Scarab Project

[seattletom]

I’m off on an exciting project I thought I would share with you all: Coordinating the build of a continuation Scarab for a friend.
While this is not a locost (or low-cost) project by any means, there’s a lot I expect to learn that I can apply to my Locost build-- which is now deferred until Fall (at least.)

For those who aren’t old enough to remember them, the original Scarabs (all 3 of them) where the result of Lance Reventlow and his team of California racers and hot rodders setting out in the late 1950’s to build a race car to beat Europe’s best. 1958 was the Scarabs highlight season with the likes of Ferarri, Maserati, etc. unable to keep pace with the Chevy V8 powered Scarabs. Ultimately, mid-engined cars gained the upper hand, but the front-engined Scarabs continued to successfully do battle for Augie Pabst under the Meister Brauser flag for a number of years.

The Scarabs are stunningly beautiful and left a mark on a number of us who were teenagers back in the day. Dick Kitzmiller, an old-school SCCA racer, was one of those smitten and has now been able to bring a modernized reproduction of the Scarab to life. See http://scarab-motorsports.com/ for the whole story.

I met Dick several years ago when he first started planning the “continuation” project and later introduced a good friend of mine to a finished example. My friend fell in love with the car and a “roller” is now being built for him. My friend asked me to coordinate the drivetrain development and the completion of the car once the roller is delivered this spring. The specs for a high-revving SBC with Hilborn injection is in the final stages and work on the custom motor will begin soon. Our target is to be on the road this summer.

It’s nice to have friends

Below is a picture of Scarab #5 I took in the Collier Museum perhaps 20 years ago (that’s another whole story.) And here are two videos, the first showing what happened to this same car (and John Morton) in 2010. The second video discusses how #5 is being rebuilt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRD_bXnYCq0&lr=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlylG6ZgSbE

[rxsasparilla]

A friend of mine is involved in this Scarab recreation program.
I had one of them at my shop a few years ago, they are rolling sculpture.

Good luck with this project!

Mark, builder of "Invincible II(a?)"

[photoman]

If I remember right, Lance was an heir to the Revlon cosmetics fortune. Yes, those were good looking cars.

[photoman]

If I remember right, Lance was an heir to the Revlon cosmetics fortune. Yes, those were good looking cars.

Or do I have him mixed up with Peter Revson. I think I do, it's hell getting old.

[seattletom]

If I remember right, Lance was an heir to the Revlon cosmetics fortune. Yes, those were good looking cars.

Lance was the only child of Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth heiress, and Count Kurt von Haugwitz-Reventlow of Denmark. Lance died in 1972 in a plane crash. He was 36 at the time.
He was 22 when he started the Scarab project, and married to Jill St. John. And a pretty good driver!

Good luck with this project!

Thanks Mark!

[wayne-o]

I work on the bodys,getting them ready for paint etc,the company I work for is selling them www.brightonmotorsports.com

[ngpmike]

Here's a little Scarab history, if I may. I've always been fascinated with the Scarabs since I grew up less than 2 miles from Reventlow's shop on Jefferson Blvd. in Culver City. After the front engine cars were retired following the '58 season, I remember seeing Scarab #1 (first one built, not racing number) cruising the streets. The front-engine Chaparral Mk I was built by Troutman & Barnes for Jim Hall, and was basically a continuation of the Scarab. There was also a fourth Scarab built in the early 80's by Dick Barnes (one of Reventlow's original fabricators) for Reventlows half-brother.

[Driven5]

Very cool project to be a part of! Definitely looking forward to updates. Does this mean the build/assy is being done locally, such that a little show and tell (or volunteer assistance/'supervision') might be in order?

[GonzoRacer]

The Scarabs were gorgeous cars, especially in the blue/white livery as in your picture.

Good luck with it, and keep us updated with (LOTS OF!) pictures, OK?

[seattletom]

I work on the bodys, getting them ready for paint etc,

Wayne, you probably worked on Hugh's car (from Tucson.) That's the car that convinced my friend to order one. Nice job!

Does this mean the build/assy is being done locally

Driven, yes, the driveline build/install, finishing details and paint will all be done locally. I guess you are "under the same weather" as I am. PM me and we'll see about taking a peek when the car gets here.

The Scarabs were gorgeous cars, especially in the blue/white livery as in your picture.

Gonzo, agreed, these 55 year-old cars are absolutely gorgeous. Unlike my 17 year-old female friends from back in the day, the cars remain so. We'll try to get some pics (of the car, not the girls ) posted as it all comes together.

Oh, and Photoman, Lance's geneology was not from memory. That doesn't work so well anymore. It helps to have the book.

[bremms]

One of my all time favorite cars. Saw one at the glen as a pup. It was on display or for a F1 support race. 1966 or 1967 I was a child at the time. Remember watching Speed racer after that and wishing I were driving a Scarab.

VERY fond memory of childhood

[seattletom]

The Scarabs were gorgeous cars, especially in the blue/white livery as in your picture.
Good luck with it, and keep us updated with (LOTS OF!) pictures, OK?

Well, I wasn't going to post a build log on this but here are a couple of teaser shots of progress to date. The chassis is nearly fully welded with major components being hung and the body mounts being placed. The motor parts are coming together. That's the block, it'll be a big bore / short stroke motor with a solid roller cam (think lots of rpms...) The proper heads, valve covers and other goodies are still in transit. The Hilborn unit will get some streetifying mods and an Accel Gen 7 ECU. The Gen 7 will also drive a coil per plug distributorless ignition system. Should be a sweet set up.

[Driven5]

Seeing pic of the body in the raw state like that is simply beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

[photoman]

Man, that is one beautiful piece of metal. It's amazing what some people can do.

[geek49203]

Is this the car "kit" I saw at Road America at the vintage car week circa 2008?

That weekend, they had 3 original Scarabs on the track (one belonging to Augie Pabst if I recall correctly), along with a display for an all-aluminum reproduction. As I recall, the body was done by Polish craftsmen?

Yes, it was a beautiful body... expensive and seductive and....