Actually you were right the first time, that's the funny thing about that pic, Larry IS getting in on the passenger side!:LOL: If you look closely at the roof you'll see the cut out for the driver door extension on the other side. Presumably to make entry at the LeMans start quicker.
As for the shocks, I didn't ask the source, they could be Pierce Arrow or something else. They looked to be a strap affair with an inertia reel type of mechanism in the housing.

