Texan Jim Hall’s Chaparrals were something of an enigma because it was never clear how much of their success was due to “under the counter” support that made it to all intents the General Motors works effort to take on Ford in sports car racing. The Chaparral 2F won the 1967 BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch , using a movable rear wing about a year before such things became regular Formula One wear.
The 2J , a “fan” car long before Gordon Murray’s Brabham design , was initially driven in the CanAm series by Jackie Stewart. Vic Elford records being surprised to be given the drive “because Stewart was asking too much money”, since Hall was a millionaire. History does not clearly establish if this was the beginning of problems that eventually saw the end of Chaparral or whether it was politics revolving around Stewart’s strong links to Ford.
A Sevenoaks badge is clearly visible at the centre of the perspex panel in front of the dash and another is mostly obscured by our Vice President’s goggles.

Keith Lay