The Chaparral 2J, known as the “fan car”, or “sucker car”, was the first of only a few race cars to feature fan-assisted aerodynamics. It was powered by a powerful aluminum-block 8.1 liter Chevy V8, which was mounted to a custom 3-speed automatic. The automatic transmission was unique enough in itself: it was basically a 3-speed manual transmission with a torque converter in place of a clutch. The driver selected each gear in a similar manner to a manual transmission. However, by eliminating the clutch, he could use his left foot exclusively for braking, which aided concentration. the three available gear ratios were similar to 3rd, 4th, and 5th gears on a conventional 5-speed transmission. As a result, the car was a slow starter, as it pulled off from a standing start in the equivalent of 3rd gear.
The two 17-inch diameter fans were powered by a single 45hp, 274cc, 2-cylinder JLO Rockwell snowmobile engine, which ran at constant speed. This means the down-force created by the vacuum was near-constant at all speeds, unlike conventional aerodynamics which created exponentially more down-force as speeds increased. This method reduced the danger of powering the fans from the engine, as the down-force would have varied with the revs. The snowmobile engine was mounted above the transmission and protruded slightly above the rear bodywork.
Vic Elford’s 1970 Chaparral 2J
Chaparral 2D, Laguna Seca
Chaparral 2, Laguna Seca
1966 Chaparral 2E
Bonnier Chaparral takes the Karussell in ‘66
