<< Prev Page 2 of 3 Next >> Heppenstall subsequently contacted racing car manufacturer Bob McKee for a chassis to house the modified Continental drive-train. One of McKee's customers had just traded in an older Mk 6 Can-Am car for the latest model. This car's steel spaceframe chassis, with equally conventional double wishbone suspension, was considered good enough to serve as the basis for the Howmet TX prototype.
McKee had a Porsche 906 windshield lying around that was used to form the Howmet's body around. Heppenstall mounted it on the rolling chassis and with welding wire and masking tape he mocked up the final coupe shape. Not surprisingly bare aluminium was used for several of the most prominent body-panels like the roof and rear deck. Other bits like the fenders were constructed from the fibreglass.
Despite the highly unusual drivetrain, Heppenstall managed to have the first car completed within five months. The Howmet prototype was tested at Daytona in the final months of 1967 and immediately showed great promise. Work was started on a second example that featured a purpose-built spaceframe that was 2 inches longer but otherwise almost identical to the McKee Mk 6 sourced chassis that was used for the prototype.
The sport's governing body determined that the Continental turbine had a swept volume that was equivalent to 2958 cc in a piston engine. This placed the Howmet TX in the the three-litre 'Group 6' prototype category of the FIA World Championship and made it eligible for all the great sports car races; the Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Early in February of 1968, the Howmet TX made its debut during the Daytona 24 Hours. The single entry was piloted by Heppenstall, Ed Lowther and Dick Thompson. They placed the car seventh on the grid some seven seconds behind the pole-sitting Ford GT40. During the race the eerily quiet Howmet had gradually moved up the field to third. During the 34th lap one of the waste-gates stuck, which made it impossible for Lowther to slow the car down for a tight corner and he crashed out of the race.
Next up was the Sebring 12 Hours where the second chassis was used. It was just 1.2 seconds off the pace in qualifying and started the race in third. After seven hours the engine mountings failed and the TX retired once more. One of the cars was flown to Europe for two British races, including the BOAC 1000 km at Brands Hatch. For this race Thompson was joined by Hugh Dibley, who, fittingly, was an airline pilot. The Howmet was quick but unreliable again. << Prev Page 2 of 3 Next >>
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Heppenstall subsequently contacted racing car manufacturer Bob McKee for a chassis to house the modified Continental drive-train. One of McKee's customers had just traded in an older Mk 6 Can-Am car for the latest model. This car's steel spaceframe chassis, with equally conventional double wishbone suspension, was considered good enough to serve as the basis for the Howmet TX prototype.