History SCARAB-bitchin' American Road Racer

I always like the bodies on these sports cars, sorta Ferrari, sorta Maserati-ish. Did the designer of the body ever go on to other race car projects? Gary

 

Troutman/Barnes designed the Scarabs and yes they designed and built many other race cars. Not the least of which was the first Chaparral for Jim Hall.

 

They were built by T-B, but the bodies were designed by Chuck Pelly when he was around 19 yrs old. The first car built had a much larger grille/mouth, and was pretty ugly. Lance crashed the car soon after it was built, and the familiar and attractive mouth was added.
Pelly, speaking about the development of the body a few years ago, said that he didn't recall whether Reventlow had ever paid his fee, which was something like $400.

 

Amazing HotRodDon, thanks for the information. This is an amazing site!
Scarab still my favorite roadster, Kellison favorite coupe (sports car catagory).

 

Bringing this back to the top since my question got buried

I'm looking for a good drawing/blueprint of the Scarab MkI- don't know if it's in the Scarab book, but I don't have the means to purchase it to find out.

If anyone can help/shed some light, please do!

 

Uncle Warren Olson was team manager, engineer, head mechanic, and general "go-to-guy" for the team and Lance. The stories he can tell are amazing.
A long gone era in upper class grass roots road racing.

 

No. Lance did NOT commit suicide. He was killed in an aircraft accident...cannot recall the year. If memory serves, I believe he, along with others onboard, was killed when they flew into a dead end canyon. A super loss to those who knew him.

 

NEW F1 SCARABS CLIPS: "The Sound Of Speed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaN9y6VuFhY
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEupoQUxU7E

I assume you've viewed my Scarab Sports Car ones on YouTube...zuzulo56.http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/hamb/editor/separator.gif

 

I've seen many videos since YouTube came along some are funny, some interesting but never before have I see one that is perfect, until today.

This is a race car video from 1960 and I remember almost every detail from the first time I saw it 50 years ago! The background music is pretty hokey but I don't even remember it being there, the sound of that engine was just so perfect it completely overwhelmed me.

I was 11 years old when this film was made. Picture if you will a kid, already a hardened gearhead, in a theater expecting to see the cartoons and previews of coming attractions and Walt Disney's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea". Back then theaters used to show "shorts", films that didn't fit a regular movie format but were of some interest never the less.

This film just came on full screen and full theater sound! No dialog no introduction it just started. A little blue car then that engine sound! I didn't know a downshift from a downhill but man that sound, it made me sit up and pay attention. Then, about 2/3's through the film changes to the drivers point of view and they leave of the music, all you heard was the engine. There was a kid in a theater seat that day that was more in that moment than perhaps anyone in the universe! I felt every turn, the braking and the acceleration, the blip for the downshifts the whole deal. That was the most captivated by film I had ever been.

Seeing this film again was like seeing for the first time! In the time since first seeing the film, whenever guys talk about chase scenes from movies, or clips from modern high tech simulators I would remember seeing this little film and try to describe it to them. The opening when they roll the car down the ramps is just so perfect! So to all the guys I've tried to describe this film; here it is (click the link above).

When I was 11 years old I had no idea what a Scarab F1 might be or who Lance Rentlow or Chuck Daigh might be. But that engine sound! That sound must be imprinted in my DNA. Since seeing that film I've learned much more about the Scarab. I have been to Don Orosco's shop in Monterey, a mere a stones throw from the race track at Laguna Seca and seen THAT CAR! I have spoken with one of the craftsman who restored the transporter at Orosco's shop. I was at Laguna Seca one of the first times the transporter and the Scarab's débuted.

So really want to thank the Jalopy Journal's message board the HAMB and zuzulo56, the HAMBer that posted the link to the video. This experience is now a "full circle". It has taken a long, long time but, yeah that's the one I remember and damn if it ain't the real deal!

 

Thanks for the informative thread!!
I didn't realize that Lance had the Woolworth connection, though I do remember the Peter Revson one.
The only exposure I had to the Can-Am cars was through magazines, and eagerly awaited an issue with those cars in it.
Anybody remember the John Mecom cars? The hemi powered Hussein?

Jim

 

I was at Dads shop sometime in the early 60's when they brought the Scarab in for body damage repair that as I remember happened at Riverside Raceway. Lance showed up latter with Jill St. John in tow and as a youngster I witnessed my first real boner. Both were very very beautiful!
Don Brown "The Prince of Darkness" was doing the aluminum work.
Dan Ruth

 

In the "SOUND OF SPEED", we hear the 301 Chevy which had been wedged under the bonnet...as the F1 career was kaput and they were keen to prepare the chassis for Formula Libre and, well, maybe the bloody (pun INTENDED!) Joey Chitwood Thrill Shows!
Anyways, this is the only clip, that I know of which presents the actual :Offy" Desmo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PeXJ5_NHwo

(Ya know, "Chuckie Boy" (Daigh) had a very deep desire to one day run the Indy 500...in a car...a racecar. I'm positive he must have been lobbying "Lance-alot" over-the-ton to reconfigure the hooptie for that shindig!)

 

Do ya think that they would 'ave had to offset the engine and crank more than a little stagger in "the olde sled?"...to run a Indy, I mean? And most importantly, what 'bout Miss St. John (I've viewed many a stained glass window, but(t) NEVER scoped-out a saint like her.), back in that era she won't be allowed to high-kick, and strut her stuff down pit lane...OR bloody Gasoline Alley!

 

You may be the ONLY chappie here, anywhere?, who first feasted on it in a proper movie house! I didn't (while I DID see "20,000" in one)...and so my shame in envying you for doing so. FULL SCREEN and STEREO SOUND! Hey, let's lobby to have it re-mastered and "put on" the IMAX sheet! Where are my contact #'s?!

 

The F1 Scarab, 2.5L. Desmo Offy:


















http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WhO5vs8Q4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdP-t2Wl2eQ

 

Last year I was at the Leguna seca raceway when the Scarab owned by the Collier family from Florida, John Morton driving, got sideways and was involved with the ol Yeller 2 and flipped end over end.
http://www.examiner.com/classic-spo...o-turn-2-at-mazda-laguna-seca-raceway-picture

 

"New" SOUND OF SPEED: "SOUND OF SPEED"...HD (Digitally Enhanced), Part 1 of 2.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0hEXkkstFc
&
Part 2 of 2.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubCFd5QdaGA&feature=related

Although there is NOT a radical improvement over previous copies (which are 240p.), one can notice better colors and, especially at 720p., a sharper overall presentation. Considering the fact that the original "print" (film stock) is somewhat faded/washed-out, an amateur, "moi", is not going to get it much better...I think...maybe?

 

In 1957 thru 1961 my brother and I helped our dad cut grass at St. Christophers Episcopal Church in River Hills Wisc. On Fridays we used to see Augie with that car running up and down River Road past the church. My God I haven't seen that car for 50 some years. Weused to go to Road America every year for the June Sprints and in Sept for the Can Am series. Great times. We used to work all day cutting and trimming 5 acres of grass for five bucks each, but we got to see Augie about 3 or 4 times a year.

 

Those Scarabs were definitely beautiful cars!
Speaking of rich guys kids and their toys-
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z11315/Mecom-Hussein-MK-I.aspx.
Anyone remember the AMT slot car version?

 

I could watch that with my eyes closed
IT'S THE SOUND MAN...THE SOUND

 

THAT... is freakin' awesome!