| The Canadian-American
Challenge Cup brought the best available technology, the best
engineers, and the greatest drivers together to battle it out
for supremacy. Legends drivers such as Jackie Stewart, John Surtees,
Denis Hulme, Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Mario Andretti,
and many others fought for top honors in these unlimited sports
cars. Factory developed cars such as the Porsche 917 competed
directly with privateer teams building unique one-offs that now
make for fascinating pieces of history and affordable vintage
racing steeds.
After building an Indy car in 1964, Ed Hamill built an SR2
sports car in early 1965, followed by a pair of SR3 sports cars-
one built with a square
tube chassis, and this car built with a rounded steel tube frame.
Both cars were raced in 1966, initially with Ford and Oldsmobile
engines, and later in
the year with a Traco-tuned 333 Chevy. During 1966 the cars
were raced with McKee transaxles, which have long since been
replaced with the more
user-friendly Hewland LG500.
This car was raced in a number of events in 1966 by Roy Kumnick,
including the LA Times Grand Prix. Roy`s Corvette shop was in
the same building as Ed Hamill`s racing operation. Kumnick raced
Corvettes in the early 1960s and in the Can-Am and USRRC series
from 1964-1968.
We are very familiar with the recent history of this car. It
remained in the San Diego area until the early 1990s when Bruce
Trenery sold the car to a
northern California based resident who ran it in CSRG (Classis
Sports Racing Group). The car was professionally maintained
by Phil Denny at PRD
Engineering in Sonoma, CA. During this time further restoration
work was performed and a new nose mold was created which comes
with the car. The car was repainted by the late Ken McMurphy,
known for his Pebble Beach quality work. Bruce Trenery again
sold this car in about 2002 to the current owner who has enthusiastically
campaigned the car in HSR and VARA events, mostly in Southern
California.
In 2006 a rebuilt Chevy motor by Bud Gilbert was installed,
and now has dyno time only. The block was fitted with aluminum
heads, roller rockers, and mounted to a new Tilton multi-disk
clutch and pressure plate. The motor produces over 600 horsepower
and 500 ft/lbs or torque. The bill for the
motor rebuild, not including installation, was over $16,000!
The balance of the car is mechanically excellent and after the
usual pre-event preparation, will be ready to race. Modern,
more reliable fittings and hoses have been used wherever possible.
All the fabrication is first class professional work, and the
car has a robust, sturdy, overbuilt appearance and feel. This
example has proven to be a user friendly, low maintenance unit
for the previous owners and can be described as a fully sorted
turn-key racing car.
While not a zero-mile car from restoration, cosmetically, this
car is as nice as you could want a racing car to be. The body
fits well and is generally free of chips and scratches. The
frame is beautifully powder coated, the wheels are free of marks,
and the engine bay are frontal area are both fully detailed.
The seating position is pleasantly upright as would be the
case in a modern sports racing car and will accommodate a driver
of up to 6` in height. With the car comes a VARA log book, the
nose mold, and some historical notes and photos from its racing
heyday. We cannot emphasize enough what economically feasible
package this early Can-Am car represents, as it is both inexpensive
and affordable to operate.
Price : € -,-
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