Trans Am Under 2 Liter and 2.5 Challenge Roster

[GT6]

Below is a listing of the cars that competed in the Trans Am Under 2 liter class from 1966 to 1970 and the TransAm 2.5 Challenge in 1971 and 1972, the years that Trans Am ran two separate classes. After 1972 the race format changed, eliminating the separate class for smaller engine cars, with the result that very few competed in these races. The list was compiled from the start lists of the Trans Am competitions from 1966 to 1972; in order to make the roster a car must have started at least one race (there were a few cars that were on the entry sheets but never made the start grid). Also included are listing for models of some cars at the time I made up the list in 2012. Note that the TeamSlot Alfa Giulia is overscale - I leave it to the race organization to deal with the issue of car size :-P

cheers
Scott

Under – 2 Liter (1966-1970) and 2.5 Challenge (1971 and 1972)
1966 to 1970 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA (no GTAm)
1971 and 1972 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTVand GTA [Fly, AutoArt, Spirit, TeamSlot (overscale – may not be legal)]
1966 to 70 Austin/BMC Mini 850/Cooper/Cooper S [Scalextric
1966 to 67 BMW 1800 TI
1968 to 71 BMW 2002 TI [Spirit]
1971 and 1972 Datsun 510 [body: RMS Resins]
1967 Ford Anglia 105E [body: Ocar, George Turner
1966 and 67 Ford/Lotus Cortina [Scalextric, Revell/Monogram]
1971 Ford/Mercury Capri/Escort [Scalextric]
1971 Ford Pinto
1966 Fiat Abarth 1000 [Scalextric]
1971 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe
1966 Fiat 850 Sport Coupe (from photo, misidentified in results as Fiat Abarth 1000)
1966 Hino Contessa
1966 Honda 600
1968 Lancia Fulvia HF [AutoArt]
1966, 1967 and 1970 NSU 1000/1300/Prinz [Revell/Monogram]
1966 and 72 Opel Kadett Rallye
1967 to 1969 Porsche 911 [MRRC]
1966 SAAB 96
1966 SAAB 850
1966 and 1970 Renault Dauphine [Scalextric]
1968 Renault R8 Gordini [SCX]
1966 Simca 1000 [Revell]
1966 and 67 Sunbeam (Hillman) Imp [body:George Turner]
1968 Toyota Corolla
1971 Triumph Vitesse [(body: Greenman62]
1970 Volvo PV 544
1966 to 70 Volvo 122
1971 Volvo 142
1966 and 1967 VW Beetle [Pink-Kar, Scalextric]
1972 VW Super Beetle

In looking at a time spread of 1966-76, I found the following additional cars in the 1973-76 results sheets from the TransAm races as recorded on www.RacingSportsCars.com:

1973

BMW 1600
Ford Capri RS2600
Ford Escort 1600RS
Opel Manta
Porsche 914
Ferrari 246 Dino
Toyota Celica

1974

Lotus Europa
Datsun 240Z

1975

VW Scirocco
Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6L
Mazda RX-3

1976

Non new U2.0/2.5 of GTU entries

Allan

a couple of additions:

the Capri RS2600 was a 2.6 liter motor so not in this class, but the body was no different than the 1.6 and 2 liter engine models so no matter.

1975 Triumph TR6 - Allan, I can't believe you missed John McComb's brilliant 3rd place at Brainerd . Goes to show what a well prepped little car can do against the monsters.

1976 Renault 17 - won the TU class in Trois Rivieres

cheers
Scott

[Courtney s]

No 914?

[GT6]

Sorry, by cramming a rear seat suitable only for a double leg amputee 3 year old behind the driver, Porsche managed to stretch the rules far enough to sneak the 911 into the TransAm SEDAN races for a few years. The 914 had no such luck and never raced TransAm.

[Brumos RSR]

2020 Proxy years are 1966-76. In previous years the cut off was 1972 of the proxy, this year I extended it. 914/6 ran 1973-1978 in the GT class

[RobNC]

What about the Porsche 911 S that won championship in 1968? FLY makes this car.

[GT6]

Yes, the 911S falls under the "1967 to 1969 Porsche 911" just over halfway down the list. The entry sheets didn't specify the exact model of 911; I believe both 911S and 911L ran in the U2 Trans Am. However, the Fly model is not a model of the TransAm 911s as it has very pronounced rear fender flares that the TransAm 911s did not have (despite the fact that some Fly models are painted up to represent Tony Adamowicz's winning car). Again I leave it to the race organization to determine if this model is legal or not.

[Brumos RSR]

The Fly model is not eligible as stated it has flared rear fenders versus the standard 911s which did not have flares. Choice is the MRRC model Sideways 911s was slightly oversized.

[dreinecke]

If it is the Fly 911 done as the Tony A. car, we've disqualified that many years due to the insanely wide flares that were not on the car. It was closer to the 911 from MRRC.

I just sent the past years' list of cars/kits to Audi. Realize it needs updating tho.

[Beast Lee]

We fielded an SRC 1971 Capri in the previous rendition of this proxy...

Is it still legal...?

[F1Fan]

We fielded an SRC 1971 Capri in the previous rendition of this proxy...

Is it still legal...?

Is this the eligible car?

[Brumos RSR]

Eligible above yellow below not eligible

[Brumos RSR]

Silver car is eligible, yellow is not.

[Redlynr]

Silver is an RS2600.

[Brumos RSR]

It was allowed in the original U2 Proxy. 1 was entered, and later changed out as the builder could not get it to handle as expected

[Mitch58]

Silver is an RS2600.

The 1/1/ car in '71-'72 came with either a 2.0L or 2.6L. the rest of the car was the same. If I remember correctly they originally were released with either a 16L or 18L motor in the US. My sister's first Capri was a '73 with a 2.0L

The BMW I'm using was built from '62'-'77 it came with everything from a 1.5L to a 2.8L engine over the years.

Of course in the early '70s my main racing interest was racing my '67 Firebird from traffic light to traffic light in downtown Portland, and keeping my friend's '55 2 door wagon running, we spent a lot of time under that old Chevy.

[cj74]

I ran this on in the shortened season. It is currently my first option for this go 'round. Based on the comments from Brumos above I'm proceeding as planned.

[F1Fan]

OK thanks for the clarification, now that things are confirmed I can proceed......one I thing I know for sure it will be #7.....body less sure, but I do like the look of the Capri.

Thinking of Rollingthunder, R.I.P - if ever you wanted to know anything about any Capri, he was your go to guy!

[Audi1]

Yes. you could usually get a hold of Don under his Capri on a Saturday morning, getting ready for the race following.

[Audi1]

I looked at the Trans-Am results section on www.RacingSportCars.com today and added those U2.0/2.5 (later called GTU using IMSA nomenclature) cars that showed up in actual racing results in the timeframe 1973-76. I'll leave it to Scott to review that list and clean it up, if and as needed. There you will find the Porsche 914 and the Ford Capri RS2600 (without the flares), as well as some other interesting cars.

Allan

[GT6]

Yowza, not sure why you guys want to open the 1973-'76 can of worms, but it's your proxy . The rule book kinda disappeared after the factory backing and major sponsors departed in 1971/72 so SCCA would let pretty well anything with a motor and 4 wheels make the grid. For the first couple of years after '72 there wasn't even a class for the small bore cars, they just ran with the 454 Corvettes and Carrera RSRs and looks like there was usually only a few of them. Even later when the GTU class came along, the field was often only 2 or 3 cars :-(. A potential problem is the lack photos of the under 2.5 cars from this period - the big bore cars were evolving into silhouette racers with massive flares and wings and I see no reason why the small bore wouldn't follow that route too. I did find a shot of a VW Scirocco entry with big fender flares from a 1976 Trans Am. As it looks like most of the U2/2.5 cars that raced in these "wasteland" years of the TransAm were either just carry overs from the earlier glory days or guys from the local SCCA bringing out their car to run in the nearest event, I guess it's no biggee. But please don't do it for the big bore proxy or it'll be all Greenwood Corvettes and Silhouette BMWs and Porsches . That said, the list for 73 to 76 looks pretty accurate - I've added a couple of comments.

cheers
Scott

[Brumos RSR]

O2 should remain as is IMO. Here we only added a handful of iconic cars, that some may have or may be produced later. I remember Opals running away in a proxy one year, and I know there are a few Europas out there also. Thanks for your follow up on the cars.

[GT6]

Yeah I was in that U2 proxy - those somewhat overwidth runaway Opals were the GT model, not the Mantas that are in the Trans-Am list, so I think they won't be a problem. To anyone thinking of running a Europa, best of luck, they are tiny - I love the car and have a couple that I worked on with the idea of running them in U2, but just too small for me to get them anywhere close to competitive. Just as a minor aside, the Brit Car Club I belong to is currently doing a frame off rebuild of a Europa - fun little go cart

[F1Fan]

I hope we are locked in with the rules, since I spent a small fortune with Pendle earlier today for "goodies for this proxy!

Can I perhaps just ask for some clarification on the reason for a rim width that's less than the tyre size?

Can we perhaps consider making both 10mm, seeing that if you can get a 10mm tyre to fit, you most likely will get a 10mm wheel to fit!

(I thought I read earlier that is was 15 x 10 for the rim, maybe I was mistaken.)

[Audi1]

The Rules for the last Trans-Am O2 and U2 proxy (2018) called for a maximum wheel size of 15x8.5mm; which is fairly close to scale for the wider wheeled/tired U2 cars; excluding the WEC cars that also ran a few cameo SCCA races, like the Ford GT-40. It was felt at that time, by some, that tires should be allowed to be somewhat wider than the wheels and a decision was made to allow up to 10mm width tires (not my decision). From my standpoint, although a 10mm tire can fit an 8.2mm rim, I would not go that way, since the usefulness of unsupported rubber is minimal and may even be detrimental. If you're fielding a true U2 car and not a GT-40, then I would look more at the 15.8x8.2mm wheels and tires that fit them. But, your choice is entirely up to you.

[arroldn]

With the inclusion of the Porsche 914 I may be changing my entry. I'll just have to see how the Sebring chassis performs. Hate I had pulled the trigger the other day on a second 911. The wider stance of the 914 looks promising. Oh spend that money dude

[Redlynr]

914/6... Interesting.