4 replies to this topic

[racinggeek]

In this thread on Indianapolis 500 odds and ends, which enters a discussion on chassis that were copies, remakes or redesigns of existing ones, I got to wondering about the early 1980s, when some teams apparently named their chassis after themselves on the entry lists (at least as they appear in the Carl Hungness Yearbook(s)).

 

For a couple of years after unsuccessfully debuting the Orbitor in 1980, until snagging a new Lola for the '83 500, Armstrong Mould entered a chassis called the SEA; I assume the SEA is for owner Sherman Armstrong. Was this a redesign of the Orbitor, a totally new chassis, or something else?

 

In 1980, the Machinists Union team ran something called an IAM (International Association of Machinists), I believe with a non-turbo Chevy in the back; the team subsequently became a favored customer of Roger Penske's Used Indy Car Lot. Again, was this new and original from the ground up?

 

Same with Rattlesnake Racing, which entered a Rattlesnake-Cosworth in '81 and I think '82, as well as '83, the latter a new and not bad-looking design by Roman Slobodynskyj that actually made the race.  Again, was the 1981-82 'Snake a remake of something else or original?

 

The yearbooks don't seem to have much in photos or info on any of these efforts, so information and (lots of) images would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Henri Greuter]

In this thread on Indianapolis 500 odds and ends, which enters a discussion on chassis that were copies, remakes or redesigns of existing ones, I got to wondering about the early 1980s, when some teams apparently named their chassis after themselves on the entry lists (at least as they appear in the Carl Hungness Yearbook(s)).

 

For a couple of years after unsuccessfully debuting the Orbitor in 1980, until snagging a new Lola for the '83 500, Armstrong Mould entered a chassis called the SEA; I assume the SEA is for owner Sherman Armstrong. Was this a redesign of the Orbitor, a totally new chassis, or something else?

 

In 1980, the Machinists Union team ran something called an IAM (International Association of Machinists), I believe with a non-turbo Chevy in the back; the team subsequently became a favored customer of Roger Penske's Used Indy Car Lot. Again, was this new and original from the ground up?

 

Same with Rattlesnake Racing, which entered a Rattlesnake-Cosworth in '81 and I think '82, as well as '83, the latter a new and not bad-looking design by Roman Slobodynskyj that actually made the race.  Again, was the 1981-82 'Snake a remake of something else or original?

 

The yearbooks don't seem to have much in photos or info on any of these efforts, so information and (lots of) images would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Don't know if this is the right thread to mention it but among the lot of historic Indycars in "Historic Gasoline Alley" I saw a car that I never ever expected to see in real ever in my entire life:  A 1984 DSR-1, as qualified by Danny Sullivan and then withdrawn from the race.

 

 

Henri

Edited by Henri Greuter, 26 May 2016 - 22:34.

[HaydenFan]

From wiki: https://en.wikipedia...rch_Engineering

 

 

 

During this phase, March Engines (a separate company within the group) undertook a number of bespoke customer projects - a highly modified BMW M1 (which was highly unsuccessful but provided some input into the later GTP/Group C cars) and an equally unsuccessful Indycar (the Orbitor) based around the 792 chassis.

Edited by HaydenFan, 27 May 2016 - 00:45.

[racinggeek]

Yeah, I knew some part of March whipped out the Orbitor. IIRC, it might've had the speed to get into the 1980 500 but didn't for some reason (which might've been Howdy Holmes' final-qualifying-day oops), and it had a somewhat good run late in the year, I wanna say the season-closer at Phoenix in Gary Bettenhausen's hands. I wonder if the Armstrong team beat on the Orbitor to turn it into the SEA it ran at Indy the next couple of years.

 

Wow, Henri, a DSR -- the car that drove Doug Shierson to Lola   Those, i can find photos and some info, but it must be interesting to see one up close. Now, if they just had the Ligier Indy car on display ...

[pete3664]

I was the one that brought the DSR to Indy, wish I could have had a chance to talk to you, Henri.  I know where the other two cars are, one is in New Zealand and the other is a shell in a museum.  The DSR was Doug's bet to try to one up Lola and March, but the aero and shocks were  not quite cutting edge for the day.  Carl Haas made Doug a great deal as only Mario was using a Lola.  I'd be happy to answer any questions on it.