Tag Archives: Duntov

All Enveloping Compliance – Allard J2X Le Mans #3055

In 1950 Sydney Allard ventured to Le Mans for the 24 Hours race with American Tom Cole as his co driver and the pair in the Cadillac powered Allard J2 came home with a more than credible 3rd place overall finish, and 8 litre / 488 cui class.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Silverstone Classic,

The following year two J2’s were entered for the 24 Hours, but this time Sydney and Tom retired after completing 134 laps with a broken gearbox team mates were frustratingly unclassified, despite having completed more than 194 laps, due to transmission problems which kept from them running when the clock heralded the end of the race.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Silverstone Classic,

For 1952 new regulations for Le Mans outlawed cycle wings / fenders on cars like the J2, and Talbot T26 by mandating bodies with fully enveloped wheels.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Andy Dee Crowne, Silverstone Classic, Test Day,

Talbot employed Charles Deutsch to simply rebody their existing T26 cars, but Allard took the opportunity to switch to his new J2X chassis which featured an extended frame, trailing radius rods, and the engine mounted 7 1/2 inches further forward to create more space in the cockpit.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Andy Dee Crowne, Silverstone Classic, Test Day,

Two types of body were available for the J2X, cycle mudguard of which 77 are believed to have been built and enclosed J2X Le Mans of which 10 or 11 are believed to have been built.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Silverstone Classic,

Two Chrysler V8 331 cui / 5394 cc powered Allard J2X Le Mans cars were taken to Le Mans for the hour race in 1952, today’s #4 chassis #3055 for Sydney Allard and Jack Fairman and the #5 chassis #3049 for Frank Curtis and Zora Arkus Duntov.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Silverstone Classic,

Frank and Zora qualified 14th on the grid, but retired with brake failure, in front of the sister car of Sydney and Jack which had qualified 18th and retired with a fuel tank issue.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Silverstone Classic,

#3055 was prepared to it’s present condition by Sam Thomas Racing and returned to Le Mans for the first time in 62 years last year.

Allard J2X Le Mans, Silverstone Classic,

Owner Andy Dee Crowne is seen at the wheel in these photographs taken at the Silverstone Classic test day earlier this year.

Thanks for joining me on this “All Enveloping Compliance” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at two of the all time greatest drives in history that gave Mercedes Benz a 1-2 finish. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Spirit Of ’76 – Chevrolet Corvette Greenwood #007

John and Burt Greenwood were the children of a WW2 fighter pilot who worked at the GM Tech Center. As a teenager John was working paper rounds so that he could build a Briggs Stratton powered kart. From there the Greenwood’s moved into street racing, preparing a car, racing it and then selling it to so that they could build up another.

Around 1968 the Greenwoods set up Auto Research Engineering to build engines and tune suspension and the following year started racing. John won back to back SCCA championships in 1970 and 1971. Over the following two years the Greenwood Corvettes had made trips to the Le Mans 24 hours where they had failed to finish having a best 16th place on the grid in ’72 to show for their efforts.

Chevrolet Corvette, Goodwood Festival of Speed

In 1976 John Greenwood was invited to return to Le Mans and this time he brought a wide bodied car to share with Bernard Darniche. Featuring a body that was developed the the aid of ‘Farther of the Corvette’ Zora Arkus-Duntov and aerodynamicist Randy Wittine that covered a 700 hp fuel injected 7 litre / 427 cui motor.

Chassis #007 had been built up for Rick Mancuso a racer from Illinois who entered the car in the ’76 Sebring 12 hours but crashed it in practice so that it did not start, #007 is not to be confused with John Greenwoods “Spirit of Sebring ’76” which started from pole in the same race, but retired after 36 laps with clutch failure.

Chevrolet Corvette, Goodwood Festival of Speed

At his third attempt John’s Corvette, which was timed at over 215 mph on Mulsanne straight, qualified 9th behind a the turbocharged BMW CSl driven by Brian Redman and Peter Gregg and was one of just 12 cars to get below 4 mins in qualifying beating his own previous best time by a clear 20 seconds.

Unfortunately it was not third time lucky in the race as the car was retired with a split fuel cell during the early hours bringing to an end John’s hugely popular presence at the La Sarthe circuit.

Thanks for joining me on this “Spirit of ’76” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for “Ferrari Friday”. Don’t forget to come back now !

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FI = 1 H.P. per CU. IN. x 283 – Chevrolet Corvette C1

With the arrival of the enthusiastic Zora Arkus-Duntov in GM’s engineering department, the famous Chevrolet small block in the engine bay and some competition in the form of the Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet ramped up it’s commitment to building and American sports car in 1956 by replacing the first iteration of the Corvette which was considered low on performance, high on water leaks into the cockpit and less than a true sports car.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

Banished for ever in 1956 was the 155 hp triple carburetor Blue Flame six cylinder engine, the Corvette from 1956 on was strictly a V8 powered vehicle.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

For ’56 there was all new bodywork, replacing the first generations body that was close to the original concept Corvette first seen in 1953.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

The bold sculpted sides behind the front wheels really helped the second iteration two tone Corvette stand out from the crowd.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

As did the faux air scoops on the front wing/fender.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

There was a hard top hood option and the much improved soft top had a power assisted option as did the roll up glass window’s.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

The three speed manual transmission became standard but the, inferior performance wise, Powerglide automatic remained an option. The cockpit controls fittings and instrumentation of the ’56 and ’57 ‘vettes remained similar to the original Corvette cockpit.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

Following in the footsteps of 1953 Gutbrod and the 1954 Mercedes Benz 300SL in 1957 the GM Rochester constant flow fuel injection was an option for the Corvettes small block V8. This innovation while not widely taken up, 1040 FI units were sold, took the power up to 290 hp, however for marketing purposes the car was said to have 1 hp for every one of of the small block V8’s 283 cubic inches.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

Thanks to Zora Arkus-Duntov ’57 Corvettes could be ordered with ready to race options including the fuel injection, heavy duty suspension and if the advertising is to be believed even the power windows were said to be lighter than the manual window mechanisms.

Among the race outright Corvette winners in 1956 were Bob Stonedale, Mansfield, Bark Henry, Road America, Bill Pollack, Buchanan Field, Robert Bennet, Mansfield and most successful of all in ’56 was Dick Thompson who won at Beverly, Seafair, Thompson CT, and Palm Springs.

In 1957 Corvette drivers winning outright are known to have included Ruben Ciriacks and Peter Talbot at Hawaii, Ned Yarter at Willow Springs and Bakersfield, Jerry Parsons at Smartt Field, Bob Drake, Santa Barbra, Dick Thompson, Cumberland, Eagle Mountain, Marlboro, Viginia, Road America, Bob Byrd, John Masterson and Lloyd Gray at Cotati, Jim Jeffords, Milwaukee, Lloyd Porter at Bakersfield, Bark Henry, Lime Rock and Montgomery, Dean McCarthy, Watkins Glen, Jerry Austin, Pomona, Santa Barbra, Riverside, Palm Springs and Paramount Ranch, Bob Bent Cotati and Arcata, Leonard Butscher, Thompson CT, Fred Windridge, Watkins Glen and Bridgehampton, Dan Gurney at Riverside, John Wood, Willow Springs, H. C. Hoppe (Ladies Races) Bakersfield, Willow Springs and Orange County, Hugh Woods and Cal Bailey at Hourglass Field, Jack Bates and Frank Cairns at Pomona, John Voevodsky and Bill Moore at Phoenix and finally Elgin Holmes who won at Willow Springs and Orange County.

With Duntov’s vision the American sports car had finally arrived.

Thanks for joining me on this “FI = 1 H.P. per CU. IN. x 283” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Inspirational Fish – Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupé

Larry Shinoda was responsible for the design of the second generation (C2) Corvette which took styling cues from the 1959 (Bill Mitchell) Stingray Concept Car.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

Bill Mitchell is also credited with catching a Marko Shark which is said to have provided further inspiration for the C2’s design details.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

Production of the C2 ran from 1963 to 1967 with numerous detail changes introduced during the run. This one is powered by a 360 hp 5.3 litre / 327 cui V8.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

Featured here is a 1963 model distinguished by the twin horizontal air vents behind the front wheel.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

The very first 1953 Corvette Logo was going to include the US flag on the left, however this plan was deemed an illegal use of the flag on a commercial product so the flag was replaced by one bearing the GM bow tie and Frances fleur-de-lyes which symbolizes peace and purity.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

The bobtail on the 1963 Coupé would be reprised on the back of the 1971 Buick Riviera.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

Independent rear suspension replaced the solid axles used in the original (C1) Corvettes.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

The split rear screen was replaced in 1964 for a single screen.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

Farther of the Corvette, program, Zora Arkus Duntov is said not to have been impressed by the split screen while his boss Bill Mitchell overruled him.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

“Sting Ray” and “Stingray” logo’s were only applied to the C2 and C3 Corvettes from 1963 – 1982 except in 1968.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé, Brooklands Auto Italia

The most valuable Sting Ray’s are five light weight examples built in response to the Shelby Cobra project, all five are in private hands.

Thanks for joining me on this “Inspirational Fish” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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