The Canadian-American Challenge Cup was co-sanctioned by the SCCA and CASC; it was nicknamed the “unlimited” series. Although there was a basic set of rules, the cars had to be two-seaters with bodywork covering the wheels, have doors, a windscreen, brake lights and various safety requirements, otherwise there was no regulation on the cars dimensions, minimum weight, materials used or size of the tires. This was all open to the creativity of the designer.
The term “unlimited” came from the regulations allowing engines of unlimited displacement and number of cylinders, i.e., horsepower. Essentially, this was the open sports racing car series, and it became a hotbed of new technology and racing car design.
It took place from 1966 until 1974 with races in Canada and America. At its peak it was a 10-race series, and cars from BRM, Chaparral, Ferrari, Lola, March, McLaren, Porsche and Shadow were driven by drivers such as Amon, Donohue, Follmer, Gurney, Hill, Hulme, McLaren, Oliver, Revson, Scheckter, Siffert, Stewart and Surtees.
It also became known as the “Bruce and Denny Show” because of their five consecutive years of winning championships racing McLarens, it had begun with a Lola winning the championship and ended with complete domination by Porsche with the 917/10, and 917/30.
Today, there is a historic Can-Am group, which organizes races across the country, including several very popular Can-Am Reunion events.
The value of these cars today is determined largely by their provenance, whether a team car or a private car, the race history and the condition.
1965 McLaren – Elva Mark 1A
Bruce McLaren’s new company built its first Group 7 sports racing car in 1964. It was a space frame design with an aluminum skin forming a stressed undertray and bulkheads, powered by the lightweight Oldsmobile aluminum 4.5-liter V8 with a Hewland LG four-speed gearbox. The fully independent suspension featured radius rods, wishbones, adjustable coil spring shock units and an anti-roll bar, while dual-circuit Girling disc brakes and a lightweight fiberglass body with side sections for twin fuel tanks rounded out the package. The car was a success on the track at its first outing, setting new speed records. With an eye toward selling cars to racing customers, McLaren entered a partnership with Frank Nichols of Elva cars in Sussex. These early racecars, built by Elva, were called McLaren–Elva Mark 1As. In all, 24 cars were built, with many selling to the USA for SCCA and later Can-Am clients. Eventually, the engine was later upgraded to the heavier, but more powerful Chevrolet 327 V8, creating a wonderful example of the early V8-powered sports racing cars that evolved into the Can-Am cars of the late 1960s. In the USA, they race in an early class for pre-1966 cars, as they do in Europe at Goodwood and in the Masters Series, making them once again a very competitive car in their group.
1974 Shadow DN4
By the early 1970s, the Can-Am series was much loved for its somewhat free regulations that promoted big-engined, high-horsepower, engineering marvels that went extremely fast. The inaugural season was won by the Lola T70, then came domination by McLaren and the Porsche 917 turbo cars. During the 1974 season, the last of these great inventions, and the last of the Can-Am series as we all loved it, was the Shadow DN4. Don Nichols’ Shadow Cars came together with sponsorship from UOP (Universal Oil Products) and the signing on of Formula One designer Tony Southgate. Southgate designed a more conventional DN4 with monocoque chassis, sleek fiberglass body with low frontal area, and an 8-liter, normally aspirated Chevrolet V8 pushing close to 800-bhp through a large, sturdy Hewland gearbox. It is believed that five of these cars were built. They looked striking in their black UOP livery. Drivers were initially Jackie Oliver and Peter Revson. Sadly, Peter Revson was killed in the Shadow Formula One car, resulting in George Follmer returning to the team as a driver. Shadow won five 1974 races and the championship. Later, several match races were put on with the Can-Am cars pitted against the team’s Formula One cars, but then the end of a great era came to pass. Today, one can still enjoy seeing these big Can-Am beasts thundering around some of the great U.S. circuits.
Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:
- Degree of Originality
- Overall Condition, Restoration
- Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
- Production Numbers/Rarity
- Competition History
- Ownership History, Documentation
- Modern Event Eligibility
Regional Variances
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.
LEVEL | VALUATION CATEGORIES |
|---|---|
I | The best combination of all criteria. |
II | Satisfies mid-range of criteria. |
III | In need of restoration. Meets only a few points of criteria |
