Author Topic: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!  (Read 505156 times)

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landracing

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #720 on: September 26, 2008, 01:16:23 AM »
I may be wrong, but i thought the course that the Summers car ran was longer than what is generally available today. I don't know what the gearing they ran but it would be a advantage to have a longer course for taller gears.

Goldenrod never got it in high gear if memory serves me right. And the conditions were pretty sloppy when they ran...

JonAmo

Offline desotoman

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #721 on: September 26, 2008, 01:28:40 AM »
I may be wrong, but i thought the course that the Summers car ran was longer than what is generally available today. I don't know what the gearing they ran but it would be a advantage to have a longer course for taller gears.

Goldenrod never got it in high gear if memory serves me right. And the conditions were pretty sloppy when they ran...

JonAmo


This might clear some questions up about the Summers Brothers Record run in 1965.

Tom G.


The fateful day came on November 12, 1965. The car was ready but the weather at the Bonneville Salt Flats had not been good over the previous weeks. It was too wet and windy most of the time. As the weather cleared the course was committed to others and it looked like the Summers brothers would have to wait until 1966 for an attempt. By then the sponsor dollars might not hold out. But, good fortune was with them. Art Arfons, friend and fellow racer, had just set a new record for jet-powered cars and had “salt time” left. He called the Summers brothers and told them if they could get there PDQ they could have his left-over time.

The vegetable stand in Ontario, California must have been chaotic as they packed everything up and burst out of there for Bonneville. Warm up and practice went well. Finally, the support truck pushed the Goldenrod out to the starting area and onto the course. She fired up and off she went. The first 6-mile run was 417-mph and some change. She was still accelerating at over 400-mph as Bob reached down with both hands to shift into fourth. Bob, not one for excessive verbalizing, once described the cars handling as similar to being guided by a string – straight and true. Good thing, since it literally takes two hands to shift because of all that linkage.

To be an official time it takes two runs and the team has an hour between them to fuel, adjust and get ready for the second. With five minutes to spare Goldenrod was off again for the return run. Conditions were still good, everything worked just right and the rest is history – average speed through two runs: 409.277 mph. Beating those arrogant Brits by a comfortable margin (more than 6-mph), proving that good American ingenuity could get the job done simpler, lighter and for a fraction of the cost of the last car to set the record.

As brother Bob, came in after his return run having set the world land speed record for wheel-driven cars, the timer asked if he wanted to take another shot at it, perhaps go a little faster. He had a glint in his eye and was thinking about it when Brother Bill, the team manager, called it a done deal. It was too expensive, and too dangerous, to tempt fate like that when they didn’t need to.

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Offline BigWedgie

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #722 on: September 26, 2008, 01:42:08 AM »
The Golden Rod had 4 Hemi's, Nish needs to build a big HEMI, maybe his luck will change. I was 15 years old in 1983 when my Grandfather told me he worked on the Golden Rod and I had no idea what it even looked like until he showed it to me. I'm by no meens a historian but I'm sure a lot of people worked on that car and my Grandfather was right in the middle of it. I was lucky enough to meet Tom Burkland last Spring in Ely Nevada and I have to say he is one of the most intellegent people I know. He is also one of the nicest guys around. I have worked on drag cars and boats most of my life and when a friend asked me to help him go to Bonneville at first I was aprehinsive then I remembered what my Grandfather had showed me (Golden Rod). I have opened my eyes to whole other world, Bonneville! I hope nobody else gets hurt, it is very upsetting. I wish Tom Burkland the best of luck tomorrow.
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Offline Freud

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #723 on: September 26, 2008, 01:57:11 AM »
Barrett was on the salt years before I ever was. 1965 was my second year and I did not attend those "private time" meets so I am not any source of first hand info, but........several factors seem to come into play.

Maybe Nish needs 4 smaller HEMIs but that would require a new car.

Technology has improved but stress remains the same. Goldenrod had the power from 4 engines that were not very stressed as compared to the Nish single engine that has to make a lot of power with fewer cubic inches.

Four wheel drive seems to me to be an advantage.

There is more than just chance alone that has kept that record intact. They had a very reliable power source and that is something that does not seem present in the Nish project.

I haven't built a car like that. I haven't developed an engine like theirs but when similar problems reoccur, it seems that maybe something different would be better.

My opinions are of no value to them but I hope my condolences are.

If dedication, diligence and money were all that was needed to accomplish their goals, it would have already happened.

Take a good shot at it, Burklands.

FREUD
Since '63

Low Sodium

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #724 on: September 26, 2008, 02:36:16 AM »
Freud,
I think the Burklands are running in a different class than Nish/Summers Bros. (supercharged/unsupercharged).
Al Teague (1991) and others have upped the "wheel driven" record, but none (so far) in the Goldenrod's FIA class.

Offline stay`tee

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #725 on: September 26, 2008, 03:46:45 AM »
Garry, the sun rises at close to seven, and it is getting dark by nine :-)
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Offline TURBO KING

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #726 on: September 26, 2008, 05:18:08 AM »
Best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery to Lynn and Leo.

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Offline linknl

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #727 on: September 26, 2008, 05:32:11 AM »
Nish runs with a natural aspirated engine, there are many ways to configure such an engine. But what do the rules say about camshaft, is overhead camshaft allowed for the record he is trying to break?

I know Terry does not like engines with overhead camshaft and other modern tune ups, He wants it the old fashion way.
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landracing

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #728 on: September 26, 2008, 08:40:36 AM »
FIA doesn't care about nothing... For piston engine all they want to know is Liters, blown or unblown... They dont care about how many enginess or not. Just what the final Liter is. That is why the FIA is a compelling way to race, just bring a bigger check book for the  sanctioning.

JonAmo

Offline SPARKY

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #729 on: September 26, 2008, 08:44:15 AM »
The only Tech that Nish is using that is THAT different is the air shiffed Liberty and maybe some data logging.  Some of his problems may becaused by what you just laid out.

He wants to do it the way he wants to do it-

I admire that he wants to do it the way he wants to---it just may be the hard way
-not the easiest most efficient way:--Four wheel drive, dual engs with EFI  

Do not know  what is causing his eng problems---but I would guess mixture control
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Offline ddahlgren

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #730 on: September 26, 2008, 09:14:46 AM »
If the head fell off a valve and it is an exhaust valve it answers your question. Or the cam is so aggressive that the spring pressures required are more than the valve can stand hot. The real problem is the cylinder head technology in my mind. They may be the best pushrod type heads in the world but that makes them average at best compared to a 4 valve head with similar port sizes. But to each his own...

Offline RayTheRat

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #731 on: September 26, 2008, 09:31:37 AM »
Live and direct from the salt.

I'd make some wise-assed comment, however, I'm not awake yet.  But I'm here.  And here's what I've found out so far:

First, the OSU satellite dish is up and running much earlier than usual.  This is very good.

From Mike Cook, Jr: An announcement about Leo Hess's crash will probably be made later over the CB.  I still don't have an FM handset...I should have asked Mike about one when I saw him at the truck stop earlier.

Ack Attack was being towed to the mountain end of the course for an early run as I got here. 

E-Z-Hook is "hookin" the trailer now.  They plan to be on their way down course asap.

OSU had yet another delay with  the motor, but it should be en route from SLC as I type this.

Burkland's liner is on the open trailer and covered with canvas; looks like they might be ready for a run when the team gets here.

There's activity in the Poteet & Main pit at the moment.  Last night they told me they'd try for a 260 run this morning.

The air is still at the pit end.  No wind.  I haven't heard a wind report from the course workers yet, but www.wunderground.com reports calm winds and 61F temp.

A single-engined Cessna just flew over me at about 50 feet altitude in a heavy banking turn....don't know what's up with that.  Too bad I was typing and not shooting with the camera...maybe he'll come by again.

That's all for the moment,

RtR

Offline RayTheRat

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #732 on: September 26, 2008, 10:01:52 AM »
Update.  Speed Demon is on the trailer, ready to tow down to the mountain end.

Ack Attack is very close to making a run.  Course is locked down.

FIM official asked me to move my Burb back and I lost my prime viewing location.  I relocated a bit closer to the I-80 end and it's not too bad,  I'm heading out with the camera to get ready for Rocky's run.

RtR

Offline rlague

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #733 on: September 26, 2008, 10:04:33 AM »
I just heard from Charlie Hannekam from the FIM and Rocky is ready to roll.  Wind is down and the course is great he says.  Go Rock!
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Offline Freud

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Re: "Private" meet -- Top Speed shootout!
« Reply #734 on: September 26, 2008, 10:08:22 AM »
Low Sodium, I was only telling Burklands that the playing field is theirs now and to have a good run.

A big number is so important to so many people and they are the ones with a chance.

FREUD
Since '63