- 51
- NSW
From the Golden Era of sports car racing (Can-Am).
In the hidden archives of racing history is this motorcycle engine powered racer, the Mac's IT Special, and I can't recall ever hearing of this before. This car was built back in the Can-Am racing days of 1970 when the famous Chaparral cars of Jim Hall were racing against the McLarens and Lolas, cars with huge horsepower and practically no rules.
Somehow, the idea was born that using four 110 bhp Rotax two-stroke motorcycle engines, one at each wheel, would be just the ticket to go fast and win races. Unfortunately, going fast never happened. There's a little bit of confusing information out there, saying it never got over 35mph and then saying it averaged 76mph. Whatever the case, it didn't work out. It debuted at Laguna Seca, but was withdrawn, and never raced again.
In the hidden archives of racing history is this motorcycle engine powered racer, the Mac's IT Special, and I can't recall ever hearing of this before. This car was built back in the Can-Am racing days of 1970 when the famous Chaparral cars of Jim Hall were racing against the McLarens and Lolas, cars with huge horsepower and practically no rules.
Somehow, the idea was born that using four 110 bhp Rotax two-stroke motorcycle engines, one at each wheel, would be just the ticket to go fast and win races. Unfortunately, going fast never happened. There's a little bit of confusing information out there, saying it never got over 35mph and then saying it averaged 76mph. Whatever the case, it didn't work out. It debuted at Laguna Seca, but was withdrawn, and never raced again.
