This week’s top five list features cars that are highly custom, purpose-built or prototypes from the factory. Our top five list starts with the #5 vehicle, which is probably not a traditional choice in this category, but we feel this is where it is best represented. The 1963 Chaparral 2A would make many top five lists, in several different categories, regardless of the selection parameters.
The Chaparral 2A was specifically designed to compete in the United States Road Racing Championship and other racing series of the day. Jim Hall, recognized as one of America’s most innovative automotive racing engineers, played a key role in designing the car that dominated road racing in the mid-sixties.
The Hall team had significant behind the scenes support and assistance from General Motors that included technical support with the chassis and automatic transmission. We can look back at the similarities between the Chevrolet experimental reasearch and development vehicles to support those claims.
The Chaparral 2A featured a sharp aerodynamic edge in the front to cut through the air and a concave tail. After the first race an aerodynamic change was made to cure an issue with the light front end and its impact on steering accuracy at speed. The downforce created by the change improved the steering and driver confidence.
With many changes over the next two years including louvers, flaps, tabs, airdams and spoilers, the Chaparral 2A became the most successful of the Chaparral cars. They dominated for two years, but lasted a lot longer with much success in European endurance racing. With a very limited number ever built – we’ve heard only four were made – this qualifies as a prototype by most expert’s definition.