1961 Chaparral 1 Prototype
Chassis 001 is the original prototype Chaparral 1, commissioned by Jim Hall from Troutman & Barnes in late 1960 at a cost of $16,500 and first tested at Riverside in June 1961. Powered by an enlarged Chevrolet V-8, the lightweight front-engined sports racer introduced several engineering innovations and competed actively through the 1963 Sebring 12 Hours. Notable results include a third overall at the 1961 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix and a class win at the 1962 Sebring 12 Hours, making it one of the more historically significant American sports racers of its era.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate US$900,000 – US$1,400,000
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1963Bodywork
Both Chaparral 1 team cars received updated FIA-specification bodywork and Chaparral 2-style nose sections ahead of the 1963 Sebring entry.
- —Engine rebuild
After each major 500-mile race, the competing car was comprehensively rebuilt while its sister car was used in the interim, a rotating maintenance regime observed throughout the active racing programme.
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