CERV II: An Unspoken Marvel of Motorsport Technology

Meet CERV II: Zora Arkus-Duntov’s maddest creation, and technological basis behind some of the finest cars in motorsport history.

The beginning of the 1960s marked a transitional period in the history of motorsports. Due to the proliferation of high-power sports cars, new series like Can-Am and super-stock drag racing quickly rose to prominence. Meanwhile, GT and prototype endurance racing like Le Mans and Daytona saw a rise of popularity stateside, leading to a new golden age of racing. This era brought with it cars that became household names. And in mid-1963, Zora Arkus-Duntov, one of the founding fathers of the Corvette and mastermind behind the original CERV I, designed a car he hoped would beat them all: the CERV II.

Duntov’s mind, more than any of the other Corvette designers, was singularly focused on the motorsports end of the spectrum. After all, the Corvette became such a successful racer largely thanks to his involvement. And his developments in the mighty CERV I spread to the C2 Sting Ray in a number of ways. The rear suspension being a near-direct copy, for example. Or the lightweight aluminum-block V8 blueprint that evolved into the C2 Grand Sport’s 377c.i. powerplant. But following the demise of factory-backed teams, GM never intended CERV I to race. Even though the car demonstrated frankly comical power/weight ratios, with its engine running one horsepower/pound.

One car changed all that, however: the Ford GT40.

A New Era of Motorsports

Design work began in early 1962, according to Larry Shinoda. Headed by Duntov himself, the project eventually bore fruit in late-1963 when the design proposals were finalized and CERV II was drafted.

1963 saw a number of pivotal changes over at Ford: namely, their attempted acquisition of Ferrari, the publicizing of the Mustang, and the resurgence of Ford’s racing division. The last of which most concerned Duntov, since the European racing scene represented a massive corporate (and personal) goldmine. At this point, he had the jump on Ford as well. Ford outsourced its entry to Lola, racing the Lola Mk6 in the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, the writing was on the wall at this point as to Ford’s intentions. The Lola marked a stepping stone towards something greater. And so the arms-race was on. Duntov stood determined to beat whatever Ford’s British division created.

To this end, Duntov developed the next iteration of the CERV series. His original vision consisted of a closed-cockpit sports car, uncompromising in its goal to go the distance in endurance racing. As such, top speed and longevity took precedence, leading to a slippery, svelte body. The plan: build a prototype, three race cars, and three spares. Development began in late-1963, and featured a laundry list of innovative features and minds behind it. CERV II manifested in 1964, its design heavily altered from its initial planned sketches. Though it remained recognizable as a pure sports car racer. What’s really fascinating, however, lay under its fiberglass shell.

Party Tricks

The main reason for the car’s speed lay in the novelty of its drivetrain. CERV II featured a 6.2L V8 equipped with two 2-speed automatic transmissions, one at each end of the engine. Powerglide torque converters at each end coupled gearing of 1.5:1 for first, and direct-drive second. Certainly one of the most novel 4WD systems ever developed. Just that year, the Ferguson P99 F1 car took the first victory for a 4WD in that class at a damp Oulton Park. And it remained Duntov’s hope that CERV II mirrored this success, outclassing its competition in the rain. Which it may well have… if it’d made it to the grid.

That said, the car wasn’t just about the 4WD and nothing else. Much like CERV I, it also featured an array of cutting-edge technology in its running gear (it was a test bed, after all). The other primary stand-out feature being its experimental low-profile Firestone tires. Measurements were 9.2X15, on 9.5X15 Kelsey-Hayes magnesium wheels.

And there’s more, too. Things like vented outboard disc brakes, spaceframe chassis, aluminum construction, Hilborn fuel injection, and a totally reworked engine. Derived from CERV I’s infamous powerplant, the all-aluminum 377c.i. unit produced 500 horsepower…. in a car that weighed a frankly absurd 1800 pounds, largely thanks to its heavy usage of titanium and aluminum. Testing began in 1964, leading to reported top speeds ranging from 200 to 212 mph, depending on who you ask.

However, GM had little interest in the project by this point, some three years into its development. Its technology saw little incorporation into road cars, unfortunately. And the car became an obscure footnote in automotive technological history. Or that’s what would’ve happened, had it not been tested by one of the most influential automotive engineers of all time: Jim Hall.

CERV II’s Legacy

Fresh out of college with a mechanical engineering degree and with three years of racing under his belt, Jim Hall climbed into CERV II alongside other household names like Roger Penske, Dan Gurney, and Stirling Moss. During that time, Hall and Chevy R&D designer Frank Winchell were testing their inaugural Chaparral race car, Chaparral 1. According to Hall, during testing in winter 1963, Chaparral 1 exhibited significant front-end lift, leading to extensive modifications to help even out its aerodynamics. Such modifications originated on CERV II’s skunkworks contemporary, the Grand Sport II, designed by Winchell. Which by this point was effectively disavowed from GM as a racecar, followed by the CERV II meeting the same fate. Meanwhile, all development of Grand Sport II went to Hall’s facility in Texas, where it became the basis of the Chaparral 2A.

The Chaparral 2A’s development coincided with the CERV II in terms of timeline and testing, with Hall’s seat time overlapping between the two. In fact, the Chaparrals featured a lot of tech derived from the CERV vehicles. First and foremost, you have the aluminum small-block engines, which began in CERV I. And from CERV II, the automatic transmissions. Exterior-wise, the 2A was essentially an aerodynamically modified Grand Sport II.

From the 2A to the 2C, Chaparral cars used Grand Sport II underpinnings, featuring CERV II technology. Coupled with Hall’s unprecedented work with aerodynamics and mechanical engineering, his expertise ushered in a new standard of motorsport. Echoes of which continue to resonate today.

And all of his racecars, in one form or another, owe their existence to the CERV family. Engine work from CERV I, which matured by CERV II. Automatic transmission technology, which had a lot of teething issues (especially with the front transmission) in CERV II. And heavy usage of aluminum and titanium, among many other innovations from Grand Sport II. Which is a story unto itself. But the short version is this. The Chaparral cars were essentially privateer-raced Grand Sport II’s, using CERV I and II technology in its matured form.

Hall’s designs became 4x stiffer than any other racecar on the field thanks to his clever engineering and design work. And his cars featured heavy usage of experimental components, aerodynamic efficiency, and weight savings. Essentially, the Chaparral race cars served as the ultimate realization of the CERV cars’ original intentions. Racing vehicles intended to push the boundaries of technology and innovation in pursuit of the lowest possible lap times. An objective that could only be accomplished by someone outside of the restrictions of the big automakers.

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