Re: the Interscope-Porsche, it's basically the same chassis that would be fitted with a Cosworth and run in the 500 in 1981-82, right?
http://www.gunnarrac...02indy-0726.htm
Any other info on the history of these two cars?
Posted 01 August 2011 - 11:46
Re: the Interscope-Porsche, it's basically the same chassis that would be fitted with a Cosworth and run in the 500 in 1981-82, right?
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Posted 01 August 2011 - 13:07
Posted 03 August 2011 - 21:17
Your humble servant scribbled five stories about such cars in AutoWeek, the Lotus Type 96 Indycar (June 3, 1991), the 1980 Interscope-Porsche Indycar (June 8, 1992), the Spartus Indycar (May 24, 1993), the 1959 Maserati Eldorado Special (June 7, 1993), and the 1987 Ferrari Indycar (August 16, 1993). It has always been a subject of fascination for me and I have researched many, many other interesting examples in the history of the 500.
Hmnn, maybe after my Le Mans epic, I'll put that all together as a book
TC
Posted 03 August 2011 - 21:44
Tim, how is the Le Mans book coming? Jim Sitz told me about it a few years ago, and I have been anticipating it ever since. Close to print?Hmnn, maybe after my Le Mans epic, I'll put that all together as a book
TC
Edited by RA Historian, 03 August 2011 - 21:45.
Posted 03 August 2011 - 21:45
IIRC, the Interscope Porsche mule was a Parnelli VPJ-6 modified to accept the Porsche flat six. The later Interscope car was Cosworth powered and the vehicle in which Danny Ongais had his devastating crash at Indy.
Tom
Posted 03 August 2011 - 21:47
Posted 04 August 2011 - 05:56
Your humble servant scribbled five stories about such cars in AutoWeek, the Lotus Type 96 Indycar (June 3, 1991), the 1980 Interscope-Porsche Indycar (June 8, 1992), the Spartus Indycar (May 24, 1993), the 1959 Maserati Eldorado Special (June 7, 1993), and the 1987 Ferrari Indycar (August 16, 1993). It has always been a subject of fascination for me and I have researched many, many other interesting examples in the history of the 500.
Hmnn, maybe after my Le Mans epic, I'll put that all together as a book
TC
Posted 10 August 2011 - 09:55
Posted 10 August 2011 - 15:51
Tim, how is the Le Mans book coming? Jim Sitz told me about it a few years ago, and I have been anticipating it ever since. Close to print?
Tom
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Posted 10 August 2011 - 19:40
Posted 04 March 2012 - 20:25
Posted 06 August 2012 - 15:23
The Spartus was the brain child of Art Sparks circa '63, '64. It was, to say the least, an original design, to be powered by a water-cooled, blown 170 c.i. flat six engine, which was projected to weigh 385 pounds. Douglas Aircraft was to build the chassis, which had many space age innovations. It was a very clean mid-engine design, the most unique feature of which was what Douglas engineers called a "centripetal force generator." It was a pivoting vertical fin actuated by cornering forces, alegedly to generate force opposite centrifugal force. Unfortunately, the million dollar budget never was realized.
Yes, the Interscope Porsche Indycar was tested at Ontario. It had a water-cooled (the heads) flat six derived from the successful 935 and 936 sports prototypes.
Ah, just remembered, I also did a piece for AutoWeek in '90 on the Bardahl Indy Ferrari, a 4.4-liter six in a roadster chassis.
TC
Edited by john glenn printz, 06 August 2012 - 17:07.