We Did It......

[Benny]

For those interested...We are in the record books at 236.921 MPH. Breaking the previous record of 231.342. The salt was in the best condition it has been for about 10 or 12 years.....It took 2 years to do, but like we all say...If it was easy everyone would have a record.... The first picture is on the starting line waiting on about 6 cars ahead of us to run. This is the day we broke the record...The next morning we were able to back it up, and it went in the record books......official. The other picture is at the end of the run. I have helped Hooley (Driver) out of the car, and I am shutting off the cameras. We had 4 video cameras on board. It was fun, but we are glad to be home. The driver is from Chelsea OK. He is a rural mail carrier. Now the fastest mailman in the world...Maybe...

[44woody]

way to go I was hopeing to here this when I read that you were going to the salt flat congrats :castmine: 44Woody

[DLCTEX]

Way to go. Give the driver congrats from a former Chelsea resident.

[PatMarlin]

Congradulations... Drinks around the house!!... :drinks:

[PatMarlin]

The front end of your car reminds me of the 57 Chrysler station wagon my parents had. My sister and I used to have the same dream of driving that car, with me at the wheel, and she operating the gas and break pedals at my command.. :mrgreen:

[waksupi]

Congratulations!

[wills]

Congratulations.

It looks like the hood ornament limits your visibility when you make a right turn.

[9.3X62AL]

Well done, all around!

[SharpsShooter]

Is that car plain base or gas checked?:mrgreen:

Way to go gents. :drinks:

SS

[StarMetal]

sharpshooter, I can answer that, it's FMJ...Full Metal Jacketed.

Joe

[steveb]

Is that car plain base or gas checked?:mrgreen:

Way to go gents. :drinks:

SS

You beat me to it! CONGRATS!!!!:drinks:

[Bad luck Bill]

Excellent? Well...plain based or gas checked? :mrgreen:

[Benny]

Bad luck Bill...It's plain ole' $8.55 a gallon 119 octane Gas, and yes it gets checked...Every time you run...So I guess it's gas checked....

[hpdrifter]

K E W L !

[Dale53]

Congratulations, Benny. My son-in-law, Ray Kelsey, is with the Bureau of Land Management and the Salt Flats is his beat.

I just finished watching the new movie, "The World's Fastest Indian" (as in motorcycle) so I was really in the mood to congratulate you!!:mrgreen:

Incidentally, that movie is a terrific film with Anthony Hopkins in the role of his life. Heck, I HAVE to like it as Ray got mentioned in the credits...:drinks:

Dale53

[Benny]

Dale, I have met Glenn Carpenter who is with the BLM also, but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Ray yet. I may have seen him, but just didn't know who he was. There was a young Guy at the drivers meeting on Sat Aug 12th, that gave a short speech, but I was so far back in the group, that I couldn't get his name....Coulda been Ray. I have seen the movie also, and my friend Johnny Allen was racing Triumphs at the same time as Burt Munro...By the way Burt is still alive, and it is rather amazing, how much Burt and Anthony look alike....

Thanks for all the Kudos

[dragonrider]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!well Done Benny.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dale53]

Benny;
Not to sharp shoot you, but Burt died in 1978 (here is a web site with his story:
http://www.indianmotorbikes.com/features/munro/index.htm ),

I well remember Johnny Allen's exploits with Triumph as I used to hang out at the local Triumph shop. I ran Triumph Cub in Enduro's at the time. I later graduated to a Bultaco that I ran in Enduro's, Cross Country Races, and Hare Scrambles. I even ran a 24 Hour Road Race on a 250 OSSA with some success. Our team came in second in class and 4th overall with a 250cc bike! All of the pros were there including a fellow from England and the Cycle World Entry. Good fun and met lots of really nice people ("You meet the nicest people on a motorcycle"). A bunch, very similar to the people here (you'll find a lot of these people have a motorcycling background).

Dale53

[Benny]

OK Dale, Thanks for the upadate on Burt...I musta missed something on the CD...I had the CD movie version, and it gave a rundown on Burt, but I guess I missed his death date...Kinda feel like my powder was wet.....Sorry bout dat....I was riding Triumphs (Drag Racing) in Albany GA, out of the T&M Triumph shop working part time while in the Air Force, back in '59-'61. Johnny had set most of his records by then, and we had posters all over the shop about his exploits, and the "New" Triumph Bonneville...I didn't meet Johnny until the early '70's, through Ham Radio. I used to visit with Johnny every year during one of our club get togethers here in Texas, and then every year I went to the "Pate" swap meet, not far from Weatherford Texas where Johnny lived. He really had a collection of "Toys". He passed away in 1994, about a month before my wife died...Both from Cancer. He came to visit me and another friend when I lived in Buna, Tx, about a month or so before he died. He had refused the treatment until it was too late......He was quite a guy....

Dale you might find this interesting.....The bike was on display at lake of the pines here in Texas, before being shipped back to England, and I was fortunate enough to get pictures of the bike while helping to unload it from a trailer......http://www.saveourstreamliner.com/

[Dale53]

Benny;
Thanks for the link. Flat gives me the shivers - almost like going back in time....

There have been and are continuing to be some wonderful people on the Salt Flats (including yourself, of course). They are "doers" not just "talkers". Just like here!

Dale53

[Four Fingers of Death]

Well done pardner, I saw the World's Fastest Indian as well, never was much interested in the slat flat racing before, but that and your attempts got me interested. Mick.

[Bad luck Bill]

I know the world's fastest Indian! With four red-necked drunk white men trying to kill you, you'd run fast as hell too!

[50 Caliber]

If you dont mind me asking, What engine and what mods were made to it for this car? I am an old motor head myself, but I drag race! and I have built a few mud bog trucks. Mostly Chevy and Dodge. am working on a Ford right now.

[floodgate]

Benny:

NICE WORK, and thanks for sharing it!

To my tired old (75yrs.) eyes, the front-end sheet metal is reminiscent of the '53 Studebaker Starlight Coupe' - one of the great cars (style AND performance) of all time!

floodgate

[Benny]

Thats cause it is a '53 Studebaker, running a blown 400 Cu In Chevy motor and a Muncie 4 speed with a Ford 9", 2:38 spooled rearend. The blower is running at 11% underdrive, which gives us about 6 Lbs of boost at WOT (Wide Open Throttle). Next year we are going to turn up the boost, and try for 250 Mph and see if we can keep the record for a while.

[StarMetal]

What rpm were you turning at the moment of breaking the record?

Joe

[Benny]

Joe...I think it was 7100 Rpm....

[Gunload Master]

A BIG congrats! That is awesome to be able to go down in the record books like that.
It's sort of funny though, I just watched "The worlds fastest Indian" sunday night!

[Ricochet]

That's awesome!