transmission is a standard, but uses a torque converter instead of a cluth. The car was started in gear. Since there was no clutch pedal, the driver left-foot braked for the turns and then pushed the wing pedal with his left foot on the straights.
Originally, the cockpit was enclosed. The driver sat down very low in the car. The clear side windows were necessary for the driver to see out the side of the car because he couldn't see over the body. The rearview mirrors were originally mounted low on the body behind the front tires. The driver also had to climb into the cockpit through the small side windows. The 2H driver (forgot his name) refused to drive the car with the enclosed cockpit so they designed a clear plastic cockpit cover with an opening (like an Indy car). As you can see from the pics, the driver still sat very low in the car but in a more upright position than before.
The battery was located in front of the driver - below his knees.
Tires - the back tires are ~19" tread width. The front are ~15" tread width.
this is the air intake on the top back of the car for the radiator
videos to come
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Mike Kendel (01-18-2020)
02-03-2009, 01:04 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
The 2H driver (forgot his name) refused to drive the car with the enclosed cockpit so they designed a clear plastic cockpit cover with an opening (like an Indy car). As you can see from the pics, the driver still sat very low in the car but in a more upright position than before.
02-03-2009, 02:04 AM
#3
Burning Brakes
Wow. Talk about a RADICAL design for the times. This must have been the prototype for the Mach 5... 
Those vortex generators in that last shot are a real trip. This must have been the first time such things were used on a 'streamlined' race car...
Those vortex generators in that last shot are a real trip. This must have been the first time such things were used on a 'streamlined' race car...
02-03-2009, 01:03 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
Ahh yeah, that is awesome. There are some great design details on that car. As usual you made my day! Great photos and I always love hearing them run.
02-03-2009, 07:03 PM
#7
Racer
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Good stuff... I got the chance to visit the Museum back in December, and the one thing I had heard is that all of the cars were "ready to drive" - the oil catch pans under them confirmed it. Wish I could have seen even one of them drive.. oh well, thanks for sharing that.
Panoramic I did of the museum, if any of you are driving through Midland, TX on I-20 stop by.. it's RIGHT by the interstate (you can actually see traffic in the videos above)
Jon K
Panoramic I did of the museum, if any of you are driving through Midland, TX on I-20 stop by.. it's RIGHT by the interstate (you can actually see traffic in the videos above)
Jon K
02-03-2009, 08:31 PM
#8
Drifting
Everytime I've driven through there I've really wished I could stop - but have always been pressed for time.
!!
02-03-2009, 09:22 PM
#10
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
One of the requirements for putting the cars there was that they would stay ready to drive. The tires were so old on the 2H that they had to keep the speed down. They are trying to find some tires to fit. Mr. Hall said they had to be treaded tires because you never know what the conditions might be when they are driven.
After the cars are driven they have to drain the fluids before putting them back inside the museum.
I'm fortunate that I live here. We usually get a few days notice when they are going to drive one of the cars. The videos can't do them justice.
And you just can't imagine all the cutting edge thinking and technology that went into those cars. Just about everywhere you look you just go
When you look at the spartan shops compared to today's racing teams it is really amazing.
After the cars are driven they have to drain the fluids before putting them back inside the museum.
I'm fortunate that I live here. We usually get a few days notice when they are going to drive one of the cars. The videos can't do them justice.
And you just can't imagine all the cutting edge thinking and technology that went into those cars. Just about everywhere you look you just go
When you look at the spartan shops compared to today's racing teams it is really amazing.
02-03-2009, 11:18 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
I saw the 2H practice for the 1970 CanAm at TWS in Bryan, Texas. It had a HUGE wing mid-mounted to the chassis.......I mean HUGE, like an Outlaw car wing. It didn't race because the driver (Tom Dutton, I think) lost it and crashed in practice, tweaking the chassis. I got pictures of the car on the trailer, and movies of the race. Mario was on pole, Denny Hulme lead most of the race, but burned a piston, so Bruce Mclaren won. Jack Brabham was second in the Boss 429er Ford. Jack and Mario went thru 13 aluminum 494CID Boss 429ers during practice and the race.....those were the days!
02-04-2009, 12:30 AM
#13
Melting Slicks
http://www.alpimodel.com/minichamps/430691497.html
02-04-2009, 03:10 PM
#15
Le Mans Master
I believe that Jim Hall said the 2H was designed to run with NO wing, but after it was built, they found out that it had so much lift that they had to run a wing, They chose to run a huge one that was mid mounted to load the entire chassis, but I guess it had some handling problems because it only ran in that configuration once, and even today, I think Jim Hall considers that car his only failure.
I don't know if the Ford blocks were lined or not, cause I never saw one opened up. Mario was MUCH faster than anyone else in qualifying. However they started out with an engine in each car, and twelve (12) spare motors in plastic on a flat bed trailer!!!!!!! (I have pictures)
At the end of the race, only (Sir) Jack Brabham's car was running. Mario lead by a mile and the engine blew up on the second lap (I think).
I got there on Wednesday, and got to meet a bunch of neat guys, including Sterling Moss, and Denny Hulme. However, I also got yelled at and thrown out of the McLaren garage for taking pictures of the wrong stuff.
I don't know if the Ford blocks were lined or not, cause I never saw one opened up. Mario was MUCH faster than anyone else in qualifying. However they started out with an engine in each car, and twelve (12) spare motors in plastic on a flat bed trailer!!!!!!! (I have pictures)
At the end of the race, only (Sir) Jack Brabham's car was running. Mario lead by a mile and the engine blew up on the second lap (I think).
I got there on Wednesday, and got to meet a bunch of neat guys, including Sterling Moss, and Denny Hulme. However, I also got yelled at and thrown out of the McLaren garage for taking pictures of the wrong stuff.
Last edited by 63Corvette; 02-05-2009 at 03:11 PM.
02-04-2009, 04:44 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Said the mid wing was mounted to run Laguna-Seca in October 1969but the car died on the pace lap and did not compete.
I bet that thing scared the hell out of the competition. Pretty funny looking with that huge mid-wing. I bet it had lots of downforce.
It doesn't appear to be movable like the rear wing or wings on other Chaparral cars. I guess they needed lots of downforce for Laguna Seca.
02-04-2009, 11:09 PM
#19
Le Mans Master
Scott thanks for posting the great pictues of the 2H with the huge wing. Were you living in Midland back in the 60s, and if so, did you know Jerry Hanna who worked for Jim Hall......and (briefly) owned one of the original Grand Sport Corvettes?
02-05-2009, 09:26 AM
#20
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Nope. I moved to Midland in 1991.
I drove past the Chaparral Cars buildings for years and never put 2 and 2 together. Someone even mentioned that there was a race track South of town but I still didn't get it.
I drove past the Chaparral Cars buildings for years and never put 2 and 2 together. Someone even mentioned that there was a race track South of town but I still didn't get it.