<VV> Chaparral & Corvair Monza GT

[james rice]

All:  The Chaparral/Monza GT connection is well known these days.  It wasn't
Hall's first contact with Chevrolet, but first with Chevy R&D.  Lead to R&D
leasing Hall's facility and staff for testing, collaboration on numbers of
things for a number of years, some of which got left in Texas for weekend
evaluation sessions at various SCCA USRRC and Can-Am events.

The cross reference between R&D cars and Chaparral cars was first documented
in Chevrolet=Racing? a couple decades ago.  Hall has never actually told his
side of the story with Chevrolet R&D.  When asked about not commementing, he
says something like "That is a correct statement.  I have never commented on
the subject.  Next question."   There is even a photo in one of the
Chaparral books (there are 3 of them) of a f-glass shell of the Monza GT
tied on the back of a pickup truck as it enters Hall's facility in Midland
Texas.  It and the aeronautical studies Chevy R&D complied on the GT were
the basis of body configuration for the Chaparral 2, 2C and 2D.

Jim Musser mentioned this connection at the Detroit Convention CPF session.
See the Feb'08 Communique.   Musser's current facility is about 25 miles
north of the Detroit convention site.  Since I got his business car after
the CPF session, thus having his work address, and was headed north on
Friday of the convention to visit my cousins near Lapeer, I stopped by to
see the second 2E he had in process at Chaparral Cars LLC.  The first 2E
continuation was displayed 2 years ago at Monterey Historics. The 2nd car
there, along with the 1st one, was waiting for Weismann(?) to build the
transaxle.  Since the car has not shown up at any vintage races, he may
still be waiting.

Historically Yours,
			James Rice


Message: 2
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:09:55 -0400
From: "TDenk" <tdenk at tampabay.rr.com>
Subject: <VV> Corvair/Chaparral link
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>

I saw a Sebring Race tshirt that had an old photo of the start with a
Chaparral on it.  I went to the Chaparral web site and found this reference
to the Corvair Monza GT.

http://www.chaparralcars.com/2e.php

Terry
65 Monza