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23 Jul 2010, 11:48 (Ref:2731109) | #1 | ||
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300 mph....
Guys,
Been on here a long time... shared a few opinions, hopefully offered some advice. But despite this (!) I feel that my life is a little unfulfilled. A recent (major) birthday and the impending arrival of another kid got me thinking about the record books... We looked closely at the 24hr records for a production car, sorted a manufacturer and a track but the costs of the FIA inspection killed the project. Then I heard of a Bonneville Streamliner for sale... 2 guys who built it had decided it had just got too quick for them but they wanted a younger (!) man to run it to it's full potential on the Salt Lake this August. So Aug 14th -20th I'm going to make an attempt on the 1 litre turbo Land Speed Record... 313mph is the current mark, so a fraction over 500kph... It won't be easy and it won't be safe. But I'm not sure anything worth doing is... And if I break a record over 300mph I get Life Membership to the Bonneville 300mph club. Only 6 Brits are in there currently we think, Sir Malcolm Campbell, Donald Campbell, John Cobb, Capt GET Eyston, Richard Noble + Wing Cmdr Andy Green. I would be #7. I'm not doing it for charity, I'm not doing it for publicity, I'm doing it because it's there. Wish me luck? And keep an eye out, there is supposed to be a live blog happening on Evo magazines website where I'll try and keep you all updated. Cheers Rick |
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Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity at Bonneville Speedweek... |
23 Jul 2010, 12:55 (Ref:2731148) | #2 | ||
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Bill Bryson: It is no longer permitted to be stupid and slow. You must choose one or the other. |
23 Jul 2010, 13:04 (Ref:2731153) | #3 | ||
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Well what can I say except what an amazing thing to do ! I wish you all the luck in the world. Just the sort of thing I would have tried 40 + years ago (mind you Burt Munro kept going for years )
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
23 Jul 2010, 13:16 (Ref:2731158) | #4 | |
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rick, you're officially stark raving bonkers. your poor missus!
hope all is well |
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devils advocate in-chief and professional arguer of both sides |
23 Jul 2010, 15:27 (Ref:2731222) | #5 | ||
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OK - you are officially insane!
and I am officially jealous, but in awe - Go for it! |
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Thanks to Tim the Grey for the avatar |
23 Jul 2010, 15:28 (Ref:2731223) | #6 | ||
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Best of luck and please keep us informed of how it's going. I'd move this to the 'Total Lunatics' forum if we had one
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23 Jul 2010, 15:54 (Ref:2731240) | #7 | ||
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Excellent, go for it. But I won't wish you luck (don't believe in it) - lots of professionalism and big balls should do it...
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a salary slave no more... |
23 Jul 2010, 15:59 (Ref:2731245) | #8 | |
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Don't forget to pack your bicycle clips!
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23 Jul 2010, 17:08 (Ref:2731297) | #9 | ||
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I don't know how many pints too many you had when you thought of this, but in all seriousness the whole forum wishes you the best.
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Marbot : "Ironically, the main difference between a Red Bull and a Virgin is that Red Bull can make parts of its car smaller and floppier." |
23 Jul 2010, 18:40 (Ref:2731350) | #10 | |
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I've been out there before and it is an interesting place.
Drive safe, have your wits about you and do well. |
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Wolverines! |
23 Jul 2010, 19:31 (Ref:2731386) | #11 | ||
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go for it matey and keep us all upto date pleeeeez .
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WOODY |
24 Jul 2010, 09:03 (Ref:2731616) | #12 | ||
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Doing an important job doesn't make you an important person. |
24 Jul 2010, 22:42 (Ref:2731968) | #13 | ||
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The best of very British luck my boy! Give it some!
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There is no substitute for cubic inches. Harry Belamonte - 403ci Vauxhall Belmont!! A 700hp wayward shopping trolley on steroids!! |
25 Jul 2010, 12:02 (Ref:2732120) | #14 | ||
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What a project........well done!
I'll wish you luck....just in case it exists! Now I need a crossed-fingers smiley..... |
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Richard Murtha: You don't stop racing because you are too old, you get old when you stop racing! But its looking increasingly likely that I've stopped.....have to go back to rallying ;) |
25 Jul 2010, 23:01 (Ref:2732914) | #15 | ||
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GFI!
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26 Jul 2010, 08:33 (Ref:2733143) | #16 | ||
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If you've not been to the Salt, you will never be able to understand the draw... and if you have been, you'll still not be able to understand the magic of the place.
I implore everyone like us with petrol in our veins to visit once, I had the opportunity to go and was pretty ambilvalent about it, but once there I was totally hooked. This is known as "Getting Salt", and it's pretty common. I dont' seem to be able to post pictures on here any more, (probably something to do with the new-fangled subscription thing), but there's a few pictures of the car on www.speedscotland.com and www.oneliterlandspeed.com for those interested.... Thanks for all the support, I've passed thru the waking up in a cold sweat at night wondering what I've signed up for stage now... although it has to be said, it does make you question your sanity and ask a few questions about your mortality... The car is a gem, she can do the speed I have no doubt, and to be honest, all the time nothing goes wrong it's going to just be feed the power in steadily (salt grip is not dissimilar to wet tarmac) and hold her straight and keep the throttle pushed... not high skill driving just down to the cajones... but then if the wind gusts... she's 21 inches wide and 22 feet long, so like a motorbike she'll try and highside you... that's where the driving talent will be required (or the skill to know when you need to bang out both parachutes and hold on tight). And she's got metal disks for front wheels so I'm a but dubious if she's steer particularly well! The biggest hurdle will be mental, you get into the car by laying flat in the seat with your knees up, then sliding up the seat until your crash helmet is trapped between the roll cage and your chin is forced on to your chest. It is VERY claustrophobic even before she fires up... and before you put on your dragster-spec race suit (which is basically twice the weight of Nomex). Will keep you all posted on here. REALLY appreciate the support and kind words... as I said, it's just me and a record because it's there and for no other reason than that. (Although a So-Cal Speed Association UNLIMITED speed licence has got to be a cool thing to mistakenly show the motorway rozzers and the blue hat of the Bonneville 300mph club will look good on my head when I'm 90 years old in the retirement home! Plus I wanted to announce something worthwhile to celebrate 1000 posts on here!) I'll also be paying my own tribute to the Brits that went before, since the first 4 won't have worn Nomex, in fact, they did it in shirt sleeves and flying goggles, I'm having my dragster suit made up to look like a dinner jacket and trousers... including nomex bow tie. Watch out, the Brits are back! Think fast thoughts for me... Cheers Rick |
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Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity at Bonneville Speedweek... |
27 Jul 2010, 13:28 (Ref:2733990) | #17 | ||
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Got room for a Ten-Tenths sticker on that contraption? :P
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27 Jul 2010, 15:14 (Ref:2734019) | #18 | ||
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That's a fantastic project, all the best to you!
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I can't drive 55. |
27 Jul 2010, 15:21 (Ref:2734020) | #19 | ||
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Amazing! The real stuff of dreams, I'm sure you'll do great!
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The wonderful dexterity of Hannu Mikkola, makes me want to shake hands with the whole of Finland. (Architecture And Morality, Ted And Alice - Half Man Half Biscuit) |
27 Jul 2010, 15:30 (Ref:2734024) | #20 | ||
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Good luck!! Sounds like a great idea and I will be looking out for more updates on this great challenge you are undertaking!!!
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27 Jul 2010, 15:34 (Ref:2734027) | #21 | ||
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Fantastic. And all done for the best of reasons.
Good luck. Jim |
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Life is not safe, just choose where you want to take the risks. |
27 Jul 2010, 19:59 (Ref:2734169) | #22 | ||
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There's 21 feet of bodywork to squeeze a 10-tenths sticker or two on if someone sends me some or points out where I can acquire them?
Cheers for the support! Rick |
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Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity at Bonneville Speedweek... |
27 Jul 2010, 20:45 (Ref:2734200) | #23 | ||
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27 Jul 2010, 22:28 (Ref:2734274) | #24 | ||
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thats a mad mad thing fair play to you .i will be looking out for ya .
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WOODY |
29 Jul 2010, 06:25 (Ref:2734953) | #25 | ||
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Well the full story and blog are up on the Evo mag website, think fast thoughts for us!
http://www.evo.co.uk/features/featur...ph_record.html Cheers |
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Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity at Bonneville Speedweek... |
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