[cpk] [gtc] [lmp] Chaparral Cars

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XYY
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[cpk] [gtc] [lmp] Chaparral Cars

Post by XYY »

Hi everyone,
I'm finally able to present you a proper car-pack: a pack of Chaparral Cars. This car constructor and race team by Jim Hall and Hap Sharp started in 1961 with the Chaparral 1 and ended their successful career in 1982. The Chaparrals were known for ingenious aerodynamics and good race performances.
I tried to make all cars which I found, the exceptions are the 2B and 2C, because they'd look (almost) the same as the 2A ingame and would handle very similar on the track ;)
Read quite detailed information about the cars in the spoiler:
Chaparral 1
The idea for the first Chaparral came to Jim Hall when he realised that he needed a proper car for good races in the mid-fifties :rofl: He met Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes in Riverside in 1960. Those were the investors for the first Chaparral car. They had also been responsible for the highly successful Scarab cars, and could use their experiences for the new project.
The car has got a V8-smallblock, producing 300 bhp. It also seems to be the only Chaparral apart from the 2K not seen only in white. :mrgreen: , and Mr. Hall already installed a little front wing (probably the first ever, but you can't see it in the standard model). As the Chaparral 1 was very light (less than 700 kg), it had a good power-weight ratio and even on its first event, Hall took the 2nd place just behind a Maserati Birdcage. The next bigger success was the class win of the 1962 Sebring 12 hour race. Unfortunately both cars entered at the 1963 Sebring 12 hour race (as seen in the third Chaparral 1 model) couldn't finish the race. By that time, the Chaparral team already started to develop a new car:
Chaparral 2A-C
The new concept for the Chaparral 2 was the mid-engine, while its predecessor had a front engine. This was a neccessary step to be still good enough in the races. In collaboration with an airplane engineer Hall made a fiberglass chassis. The first race of the Chaparral 2 wasn't as successful, he had the pole position at Riverside but he had to retire due to technical problems. However, in 1964 the Chaparrals became really successful, and in this season the Chaparrals won many times. The Chaparral 2 also scored two prestigious victories: In 1964, they won the Nassau Speed Week, and in 1965 they won the 12 Hours of Sebring! By that time, the team produced the Chaparral 2C, basically a very similar car, but with an aluminium Chassis. As expected, this car also scored some victories :P
If you ever see a Chaparral 2C, then you can already notice the quite unusual aerodynamics. Hall already developed a moveable rear wing, which you could compare with the modern DRS - in the corners the rear wing is closed, on the straights it is opened. Sorry, Ecclestone, this has been made before. :P
The only difference I read of between the Chaparral 2A and 2C (the 2B never appears, because they had to avoid confusions with a special model of the Corvette GS) is the brown panel between the axles and a different exhaust pipe arrangement (only on the very first appearance of the 2A, I've done a later 2A ;) ).
Chaparral 2D
The Chaparral 2D was basically a fixed-head 2A made to compete in european competitions. It scored the victory of the 1000km Nürburgring race in 1966. It's still in good condition and can be seen in a car museum in Texas, as well as many other Chaparrals. Here are also two versions included, the second one was the 1966 entry for the Daytona Race. After a 2nd place in qualifying it couldn't finish, though. :|
Chaparral 2E
When the USSRC was replaced by the Can-Am Series, the aluminium Chassis 2C was developed further and became the 2E, the first Can-Am entry by Chaparral. Phil Hill and Jim Hall had a hard time against the Lolas and McLarens, and they could only score one double win in Laguna Seca in the 1966 season. :D But at least the 2E was a very flashy car, and especially the really high rear wing also with the adjust function for straights and corners gave this car a very unconventional look (btw, if anyone is interested, check out this youtube video, maybe the wing was even the reason for not winning in Las Vegas ;) ). Btw2, if anyone is curious why the wing is black, one car used a black wing and the other used a white one.
Chaparral 2F
Probably one of the more unsuccessful Chaparrals. It scored only one win at the BOAC 500. The wing adjustment was rather error-prone and so the racers couldn't always show off all the potentials. :) But the top downforce was very visible - at one place of the Nürburgring all cars lifted off except for the Chaparral :bsmile:
Chaparral 2G
When I first looked at this car, I thought it's the same as the 2E! :D It raced in the Can-Am series of 1967 and 1968, although it was intended only for 1967. But the development of the successor was slower, so the 2G had to continue before the 2H was ready.
I also thought about making no difference between this and the 2E, but I decided to do two seperate models, because this one looks quite different behind the driver's seat (air intakes, mudguards etc.). ;)
Chaparral 2H
This was a very exotic car because of the very strange driver's position in the car. John Surtees then raced for Chaparral, and he requested this position. There was only one 2H, but I made two configurations, because the car raced with the 2nd wing in Laguna Seca, but without the wing in all other races (okay, the rear wing is still big enough :mrgreen: ). The car had over 650 hp. ;)
Chaparral 2J
I think this car is maybe the best-known Chaparral. Again it was very progressive at that time, with its two huge fans at the back of this edgy car. Powered by a seperate engine, they generated massive downforce (so much that the car can hold itself at the ceiling of a room, many cars need at leasat 250 kph for that :D ).
The 2J nicknamed the "Sucker" or "Sucker car" was probably the fastest car back then and it directly broke the lap record in the first race and scored only pole positions. The only way to stop this car was the FIA, they said the polycarbonate skirts would be against the rules. :( Anyway, the 2J was a very extreme and experimental car. :)
Chaparral 2K
Although the 2K had no fans like the 2J, it was also known for good aerodynamics because of the ground effect caused by the car's underbody. After a technical problem in 1979 the car won the prestiguous Indy 500 in 1980. Three of these 780 hp monsters were built, two still exist.
I hope you all like the cars, so please comment :)
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puttz
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Re: [cpk] [gtc] [lmp] Chaparral Cars

Post by puttz »

Finally :trampo: :woohoo: Been waiting for these for a while, especially the 2J :bg:
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RodSk8Punk
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Re: [cpk] [gtc] [lmp] Chaparral Cars

Post by RodSk8Punk »

Nice car pack, but I can't help but think of one thing...
XYY wrote: Chaparral 2J
[...]with its two huge fans at the back of this edgy car. Powered by a seperate engine, they generated massive downforce (so much that the car can hold itself at the ceiling of a room, many cars need at least 250 kph for that :D ).
Why no one is working on that MIB car yet?
blastawaythewall
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Re: [cpk] [gtc] [lmp] Chaparral Cars

Post by blastawaythewall »

Hadn't been here in a few months. Sorry to post this reply so late and create a bump but I must say:

This. Is. Awesome.
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Trigger Happy
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Re: [cpk] [gtc] [lmp] Chaparral Cars

Post by Trigger Happy »

blastawaythewall, please, don't post to one month old or older threads unless you have something extremely important to say since this just confuses other users, thank you.
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