Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UberDork
9/26/13 7:52 a.m.

Not that kind.

This kind It's the employee car day here at the Ford Design studio and the cars are gatherin now. A few mins ago there was a small earthquake and the windows all rattled. Shoooting outside there is George Follmer's 74 DN4. Damn I wished I'd been a naughty boy and brought my camera to work!

Type Q
Type Q Dork
9/26/13 8:56 a.m.

I think I may have seen that car at the Monterey historic races a few years ago. The Can-Am cars were one of the highlights for me that weekend.

fasted58
fasted58 PowerDork
9/26/13 8:58 a.m.

damn, always loved that car

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UberDork
9/26/13 9:58 a.m.

It's amazing in a beautiful, fragile, violent way. It's unbelievable that anyone would race that thing at 10/10th unless you knew you had terminal cancer and weren't going to live long anyway. There is just no protection to the driver. Shallow tub that comes up to hip level, roll bar behind you and the roll bar / dash over your knees. There is nothing to your side or front other than some thin flimsy fiberglass. I don't know how anyone survived a wreck in cars of that era.

Sky_Render
Sky_Render Dork
9/26/13 9:59 a.m.

I clicked on this thread expecting to see a Dodge P-body. I am disappoint.

Tom_Spangler
Tom_Spangler Dork
9/26/13 10:05 a.m.
Sky_Render wrote: I clicked on this thread expecting to see a Dodge P-body. I am disappoint.

Only on GRM.

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku UberDork
9/26/13 10:17 a.m.
Tom_Spangler wrote:
Sky_Render wrote: I clicked on this thread expecting to see a Dodge P-body. I am disappoint.
Only on GRM.

yep

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
9/26/13 10:21 a.m.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: It's amazing in a beautiful, fragile, violent way. It's unbelievable that anyone would race that thing at 10/10th unless you knew you had terminal cancer and weren't going to live long anyway. There is just no protection to the driver. Shallow tub that comes up to hip level, roll bar behind you and the roll bar / dash over your knees. There is nothing to your side or front other than some thin flimsy fiberglass. I don't know how anyone survived a wreck in cars of that era.

And that's one of the safe looking ones! The Shadows were a great example of the result of Can-Am's free rule set, although I think they missed out on the real aero madness.

neon4891
neon4891 UltimaDork
9/26/13 10:24 a.m.
Sky_Render wrote: I clicked on this thread expecting to see a Dodge P-body. I am disappoint.

Same here on expecting a dodge. Not disappointed.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UberDork
9/26/13 11:27 a.m.
Keith Tanner wrote:
Adrian_Thompson wrote: It's amazing in a beautiful, fragile, violent way. It's unbelievable that anyone would race that thing at 10/10th unless you knew you had terminal cancer and weren't going to live long anyway. There is just no protection to the driver. Shallow tub that comes up to hip level, roll bar behind you and the roll bar / dash over your knees. There is nothing to your side or front other than some thin flimsy fiberglass. I don't know how anyone survived a wreck in cars of that era.
And that's one of the safe looking ones! The Shadows were a great example of the result of Can-Am's free rule set, although I think they missed out on the real aero madness.

Even back in the day, I can't imagine how lacking in imagination you must have been to race one of those at 10/10ths. That may be one of the few cars where the old bunk agument about being safer to not weare a seat belt could be true. I'd lvoe to see/hear/read some interviews with Vic Elford, Follmer etc about what their thoughts on survivability were back then.

Joe Gearin
Joe Gearin Associate Publisher
9/26/13 11:31 a.m.

There were a few Shadows at the Mitty last year. They were LAPPING the Lola T-70s! Crazy fast!

and the noise......that glorious noise!

stroker
stroker Dork
9/26/13 11:37 a.m.

I wonder where they find tires for that 1st Gen Shadow...

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UberDork
9/26/13 12:35 p.m.

OK, I just went outside (again, 4th time today just to look at this car The guy looking after it was then and let me jump in it. Shoes off, empty pocket and carefully climb in. Damn the current owner must be small. Forget my ample girth, my hip bones wouldn't fit in the seat. But once in there I still can't imagine racing this things. I've been in small single seaters before and they feel so much more substantial, something about having the chassis/roll cage up around your torso and shoulders. This thing felt total exposed and other than the top of the wheel arches you can see absolutely zero of the car past the screen, and that's me not all the way down. Just thinking about turning into the corkscrew or something with other cars around you sends shivers down my spine. I'm obviously lacking in testicular fortitude today. But at least I can say I've sat in George Follmers office seat

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