1961 Dolphin America Sports Racer

302ci OHV Chevrolet V8 Engine
Mechanical Fuel Injection
Est. 300bhp at 6,400rpm
5-Speed Manual Hewland Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Offered from the Judge DiLoreto Collection
*Campaigned at the Goodwood Revival and Monterey Historics
*Accompanied by FIA paperwork
*Fitted with powerful Chevy V8 engine prepared by Ed Pink


THE DOLPHIN ENGINEERING CO

Budd Hull established the Dolphin Engineering company of San Diego in December 1959 and over a five-year period the company produced three distinct models and nearly 50 cars. Significantly each Dolphin model won races in their respective categories making Dolphin a short lived, but quite successful winning marque. Dolphin racing cars were the product of Bud Hull's partnership with John Crosthwaite, an English race car design engineer, who worked with BRM, Cooper, Lotus and Mickey Thompson. Ken Miles was the Dolphin factory driver and contributed to handling development of the cars, that are today recognized as really competitive with the best contemporary European designs, having stiff, lightweight, straight tube chassis frames and state of the art all adjustable suspension.

The Dolphin America Sports Racer was produced by Dolphin engineer, Don Maslim, modifying the previous Dolphin Formula Junior design, literally widening the existing spaceframe and increasing the track from 47 to 51 inches. The Ferrari Testa Rossa look to the front of the car really excited aficionados of the day and the "America" was offered without engines or gearboxes, so customers could choose what they wanted from Crosley to Buick V8 power.

The first America was powered by a 750cc Coventry Climax engine and was shown in August 1962. With oil and water, but no fuel, the car weighed just 775 lbs. There followed an 1100cc Climax FWA-powered car which was campaigned with great success by West Coast driver Ron Cole, and the highly successful Dolphin – Abarth of Dan Parkinson that won two H Modified USA National Championships in 1964 and 1966. In 1963, the Dolphin factory was commissioned by Otto Zipper to produce a Porsche engined example of their "America" model. This 1100-pound special was 160 pounds lighter than the Porsche RS Spyder model! The extremely rigid frame with sophisticated suspension and potent 1700cc RS61 engine and drive train combined with Ken Miles' driving was a formidable combination, with Mr. Miles taking the car to a number of successes in 1963.


THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

The Dolphin America Sports Racer offered here is fitted with a Dolphin Engineering Co chassis plate indicating that it was constructed at the El Cajon/San Diego Dolphin Works during December of 1961, fitted with a 4.7-Liter V8 engine and given chassis number 4. Although the early history of the car remains unclear, the Dolphin America Sports Racer appeared at local vintage race events around 1975 with a near-stock 215 Oldsmobile V8 engine and a Citroen transaxle. The 1961 Dolphin America Sports Racer joined the DiLoreto collection decades ago and would become a favorite of Judge DiLoreto to take to vintage racing events around the World. DiLoreto obtained FIA paperwork for the Dolphin America in 2003, and then brought the car to the Goodwood Revival motorsports event in the UK in 2004. The many racing scrutineering stickers affixed to the rollbar attests to a comprehensive vintage racing record to date, including many outings at the Monterey Historics. Today the car is fitted with a powerful 4.8-liter Chevrolet V8 engine prepared be renowned race engine builder Ed Pink, and a durable Hewland FG 5-speed transaxle puts the power to the rear wheels.

This is a well-known sports racing car owned and campaigned for many years by Judge DiLoreto, and unquestionably the largest engined Dolphin America sports racer in existence.
It is competitive, and is a potent and unique racing car adding variety to any large capacity sports racing class.