Underneath the Chaparral 2J
Posted with permission from Jeff Thisted
https://www.youtube.com/@jeffthisted
https://idrivea55.com/
Behind the Scenes Tour
Keith Douset of Chaparral gives us a behind the scenes tour of the Chaparral garage located at the Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas.
The videos feature up close, body off, on the lift inspections of the Chaparral 2J and the 1965 Corvette GS-IIB. A third video features a start-up of the Chaparral 2D.
Plus a detailed tour led by Keith of the other Chaparrals on display at the museum.
Pop your popcorn, sit back, and prepare yourself for three very special videos!
About the Chaparrals
Jim Hall’s legendary Chaparral Cars are permanently displayed in a dedicated wing of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas, a facility Hall partnered with in 2004 to preserve his collection.
The museum houses seven restored, one-off race cars that revolutionized motorsport through innovations like the movable wing and ground effects: the Chaparral 2, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2H, 2J, and 2K.
- Chaparral 2: The first car designed by Hall, which won 22 of its 39 races and secured the 1964 United States Road Racing Championship.
- Chaparral 2E: Introduced in 1966, this car featured a high-mounted, driver-adjustable wing that transformed racing aerodynamics.
- Chaparral 2F: An endurance racing coupe that won the 1967 BOAC 500 against factory teams from Ford, Ferrari, and Porsche.
- Chaparral 2J: Nicknamed the “Sucker Car,” this 1970 Can-Am vehicle was the first to use active ground effects via massive rear fans.
- Chaparral 2K: A ground-effect Indy car that won the 1980 Indianapolis 500 with driver Johnny Rutherford.
The Chaparrals at the museum remain in working condition and are occasionally driven around the museum grounds during special events, such as the annual Party on the Patio, allowing visitors to witness Hall’s engineering legacy in action.
More Chaparral posts on Dean’s Garage
Chaparral Exhibit at the Petroleum Museum, Midland Texas—03/21/2011
Jim Hall of Chaparral Cars—Jim Hall walks through the Chaparral Exhibit—06/19/2020
Texas Legend Jim Hall and His Chaparrals—Book Review—08/02/2024
Ed Welburn’s Chaparral Experience—08/17/2017
The Way It Is—Appreciating Jim Hall and His Chaparrals—10/16/2016
An Evening with Jim Hall—07/26/2013