67 replies to this topic

[Richard Jenkins]

Is there anyone who knows anything more about this chap?

Admitted, there's not a lot known about him, but he was 72 in January 1996, which means more than likely he was born in 1923. It probably means the date I have is wrong, but I have a back-up which I'm trying to verify (23rd Nov 1924, as it happens).

What do I know?

Well, he wasn't Major Don Nichols. He died on June 2, 1992, at the age of sixty-nine, and the Shadow Nichols was busy, according to GrandPrix.com on the 22nd January 1996:

SHADOW - an American racing team which was involved in Formula 1 racing throughout the 1970s - is planning to return to racing - aiming to win the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Team boss Don Nichols announced in Lourdes, France, last week that he will have a Shadow team at Le Mans this year with lead driver Jean-Pierre Jarier - who was a Shadow driver in the late 1970s.

Now 72, Nichols was - quite literally - a shadowy figure in the motor racing world. A US military intelligence officer in Tokyo in the 1960s - at the height of the Vietnam War - Nichols chose a cloaked spy as his team emblem. Nichols's involvement in racing began in Japan where he sold Goodyear and Firestone tires to the local racers and played a part in the establishment of Fuji International Speedway in 1965.

Three years later, Nichols returned to the United States, established a company called Advanced Vehicle Systems, and built an exotic CanAm car for the 1970 season. Two years later George Follmer won the CanAm title for Shadow and in 1973, having set up a team base in Britain, Shadow entered F1 with Jackie Oliver and George Follmer - and backing from Universal Oil Products.

UOP pulled out at the end of 1975, but the team found new backing for 1976 and 1977, and Alan Jones won the Austrian Grand Prix that year. At the end of 1977, however, most of the team management walked out to form Arrows, and Shadow went into decline. Nichols sold his shares to Teddy Yip in 1980 and the team became Theodore.

Sixteen years later, Nichols has formed a new alliance with Frenchman Norbert Santos, who designs and builds the Norma sportscars, which appeared at Le Mans in 1990 and 1995, but without success. Nichols says that the team will use factory-built Porsche engines and that the chassis will be designed by ex-Shadow designer Tony Southgate.

And that report pretty much sums it up as to my knowledge of Nichols. I'm not sure about the military intelligence as it may have been mixed up with Major Don Nichols, but everything else seems straightforward. In the 1970's, he lived in Santa Ana & Los Angeles, and I'm not sure if he's still there (I'm basing it on him being there)

However, if now alive he would be 85/86. Is he still alive? Is he too well-connected to have died without any notice, or not?

Can anyone help? Otherwise, I'll re-add him to my list of mysteries, and believe you me, he's got to be one of the top ones....

Edited by Richie Jenkins, 10 October 2009 - 14:00.

[RA Historian]

Sorry I cannot be of much help, other than to confirm that Don Nichols is indeed a shadowy figure. He was a MI (Military Intelligence) agent back in the '60s and he has always been very reticent about his adventures. I would imagine that he does that purposely because, among other things, it increases the mystery and mystique, and that has always surrounded Mr. Nichols.

I have occasionally queried other writers/historians about somebody writing a book about Nichols and the Shadows, because that would be fascinating, but the reply has always generally been the same; Nichols absolutely refuses to cooperate. A pity, as there is a story that screams to be told, but may never.

Nichols kept all the Shadow cars, and for years had them stacked on pallets in a dusty warehouse in Des Plaines, Illinois. He has been using this as his retirement fund, selling a car a year for the past 15 years or so. This method of sale is the reason why the number of Shadows appearing at "vintage" events over the years has risen.

I chuckled to read the 1996 report about a Le Mans effort. Every few years since the F-1 team folded in 1980 there has been a story in the US press about Shadow building an Indy car or what have you. Never happens, of course, and I suspect that it is Nichols playing with us.

IIRC there was a photo somewhere recently of Nichols making an appearance at a race. Long Beach perhaps? Maybe earlier this year?

Perhaps our friend Pete Lyons could shed some light, such as it is, on Don Nichols.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 11 October 2009 - 19:10.

[Richard Jenkins]

IIRC there was a photo somewhere recently of Nichols making an appearance at a race. Long Beach perhaps? Maybe earlier this year?

Yes, in this thread - http://forums.autosp...p;#entry2839148

It seems Nichols, based on that, appears to still be in California, Salinas to be exact? And having searched, there is a Don Nichols in Salinas. Hmm... might be worth a call? I see the mysterious Mr Hipperson has been in touch with him & says he was nice, but others aren't so sure....

In terms of what's on the internet, 23 Nov 1924 is the most likely as that's based just outseid Salinas, but that is, of course, if Mr Nichols is so inclined to have things public....

[Duc-Man]

I remember reading about those LeMans plans in the german 'Motorsport Aktuell' paper. This is all I found out about it:

Tony Southgate was involved in designing the Ferrari 333SP. That planned Shadow LM car was supposed to be an evolution of the 333 that was suggested to Don Nichols by...Tony Southgate.
No idea why it never happened.

[buckaluck]

Yes, in this thread - http://forums.autosp...p;#entry2839148

It seems Nichols, based on that, appears to still be in California, Salinas to be exact? And having searched, there is a Don Nichols in Salinas. Hmm... might be worth a call? I see the mysterious Mr Hipperson has been in touch with him & says he was nice, but others aren't so sure....

In terms of what's on the internet, 23 Nov 1924 is the most likely as that's based just outseid Salinas, but that is, of course, if Mr Nichols is so inclined to have things public....

Mr. Nichols is alive and well I just spoke to him at a Vintage event at Sears Point raceway ( now called Infineon raceway) on Sept. 26th and he is in good health and is seeking well financed people to start a Shadow Museum. The cars in the warehouse have been in Salinas, CA since the mid to late 80's at least. I met him at the first Can Am reunion in 1990 at Watkins Glen being in printing I help make some business cards for him over the years. I've seen him at many of the vintage racing events over the years and have been to his shop/warehouse several times. The venture in France was called Smarq standing for Shadow Marque I did the business cards for him. He has always been pleasant with me but I have heard he can be gruff with some people. He is thinking of doing a book his daughter Penny has been after him for many years to write one. He remembers so much about the cars and details of all that happened so I hope it does get done. I can't seem to copy and paste a photo but I have two nice pics of him 1 standing between two of his cars in the garage and one of him standing next to the flat prototype car, both cars are owned by Fred Cziska who owns 4 Shadows total 3 Can Am and 1 F1. Send me an email and I can email a picture m7buck55@earthlink.net

Edited by buckaluck, 10 October 2009 - 15:04.

[buckaluck]

Is there anyone who knows anything more about this chap?

Admitted, there's not a lot known about him, but he was 72 in January 1996, which means more than likely he was born in 1923. It probably means the date I have is wrong, but I have a back-up which I'm trying to verify (23rd Nov 1924, as it happens).

What do I know?

Well, he wasn't Major Don Nichols. He died on June 2, 1992, at the age of sixty-nine, and the Shadow Nichols was busy, according to GrandPrix.com on the 22nd January 1996:



And that report pretty much sums it up as to my knowledge of Nichols. I'm not sure about the military intelligence as it may have been mixed up with Major Don Nichols, but everything else seems straightforward. In the 1970's, he lived in Santa Ana & Los Angeles, and I'm not sure if he's still there (I'm basing it on him being there)

However, if now alive he would be 85/86. Is he still alive? Is he too well-connected to have died without any notice, or not?

Can anyone help? Otherwise, I'll re-add him to my list of mysteries, and believe you me, he's got to be one of the top ones....

My old press kits from the can am days say he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1956.

Buck

[jj2728]

I'll say one thing about the Shadow Can-Am cars, they were cool.

[hipperson]

Mr Nicholls signed some photos for our charity auction. I found him most personable.

Tony Southgate perpetuated the Nicholls myth at the Oily Rag club two years ago.

He ,Nicholls, apparently used a most unusual,but effective, way of extricating information from Viet Cong prisoners.

The interrogation took place high up in the sky aboard a helicopter. Two prisoners went up ,one was kicked out... the other answered questions.

Believe it if you will but it drew gasps of approval from 160 listeners.

Probably flies in the face of the Geveva Convention ?

[RA Historian]

He ,Nicholls, apparently used a most unusual,but effective, way of extricating information from Viet Cong prisoners.

The interrogation took place high up in the sky aboard a helicopter. Two prisoners went up ,one was kicked out... the other answered questions.

Probably flies in the face of the Geveva Convention ?

Perhaps only part of the story is correct. I know for a fact that on occasion prisoners would be taken up in a chopper but they would be blindfolded. So they would not know that the chopper circled around and was hovering just two or three feet above ground. When one refused to talk, he would be pushed out. Of course, he only fell a couple feet. BUT--then the blindfold would be taken off and the by then thoroughly terrified prisoner would be taken up to a thousand feet where he would be pushed into the doorway and told that this time he was going to make a big mess when he hit the ground. On the majority of occasions the VC would sing like a canary. Not polite, but effective.

I suspect that this is what Nichols did, but over the years the story has been embellished just a bit.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 11 October 2009 - 14:03.

[# 0]

There's a similar scene in the movie "The Gods must be crazy", but I never human beings could be so beastly in real life. My respect for Mr. Nichols has dropped way below zero.

[RA Historian]

For what was purported to have been done in Hipperson's post or for what I suspect happened in my post? A difference. Not to mention that in war, stuff happens, a lot of which is not good. But that is the way it is.
Tom

[WDH74]

Nichols kept all the Shadow cars, and for years had them stacked on pallets in a dusty warehouse in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Why Des Plaines, of all places? Was the team based there as well?

-William

[RA Historian]

Early on in the team's history the team apparently was headquarterd in Des Plaines, Ill. That did not last too long, but they did have a building there in which the 'old' cars were stored for quite a while. There was an article in Victory Lane mag in June, 1988, which had several pages of photos showing the cars stacked and gathering dust. Nichols began selling them off one by one, and has lived quite comfortably, I would think, on the proceeds.
Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 12 October 2009 - 00:58.

[WDH74]

Early on in the team's history the team apparently was headquarterd in Des Plaines, Ill. That did not last too long, but they did have a building there in which the 'old' cars were stored for quite a while. There was an article in Victory Lane mag in June, 1988, which had several pages of photos showing the cars stacked and gathering dust. Nichols began selling them off one by one, and has lived quite comfortably, I would think, on the proceeds.
Tom

Thanks, I'd no idea. I wonder if it was in that industrial area near O'Hare?

-William

[beighes]

Regarding the stillborn Le Mans project. The story told to me, by Don, was that Tony Southgate was busy creating an updated version of the 333SP (on his own). Upon presentation to the "powers that be" at Ferrari, he was told , "No thank you, we are fine as we are". Southgate eventually offered the design, the 1/4 scale wind tunnel model & his services to Don. Project now underway. I believe the plan was to enter Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans, & one or two selected US events. I saw (and somewhere have the photos) the Shadow black wind tunnel model, with Benihana, on the flanks. The memory is that Rocky Aoki did not want to sponsor the cars, but was going to sponsor the hospitality area for Don. Danny Ongais was willing to do some development driving. The key to the whole project was a motor supplier. Don went looking for that, & I (as an independent) did some sponsor hunting. I had two very good leads (actually they were very interested), & went to Salinas to speak with Don. Either just before, or just after I arrived, the last "No we can't help you" fax came in. He was just a few days too late, Ford had already contracted to supply someone else. Don officially ended that project. I'll see if I can find the photos. I

[Duc-Man]

He was just a few days too late, Ford had already contracted to supply someone else.

I don't know what the rules for the engines were at the time. I would have tried to improvise by putting a 495 chevy engine in it. He sure had some of them in stock!

[Red Socks]

I think he raced at Fuji in the 1967 Japanese Grand Prix in a Lola T70 which he had imported with two others from US, having bought them from Mecom.He used the alias R Clark on that occasion.

[ddmichael]

A real pity 'Jumper' Jarier didn't team up with Nichols for Le Mans in '96 - would've been just like old times, and almost enough to reignite my interest in long distance racing.

I too would love to read a book, or even a decent article, on the Shadow team - with Pryce and Jarier they had two of the best drivers and they were probably the best looking F1 cars of the mid-seventies - if only they hadn't been so fragile...

DM

[Formula Once]

Don Nichols was around in the Le Mans paddock one year when I had a team in the 24hrs at the beginning of this century. Maybe that was when the Southgate-thing was going on?

As for his past, period F1-reports stated he was a former CIA agent once based in Hong Kong (it that was true I do not know), while the late Peter Bryant's book Can-Am Challenger provides quite some details about his memories of Don.

[PS30-SB]

I think he raced at Fuji in the 1967 Japanese Grand Prix in a Lola T70 which he had imported with two others from US, having bought them from Mecom.He used the alias R Clark on that occasion.

Yes, and absolutely miles off the pace. He was visibly crouching in the car. Quite a tall man.

[jm70]

Why Des Plaines, of all places? Was the team based there as well?

-William

UOP is in Des Plaines, if that has any bearing.

[Red Socks]

Yes, and absolutely miles off the pace. He was visibly crouching in the car. Quite a tall man.

Don't suppose you could tell me the chassis number of the car ?

[beighes]

I don't know what the rules for the engines were at the time. I would have tried to improvise by putting a 495 chevy engine in it. He sure had some of them in stock!

At that time, the cars would have been constructed to the WSC reg's. I believe that 6 litres was (probably) the limit. According to ancient fax I have from Don, the initial funding was for chassis construction & development. The next round of funding was for actual race expenses. Having been through it once before, Don did not want to go through the expense or time to do a start up engine programme. We joked with Don about one cost cutting idea........simply fit the proper motor & headlamps to the DN-4, and see what it could do! There was another resurrection attempt prior to this. A couple of years earlier (IMSA's GTP series was sill on), I was at Don's shop & met ex-Shadow crew, Dave Luckett (forgive me if misspelled). Don was preparing for a "sponsorship pitch", Dave was busy modifying a radio controlled car body of a GTP Group 44 Jaguar. Don wanted a "proposed" Shadow to show at the meeting. That day, & independent of each other, Dave & I made comments about headlights, a closed body, & motor change to the DN-4.

[Cynic2]

Tony Southgate was retained by Ferrari Engineering in mid-1994 to develop the 333 SP for endurance races. (Ferrari Engineering was run by Piero Lardi Ferrari, and was responsible for the design of the 333 SP.)

Southgate first joined the program at the Watkins Glen event in 1994, and attended most of the WSC races from that point. He was responsible for the revised 1995 bodywork, and for the "long tail" 333 SP run at LeMans a year or two after that.

[PS30-SB]

Don't suppose you could tell me the chassis number of the car ?

Sorry, no. Contemporary Japanese reports did not mention the chassis numbers of the two T70s in that race.

Got some good photos if you are interested, though........

[raceannouncer2003]

Sorry, no. Contemporary Japanese reports did not mention the chassis numbers of the two T70s in that race.

Got some good photos if you are interested, though........

Lots of info and photos (but no chassis numbers) at this link:

http://forums.autosp...showtopic=92746

If Don "Roger Clark" Nichols raced the ex-Parnelli Jones car, would that be SL71/44 ?

Vince H.

[buckaluck]

Perhaps only part of the story is correct. I know for a fact that on occasion prisoners would be taken up in a chopper but they would be blindfolded. So they would not know that the chopper circled around and was hovering just two or three feet above ground. When one refused to talk, he would be pushed out. Of course, he only fell a couple feet. BUT--then the blindfold would be taken off and the by then thoroughly terrified prisoner would be taken up to a thousand feet where he would be pushed into the doorway and told that this time he was going to make a big mess when he hit the ground. On the majority of occasions the VC would sing like a canary. Not polite, but effective.

I suspect that this is what Nichols did, but over the years the story has been embellished just a bit.

Tom

This doesn't quite ring true since he retired in 1956 I doubt if he was in Vietnam, besides he may have been the one asking the questions but not the one doing the pushing!!!!!!.

Buck

[buckaluck]

Early on in the team's history the team apparently was headquarterd in Des Plaines, Ill. That did not last too long, but they did have a building there in which the 'old' cars were stored for quite a while. There was an article in Victory Lane mag in June, 1988, which had several pages of photos showing the cars stacked and gathering dust. Nichols began selling them off one by one, and has lived quite comfortably, I would think, on the proceeds.
Tom

That looks like the shop in Salinas in those pictures, I have the article but it doesn't say for sure.

Buck

[RA Historian]

This doesn't quite ring true since he retired in 1956 I doubt if he was in Vietnam, besides he may have been the one asking the questions but not the one doing the pushing!!!!!!.

Buck

Quite possible. As can be inferred from prior statements, there may well have been a degree of embellishment involved.....

Of course, it also is possible that after active duty Nichols was an operative for the Dept of Defense, not military, but certainly involved. A number of my associates back then have been so employed.

But with Don Nichols, does and will anybody ever know?

Tom

[URY914]

Shadow = black cars.
CIA = black 'coppers.
CIA = "black ops".
Nichols = black shirts

Connection???........I think so.

[beighes]

That looks like the shop in Salinas in those pictures, I have the article but it doesn't say for sure.

Buck

The photos were from Salinas. Dewey Dellinger, the founder of Victory Lane, interviewed Don & took the photos there. Cheers!

[beighes]

But with Don Nichols, does and will anybody ever know?

Tom

A comment I have made many times when the subject of, "How many Shadows were actually built?" , comes up.
Cheers!

[buckaluck]

A comment I have made many times when the subject of, "How many Shadows were actually built?" , comes up.
Cheers!

Well you won't see an original MkII as the chassis were used for the MkIII's.
The DN10's were made from DN8 F1 cars, I asked Don about them and he currently has the Alan Jones winning car with the brackets and mountings still on it for a DN10, didn't mention where the other DN10/DN8 chassis is. For him to build one he would need to take a DN8 and redo the bracing and mounts and quite a bit more so probably not worth the hassel unless you give him a suitcase of money then anything is possible, like a new chassis from scratch.
Now I just need to win a very big lotto.
When it comes to DN9's he has many of those since he got 5 cars from Arrows in his lawsuit and the Shadow bodies go right on so if you have or get a DN9 it could well have been an Arrows 1.

Here is a link that seems to have quite a bit of info on the data base of known cars for Shadow.
http://www.f1db.com/...page=Shadow DN9

Buck

[buckaluck]

Shadow = black cars.
CIA = black 'coppers.
CIA = "black ops".
Nichols = black shirts

Connection???........I think so.;)

Think of the Shadow books and radio show of the 30's-50's and that is where most of it comes from including the Shadow man logo.
"The Shadow Knows"

Buck

[clint_mg]

Think of the Shadow books and radio show of the 30's-50's and that is where most of it comes from including the Shadow man logo.
"The Shadow Knows"

Buck

I agree with your words Mr. Buckaluck

The name Shadow and the logo used in the cars of the team, from his origins until 1976, we-
re inspired in a famous personage of the USA.
Everything started on July 31, 1930 when in the radio an enigmatic and ghostly voice saying:
"The Shadow knows and you also will know if you listen to The Detectives' History…”

The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally on 1930's radio and then in a wide
variety of media, that follow the exploits of fictional vigilante. One of the most famous pulp he-
roes of the 20th century, The Shadow has been featured in books, comic strips, television, vi-
deo games, and at least five motion pictures. The radio drama is well-remembered for those
episodes voiced by Orson Welles (Sep 1937 - Oct 1938)
The mysterious radio narrator was fully developed and transformed into a pop culture icon.

Maybe Don Nichols looked for a "shocking" name and he wanted that his Team turn into an icon
in the motorsport, like The Shadow... but we all know the history!

Sources: Mr. Joselo (El Quinto Elemento) / Wikipedia








Regards

[Duc-Man]

Well you won't see an original MkII as the chassis were used for the MkIII's.
The DN10's were made from DN8 F1 cars, I asked Don about them and he currently has the Alan Jones winning car with the brackets and mountings still on it for a DN10, didn't mention where the other DN10/DN8 chassis is. For him to build one he would need to take a DN8 and redo the bracing and mounts and quite a bit more so probably not worth the hassel...

To be honest: I can't see a reason to turn one of the Neo-CanAm cars back into the original formula-1 (or F-5000) car since they were basically retired cars that were recycled for further use.
The Mk.II that was turned into a Mk.III is today owned by Fred Cziska. I wish he would rebuild that back into the Mk.II.

Does anybody know how many Mk.I were actually build?
Fred Cziska ownes the Rosso Bianco collection 'prototyp' car. That was the car that ran in Mosport and St.Jovite.
Dennis Losher ownes the car that raced in Mid-Ohio.

This might light some things up even if it's not up to date.

[buckaluck]

To be honest: I can't see a reason to turn one of the Neo-CanAm cars back into the original formula-1 (or F-5000) car since they were basically retired cars that were recycled for further use.
The Mk.II that was turned into a Mk.III is today owned by Fred Cziska. I wish he would rebuild that back into the Mk.II.

Does anybody know how many Mk.I were actually build?
Fred Cziska ownes the Rosso Bianco collection 'prototyp' car. That was the car that ran in Mosport and St.Jovite.
Dennis Losher ownes the car that raced in Mid-Ohio.

This might light some things up even if it's not up to date.

Well the only reason was that he used the chassis that he got the only championship win with Alan Jones in F1 so it has more prominence as his only formula one win car (baring of coarse the non championship win) then a DN10 Can Am car that had no wins with.

There were two Mk II chassis but I don't think they fully built the second chassis to a complete car with bodywork.

Fred's Prototype car has the early body work and I would have thought it would be more important withe the body work from
mosport or St. Jovite but then again that body may be the one that got destroyed and never replaced so they put the prototype bodywork on.

Buck

[Duc-Man]

To Buck:

Did Don Nichols tell you explicit that they rebuild Alan Jones' Austria winning car?
According to Racing Sports Cars did Jones drive chassis 3A, 4A and 5A. He won with chassis DN8-4A in Austria.
According to the link I posted before they used chassis 3A and 6A for the DN10s.

Mk.III:
Peter Bryant writes in his book Can-Am Challanger that they asked Pro-Fab to build a second (Mk.III) chassis after they got back from the race in Road Atlanta 1972.
So there was never a second chassis for the Mk.II in 1971. And also Mk.III-002 has outboard front breakes. Mk.III-001(Fred Cziska's car) still has the inboard breakes of the original Mk.II.

BTW: Canepa Design tries allready for a while to sell Mk.III-002 (Bud Bennett's turbo car) in it's current version. They have lots of good pictures online...

Edited by Duc-Man, 20 October 2009 - 08:20.

[Jerry Entin]

Dennis Losher and Don Nichols
This photo is from Monterey in 2007.


photo- Amy Reed

Edited by Jerry Entin, 20 October 2009 - 08:41.

[beighes]

Mike (buckaluck),

Is the car for sale via Canepa's, the chassis that Mike Duncan originally purchased from Don? If yes, I have a couple of questions.

Cheers,
Steve

[ensign14]

That is not a military haircut.

[ducpilot23]

Mr. Nichols is alive and well I just spoke to him at a Vintage event at Sears Point raceway ( now called Infineon raceway) on Sept. 26th and he is in good health and is seeking well financed people to start a Shadow Museum. The cars in the warehouse have been in Salinas, CA since the mid to late 80's at least. I met him at the first Can Am reunion in 1990 at Watkins Glen being in printing I help make some business cards for him over the years. I've seen him at many of the vintage racing events over the years and have been to his shop/warehouse several times. The venture in France was called Smarq standing for Shadow Marque I did the business cards for him. He has always been pleasant with me but I have heard he can be gruff with some people. He is thinking of doing a book his daughter Penny has been after him for many years to write one. He remembers so much about the cars and details of all that happened so I hope it does get done. I can't seem to copy and paste a photo but I have two nice pics of him 1 standing between two of his cars in the garage and one of him standing next to the flat prototype car, both cars are owned by Fred Cziska who owns 4 Shadows total 3 Can Am and 1 F1. Send me an email and I can email a picture m7buck55@earthlink.net

I too can confirm the appearance of one Don Nichols at the Infineon Raceway Vintage event on Sept 26. Having not seen the man since Road America back in the glory days of CanAm racing in the 70's I immediately knew I was in the presence of the master. His aging frail posture and long grey hair are just a front. The man's mind is as sharp as a tack! As a long time Shadow fan we recounted some of his racing stories in Europe, as well as his desire to pen a book with his daughter and a possible racing museum in Germany. Despite his checkered past he was an absolute gracious host. I will long remember my time spent with the 'original DN1' as he likes to call himself.

Edited by ducpilot23, 24 October 2009 - 04:01.

[Rob Ryder]

Does Don Nichols have a son who was involved in the Shadow F1 team during the 1970s?
The two photos below are from Rainer Schlegelmilch (different books) and both are labelled as Don.
I have always associated Don Nichols with the photo on the left (the real Shadow Man in 1975), so who is the photo on the right from 1978?
(Edit : ID as Heinrich Villiger by beighes)



Thanks
Rob

Edited by Rob Ryder, 25 October 2009 - 08:16.

[seccotine]

Don Nichols can briefly be seen on that film shot in Japan in 66. He appears as a MIB, translating Clarks' words into Japanese.
Very impressive face and presence (as if he wore a mask and a false beard - in French, "barbouze" designates both a false beard and a spy, by the way).

[buckaluck]

Mike (buckaluck),

Is the car for sale via Canepa's, the chassis that Mike Duncan originally purchased from Don? If yes, I have a couple of questions.

Cheers,
Steve

Yes it is!

[buckaluck]

To Buck:

Did Don Nichols tell you explicit that they rebuild Alan Jones' Austria winning car?
According to Racing Sports Cars did Jones drive chassis 3A, 4A and 5A. He won with chassis DN8-4A in Austria.
According to the link I posted before they used chassis 3A and 6A for the DN10s.

Mk.III:
Peter Bryant writes in his book Can-Am Challanger that they asked Pro-Fab to build a second (Mk.III) chassis after they got back from the race in Road Atlanta 1972.
So there was never a second chassis for the Mk.II in 1971. And also Mk.III-002 has outboard front breakes. Mk.III-001(Fred Cziska's car) still has the inboard breakes of the original Mk.II.

BTW: Canepa Design tries allready for a while to sell Mk.III-002 (Bud Bennett's turbo car) in it's current version. They have lots of good pictures online...

Thanks Duc man on the MkII/MkIII chasis clear up. Well as far as the Alan Jones car it sounds like he built a car to replicate the Alan Jones car and that the chassis they used was formerly used as a DN10. "The Alan Jones winning car that we have has the mounting for the DN10 etc." was how he put it so
as always in the wording with Don. I would have thought he would have kept that car and at least he didn't modify it to a DN10 but who knows if he kept the 4A and if he built the 3A or 6A as Alan's car then i'd say he sold off the 4A.

As much as I like the Shadow cars the one at Canepa just looks wrong with that bumper style wing in front it should go back to the wing in the middle between the wheel wells.

[Tony Matthews]

so who is the photo on the right from 1978?

Kris Kristofferson.

[beighes]

Greetings,

I believe the answer to the above photo can be found here: http://www.villiger.ch

Cheers!
Steve

Edited by beighes, 24 October 2009 - 19:21.

[Rob Ryder]

Greetings,

I believe the answer to the above photo can be found here: http://www.villiger.ch

Cheers!
Steve

Heinrich Villiger

Thanks Steve

[Duc-Man]

As much as I like the Shadow cars the one at Canepa just looks wrong with that bumper style wing in front it should go back to the wing in the middle between the wheel wells.

Funny enough they actually tried such a wing on the second chassis in Elkhart Lake together with (an early version of) the new body style. I hope I understood that right because I found that on a french forum and I don't speak any french at all...
Here's the link.
They have a picture of that car almost at the end of the page.