20 replies to this topic

[Frank S]

On line and accessible

Dolphin History


I'll appreciate comments, corrections, additions.


Frank S

[dbw]

can't add much but back in the '70s i bought a set of dolphin mag wheels....actually to pry the donlops off them for a porsche project..i remember that the wheels [i always assumed they were cast for the dolphin as i've never seen a set anywhere else..] they were well made and almost painfully thin in the radial spoke blades..but they were extremely light and strong....as i recall these wheels kicked around a lot and finally ended up on a sports/racer dolphin....

[Ray Bell]

Not to be confused with 'Dudder' Baker's Brabham replicas, apparently...

[jm70]

Very nice, Frank. Good to see pictures of Marge and Phil.

[Don Capps]

Thank you, Frank! Wonderful stuff. I truly enjoyed it. It brought back some real memories.

[Frank S]

Thank y'all for the kind words.

I mentioned the Dolphin wheels to Phil Binks, who said the originals were all military specification magnesium, something like 98% pure. He was lucky and found a set of them for a bargain price, and they will be fitted to the last of the early Juniors, the car driven by Miles in the Web photos. Phil owns it and his son Dan, crew chief on one of the Corvette efforts at LeMans this year, is restoring it in the niches around his other responsibilities. More about this car forthcoming.

The aluminum-bodied car in a Web photo was intended as an F2-F1 car, being fitted with a stroked Alfa engine. The target was the 1960 Grand Prix at Riverside, Willie West, Oceanside Morgan and Alfa racer to drive. It wasn't finished in time.


Frank S

[antonvrs]

Frank-

A couple of additions to your Dolphin page......

Kurt Neumann raced a Dolphin Jr. in Cal Club in around '62-'63 with some success although the Dolphin, possibly due to it's relatively narrow track, never seemed to be quite as quick as the Lotus, Cooper and later, Brabham Juniors.
It was a very attractive car and Neumann's was always nicely turned out. It travelled in the back of an International Harvester Travelall- sort of an early SUV based on an I-H truck chassis. If I remember correctly the Dolphin fit thru the stock back door of the Travelall and they were painted in matching colors- blue and white.
I don't believe a Cooper or Lotus would have fit thru the back door of the Travelall.

Another unusual Dolphin is the Dolphin-Olds linked on Frank's site. That car turned up at a local vintage event in about 1975 with a near-stock 215 Olds V8 and a Citroen transaxle. I don't believe that it raced with any success in the '60s when it was current and it certainly didn't work very well in 1975. It was sold to and developed by/for a man named Joe DiLoreto and became somewhat competitive at the club level in the '80s

John Crosthwaite is retired and living in Florida, I believe.
Kurt Neumann is retired and lives in southern California.

Anton

[Frank S]

Thank you, Anton.

I've just managed to lug home about six pounds of Dolphin materials, much of it saved in a scrapbook by the Dolphin Chief Mechanic. A cursory review shows photos of Neumann in his car, as well as race programs and results sheets and clippings from the era. I estimate another two months at the scanner and keyboard have been added to the (front of) my years-long projects list.


Frank S

[xkssFrankOpalka]

There was a Dolphin racing in the Midwest but dont remember who raced it, smaller car

[Frank S]

New on the Web:

Moderately technical Sports Car Graphic article on the Zipper Dolphin-Porsche
complete with cutaway/ghost drawing.

Click the drawing's thumbnail to see the article
(LARGE files)

[Frank S]

Originally posted by Frank S
New on the Web:

Moderately technical Sports Car Graphic article on the Zipper Dolphin-Porsche
complete with cutaway/ghost drawing.

Click the drawing's thumbnail to see the article
(LARGE files)

Add:

From Car and Driver August 1962,
a fluff-piece page on the Dolphin America, pre-Zipper;
coincidentally, a paragraph on Zipper, one on Lindley Bothwell,
on Carlyle Blackwell, and on Lew Spencer,
all as part of a lifestyle feature on The Car In California,
the remainder of which I may eventually get to and post.

One of my favorite car magazine covers: Nuerburgring grid with
P. Hill, Brabham, Moss, and Bonnier.

Click the page's thumbnail to see the album
(LARGE files)

[Frank S]

Another dozen Dolphin photos from back in the day. Most are in the 50-90K range. One with Sir Jack in the cockpit.

--
Frank S

[Frank S]

Last I knew, Phil Binks was at Buttonwillow doing some
shakedown and tuneup on the newly restored Ninth Dolphin
in anticipation of its modern debut at Monterey.

--
Frank S

[T54]

Both Phil Binks and David Woodhouse are just the kind of fellows one dreams to have for friends. We just took care of David's brakes at our shop a couple of weeks ago so that his brake pedal will be sweet at the Monterey Hysterics.

[bradbury west]

Originally posted by Frank S
New on the Web:

Moderately technical Sports Car Graphic article on the Zipper Dolphin-Porsche
complete with cutaway/ghost drawing.

Click the drawing's thumbnail to see the article
(LARGE files)

Frank, top quality site, well done.

Looking at the cutaway it seems that the Zipper has horizontal front springs, or at least very laid down coils behind the steering rack. Is that the case, if so why, since packaging did not seem a problem, and are there any clearer drawings or photos of it? Do the coils include the shocks? hard to see in the drawing

Roger Lund.

[Frank S]

I hadn't noticed that. I don't have much technical familiarity with the cars. I'm not certain that Phil Binks still has the Dolphin America in his home garage now that Dolphin Number Nine is a runner. I'm going to see him tomorrow; he'll be able to fill us in.

An enlarged section of the drawing:

[RA Historian]

Originally posted by xkssFrankOpalka
There was a Dolphin racing in the Midwest but dont remember who raced it, smaller car

That was Al Cervanka. His Dolphin was painted pink (!) and ran in HM. Don't recall offhand what the engine was, but suspect it was a Saab.

[bradbury west]

Originally posted by Frank S
[B]I hadn't noticed that. I don't have much technical familiarity with the cars....... I'm going to see him tomorrow; he'll be able to fill us in.

]

Frank, many thanks for the reply and blow-up shot.

I have now had chance to look through the magazine pages on the website and there is a photo of the front end of the car which shows that the coils are integral with the dampers and sit at the usual 30-ish degrees inclination. It must be a trick of the light or something on the drawing.

I ended up reading all the articles and links on the website, well worth it, esp as I saw one of the Dolphins at the Revival a couple of years ago, prior to which I did not recall knowing of them. It's all bout learning about new stuff

Roger Lund

[NGSmith]

I recently sold one on my cars to a gentleman named Fred Wynkoop. He mentioned that he had some association with Dolphin cars back in the sixties. Does that ring a bell with anyone?

[Frank S]

Phil Binks said the Zipper Dolphin was one of two built and that they both had an extreme incline on the front damper/spring units. The idea was "increasing rate springs", but it seemed their version didn't work as expected; in fact it gave an opposing effect, and was soon abandoned for more conventional angles.

The second Zipper-type Dolphin has been restored and finished in black, which Phil said was a surprisingly pleasing arrangement.

Phil has the jewel-lke restored Ninth Dolphin F-Jr parked alongside the unrestored but active Dolphin America-FIAT. They are a real contrast in "historic" racecar philosophies: the sports-racer is in original, maintained condition, runs strong, but looks a little dull, finish-wise.

As an example of a brand-new restored racecar nearly fifty years old, the Ninth Junior sparkles in every aspect. Dan Binks has done everything to infinitely critical standards, the welds are cartoon-like in their regularity, and—get this!—the accelerator pedal has been moved from center to right! Not to mention the tourist stickers, applied when the car was "imported" into Mexico for the Mexico City race where Miles DNFed, have been faithfully reproduced and stuck on the windscreen.

Horsepower-to-weight on the Jr is 1:9, according to Phil. Is that good? It really jumps when you punch it, he said.

I have borrowed a few photos of the F-Jr at Monterey to scan and add to the page. Looks as if there is room for improvement in the handling department.

--
Frank S
San Diego CA
USA

[Hse289]

Hi, can anybody help me find out the dimensions of the 1960 Dolphin formula junior car please. I would like to know front and rear track, plus overall lenght and body width. Height too if possible. I want to make a 1/32 model.
I have already asked Phil Binks but his car is away at the workshop at the moment. Thanks, Paul