5 replies to this topic

[ravajack]

[Steve Deiters]

The long-awaited biography of Jim Hall looks like it be release in June.

 

  

[Bill Seitz]

I recognize the video venue as the Chaparral Wing of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, TX. Hall's shop and test track, Rattlesnake Raceway, was a short distance south of Midland. Commercial airline flights west bound from Dallas-Fort Worth fly over this area, and several years ago, I was able to see the outline of the old track from 30,000+ feet. I might try to find it on the ground someday, but my understanding is it's on private land and not near the highway.

[olskoolslotz]

I very much look forward to the biography release and had previously watched the above video.

 

One of my prized family possessions is a reply letter with envelope addressed to my father from Chaparral Cars and dated Oct 6th 1966, the letter was typewritten by Sandy Hall and is hand signed by Jim Hall. At the time my father was a GM grad student working on his electrical engineering PhD and doctorate degrees at Auburn University, he had written Jim Hall on the topic of anti-lock braking systems. My father later worked at GM Research Laboratories and was involved in GM's 1985 patent application of their anti-lock braking system.

[blue&orange]

Way back in 2009 at the EyesOn Design car show on the Edsel Ford estate the Chaparral guys were there with three of the cars.  After making some connections, I was able to arrange a private visit to the museum in Midland that summer, where the alarms were turned off one car at a time and I could get really close to the cars.  After the museum, I drove down the highway about 10 minutes to Hall's offices.  Found out I had missed him by just a few minutes, but the secretary allowed me to go back and view what's left of the meager shops where the Chaparrals took form.  My understanding is that Rattlesnake Raceway is in disrepair and, at some points, even disrupted by oil wells.  Well, Hall is an oil man, after all.

[Steve Deiters]

I recognize the video venue as the Chaparral Wing of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, TX. Hall's shop and test track, Rattlesnake Raceway, was a short distance south of Midland. Commercial airline flights west bound from Dallas-Fort Worth fly over this area, and several years ago, I was able to see the outline of the old track from 30,000+ feet. I might try to find it on the ground someday, but my understanding is it's on private land and not near the highway.

The track is near the highway, but you can't see it.  The shop/office is about 100 feet from the road and you can see it.  I've been there a couple of times.  You look through the gate and you can see where all the magic happened.

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