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You know how one thing often times leads to another, well in putting together the Can-Am Proxy, a lot of questions about some of the earlier cars have been raised. Members have asked, for example about the earlier Lotuses; particularly the Lotus 30, and others have PM'd me about other earlier cars, like the Chaparral Mk 1 and even the Maserati Typo 61 (birdcage). These cars were, unfortunately, outside of the scope of the current Can-Am Series Proxy, but they are a very interesting group of cars, ones that seem to have quite a following here on the HRW board and ones that might be fun to build and race.

I had never known how the Can-Am actually came about. I knew it was a Group 7 FIA outgrowth of the large capacity sports racer series that USRRC started to run in the early '60's. but I had never followed it's genesis. So, I took a look at it and although this is probably old news to a lot of you, it's all new to me. From what I've been able to glean from the various online sources, this is the flow of events that got us to the Can-Am.

Can-Am started up as a separate series in 1966. It did grow out of the older United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) which was put in place by the Sport Car Club of America (SCCA) in 1963. The USRRC ran from '63 to '68, but it was almost immediately overshadowed by the Can-Am and wasn't really sustainable, from a sponsorship and fan standpoint, after the '67 season.

The USRRC had been put in place by the SCCA, primarily, to take back the fan base that was then attending the United States Automobile Club's Road Racing Championship (USACRRC). The USACRRC had been started 5 years earlier in 1958 as an alternative to the SCCA National Sports Car Championship. But, post-1962 it was having trouble sustaining itself and if SCCA had not stepped back in in 1963, it's questionable whether there would have been a Sports Car Road Racing Championship in the US.

Before the USACRRC, the series that started all of the post-WW II sports car racing in the United States was the SCCA's National Sports Car Championship. This started in 1951 and ran to 1964. Here you'll fine the Allards, Cunninghams and Maseratis.

With the exception of the USAC series, which was both a competitor to the SCCA series as well as a bail-out series that helped to maintain sports car racing in the US, the SCCA has really carried the sports car racing banner in the US ever since we exited the last World War.

So, I was thinking about a proxy based on the cars that ran prior to the Can-Am; those in the 1951-65 timeframe. There were some very nice cars that ran and raced in that period and although most of us are too young to remember any of them........ :liar: :lol: , they were a lot of fun to watch and they would probably be a fun group of cars to model, tune and race.

We had a race that was dedicated to racing sports cars from 1948-1963 a couple of years ago; those that competed in endurance races like Le Mans, it was called The Roadsters Over American Race (ROAR). So, it might be worth thinking about this particular group of cars again. If we did anything as far as setting up a race for these cars, then it wouldn't be until after the Can-Am is off and running, so probably in the early Fall of this year. But, it's worth thinking about now because for most of us the Summer really flies by.

Perhaps a limited motor event; say 18k rpm with a spec motor like the SCC Gator motor (a Scaley/Fly black stripe replacement) or the milder SCC Tuna 16k motor, narrower wheels/tires, everything to scale, etc. We'll leave it to chappy to name this series again. Could be fun!

What do you think?

Allan

PS - See what happens when people ask me questions about things that I'm interest in................ :lol:

This is an area of some interest to me. I especially like it being a lower power series. 14-16k type motors, skinny tires and maybe a hill climb or two? :banana-dance:
Lots of opportunity to make some neat cars, I'm definitely interested.

This is a period of racing that the would be cool. Maybe a Lotus 19 or 23, Scarab, etc. Even the earliest mid engine Chaparral, as produced by Hawk and Palmer: with the flat panel rear body work, simple flap spoiler, and exhausts over the rear deck; not near as swoopy and beautiful as the later ones.

Thats another really cool era I'm imterested in.
Bob

I'm in. The early Lotus and Chaparral( COX 1/24) are what moved me into slot car racing as a boy. If this race is to come about then it makes it that much easier for me to take my lotus 30 off the table as a possible Can Am entry and for sure go with the Ferrari 350 in the Can Am racing saving the Lotus 30 for this event.

So yes you can count me in for a couple of cars if needed.

Thanks for starting the ball rolling

Yup.... Interested... if it were set for maybe late spring to summer. I’m finding that I’m starting to overextend myself a bit with the number of cars I want to produce plus work, plus other family activities. This January/February schedule .. trying to get four new cars out the door has been a bit brutal. Not really complaining here, I just want to put out the best examples I can and I really love the proposed era.

Val

True, If this comes to be, I'd like to see it start a little later into the year. I have three cars to build and my first few weeks this year were gobbled up by other activities.

milder SCC Tuna 16k motor, narrower wheels/tires, everything to scale, etc Sounds great

Looking at some old photos looks like 7 MM wheels and tires

Ought to be interesting!

There were some nice cars..........





























Got any favorites? Post 'em up!

Allan

Check numerous pics at tamsoldracecarsite too
Some early mid engine Chaparral 2s circa '63/'64 I found on the web; one not so elegant...fore Cox sponsorship.

Great idea Allan. It does sounds a lot like the IPS the Alexis in Greece runs but that not a bad thing at all.
14k Jack Rabbit, 7.5 wide, inline only? or open design chassis. Max width of wheel track helps to keep it all close too.
Big on accurate scale appearance will give real great looking cars.
Just some ideas to help your great idea - keep us posted as it sounds good.

Yeah, I'll play. This is my favorite era of cars. Figure out the rules and I'll build one. Actually I probably have a couple sitting on the shelf ready to go.

PS: the H&R Hawk is 18K, the H&R Jack Rabbit is 14K

OK, as I said, just noodling, but it will probably come to pass. Timing, as I said in the first post would likely have cars due sometime in the early-mid Fall, since there is a lot going on right now for the proxy racers on this board.

I'm still thinking smaller motor (14-16k rpm), spec motor (same motor for everyone), IL or SW (but IL only might work, need to think more on that one since it impact wheel/tire choices), narrower wheels and tires, max tire width in the 7mm range, max track that suits these cars (maybe something in the 50mm range, maybe less, accurate scale reproduction, etc.

Keep posting your favorite cars; everyone like to look at them!

Allan

I was going through my bodies last night ,,,,just in case..
Bob