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Texas Roadrunners - Chaparral 2C and 2D


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Hello everybody! This is my first build in the "Vehicles" forum, so let me introduce myself. I recently returned to modeling after a few decades lapse, but during that time I never stopped adding to my stash. Most of my collection consists of 1/72 aircraft (where I have been posting up until now), but I also have a good number of automobile kits. Mainly 1960s GT and prototype racers (Ferrari, Porsche, Lola, Ford GT, etc.), as well as some Grand Prix and IndyCar kits (something to do with having been a teenager in the 1960s). But my all-time favorite racers from that era are the Chaparrals.

 

Wanting to start off with a relatively simple project, I went through my stash and selected these two kits:

 

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Of course, in this hobby nothing is ever "simple". I met a number of challenges along the way, some of my own doing and others the fault of the kits themselves. I made a number of corrections (mostly to the Arii 2C) and added details where the kits were lacking. For more info, my Work in Progress can be found here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235041459-a-deuce-of-chaparrals/&

 

 

On with the pics!

 

First up, the Chaparral 2C as raced at Nassau in 1965. The kit is a former slot car body, released as a static model by Arii (and also LS, which I understand is the better of the two):

 

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Next, the Chaparral 2D coupe, as raced at Daytona in 1966:

 

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Oops! I almost forgot this... the windshield wiper:

 

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And, the two together for a final "glamour shot"

 

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I have a bunch more Chaparrals in my stash, so expect to be seeing more of these beautiful Texas road runners in the future!

Edited by billn53
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Stunning work, those are two cracking models! I loved the whole thing about Can Am with it's basically 'no rules is good rules' ethos so look forward to seeing more beauties like these!

 

Top work, off to have a read of your build thread now!

 

Keith

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Thanks everyone for the kind words. 

 

Keith — I love the Can Am cars, too. But to be precise, I believe both of these cars predated the Can Am series (which began in Sept 1966). A better fit would be the Chaparral 2E, in which Phil Hill won (and Jim Hall placed second) at Laguna Seca in the 1966 Can Am season. 

 

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Edited by billn53
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16 minutes ago, billn53 said:

Keith — I love the Can Am cats, too. But to be precise, I believe both of these cars predated the Can Am series (which began in Sept 1966). A better fit would be the Chaparral 2E, in which Phil Hill won (and Jim Hall placed second) at Laguna Seca in the 1966 Can Am season. 

 

I did wonder looking at the box tops, but thought you'd put me right anyway, thanks! :)

 

K

 

edit - great pic!!

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Don't really know anything about the Chaparrals being from the other side of the pond, but I have always liked the shape and curves of the 50s / 60s cars and these 2 look a pair of crackers :) 

I have had a browse through your build as well, top marks for overcoming and modding where needed, you should be proud the way they turned out

 

Ian

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1 hour ago, Redstaff said:

I have had a browse through your build as well, top marks for overcoming and modding where needed, you should be proud the way they turned out

 

Ian

Thanks, Ian! I will admit that the more I worked with the Arii 2C, the more issues I found. Some of those I let pass, so I'm not 100-percent happy with that build. I just picked up another 2C on eBay (this one is the LS version, with more accurate wheels & tires), just in case I get motivated to do a more accurate version.

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Great models, thanks for showing

 

Been lucky to see a few of Jim Halls creations at Goodwood Festival of Speed, this is from 2017 (heads to eBay ....)

 

DSC_7797.jpg

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Beautiful!

I really think that, before computers, the designers may have had an "if it looks nice, it must go fast" ethos.

The Chaparrals (among others) seemed to particular fit this paradigm well, IMHO.

Your replicas are like museum pieces - a fine tribute to beautiful machines.

I love your added effort with the driver in the #65 too.

👍👍

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got my hands on the LS version of the 2C.  The basic body is exactly the same as in the Arii release, but otherwise the LS is superior in many respects:

 

1) It has proper tires & wheels

2) the cockpit much better (copied from the Modeler 2D kit)

3) correct carbs & velocity stacks are included

4) no need to scratch the headlight covers, LS has provided these which were missing from the Arii boxing

 

Needless to say, if I had had LS's kit instead of Arii's, my build would have been much less of a problem. 

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  • 1 year later...

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