<< Prev Page 2 of 3 Next >> During 1969 the first car was readied to undergo testing. True to its low-drag design brief, the all black machine was free of the wings and aerofoils that had become commonplace in the years before. It caused quite stir when it appeared on the cover of Road & Track in August of 1969. The initial tests clearly made painstakingly clear that the design worked a lot better on paper than in reality. There were problems with overheating brakes and engine, and also cornering proved tricky with the car's 25/75 weight distribution. To better cool the brakes, cooling fans from the Chevrolet Corvair were fitted to the front wheels. The cooling and cornering problems were addressed together by fitting a large rear wing, which also housed the radiators.
The many modifications delayed the project considerably and the Shadow AVS MkI did not make its debut until June of 1970 during the Mosport season opener. Despite the unusual driving position with his feet at a 45-degree angle, driver George Follmer impressed friend and foe during practice. On the long straight, the Shadow's 190mph top speed beat the second fastest car by 20 miles. The poor brakes and handling of the tiny machine saw Follmer loose ground in the corners and he eventually qualified in sixth position. During the race, the Shadow's other weakness played up as Follmer had to switch off the engine after just 25 of 80 laps with overheating problems.
With a fresh engine, the Shadow team was ready to take on the competition again for the next round of the season at St. Jovite. Unfortunately the high mounted radiators had been banned, so Harris installed them inside the a hollow wing. These last moment adjustments only increased the cooling problems. Having lost some of his top-speed advantage, Follmer did well to qualify the car tenth on the grid. Unfortunately, the hot running engine only survived thirteen laps, causing another early retirement. After the race, the car was heavily damaged in a traffic accident. Disappointed with the Shadow's performance, both Follmer and Harris jumped ship after the St. Jovite race. << Prev Page 2 of 3 Next >>
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During 1969 the first car was readied to undergo testing. True to its low-drag design brief, the all black machine was free of the wings and aerofoils that had become commonplace in the years before. It caused quite stir when it appeared on the cover of Road & Track in August of 1969. The initial tests clearly made painstakingly clear that the design worked a lot better on paper than in reality. There were problems with overheating brakes and engine, and also cornering proved tricky with the car's 25/75 weight distribution. To better cool the brakes, cooling fans from the Chevrolet Corvair were fitted to the front wheels. The cooling and cornering problems were addressed together by fitting a large rear wing, which also housed the radiators.