Mormon Meteor 2008

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Hey there, boys and girls and all the ships at sea:  The Mormon Meteor is on the Salt!  If you haven't heard, it has been treated to a big-bucks refurbishing and is out here this weekend for a show-off to the public.  Nancy and I are helping out with the exhibition running of the car.  This afternoon it was run for a single lap around the 6-mile oval they've dragged for it, going through the traps at 121 mph.  Just a warm-up run for tomorrow.

Yes, I did take photos, but the battery pack in the camera went dead while we were out there -- so dead that I can't get them back out 'til it recharges (while we go out for supper tonight).  Once it's working again I'll post some photos -- the car, and the guy that's flown in to drive the orange - and - midnight blue car (which is equipped with more danged exhaust pipes than I've seen on a single car -- looks more like it oughta have two or three engines under the strapped-down hood).

Anyway, Andy Green (a/k/a Sir Anthony Green, MBE), a/k/a the fastest driver on the planet, is here to drive it.  I don't know why they called him instead of me, but there you go.  Anyway -- Sir Andy has graciously agreed to autograph a few landracing.com t-shirts.  I wonder how much I can get away with selling them for -- or maybe I'll auction off one or two and keep some for Salt Talks next year.

So -- we'll bring you some of the sights of the Mormon Meteor (and video if I can figure out how to get it from the camera onto you-tube, but don't hold your breath on that one).  And then -- Mike Cook and the FIA/FIM group are already here to begin the process of setting up for that event.  The Main/Poteet Speed Demon rig arrived today -- I'll get a photo on here tonight, too.

Deep enough!

[isiahstites]

Thanks for all of your work Slim! Looking forward to your updates.

Scott

[aircap]

Wish I would have been there to see it!

[TURBO KING]

Thanks Slim for the updates.

Walt

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Well, not last night after supper (some hymeneal duties were first in line), but finally, here are those photos.  I'll just post 'em here and take some more/better ones today.











Love this old tire -- which, by the way, appears to be of new manufacture.  I noticed a little bar code on it like it's brand-new...







Okay -- long long telephoto shot, kinda blurry, but here's the Meteor at speed:



And last but not least, yes, Sir Andy is tall -- here he is next to Monte Widdison, the USFRA starter.  And we all know that Monte is tell:



The forecast for today is partly to mostly cloudy and temps in the 70-75 range, with mellow winds.  See you later, folks.

[sodbuster]

SSS, Thanks for the updates from the salt.......

Chris Nelson
Kansas

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Okay, here's my first-ever attempt at putting a video on the site.  Let's see what happens:



Tell me if I've done it wrong -- maybe I didn't set up the correct link.

Doesn't look right -- try this one:"
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii147/SeldomSeenSlim/World%20of%20Speed%202008/?action=view&current=100_1861.flv

[sodbuster]

Works for me........it did send me to the Photobucket link and then opened itself....aka:Played......With the link that opens in a new window, I think that it will save you on bandwidth.

Chris Nelson
Kansas

[4-barrel Mike]

Cool!

How fast was it going?  Seemed slow.

Mike

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I'll put up some more video later -- when I've got 110VAC available to run the 'puter.  I don't want to run out of batteries just now.  Anyway, the car ran a 121 through the lights yesterday, during testing, but I haven't heard what Andy (or Jim Price, the owner, who was driving the car in the video you saw) was doing.  I'd guess 60-80 or so.

Here are a few photos:



Twelve pipes on each side!



Acouple of shots of the cockpit.  Note the gearshift, which looks like it came right out of a tractor.  Remember - this engine is from an aircraft (it's a Curtis), so a bellhousing and tranny had to be fabbed/fitted.  The gearbox is three-speed, non-synchronised, and you can hear in the video when he shifts -- that it's a very deliberate shift.





This shot is just too cool...looks great.



WE got into a photo -- to prove we were here.



Gee, whiz -- I guess not everything is 100% original.  Note the K & N filter!



Note the Firestone tire (with the word "radial" emblazoned on it):



And I'll have to ask, but I think this is a portrait of Ab Jenkins, held by Jim Price and the other guy whose name I still need to learn.  Nice photo, though - hey?



That's enough for right now.  I got some more video of Andy Green making a pass in the car -- lots more "theater" in his run -- I guess we know who's a racer and who's the owner.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I hope this is the one -- the run with Andy Green at the wheel.

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii147/SeldomSeenSlim/World%20of%20Speed%202008/?action=view&current=100_1868.flv

Going to take Nancy and her boys to the Salt Flats Cafe -- back later with more photos for you.