IN ANY INDIRECT GEAR… THE TAPLEY METER WAS “OFF-SCALE”

IMAGINE THE EXCITEMENT experienced by R&T’s John R. Bond when he sat next to Lance Reventlow piloting the Scarab Mark II around Riverside Raceway. Indeed, my most memorable testing as R&T Engineering Editor involved race cars: IMSA Renault Le Car Turbo, the SCCA Formula Ford Swift, the Group 5 Lancia Monte Carlo Turbo, and the Formula 1 Benetton B186. Here are tidbits gleaned from R&T’s testing the Scarab II, including a cover blurb that read “0-60, 4.2 Seconds 0-100, 9 Seconds.”

That’s Lance Reventlow at the wheel, John R. Bond next to him in an evidently borrowed helmet. By the way, the crewman checking the tire is identified in the caption as Harold Daigh. Later in the article, he’s known as Chuck.  

Test Records. “Not unexpectedly,” R&T reported in February 1959, “the car’s performance exceeds any and all previous data recorded by us, or anyone else for that matter. It is possible that a 5-liter Ferrari or the 4.5 Maserati V-8 might improve upon the figures quoted here, but it should not be overlooked that the Reventlow crew has produced a much better handling chassis, which is no mean achievement.”

An Off-Scale Tapley. R&T wrote, “The general feel of the car can perhaps be conveyed by noting one fact. In any indirect gear the pulling power is so great that the Tapley meter dial spun right off the scale, i.e., over 600 pounds per ton.” 

R&T continued in a technical vein: “Since 600 lb/ton is, roughly, indicative of an acceleration equivalent to 0.6 g, we can say that wheelspin can be induced in 3rd gear at any time and at any speed on normal, smooth black-topped paving. Furthermore, even in high gear, the rate of acceleration indicated by 450 lb/ton is better than many cars in 1st gear, despite the enormous wind drag forces which come into play at over 80 mph!” 

Like No Corvette You Ever Heard. “As is well known,” R&T said, “the Scarab uses a modified Chevrolet engine. The word modified is an understatement…. Engine changes include an oversize cylinder bore, a very special camshaft grind and Hilborn fuel injectors.” 

R&T continued, “The engine idles like no Corvette you ever heard—it stutters and gallops at a very unsteady 1000 rpm. The fuel mixture runs very rich, and the black smoke is borne out in the resultant high fuel consumption.  [4.5/5.0 mpg.]”

Chassis Details. Double A-arms with coil/shock units reside up front in the tubular frame. “Scarab steering,” R&T reported, “is modified Morris rack and pinion.” Imagine how excited it felt to be there!

Moving to the rear, R&T observed, “Form-fitting fuel tank has large indentation to accommodate spare wheel.” The latter, required by regulations.

The de Dion assembly is located laterally by a Watts link and fore and aft by parallel trailing arms. The rear brake drums are located inboard to reduce unsprung weight; they’re shrouded for ducting cool air to them. 

Optimal Weight Distribution for Braking. R&T wrote, “… a Scarab on the starting line, with driver and 60 gallons of its weight in the tail, has nearly 60 percent of its weight at the rear. Thus the rear brakes do more work than is usual on most sports cars—a factor very much in the Scarab’s favor. During deceleration the braking and tire loads are very nearly equal, fore and aft, so oversize front drums are not required.” 

R&T Notes: “During the past summer and fall racing season, Lance Reventlow’s team of Scarab sports cars have proved themselves to be the most potent sports racing cars in the world today.”

The magazine shares what it calls “a humorous sidelight” from team manager Warren Olson: “Much of the know-how which went into the build-up of the Chevrolet engines can be attributed to the experience of the late Clay Smith and his intrepid crew of Ford specialists!”

I’m reminded of similarly complex sentiments when race driver Augie Pabst garnered championships in the Meister Bräuser Scarab. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2023