36 replies to this topic

[CSGPR]

Hi everybody

I have just been reading in some Autosport from 1974, witch I just received. Here I discovered that James Hunt has been driving a Grand Prix Shadow, a DN3, at Laguna Seca. Hunt was standing in for an injured Jean-Pierre Beltoise who was prevented to take part in this PR Race. Jarier won the race but only because he managed to out brake Hunt in a very spectacular four wheel lock-up at the last moment . Jackie Oliver and George Follmer also to part in the race in there’s CAN AM DN4s but was no match to Jarier and Hunt.

Should there be a person out there who happens to know where I will be able to find some photo from the event and can explain why and how James Hunt got the seat for this PR event.

I know that James Hunt was mention regarding a regular Can Am drive for Shadow at the start of the season.

Best Regards

[Allen Brown]

There was some sort of daft F1 v Can-Am challenge just between Shadow cars and it was some time around the 1974/75 period. It might even have been F5000 v Can-Am

There were only three or four cars on the track and it was only a publicity thing so it can't be seen as a real race.

Is this what you're thinking of?

Allen

[Frank de Jong]

The "race" Allan refers to was held in Laguna Seca, 1974. It was held because of the premature termination of the Can-Am season - just for sponsors and public. JP Jarier and Hunt outqualified the two DN4 CanAm cars, Hunt on pole. Oliver (DN4) went out with clutch trouble, and Follmer (DN4) was lapped by Jarier after 27 laps. Hunt was second. The article only mentions that Jarier succeded in lapping Follmer - and Hunt did not.
All of this according to "CanAm" by Pete Lyons.

[arttidesco]

Hi everybody

I have just been reading in some Autosport from 1974, witch I just received. Here I discovered that James Hunt has been driving a Grand Prix Shadow, a DN3, at Laguna Seca. Hunt was standing in for an injured Jean-Pierre Beltoise who was prevented to take part in this PR Race. Jarier won the race but only because he managed to out brake Hunt in a very spectacular four wheel lock-up at the last moment . Jackie Oliver and George Follmer also to part in the race in there’s CAN AM DN4s but was no match to Jarier and Hunt.

Should there be a person out there who happens to know where I will be able to find some photo from the event and can explain why and how James Hunt got the seat for this PR event.

I know that James Hunt was mention regarding a regular Can Am drive for Shadow at the start of the season.

Best Regards

All is seemingly revealed in the fullness of time here is James in the DN3 and in his 1973 one off drive in the Shadow DN2 .

While stumbling around for details about James in his formula 3 days I also found this picture of James in the #7 Jorgensen Steel F5000 Eagle does any one recall James taking part in a race with this vehicle at Riverside ?

Edited by arttidesco, 05 July 2010 - 00:21.

[RA Historian]

I have just been reading in some Autosport from 1974, witch I just received.

...and I thought that my subscription delivery was slow...

Tom

[arttidesco]

...and I thought that my subscription delivery was slow...

Tom

[alansart]

I also found this picture of James in the #7 Jorgensen Steel F5000 Eagle does any one recall James taking part in a race with this vehicle at Riverside ?

The current Eagle owner makes reference to Hunt driving the car.

Edited by alansart, 05 July 2010 - 06:32.

[arttidesco]

Thanks Alan interesting that the list of alleged drivers of 755 'if' that is what it is does not tally with oldracingcars.com who mention in order Hunt, Unser, Schuppan & Schultz as drivers first time around. Lella Lombardi did drive at the Riverside race but in Lola T322 HU48 & John Morton drove a Eagle 74 A in that same race on 27th October 1974.

Shouldn't the Viceroy Car make some mention of Andretti on the side ?

[RA Historian]

Also, the Eagle pictured appears to be a 1974 car. Hunt drove the 1975 car, as 'Art' posted, not this car.
Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 05 July 2010 - 13:21.

[CSGPR]

All is seemingly revealed in the fullness of time here is James in the DN3 and in his 1973 one off drive in the Shadow DN2 .

While stumbling around for details about James in his formula 3 days I also found this picture of James in the #7 Jorgensen Steel F5000 Eagle does any one recall James taking part in a race with this vehicle at Riverside ?

Hi arttidesco

Thank You 8 years travel fast - Just great thank you again

[deancrew]

The current Eagle owner makes reference to Hunt driving the car.

The EAGLE that James drove was the 755 @ Riverside I believe in '74. It was the car's first outing? And it was in raw aluminum if I remember correctly. The VICEROY Lola pictured is a T400. Not a very beloved car back then from what I've read. Though the VPJ Team had 2, they served primarily as back-ups. Unser had to use his as his Race machine after crashing his primary 332c at either Mid Ohio or Elkhart Lake in '75. I think he drove fastest lap in the race too with it . . .maybe it wasn't that bad after all!. That was his only "Race" aboard that car. Mario didn't have any races in the 400, just the 332c. Also Curious if anyone has any info on the "Planned and Discussed " PARNELLI F5000 car. I remember the mags of the day commenting that for '75 , Parnelli had a Maurice Philippe designed car being built. Did anything ever happen there? I can imagine that being a pretty good looking car if it indeed had a relationship to the F1 and Indy cars VPJ4 and VPJ6. What was the 5? And i don't buy that the Baja Blazer was the VPJ5!

[RA Historian]

. Unser had to use his as his Race machine after crashing his primary 332c at either Mid Ohio or Elkhart Lake in '75. I think he drove fastest lap in the race too with it . . .maybe it wasn't that bad after all!. That was his only "Race" aboard that car. Mario didn't have any races in the 400, just the 332c. .....What was the 5? And i don't buy that the Baja Blazer was the VPJ5!

Wasn't at Road America. The Vel's-PJ boys did practice in the T-400 but raced T-332s.

As I understand it, and I am sure that our Indy experts on TNF can tell us if I am right or wrong, the VPJ-5 was the first/prototype Cosworth V-8 powered Parnelli that saw the light of day late in 1975. The "production", such as that was, such cars were the VPJ-6 models.
Tom

[Michael Ferner]

The EAGLE that James drove was the 755 @ Riverside I believe in '74. It was the car's first outing? And it was in raw aluminum if I remember correctly.

... and the spelling of Hunt's name on the car was rather peculiar, iirc!

[Tom Smith]

Wasn't at Road America. The Vel's-PJ boys did practice in the T-400 but raced T-332s.

As I understand it, and I am sure that our Indy experts on TNF can tell us if I am right or wrong, the VPJ-5 was the first/prototype Cosworth V-8 powered Parnelli that saw the light of day late in 1975. The "production", such as that was, such cars were the VPJ-6 models.
Tom

The Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Collection web site has 50 pages of their cars and histories, early Cosworth Indy chassis was VPJ-3. They have the one Mario drove one time at Trenton in their collection. VPJ-5 was their F-5000 project.
VPJ-1's were the Samsonite and Viceroy Specials, VPJ-2's were the follow up Samsonite and Viceroy cars. They were called the barn door car by the team. VPJ-6's were indeed the Parnelli Indy Cars that Foyt, Ongias, Whittington, etc. raced.
AAR also has a web site that contains a full history of all their cars and drivers.

[Marc Sproule]

VPJ 6s at Phoenix in '77

Big Al....
http://www.flickr.co...57623324227456/
http://www.flickr.co...57623324227456/
http://www.flickr.co...57623324227456/
http://www.flickr.co...N03/4537204590/

Ongais...
http://www.flickr.co...57623324227456/
http://www.flickr.co...57623324227456/

And more directly related to this thread....I may have a shot or two of Hunt in the Shadow at Laguna Seca. I know I took some but have as yet to find what I'm looking for in my archives. If I come up with something decent I will put it in this thread.

Edited by Marc Sproule, 07 July 2010 - 06:42.

[rallen]

Didn't Hunt hate Jarier? I remember that famous quote 'The problem with Jarier is that he is a French prat, always has been always will be' does anyone know where this view came from? were they on bad terms or was James just being James?!

[RA Historian]

The Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Collection web site has 50 pages of their cars and histories, early Cosworth Indy chassis was VPJ-3. They have the one Mario drove one time at Trenton in their collection. VPJ-5 was their F-5000 project.
VPJ-1's were the Samsonite and Viceroy Specials, VPJ-2's were the follow up Samsonite and Viceroy cars. They were called the barn door car by the team. VPJ-6's were indeed the Parnelli Indy Cars that Foyt, Ongias, Whittington, etc. raced.

Hmmm. I was always under the impression that the VPJ numbering was:

VPJ-1 1972 USAC, dihedral winged in early form. Used all year.
VPJ-2 1973 USAC, somewhat flat sided, blunt nosed car, used all year.
VPJ-3 1974 USAC, an Eagle copy used sparingly.
VPJ-4 1974-76 Formula One
VPJ-5 1975 USAC, Cosworth DFX proto
VPJ-6 1976 on USAC, used for several years by team, Interscope, Foyt.

I have never ever heard any reference to the F-5000 project having any VPJ nomenclature. Cars were not "Parnelli-ed" in any way, were off the shelf Lolas, albeit very well prepared with the usual individual team tweaks.

The team's web site says that the VPJ-3 was the 1974 Indy Car, as I indicated above, not the Cosworth car.

Conversely, and just to confound things, the site also attributes the VPJ-5 designation to the Bronco off road project, contrary to what I recall reading back in 1975-76. But then, it is their web site...

Tom

[Tom Smith]

Hmmm. I was always under the impression that the VPJ numbering was:

VPJ-1 1972 USAC, dihedral winged in early form. Used all year.
VPJ-2 1973 USAC, somewhat flat sided, blunt nosed car, used all year.
VPJ-3 1974 USAC, an Eagle copy used sparingly.
VPJ-4 1974-76 Formula One
VPJ-5 1975 USAC, Cosworth DFX proto
VPJ-6 1976 on USAC, used for several years by team, Interscope, Foyt.

I have never ever heard any reference to the F-5000 project having any VPJ nomenclature. Cars were not "Parnelli-ed" in any way, were off the shelf Lolas, albeit very well prepared with the usual individual team tweaks.

The team's web site says that the VPJ-3 was the 1974 Indy Car, as I indicated above, not the Cosworth car.

Conversely, and just to confound things, the site also attributes the VPJ-5 designation to the Bronco off road project, contrary to what I recall reading back in 1975-76. But then, it is their web site...

Tom

The VPJ-5 was an F-5000 car designed by Maurice Philippe, they were never built.

[RA Historian]

The VPJ-5 was an F-5000 car designed by Maurice Philippe, they were never built.

You may very well be right, not arguing with you at all, but that does not jibe with the periodicals of the day nor the official Vels-PJ web site, as mentioned two posts earlier. There now are three entirely separate vehicles stated to be the VPJ-5. I suspect that it is not that unusual for such things to change over the years.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 07 July 2010 - 17:01.

[deancrew]

You may very well be right, not arguing with you at all, but that does not jibe with the periodicals of the day nor the official Vels-PJ web site, as mentioned two posts earlier. There now are three entirely separate vehicles stated to be the VPJ-5. I suspect that it is not that unusual for such things to change over the years.

Tom

Interesting to read the responses. And appreciate the insights. I had always wondered if the F 5000 car was indeed the VPJ5. I had also read the VPJ website where it refers to the Blazer as the 5 . . . and it didn't make much sense. Here's what I remember from all the references I've strung together. And I'm really interested because I don't think Parnelli is given much credit for all of the presentation he did back them. He was putting on a PENSKE like looking show before Penske was! The SUPER TEAM . . . 2 large Non-Automotive sponsors, and an assortment of Associate sponsors and coordinated Scheme on all the cars. Big Transporters. 3 Star Drivers in Andretti/Unser/Leonard. INDY/ F5000 / F-1 / Sprint Cars / Dirt Champ Cars / BAJA Unlimited Cars/ USAC Stock Cars/ Drag Racing . And Winning in several of them . . .even a couple of Championships! His own Chassis Designs. Developing Cosworth Turbo engines, and bringing a new gen of F1 influenced chassis to Indy . . . He was quite the show back then!

Maurice Philippe did indeed design many of the "Parnelli" Chassis. The first COLTS were indeed essentially revised Lolas. They won Indy in '70-71 with Unser, and Joe Leonard won the USAC National Championship with them. The Dihedral Car . . the VPJ1, was his first full car, with an Offy not a FORD DOHC . Not Successful! But yet enough to win the California 500 & yet another USAC Championship for Leonard! The VPJ2 was the wide long car, OFFY as well . I believe Andretti set a speed record or two with it @ Texas? The VPJ3 was the '74 car that attempted to take advantage of new USAC rules for smaller fuel tanks. It was inspired, at least from the outward appearances , from the EAGLE, yet narrower. Hot Rod mag had a good '74 Indy Preview piece back in the day that had GREAT pictures of several on the new cars and this was there being built. Pictures are hard to come by, and there were only 2 built. The second was HEAVILY revised and looks nothing like the original. Its in his Museum. Parnelli also covered his bases that year by buying Eagles . . . which he eventually relied on. The Parnelli VPJ3 ran at Trenton, maybe Phoenix, then only practiced @ INDY. LOLAs were the F5000 story for '74, and the VPJ 5 was planned for an assault on the title in '75. But apparently never built. VPJ4 was the F1 car that debuted at the US and Canadian GP'S. The VPJ6 debuted @ INDY in '75 with both Mario and Unser taking laps . . . but didn't race. The Significance here was this was the COSWORTH's First appearance at the the speedway with a Parnelli funded Turbo development with his engine man Larry Slutter. Quite insightlful!! The VPJ6 ran later in the year after a thorough revising by . . John Barnard . . . who had left McLaren after designing their M25 F5000 car. He went thru the car, and it later was VERY successful for Unser as well as Danny Ongais. He then went on to do a "C" variant which looked dramaticaly different, almost seemed to be a new car. Phillippe was of course gone by now. Parnelli has been quoted as saying that he attempted to launch a new car , a wing car influenced by the Lotus 78/79, into the series and referred to a design by Barnard which he had completed, which he said became the Chapparal . . . Parnelli was by then funding his Indy team thru his American Racing wheels company and he needed an outside sponsor which he didn't find. So the Team shut down and Unser went to Jim Hall nd Chaparral. Interesting also that Barnard left Chaparral because he wasn't given the credit he thought appropriate for the car.

[Tom Smith]

Interesting to read the responses. And appreciate the insights. I had always wondered if the F 5000 car was indeed the VPJ5. I had also read the VPJ website where it refers to the Blazer as the 5 . . . and it didn't make much sense. Here's what I remember from all the references I've strung together. And I'm really interested because I don't think Parnelli is given much credit for all of the presentation he did back them. He was putting on a PENSKE like looking show before Penske was! The SUPER TEAM . . . 2 large Non-Automotive sponsors, and an assortment of Associate sponsors and coordinated Scheme on all the cars. Big Transporters. 3 Star Drivers in Andretti/Unser/Leonard. INDY/ F5000 / F-1 / Sprint Cars / Dirt Champ Cars / BAJA Unlimited Cars/ USAC Stock Cars/ Drag Racing . And Winning in several of them . . .even a couple of Championships! His own Chassis Designs. Developing Cosworth Turbo engines, and bringing a new gen of F1 influenced chassis to Indy . . . He was quite the show back then!

Maurice Philippe did indeed design many of the "Parnelli" Chassis. The first COLTS were indeed essentially revised Lolas. They won Indy in '70-71 with Unser, and Joe Leonard won the USAC National Championship with them. The Dihedral Car . . the VPJ1, was his first full car, with an Offy not a FORD DOHC . Not Successful! But yet enough to win the California 500 & yet another USAC Championship for Leonard! The VPJ2 was the wide long car, OFFY as well . I believe Andretti set a speed record or two with it @ Texas? The VPJ3 was the '74 car that attempted to take advantage of new USAC rules for smaller fuel tanks. It was inspired, at least from the outward appearances , from the EAGLE, yet narrower. Hot Rod mag had a good '74 Indy Preview piece back in the day that had GREAT pictures of several on the new cars and this was there being built. Pictures are hard to come by, and there were only 2 built. The second was HEAVILY revised and looks nothing like the original. Its in his Museum. Parnelli also covered his bases that year by buying Eagles . . . which he eventually relied on. The Parnelli VPJ3 ran at Trenton, maybe Phoenix, then only practiced @ INDY. LOLAs were the F5000 story for '74, and the VPJ 5 was planned for an assault on the title in '75. But apparently never built. VPJ4 was the F1 car that debuted at the US and Canadian GP'S. The VPJ6 debuted @ INDY in '75 with both Mario and Unser taking laps . . . but didn't race. The Significance here was this was the COSWORTH's First appearance at the the speedway with a Parnelli funded Turbo development with his engine man Larry Slutter. Quite insightlful!! The VPJ6 ran later in the year after a thorough revising by . . John Barnard . . . who had left McLaren after designing their M25 F5000 car. He went thru the car, and it later was VERY successful for Unser as well as Danny Ongais. He then went on to do a "C" variant which looked dramaticaly different, almost seemed to be a new car. Phillippe was of course gone by now. Parnelli has been quoted as saying that he attempted to launch a new car , a wing car influenced by the Lotus 78/79, into the series and referred to a design by Barnard which he had completed, which he said became the Chapparal . . . Parnelli was by then funding his Indy team thru his American Racing wheels company and he needed an outside sponsor which he didn't find. So the Team shut down and Unser went to Jim Hall nd Chaparral. Interesting also that Barnard left Chaparral because he wasn't given the credit he thought appropriate for the car.

The only Blazer Parnelli has is his current pre runner, a highly modified Blazer with a stock car engine that he still likes to blast around town in occasionally. He raced the Bronco with Bill Stroppe. I believe it was built by Stroppe at his facility. At any rate it was not a Blazer. I vaguely recall the first turbo Cosworth test car was a converted VPJ-4 that Al tested either at Riverside or Phoenix. I think the first race was also at Phoenix or else it was the first win for a Cosworth. When Slutter was developing the turbo Cosworth VPJ Indy engine, Cosworth told him it wouldn't work. Later they hired him to help set up and manage their Indy Engine program in Torrance. Larry Slutter was the first person to install a 4 Cam Ford in a champ dirt car also.

Edited by Tom Smith, 08 July 2010 - 04:10.

[arttidesco]

Also, the Eagle pictured appears to be a 1974 car. Hunt drove the 1975 car, as 'Art' posted, not this car.
Tom

Well spotted Tom the difference between the 74A and 755 appears to be the side radiators moved from behind the front wheels to ahead of the rear wheels.

Hi arttidesco

Thank You 8 years travel fast - Just great thank you again

'Cloud' computing has come on leaps and bounds since 2002 - your welcome CSPGR

The EAGLE that James drove was the 755 @ Riverside I believe in '74. It was the car's first outing? And it was in raw aluminum if I remember correctly. The VICEROY Lola pictured is a T400. Not a very beloved car back then from what I've read. Though the VPJ Team had 2, they served primarily as back-ups. Unser had to use his as his Race machine after crashing his primary 332c at either Mid Ohio or Elkhart Lake in '75. I think he drove fastest lap in the race too with it . . .maybe it wasn't that bad after all!. That was his only "Race" aboard that car. Mario didn't have any races in the 400, just the 332c. Also Curious if anyone has any info on the "Planned and Discussed " PARNELLI F5000 car. I remember the mags of the day commenting that for '75 , Parnelli had a Maurice Philippe designed car being built. Did anything ever happen there? I can imagine that being a pretty good looking car if it indeed had a relationship to the F1 and Indy cars VPJ4 and VPJ6. What was the 5? And i don't buy that the Baja Blazer was the VPJ5!

Thanks for the details deancrew I'll keep a look out for the unpainted 755 :-)

I did not remember Unser and Andretti being F5000 team mates but I do remember the unloved T400 primarily because one was used in the UK to launch a prophylactic brand as a sponsor causing some consternation at the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Should have spotted the distinctive T400 rounded out airbox :-)

Didn't Hunt hate Jarier? I remember that famous quote 'The problem with Jarier is that he is a French prat, always has been always will be' does anyone know where this view came from? were they on bad terms or was James just being James?!

Sounds like James had been imbibing some sort of BBC de inhibitor prior to the transmission

Sounds like the VPJ5 got lost in the rapid expansion of the Parnelli Racing Team, maybe some drawings will turn up confirming what the VPJ5 was supposed to have been ?

[deancrew]

The only Blazer Parnelli has is his current pre runner, a highly modified Blazer with a stock car engine that he still likes to blast around town in occasionally. He raced the Bronco with Bill Stroppe. I believe it was built by Stroppe at his facility. At any rate it was not a Blazer. I vaguely recall the first turbo Cosworth test car was a converted VPJ-4 that Al tested either at Riverside or Phoenix. I think the first race was also at Phoenix or else it was the first win for a Cosworth. When Slutter was developing the turbo Cosworth VPJ Indy engine, Cosworth told him it wouldn't work. Later they hired him to help set up and manage their Indy Engine program in Torrance. Larry Slutter was the first person to install a 4 Cam Ford in a champ dirt car also.

The BLAZER Story is interesting as well. Dick Russell, who was an employee of Bill Stroppe, was hired by Parnelli to build the first Tube Frame Bronco, BIG OLY. Stroppe wanted a Stock based truck . .Parnelli a Tube Frame for overall wins and speed. Parnelli went to great lengths to make sure that everyone knew that Russell built it. He really developed it over several years, racing first as the Crazy colt , then Big Oly. Later on he built 2 7/8 scale Tube Frame Blazers and a Light weight Chevy Pick Up for Walker Evans. All were very Light weight, and had long travel ( for their day) suspensions. He even was trying some "Out there' strategies for REALYY long travel rear suspensions with Chain drives and such. none ever emerged. He really was at the fore front of Off Road Development as well. Almost leading the Class 1 unlimited and Trophy Truck movement by 20 years or so. I think Parnelli put more into them though than the F1 program. Mario is quoted as saying that his F1 car sat while Parnelli developed the Blazers! Even with that time tho ,he never had much success with the Blazers . . .Fast but Fragile . . . but later Frank Vessels and Bob Gordon ( Robby's Dad) had great success with them. One wonders If Parnelli would have taken the same time to develop them as he did with the Bronco, what would have he accomplished more? The Blazer Parnelli still has is his prerunner, which is still pretty trick. I believe he ran the Mint 400 race a couple of month ago with it. He also has the Class 2 Truck all restored.

Would love to see any images or drawings of the VPJ5 if anyone has any idea if any exist. Also if anyone has any images of the VPJ3 from '74. Those images are HARD to come by.

The F 5000 eagles if I remember are QUITE different from each other. The 755 was all new . . New narrow and low waisted tub, vastly different front suspension. More than just Rads and bodywork. I think the naming on HUNTS's car at Riverside was "Hunt the Shunt" ?? Seem to remember seeing an image of that.

Also it seems that thru the development of the VPJ Lolas in F 5000, the team adopted many of the unique features from the Indy car team. The Big broad DELTA V Rear wing emerged in '75 . . . It was also on the EAGLES and VPJ6 Indycar . . . and later the '76 car that Unser drove had a Nosecone piece like the VPJ6. Also the engine boxes changed 2-3 times from '74-76. Al Unser was a darn quick Road racer then as well. He did great in '76 with a short schedule. he also had some RR success in early USAC racing. All in all an awesome team for its day . . . probably bit off more than it could chew , but boy what a history they left! And changed the course of Indycar!

[arttidesco]

Here is what I found on the Blazer :-)

Still zip on VPJ 5 or VPJ 13 ???

Not only the airbox on the Eagle 755 changed but so did the nose :-)

[deancrew]

Here is what I found on the Blazer :-)

Still zip on VPJ 5 or VPJ 13 ???

Not only the airbox on the Eagle 755 changed but so did the nose :-)

Awesome images! Thanks much! That head on shot of the Eagle looks like Long Beach '75. Great shots from that event. That race almost seems to be the pinnacle of F 5000 racing here in the states. It was never equaled or topped! and it was VPJ 3.

Best,

Clay

Edited by deancrew, 08 July 2010 - 19:16.

[RA Historian]

The '75 Eagle was very different from the '74. Where the '74 car had full and voluptuous bodywork, the '75 was the opposite, spare and barely covering the mechanicals.

[RA Historian]

and it was VPJ 3.

What was?

[Marc Sproule]

Talk about precocious senility!

I just remembered that in Nov. of '73 I was going through the Russell school in Willow Springs. On a rather gray and quite cold morning I was stunned to see Dan Gurney drive into the pits in an off-white, non-descript Mercury Comet (?).

He and crew were there to test the new F5000 Eagle with Mike Hiss as the driver.

I was the only student that week and the only other racing machine there that day was some kind of racing kart.

Eventually all three of us ended up on the track at the same time. Most disconcerting for me because not only did I have to look out for the kart...I was lapping it about every lap and a half or so...but I had to keep my eyes on the mirrors because Hiss was lapping me at about the same rate.

After a few laps I didn't have to bother watching the mirrors. The noise from the approaching Eagle told me what was gonna happen. A bit more disconcerting was the fact that when it got close the vibration from the 5-liter motor would wipe out a lot of feeling I had for my Merlyn FF.

Quite the experience for someone who had only a few hours of track time.

Unfortunately I wasn't into photography at that point so there are no pics of that rather amazing day.

[Tony Matthews]

Unfortunately I wasn't into photography at that point so there are no pics of that rather amazing day.

No, but what price memories?

[deancrew]

What was?

It was an answer to the question of VPJ 13 from the previous post . . . I was looking for an image of the Parnelli VPJ3 .

[arttidesco]

Mario in the 1974 VPJ Eagle at Indy

[RA Historian]

It was an answer to the question of VPJ 13 from the previous post . . . I was looking for an image of the Parnelli VPJ3 .

Ah, that explains that. Guess I did not catch the connection.

Would be interesting to see an Image of a VPJ-3. They were rather rare on the ground back then, used sparingly and then replaced by Eagles, as posted quite a bit earlier on this thread.

Buy the way, isn't this thread supposed to be about James Hunt and a Shadow? Not at all like us to go off topic...

Tom

[arttidesco]

Something tells me James was never going to get away with actually driving this one :-)

[arttidesco]

Buy the way, isn't this thread supposed to be about James Hunt and a Shadow? Not at all like us to go off topic...

Tom

Bringing back on topic found this unattributed photo of James in the DN3 on the fb page Race Car Nostalgia

[B Squared]

Bringing back on topic found this unattributed photo of James in the DN3 on the fb page Race Car Nostalgia

Thanks for this reminder of our late friend, Tom Schultz (RA Historian).

[E1pix]

Thanks Brian, I was thinking the *exact same thing*.

[WonderWoman61]

So that's at least two other cars from teams James Hunt never drove for in World Championship races.