Photos: The Dean Lester Collection - Part 1

[Steve Holmes]

Judging by the pic of the Dan Gurney car further up the page I think it might be that one...

Well spotted Ray, I'm sure you're correct.

[Ray Bell]

If memory serves, that was the testbed for the Weslake-Gurney heads...

And also the first of the 'raised block' engines as they went to 351?

[Steve Holmes]

If memory serves, that was the testbed for the Weslake-Gurney heads...

And also the first of the 'raised block' engines as they went to 351?

Thanks Ray, nice work.

[Steve Holmes]

This is the Caldwell D7, one of the more ambitious, but largely forgotten Group 7 sports cars. It was financed by Sam Posey, and designed and built by Ray Caldwell, who'd made a success designing and building Formula Vee race cars.

The D7 first appeared in 1967, and ran both USRRC and Can-Am races throughout '67 and '68. The car showed some potential, and was initially fitted with a flipper wing, like the Chaparral, but this one mounted on top of the rollcage, providing downforce to the body and chassis, rather than the more successful option of the rear hubs.

The D7 showed fast cornering speed, but was hampered by erratic handling. The first car was destroyed in a testing shunt in 1967. Its replacement featured a magnesium tub. It led a couple of races in USRRC, albeit with no race wins. In the Can-Am, where the competition level was far greater, the results were tougher to come by. Posey's best qualifying effort was fifth at Las Vegas in 1968, the final race of the season. He also finished fifth in the race, his best result with the car. The D7 had shown progress throughout the year, but it wasn't seen again after that. Apparently, Posey still owns the car.

The Posey/Caldwell partnership was probably better remembered for their successfully convincing Chrysler to fund them in the 1970 Trans-Am series, where they fielded a pair of factory Dodge Challengers. That campaign would ultimately end the partnership.

[khyndart in CA]

Here is a bit more regarding the Autodynamics operation.


http://www.loumash.com/GS/aboutautod.html

(Ken H)

[Steve Holmes]

Here is a bit more regarding the Autodynamics operation.


http://www.loumash.com/GS/aboutautod.html

(Ken H)

Thanks Ken, thats a really col article.

[Steve Holmes]

Denny Hulme's 1968 Can-Am Championship winning McLaren M8A. This is the car that ended up in New Zealand where it spent most of its life, and was eventually restored by the McLaren Trust. Now back in the US.

[Steve Holmes]

I love this shot.

[Steve Holmes]

Phil Hill.

[Steve Holmes]

Parnelli Jones.

[Steve Holmes]

Great shot of the Riverside Esses. Note the smog.

[Steve Holmes]

Early GT40 at Riverside.

[Steve Holmes]

This is Oscar Koveleski in his McLaren M8B in 1971. This is quite a special car, because its one of the 1969 factory McLaren M8Bs that won every one of the 1969 Can-Am races. In 1969, they were fitted with the high rear hub mounted aerofoils, but these were banned for 1970.

Koveleski raced this car for at least two seasons; 1970 and 1971. In 1970 it was painted orange and had a low fixed flap at the rear of the bodywork, much like the 1968 McLaren M8A factory cars. For 1971, it used a wing, albeit, afixed to the chassis.

For 1969, the factory McLaren team had three M8Bs, two of which were brand new cars, while the third was Denny Hulme's 1968 M8A championship winning car, updated to '69 M8B spec. It was used as a spare for 1969, although Dan Gurney drove it in one race, and Chris Amon another, when their own cars were broken. That car went to Lothar Motchenbacher in 1970, and eventually made its way down to New Zealand.