NTM Chassis History |
Original text by Steve Bush |
1968 During the first months of 1968, the lone NTM Mark I was constructed. This first car was raced as the "factory" car, driven by Dr. Tabin, and used as the prototype for the Mark II's. The chassis was constructed of a fiberglass monocoque tub, bulkheads, pontoons, gas tank, and seat with an aluminum roll bar. A rear aluminum subframe bolted to the fiberglass chassis at the roll bar and carried the engine mounts and rear suspension. The front suspension was carried on large aluminum surface brackets bolted to pockets in the tub. The track was 48" front, and 47" rear. The wheelbase was 78". The brakes were Airhart. The original powertrain was a three cylinder, two stroke, 850cc SAAB, coupled to a Webster transaxle. The original body colors were gel-coat red and gel-coat cream. None of the cars were ever painted. The bodies weighed about 53 pounds. They were hand laid using one layer of ¾ ounce per square foot mat, and one layer of 6 ounce per square yard cloth. finished to a thickness of .045 inches.
The first outing of the Mark I occurred in the rain, late in the 1968 season, at Waterford Hills. No drain holes had been provided in the tub, and the car filled with several inches of water. According to Tabin, the inertial effect on acceleration, deceleration, and cornering left much to be desired. Drain holes were added before the second race.
Tabin and Norcross had become friends of Larry Schneider and his partner, Gene. Their car, an Ocelot, had been heavily crashed towards the end of the 1968 season. Because of their divisional points advantage, however, they had been invited to the Americam Road Race of Champions (ARRC) at Riverside. Larry and Gene got permission to use the NTM Mark I, and fitted one of their own SAAB engines to it. Their driver, Ron Dennis (who incidentally was driving with a broken ankle), suffered many mechanical problems and the car failed to finish the race.
1970 During the winter of 1969-1970, NTM sold the Mark I to Dick Johnson. Johnson wanted to race DSR using a Honda 750. NTM undertook the modifications required to adapt to the Honda. These included replacing the rear of the fiberglass tub structure with a steel tube subframe, replacing the rear suspension with Mark II components, and modifications to the front tub. Johnson raced the car for the next season. NTN then got the car back because of money still owed.
1971 In 1971, NTM resold the Mark I to Eleanor Morris of Watervlist, New York. The car was painted purple when it was sold to Morris. Morris and Karl Danneil shared the driving duty with the car.
1973 On August 11, 1973, Ms. Morris competed in the Harold Jacque Memorial race at Watkins Glen. Her qualifying time was 1:57.8, compared to 1:37.8 for Tabin in the Mark III. The Mark I qualified for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in 1974, 1975, and 1976.
1976 In 1976, both Morris and Danneil earned Northeast Division invitations to Road Atlanta with the same car. Danneil was a DNQ at the Atlanta event in 1976 with a best time of 1:51:76 (in practice?), before an off course excursion damaged the right front. Morris and Danneil did not repair the car after the Atlanta wreck.
1989 The car was stored in this condition until 1989, when Morris sold the Mark I to Greg Rickes of Latham, New York.
1992 In 1992, Rickes sold the car to Kirk Buecher and Leonard Arnold of Greeley, Colorado.
1997 The restoration was completed in early 1997, using a non-Honda 833cc motorcycle engine. The car now has a full SCCA type roll cage and is blue in color. In early 1997, the car was for sale for $13,000.