Target 500kph...

[DSCBoy]

Well as u might have guessed from some of my rantings, I've got a bit hacked off with the costs of modern GT racing... so I've decided to take on a new project...
Having spent a long while considering how fast I could get a 911 to go after my visit to Bonneville last year, I decided time (and the wife) weren't going to let me spend 9 days on the Salt each August to sort a new car..

So I've done a deal for something lightweight, rear engined, rear wheel drive with 500+ bhp ... but while in our spirit on here, I'm afraid she's not a Porsche... but BOY is she quick... we're targeting the Land Speed Record for 1 litre turbo engines which is a fraction over 500kph or 313mph...

They reckon it'll take me 2 years to get up to the speed, but when the Salt opens this August, Rick and "The Flower of Scotland" streamliner will be there to see if we've got what it takes.

Wish me luck?

 

[spyderman]

Very, er, pointy. I guess that's "colour to sample"? But I reckon "The Rocket of Scotland" would be a more appropriate name...

 

[chfs911]

Just remember the flags out the window! []

 

[jason]

best of luck mate










you looney toon[]

 

[DSCBoy]

Well I was subscribing to your signature Jason... "stop dreaming"... although wife subscribing to the first bit "you only live once" so why kill yourself on the salt flats?

She's got a 1 litre Kwaka motor, runs on methanol and nitrous and you stick about 3 kilos of ice in the front before each run apparently... off to Spokane in Washington state to check I'm not too fat to fit this weekend... 20 hours travel each way for 40 hours there... touch mad, but really, how often does the opportunity to do something like this happen?

 

[DSCBoy]

And I tell you guys, if you have never been to the Salt... DON'T GO! It'll get under your skin...

It is a true addiction after just one visit... incredible place... only feeling I ever had like it was the first time I headed out on to the Nordschliefe in a full race car... it's a real petrolhead Mecca.

Descriptions will never do it justice... when I first had opportunity to visit I was pretty ambivalent... but it is truly an astonishing place. The original lake was 400km * 200km roughly, so you look out across the salt and you can see the curvature of the Earth. Then when the first runs of the morning are sent down at 7am, it's totally silent until in the far distance you hear a wrung out V8... then kaboom, bloke goes by at 400 mph!!! And disappears into the heat haze.

 

[h_____]

This sounds like a completely crazy, but fully understandable pursuit. Please, please, keep us all updated with your progress. I think you are right, most of us arent going to get the chance to do something like this.

Got to be miles apart from circuit racing! The car sounds truly mad! Kind of harks back to the days of turbo F1 cars, tiny motors tuned, boosted to within an inch of their lives!!!

 

[Hacki]

Good to see the madness out there!

Fingers crossed for you, mate!


Hacki

 

[ChrisW]

ORIGINAL: h_____

This sounds like a completely crazy, but fully understandable pursuit. Please, please, keep us all updated with your progress. I think you are right, most of us arent going to get the chance to do something like this.

Got to be miles apart from circuit racing! The car sounds truly mad! Kind of harks back to the days of turbo F1 cars, tiny motors tuned, boosted to within an inch of their lives!!!

Agreed, Land Speed records by proxy []

Keep us up to speed [][]

Good luck Rick ... [][][]

 

[Steve Brookes]

Just to get you in the mood Rick:

Anthony Hopkins in the Worlds fastest Indian

[]

 

[jason]

ORIGINAL: DSCBoy

She's got a 1 litre Kwaka motor,

Sounds about right.

Does it have KuKoo suspension and Kloud brakes?[][]

 

[Melv]

OMG!! Go for it -there's summat about the LSR....

BTW, the NZ LSR is held by a Porsche!!

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]'Owen Evans became the current holder of this record when, on the 2nd June 1996, driving a Porsche 911 GT Le Mans Turbo in Unlimited cc classification on Goudies Road, Reporoa, he obtained the speed of 216.385 mph, taking the record away from Ray Williams who had become the holder of this record on the 16th March 1996, driving a Road Registered Porsche 930 on Goudies Road, Reporoa, to obtain the speed of 196.721 mph in FIA Class B 5000cc to 8000cc.'

 

[DSCBoy]

Really appreciate the support boys, will keep you posted.

The Burt Monroe story is superb, not least because they all loved him so much on the Salt that they basically tampered with the rules afterwards to make sure no-one could take his record away. So it still stands, and anyone who is thinking of making a crack at it would be frowned upon by the whole community. Just not the "done thing".

This is the best scene for me, where he arrives on the Salt and recalls the legends who have gone before. That's what does it for me as well really:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhIrCL6d7i0&feature=related

Cheers

 

[Bertroex]

Jeeezus, Rick, you are something, you: What an adventure. It takes quite a mind to spot the gap where a bit of gentlemanly honour is still to get. Who would've known that it would feature the salt flats ey?

Best of luck with it and the rebuild of those 932's as well []

Take care,

Bert

 

[DSCBoy]

Hey Bert! Good to see you on here!

That 932 I bought off you is currently on it's holidays down south being caged having been stripped to a shell... work going on frantically to make sure she's ready for the Tour Brit!

As for Gentlemanly honour, well only 91 people have broken a record over 300mph at Bonneville and thus joined the Bonneville 300 club. They include Noble, Green, Campbell * 2, Cobb, Gabelich, Eyston, Breedlove, Arfons.... that strikes me as a cool club to join!

Looks like we have a fan site being set up: www.speedscotland.com

Those of you who know me will recognise how Scottish I am (!???) but marketing needs must!

Cheers
Rick

 

[wallonia]

Gotta love a narrow body ;~)

Wow.

All the best of luck on the white stuff.

(I'm going to Scotland for the first time, on an extended weekend Hoon-a-nanny, or a Bonny-hoon, if you will)

 

[DSCBoy]

Well went all the way to the Pacific Northwest and back this weekend!

First of all, check out how small this car is:

 

[richardrimmer]

Awesome!
I'd always wanted to go to Bonneville and finally made it in 2004. I thought once I'd been that would be it, ticked off the list.....then we went back in 2006 and saw the JCB Dieselmax run. I'd be happy to go every year if I could!
I'm so jealous, good luck!
Richard

 

[DSCBoy]

Thanks Richard, maybe you can explain to the rest of 'em how it gets under your skin... astonishing place.

Well this is the fat bloke once he's in the car: (note helmet on chest AND against roof... and got to squeeze the HANS in there as well)...

Anyone got any contacts at the TV companies?? I think it'd make interesting TV and help me raise a few sponsors...

Cheers
Rick

 

[richardrimmer]

Hi Rick,
what can I say, you have to experience it for yourself!
That cockpit looks a little snug, did you take tyre levers to get you in? Some of the creations out there are incredible, moreso when you consider how many are built in home garages.
What's the history of your car?