Description:

Echidna #66, The “Larson” Car.

It was 1957 in the Minnesota Iron Range. Three friends in Hibbing, Minnesota, all auto enthusiasts and amateur racers, decided they wanted to build three specials and go road racing. Amateur racer John Staver owned a local foundry and emerged the promoter of the venture. Dr. Bill Larson, a stock car racer and local Optometrist, was all in. They recruited respected local garage owner and operator Ed Grierson, who agreed to build all three cars.

Their vision was pure Americana: use available American chassis and drivetrain parts, a lightweight Devin body made of then-new fiberglass, and build it to be light, fast and reliable. Grierson went to work on the first car which first raced in 1958. After early track experience, it was quickly modified - the rear springs replaced with coilovers, a watts-link to locate the frame and body, trailing arms to help control wheelspin and Morris Minor rack and pinion steering. Staver ran the numbered 64 car through 1958, and Grierson built the other two cars utilizing improvements learned on the Staver car.

The second and third cars, numbered 65 and 66/67 became the Grierson and then Larson cars. They hit the track in 1959, and the three chalked up an impressive record in the first two seasons of competition. In 35 starts in SCCA regionals and National USAC events they scored eight overall firsts as well as 17 firsts-in-class. Plus, they finished fourth or better 29 times in 35 outings. The Grierson and Larson cars ran in C-modified with fuel-injected 283 cubic inch engines, and Staver grew his engine to 339 cubes and ran B-Modified. He won the 1959 B Modified National Championship points race.

Although at the time it may have appeared that the Echidna team was purely an amateur racing operation, that was not truly the case. The boys from Hibbing were quietly receiving backdoor support from the highest levels. According to local Minnesotan and former owner of the second Echidna, Dan Hampton, the Echidnas came to the attention of  Zora Arkus Duntov. At the time Duntov was the chief engineer for the Chevrolet Corvette. He was looking for ways around GM's self-imposed ban on promoting their products through motorsports. Like Ford and Chrysler, who had also officially agreed to the ban, all of them were looking for back-channel ways to support teams that would make their products look good and sell more. For Duntov, what could be better than getting involved with a nearby team of guys racing cars based upon a Chevrolet chassis with fiberglass bodies, and running fuel injected 283 Corvette engines? It was a perfect fit for Chevrolet Corvette program and the Echidna team. 

The Echidna fuel injection units were sent directly to Duntov. Duntov himself developed and tuned the Corvette fuel injection systems to maximize their performance in the much lighter Echidna chassis. It worked. The Echidnas scored many victories with Chevrolet continuing to get R&D time on their Corvette high performance parts, and racing success on the track for Chevrolet based products with no one else being the wiser. 

In 1961, future 27 time SCCA National Champion, Jerry Hansen (1976 Sports Illustrated)  purchased the Echidna with George Gianoulis. Hansen would go on to win with the Echidna on road circuits as well as on frozen lakes ice racing! See the photo of the car in its ice racing trim below. Unfortunately, at some point someone neglected to put enough antifreeze into the Duntov-tuned Echidna Corvette engine. As a result, the engine froze, cracking the 283 block. It was at that point Gianoulis took over the car from Hansen. Gianoulis installed a high performance 327 engine with a modified Rochester fuel injection system. He also installed mufflers and licensed the Echidna for street use. The car continued to wear its number “21cm” from when Hansen competed with the car in ice races. Gianoulis decided to race the Echidna at a hillclimb at Jay Cooke Park, near Duluth, MN. On the fast, rough, dirt track up the hill, Gianoulis and the Echidna went off the course down into a ravine. Gianoulis was thrown from the car despite wearing seatbelts. Thankfully Gianoulis and the Echidna survived the incident, but both were bruised and battered. 

The Echidna was hauled back to Minneapolis and patched up. That winter the car ended up in a body shop to receive a new Dailu body, but that didn’t happen. The car sat. Gianoulis got the car back but without a body and some other missing bits. Hansen took the car and parked it on some property he owned. Gianoulis went back to school and as far as he recalled, no other work was done to the car at that point. Now enter Jim Bartlett.

Minneapolis’ Jim Bartlett spent summers growing up near Hibbing, watching the Echidnas race and win at the local tracks. Bartlett’s fascination with the Echidnas cars would later inspire him to find and buy all three of the original cars. By the time Bartlett had located the original Larson #66 car, it still remained as it was when Gianoulis retrieved it from the body shop plus additional deterioration from years sitting on Hansen’s property. The frame had rust, but the rear axle components were still there, including the Watts link mounting, suspension components, and the damaged wire wheels from when the car wound up in the ravine at Jay Cooke Park. Bartlett retained the Larson car until he came across a magazine ad from someone looking for a “Special” race car project. The Larson car would be a perfect fit. Enter Steve Steers. 

Steve was the son of an amateur car builder and racer. Growing up in California, and being a fan of some of the famous Specials that came from California, such as Max Balchowsky’s Ol’ Yaller cars and Reventlow’s Scarabs, Steve was looking for a Special project worthy of his time and investment. He bought the Larson Echidna from Bartlett. 

Steve would then go on to commence a full, frame-up, restoration of the Larson car to its original specs. The project was largely done at Baurle Motorsport, with additional work at McKee Engineering, both in the Chicago, IL area. Under Steers’ ownership, the car was back on the track in 1999.

The #66 Echidna has amassed 16 class wins, 10 overall victories, and many podiums with Steers behind the wheel, campaigning continuously for the last 25 years with race groups including SVRA, VDCA, VSCDA, CVAR, and CSRG.

The car has raced at the Monterey Historic, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, VIR, Sonoma, Thunderhill, Laguna Seca, Goodwood, many Road America events and more. The Echidna has won twice at Indianapolis, including at the 2015 Vintage Indy SVRA races featuring Corvette. It has captured two Vintage Racing National Championships at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Steve and the Echidna were invited to, and raced at, both the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the Goodwood Revival in 2004 and 2008. The Echidna is a fantastic entry for the Sussex Trophy Race for World Championship Sports Cars from 1955-1960. This one hour, two driver, spectacular race into the sunset kicks off the festivities at Goodwood. So not only can you race the Echidna is this fabulous race, you can also share this experience of a lifetime with a friend.

This Echidna has also made the list of finalists for the Best Vintage Racing Photo worldwide in 2013, and all three Echidnas were featured at Road America’s 60th anniversary in 2019. The Echidna trio, which have been competing at Road America since it opened its gates, were toured around the course while the announcer broadcast the 60-year history of racing at the track. The Greirson family was also in attendance, and honored for their contribution to the decades of great sports car racing at Road America.

Chassis: 1956 Chevrolet passenger car, front to rear, shortened to 93-inch wheelbase and narrowed to F 52”/ R 50” track.  All chassis joints are fully welded. The front crossmember is perforated with holes to “add lightness.” Chrome moly center and rear crossmembers. Driver protection includes a cowl hoop, rollbar, and removable stiffening struts from the cowl hoop to the front crossmember and forward to the frame. The chassis has additional stiffening struts across the rear frame hoop behind driver’s seat.  

Suspension: Stock Chevrolet front A arms, front ball joints reversed to lower front ride height. Roller bearing front hubs. 650 lb. front springs with sway bar, and front ride height adjusters. QA1 adjustable front shocks. C1 Chevrolet rear axle. R side narrowed 9”, four trailing arms clam-shell mounted on axle with adjustable torque strut to manage differential wind up under acceleration and braking. Koni double adjustable rear shocks with 350 Lb. coilovers and adjustable Watts-link. 

Spares: The Echidna will come with 3 sets of wheels, 15” original Dayton, dentil-drive spoke knockoffs, 2 sets of aluminum Halibrand Kidney-bean type wheels, all three sets 6” wide fronts and 7” wide rears. The car runs either 6:00/15 Dunlop Vintage L Series bias ply tires or Avon 215/70/15 series radials.  6:50 Dunlops will fit on the rear if preferred. 

Spares will also include a differential and spare race-prepared Super T-10 transmission with a cast iron case and aluminum tailshaft. Additionally a C1 Corvette posi-traction differential, 3.54 gears, and two Auger mufflers will come with the car. 

Engine: Builder, Tesar Engineering, Long Lake, MN, (952) 473 0203.  Balanced 350 Chevrolet built for up to 7,200 RPM. Dyno’ed at 499 HP. Crower crankshaft and valve train. Brodix straight-plug aluminum heads. 11 ½ to1 pistons. Oliver rods. C1 Corvette Rochester constant-flow fuel injection with solenoid cold-start switch. K&N filter. C1 Corvette distributor with MSD internals, MSD AL6 spark box. Stainless headers to 4” side pipes. Dry-sump oiling system with a 10 qt. oil capacity. Cooling is by a Ron Davis Racing, four row crossflow custom aluminum radiator and oil radiator. Catch bottles for engine, trans and differential. Dual SPAL high-capacity electric fans.

Driveline: Quartermaster 7 ¼” triple-disc clutch and flywheel. Annular Quartermaster hydraulic clutch throwout bearing system. Rolltek 4-speed trans with aluminum case and Borg Warner Super T-10 external dimensions. Roller bearings and straight-cut gears and dog-ring synchros. 

Hurst shifter. Quartermaster steel driveshaft. Chevrolet C1 Positraction with a 3:70 differential and custom steel differential carrier cradles. Williams racing axles with ½” wheel studs. Engine, transmission and differential mounted to right side of frame to place weight more on RH side of car and to compensate for driver weight on left side. 

Steering and Pedals: Morris Minor rack and pinion, modified to center location with zero bump steer.  Wood rim Moto-Lita wheel. Brake and clutch pedals are 1956 Chevrolet, lengthened 2”.  

Brakes: Vented, screened backing plates. Front 4” vents from radiator opening to spring-opened elephant-ear air guides into drums. Finned steel fans recirculate air inside the drums, which exhausts through holes in the drum sides and out to the atmosphere through the kidney bean wheel vents. Rear brakes have 2 switched air fans that blow 350 CFM each through the vented backing plates. The hot air is recirculated by the drum fans and exhausted through drum holes and wheels to the atmosphere. The Echidna uses 11-inch Chevrolet finned cast iron drums, trimmed to fit 2 ½” shoes in front, and 2 3/8” in the rear, drilled with venting holes around the drum sides.  

The brake linings are Carbotech XP-8 material, bonded and riveted to the shoes. Each wheel utilizes custom eccentrics on shoe static mount studs to accurately locate the shoe to the drum at rest and minimize pedal travel from rest to fully engaged. The brakes do not fade.  

Fuel System: ATL 20-gallon aluminum fuel cell with a fiberglass lining. Holley fuel pump,1-micron fuel filter, Holley regulator.  

Body: Correct Devin “J” body with working, removable doors, and tilt front end and deck lid. Working headlights with headlight covers. 1948 Chevy tail/brake light. Vent gills cut in hood.  Devin original headrest fairing and windshield. Wheel radiuses modified to conform to wheels and tires. No wheels “stick-out” from body sides. Rear cowl moved back approximately 3” to provide more leg room for a taller driver. Custom molded drivers seat and small passenger seat.  Royal blue seat fabric with fine red stitching. The dash is Devin side to side with 1/8” aluminum. Black wrinkle-finish powder coat. 2 1/8” black face Stewart Warner tach, oil pressure, fuel pressure, water temp, oil temp, and ammeter. Left and right exhaust gas temp gauges. Toggle switches for headlights, F/R fans, fuel pump, red cannon covered ignition and start toggles. 

This Echidna is an American racing icon. It embodies everything about the brash American “Can-Do” attitude of the 1950’s and early 1960’s. It is American hot rodders taking on the European sports car racing establishment, and going toe-to-toe with them. It is the forerunner and inspiration for what would become Ford vs. Ferrari. Unlike the Cobra in that story, in 1958/59, the Echidna was pure American; American chassis, American body, American engine, American drivetrain, and American drivers. It even had the secret support of one of the top American automakers, Chevrolet. 

Today this super rare, yet easily and reasonably serviceable, Echidna is invited to the grid with Testa Rossa Ferraris, D-Type Jaguars, Costin and Knobbly Listers, Maserati Birdcage and 300S models, etc. that routinely sell for millions of dollars. This Echidna is a great looking, fabulous sounding, absolute bargain in this segment. It is also a ticket to the finest historic racing events worldwide.

What's more, as mentioned above, starting in 2024, the Goodwood Sussex Trophy Race is the opening race at the Goodwood Revival. This is the two driver, one hour, enduro driven into the sunset at the famed Goodwood motor circuit. That means not only will you get to drive your highly competitive American-built Echidna at Goodwood, you can share the fun with a co-driver and their family.  We have done this opening race and it is one of those experiences of a lifetime. Join the likes of Jensen Button next to you on the grid in his D-Type. It is not to be believed.

Finally, when you decide to hang up your helmet, you could convert the Echidna back to street use, just like George Gianoulis did back in the 1960's.  You could drive it in road rallies, and various tours, or to vintage races and concours. To get an idea of what we are talking about, please see the above video of the Echidna heading downtown into Elkhart Lake for the Weathertech/Brian Redman race festivities and parties in July, 2024. 

When you are done having your fun with the Echidna, if that ever happens, we are betting that when you part with the car, you will probably have to contact your financial planner to discuss what to do with your gains now that the 1031 exchanges are no longer applicable to collector cars. Darn! Then again, that’s a good problem to have, right? 

There are only three Echidnas. It could be a very long time before one of these becomes available again - maybe too long depending upon how many more laps we have around the sun. Don’t kick yourself for missing this opportunity.

Echidna #66 is currently located in Texas, and comes with its build history, three SVRA log books, race history binders,  FIA papers issued in 2004, and spares. We can help with shipping.

For many more photos, details, and videos of the car in action both on the track and at the downtown Elkhart Lake parties, please go to: 

https://motorsportsmarket.com/racecars/1959-echidna-c-modified-goodwood-sussex-trophy-car/

Your fantastic memories are waiting.

Website:

https://motorsportsmarket.com/racecars/1959-echidna-c-modified-goodwood-sussex-trophy-car/

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Keyword Search Terms:

Goodwood Sussex Trophy, revival, American v8 special, Devin SS, Lister, D-Type, Maserati, Lotus 15