Sam Wheeler - EZ Hook - 355mph!

[Utahfab]

Sam Wheeler and his EZ Hook streamliner clocked a one way pass at BUB of 355!

That makes 3 streamliners (Ack Attack, BUB & EZ Hook) to surpass the 16 year old ultimate record this week!  (Note that Sam is running in a smaller engine class than the other two)  I?d like to congratulate all three teams for their accomplishments.  This is land speed racing at its best.  It also shows different ways to approach the salt.  Even though Sam's project is not simple it takes a simpler approach in that is goes about it with 1 engine and the most efficient package possible.  On the other hand the Ack Attack and BUB liners don?t worry as much about the ultimate aero package but go after it with a more brute force.  Ack Attach with 2 Turbo Hayabusa motors and BUB with its scratch built 3,000cc V4.  All are incredible endeavors but I tend to prefer the simpler package.  Plus at the end of the day all of them are fighting to push a body thru the air with a single tire which may end up giving Sam the advantage.

Again, congratulations to all the teams for a job well done.  I think this is the beginning of an epic battle.

[Glen]

It looks like they will  all have the same problem with tires unless some one steps up to make some. I have known Sam many years and it's his biggest problem at this time. Man all of those guys have bigger balls then I do. All champions as far as I am concerned. Haven't heard any thing today, wind is pretty lite according to the weather web.
GB

[Richard Thomason]

Did the tire blow after the chute hit? Possibly the chute is mounted too low and is overloading the front tire. Don't know, wasn't there, didn't see it. However that light of a bike, should not be that hard on a tire unless there is some unusual stress. Just a guess without actually knowing any of the particulars.

[TexasCeegar]

It's great to see the current epic speed battle between Ack Attack, BUB, and EZ Hook.
You may not know that Sam began his pursuit of salt records way back in 1970. Sam dreamed of building a record setting streamliner during his service in Vietnam. Upon his return he built a streamliner from an aircraft drop tank powered by a single Norton 750cc engine on regular gas. His 1970 record was 207mph. His design was later banned because of safety issues. His head was below the top of the front wheel so he could only navigate by looking out the side windows. Sam is a truly nice guy and his wife, who was at the first record run, still travels with him to set records. We are currently restoring his Norton streamliner and upon completion it will reside in the National British Motorcycle Museum as a tribute to his ingenuity and courage.

[tomsmith]

I was hoping that Sam Wheeler would clean up on everyone.  It was very discouraging to read about his tire problem, and I just hope that tires for the 300mph  vehicles can be made available again.  I can't imagine how he felt.  It would be a shame if everyone had to park their fast bikes and cars just because there were no tires for them.

[1212FBGS]

300+mph tires are avalible... just not the one Sam designed his liner to fit. He will have to redesign the whole front end to make a different tire fit.
kent

[Bob Jr.]

I was hoping that Sam Wheeler would clean up on everyone.  It was very discouraging to read about his tire problem, and I just hope that tires for the 300mph  vehicles can be made available again.  I can't imagine how he felt.  It would be a shame if everyone had to park their fast bikes and cars just because there were no tires for them.

Sam did clean up he went faster with half the engine of the other guy's.  All the runs made by the stream liners was impressive but his was the best doing it with 1 engine!!!!

[Tom Simon]

On my first trip to Bonneville back in Oct. '02 I marveled over Sam's green EZ Hook streamliner... I've been around areospace hardware and hard-core race cars most of my life, that thing is totally off the hook! Superior build quality is the only way to describe it. The owner seems like a real nice guy, too.

[stwheeler]

One in a million

[landracing]

I am going to point out a few things in the posts that I noticed.

First Richard,

Sam's tire was flat most of the measured mile, they can come to that conclusion since there was green paint on the salt surface thru the measured mile. The tire blew I think Sam told me was around when he pulled the parachute or shortly before. I watched the run and was at the vantage point the he was coming towards me after the measured mile. Thru the mile, saw parachute come out, got wobbly and put it on the side.

Next TexasCeegar,

Sams wife has been with Sam only on a few occasions. IT was either two or three sam told me this year. The first year at Bub's was one of them.

All all yes same did his run with a very small motor compared to other liners in the 3000cc class. Sam runs in the 1350 class and run's an old school ZX11. His actual diplacement is I think under 1100cc. The class runs from over 1000cc to 1350cc so he is towards the bottom on that class. (1067cc-1070cc)

StWheeler,

I think you are correct sam is one in a million. HE is so humble even after all he has accomplished. I have know Sam for many years and he is the one in the back of the crowd silent... GREATEST GUY.

And yes sam has one of the best built liners ever on the salt. He could not tell each time he comes out that the streamliner has ever been on the salt.

Inside and out it is first rate.

I can only hope in the future we can have another battle of the liners at another meet.

All were playing cat and mouse... Sam blew a tire, Ack Attack hurt parts not fixable on salt, and BUB was out of power... They all have work cut out for them for next year. Lets hope Sam can solve the tire issues, Ack already im sure has parts designed and being made, and BUB is looking for more power... What we need now is another liner or two  to make it better then last year... 4-5 liners going for the speed.. Now onto the 375 mark...

I love it all..

Jon

[jimmy six]

With Dave Dispanes Windtunnel moving of it's coverage of the Bub meet due to some guy retiring from F-1; I hope that Sam gets the correct coverage for his accomplishments.

We in LSR see this all the time. JCB wanting all the accolades for their liner and Chassis Engineering showing them up (at least in my opinion, GM too) First to reach a milestone is always first.

I'm sure Sam will be mentioned but if the other 2 get most of the time I for one hope they pay homage to real fast one. Sam is a true gentleman and a credit to all of our fun. Having 3 now and maybe more fast M/C liners coming we are all the lucky ones to be seeing so many at one time....

Good Luck to all of them..

[RPL]

I am still trying to figure out the comment about F1 and Dave Despain.  What does that mean?

The WORLD'S FASTEST MOTORCYCLE will be on SPEED on Dec 3 and Dec 10.  Sam gets his fair share of the story in both episodes.  Sam is an awesome human being and he deserves to be recognized.  He won't be lost in this story in the TV version of the battle of the 3 liners.

RPL

[PorkPie]

Sam's tire problem

- if everything works right it will be not anymore a problem. Heinz Herz - who brought this year for the 50th anniversary of his late fathers legendary first 200 mph run on a bike - a replica to the BUB meet, is in the moment with the German tire producer together to get a motorcycle LSR tire for Sam.
The request is currently on status "positive".
The tire Heinz used on the NSU replica was rated for 250 mph - a totally new generation of high speed tire from this company, designed for bikes like the Hayabusa. They will be available in a very short time.

[Flaircraft]

I had been wondering for a while if it would be possible for Sam to simply rubber-coat one of his solid aluminum wheels; if you could get rubber or silicone or polyurethane or something to stick on well enough, you could run a solid wheel with a surface that had some traction so it would handle well (I heard he went away from the solid wheel because it had traction problems?)  Of course if he's having some new tires made, then what I'm suggesting is a moot point...

[landracing]

I dont think it was a traction problem as 100% of story. Could it be how the vehicle steers and suspension of having a solid wheel. Ask Sam sometime.

Jon