18 replies to this topic

[Slot Car Rod]

In the mid-'60s, slot car racers in search of more speed would section, flare, and bubble scale bodies to lower the bodies on the chassis. Tire diameters were also getting smaller. This Chaparral 2C has these type of extreme body modifications and is a Don Sloan body from his pre-MESAC slot car days.  

 

He was a shop racer, and around 1969 became a MESAC member, according to Victor. This car reminds Eric of a '60s Riggen ready-to-run car with its metallic paint job and semi-thingie-looking body. The car reminds me of a USRRC car that was run by a privateer team and was updated over the years for use with wider tires and body add-ons for more downforce. 

 

I used a heat gun to un-warp the body and mixed up some acrylic paint to touch it up. The car has a Champion chassis and motor. Wheels and tires are Cox. The crown gear is a Weldun 28-tooth. The brass pinion gear is a 7-tooth.

 

The car is easy to drive and oversteers when pushed. The rear tires are Cox medium compound and need to be cleaned often.  he motor runs cool, has a fairly mild wind, is not the fastest, and has lots of useable power.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill from NH]

Nice restoration, Rod. Clean looking chassis with a couple factory options. I can't recall seeing a 2C body with the front wheel well vents. Nice color paint.

[Martin]

Nice save, Rodney.     

[don.siegel]

Great looking car, Rod, and thanks for the history. 

 

Is that the same body that just popped up on eBay a couple weeks ago? It rings a bell. But it was only a body, no chassis. 

 

Don 

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks Bill, Martin, and Don. The body is from eBay. The eBay seller has been selling Don Sloan's old slot cars. A few of the cars sold earlier had matching bodies and chassis. Later cars sold were bodies placed on random chassis. Now loose bodies like the Chaparral are being sold. Victor and I are trying to match up the chassis to the bodies I have purchased.
 
Victor also has some of Don's old slot car stuff. Here is the top view of the chassis used on the Chaparral. We have found chassis for two other Sloan bodies so far.
 

 
The body was curled up.
 

[Bill from NH]

Could this be a Ron Klein body?

[Mad Mark]

Cool car.

[Flathead]

Could this be a Ron Klein body?

I belive this is the Veco/Select body of the Chaparral 2, from memory I think it raced a Nassau in this louvered and winged spec. It is not a 2C which although similar looking was a different beast.

Here is the body at the LASCM site:

https://lascm.com/on...haparral-2-rtr/

LASCM photo.



Chaparral 2 vs 2C comparison.

[don.siegel]

Here's mine, which is an Electric Dreams repop of the Veco body. Painted and detailed by a friend, who added the spoilers; I don't know if the Veco body originally came with that back spoiler. 

 

Don 

 

[Flathead]

Period ad shows it sans wing Don so I guess not 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Alchemist]

From my experience, it takes exceptional skill to "unwarp" a plastic body!

 

Amazing job on the body. Rodney!

 

Ernie

[Slot Car Rod]

Thanks, Ernie. The Chaparral 2 did not have a wing or rear fins.  Later on, they added front corner spoilers.
 
Chaparrals and a McLaren.
 

[Flathead]

The Chaparral 2 did not have a wing or rear fins.  Later on, they added front corner spoilers.

 

 

I'm afraid you are wrong. This is the Chaparral 2 with movable wing and louvers at the 1965 Times Grand Prix at Riverside, the 2C was a smaller car of completely different construction (aluminium chassis vs. fibreglass in the 2) and can be seen in the background.


 
1965 Times Grand Prix - Riverside. Race winner Hap Sharp of Chaparral sits in the Chevrolet-powered Chaparral 2A. Team founder and driver Jim Hall sits in the number 66 Chaparral 2C behind Sharp.

From the entry list for the 65 LA TIMES GP.

[MG Brown]

Betta in England has this 2C body available.

 

 

Project X Racing imports Betta bodies on a limited basis and has a few of the 2C available in .010" Lexan.

[Slot Car Rod]

Learn something hopefully every day.  Thanks.

[Flathead]

Betta in England has this 2C body available.
 

Betta has made the same mistake, as that body is also the Chaparral 2 and not the 2C, the easiest way to tell them apart is that the 2C (there was only 1 built) doesn't have the air intakes behind the doors on front of rear fenders.

2C

2

[pn6]

My 2 cents....I was at that Race as a kid and was absorbing all the racing I could get!  As I remember the 2C broke something in the suspension on Saturday and didn't run the race. Yes the 2A in movable spoiler trim has been called the 2C but as Flathead pointed out it's a different car altogether. Another tidbit, the 2C tub was also made into the first 2E ! If you see a picture of the two 2E's together notice how Jim's tub is rounded while Phil's is more squared off.

[Slot Car Rod]

 

[Flathead]

Now that one is a 2C from the 1967 LS kit also reissued by Arii, nice job 👍🏻