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Chaparral car?


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It's not a Chaparral. It's a modern car, clearly based on the old Can Am M8 McLarens. Here a link to the car's description: http://www.unlimitedracingchampionship.com/the-cars To quote from it:

...Although inspired by yesteryear's legendary Can Am cars, the NuArt Can Am is an entirely new creation, designed as a thoroughbred race car for today. While it shares strong visual ties to classic Can Am cars from the glory days of the 60s and 70s, the car is entirely new from the ground up, and is engineered for safety, aerodynamics, driver comfort, reliability and speed on today's world class race tracks.

...

The NuArt Can Am also features power steering, a traditional close ratio “H” pattern 5-speed synchro-mesh gearbox, and 12-inch diameter steel ( as the original cars used ) to help manage the power of the mighty aluminum big block engine. All this generates a uniquely challenging, yet fun driver experience, reminiscent of pure 1960s-1970s “unlimited” Can Am sportscar racing. Thunderous power, stunning speed, effectively controlled, with a high degree of safety. Matchless to see, hear, and experience!

 I'm no model car kit historian but I know that MPC, Tamiya and Accurate Miniatures all have made kits of it. The MPC kit is 1:20, Tamiya 1:18, and Accurate Miniatures 1:24.

10123829.jpg51FVRHTHCWL.jpgO2IMG_6311.jpg

 

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There was some talk a few years ago of having a race series for this car and others like it but the series never got off the ground. There were some cars built and run but I cannot find any evidence of a race series. 

About 15 years ago there was someone on the east coast who wanted to build a replica of the Chaparral 2D but that never got off the ground either.  

 

Edited by Howard Cohen
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So to put a modeling aspect on this: the lower body on the early cars was made of (I believe) fiberglass which was originally black but age transformed/changed to the dark reddish brown shown in the above photos.  Would that be correct or was it always the dark brown?  I've got an old AMT Chaparral C kit and 3 of the Chaparral D (two Monogram/Revell and one Fujimi-to say nothing of the E from Fisher.  I don't know how that happened-I've always been a Ford guy)

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As far as the model kits, Monogram issued a kit of a Chapparal that has been released and re-released over the years.  There are several on ebay. 

I built this one a number of years ago.  It has a low parts count, but today it remains one of my favorite models.

IMG 2141

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  • 6 years later...

Surtees-driven Chaparral McLaren M12 was carefully massaged by Chaparral Cars. It was not a "standard" Trojan-built M12 customer car. Signature high wing, and repositioned (enlarged?) fluid coolers are some examples.

CHAPARRAL_MCLAREN_M_12_1969_01.jpg

276063991_813134273413589_1100036663010757550_n.jpg

Edited by JWebber
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