History #990 "Golden Rod" Streamliner ... PICS from 1958!!!

[Rich Venza]

Interesting you mention Coors and aluminum. Tommy wasn't a graduate engineer, but was a very key person in the development of the first aluminum can in the industry while working in the engineering department there. He never got the credit for his creative work on the project, and in the mid-80's when times were tuff at Coors and folks were being let go to cut costs, Tommy received a pink slip, just before retirement age.

Some things in business haven't changed much in twenty odd years, and NO, Coors didn't sponsor any part of the Golden Rod..

[ChevyGirlRox]

What a great story!

I don't remember seeing the #990 car in the Petersen during any of my recent visits. Check your PMs

[Rich Venza]

I've received several photos from Tom McIntyre, present owner of the Golden Rod. I have every confidence the 'liner has found a dedicated owner and a safe home.
The first row from left to right are all at Bonneville 1955, 1957 and 1954. Note the '54 photo shows the 'liner without the rear fin and canopy added in the winter of '55. It also looks to me that the tail fin was raised at some point, most likely when the parachute housing was added in Lincoln by Dave Thomssen and Don Walling. Housing of choice was a standard metal mail box.
Tommy also added the large V with an 88 to indicate its Oldsmobile power plant. Tommy's wife Dorothy can be seen on the right side in shorts and one of his daughters is standing with her back to the photographer.
The next 7 were taken recently at Tom McIntyre's, the the last probably in 2002 on the Salt.
I understand that additional restoration/preservation work will be done to the old warrior.

[Rich Venza]

Originally Posted by HEMI32

Here's another pic culled from the Internet:


Courtesy the BRYANT FAMILY RACING website (click HERE).

This photo is from the second year the Lincoln group took the car to the Salt. Note the class designation of X/GS, this would be a gas flathead with 4 Strombergs under the canopy.

[HEMI32]

Originally Posted by ChevyGirlRox

What a great story!

I don't remember seeing the #990 car in the Petersen during any of my recent visits. Check your PMs

Just to clear-up any confusion ... Rich & I have since confirmed that VAPHEAD's buddy "Dennis" actually sold the #990 Golden Rod streamliner to Tom McIntyre ... not the Petersen Automotive museum ... an understandable mistake since Tom McIntyre is also in SoCal and has a nice Auto museum of his own (albeit not as extensive as the Petersen).

I'd also like to thank Rich Venza, VAPHEAD, Rex Schimmer, ChevyGirlRox, Richard Parks (editor of the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians newsletter), and Tom McIntyre for your contributions to this thread ... what a cool place the H.A.M.B. is!

Stay tuned ...

[hotrod1940]

One thread like this makes up for a thousand junk posts. Thanks to all who contributed. True hotrodding history.

[autobilly]

Originally Posted by DocWatson

Is it just me or does this line make you feel slightly ill?


Rich, YOU aren the man!
Doc.

Yeah, it's a sad story. But after all, that's what they're for.

[zellerware]

Amazing car! The legend lives on! what a great story..

[sodbuster]

Very cool post.........my Pops met "Dennis" at the Iola, Kansas carshow back in 01' and he mentioned that he had the "Goldenrod" and invited us to stop by and check it out next time we were in Colorado.

Chris Nelson
Kansas

[jerry]

This needs to go to the tech archive!

Thank you all for the history lessons.


jerry

[paperdog]

ok .. whats in the 3rd b/w pic behind the bushes? a center door "t" or a stage coach .... it ain't a chicken coupe!

[scottybaccus]

I fly to Amsterdam every couple of months. At 40,000 feet, I look down and feel really humble at how expansive the world seems.

It's posts like this that put me in check and remind me of how small the world really is, but they leave me feeling even more humbled.

Thanks all!

[HEMI32]

Originally Posted by paperdog

ok .. whats in the 3rd b/w pic behind the bushes? a center door "t" or a stage coach .... it ain't a chicken coupe!

Yeah, I noticed that too ... looks to be a Model T Center Door Sedan ... here's the best I can do for a zoom (click image to enlarge):

[Gotzy]

Originally Posted by HEMI32

I'd also like to thank Rich Venza, VAPHEAD, Rex Schimmer, ChevyGirlRox, Richard Parks (editor of the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians newsletter), and Tom McIntyre for your contributions to this thread ... what a cool place the H.A.M.B. is!

Now it would be rude for someone to not thank HEMI32 also, so consider yourself added to the list!

Cool thread as I'm now salt infected after my first trip to Bonneville this year.

Cheers for the thread

Gotzy

[HEMI32]

A 12"x18" color print of this 1954 photo of Tommy's streamliner can be purchase from Hausdorf Studios ... just click HERE (it's print #BSF8).


NOTE: The Jalopy Journal, the H.A.M.B., and the originator of this post (HEMI32) are in no way affiliated with Hausdorf Studios

[HEMI32]

A signed 11"x17" B&W print of this beautiful Darrell Mayabb cut-a-way illustration of the 'liner is
also available for purchase ... just click HERE.

NOTE: The Jalopy Journal, the H.A.M.B., and the originator of this post (HEMI32) are in no way affiliated with Motorbug.com

[Rich Venza]

With all the interest in this thread, Todd suggested I dig out some more candid photos from our years on the Salt.
The first was taken at Salt Lake City Airport parking lot. While we were waiting for Don Kehr's plane to arrive, another race car pulled to pickup a crew member. It was steam powered.
The next 3 are general shots while waiting in line. There's always something to do or check, or tighten. Don has his fire suit drying after the run. We almost never went back to our pit, but did our adjustments while waiting the 2+ hours in line.
Last photo is the famous Hayseed hisself, David Thomssen. With out Dave's expertise on making lots of horsepower from obsolete motors, plus his stable of flatheads & Arduns, we would all have been spectators.
Dave is a geologist by trade and has years of thinking about what's going on under ground. I believe it's that internal vision that gives him a unique understanding of whats going on inside the combustion chamber.

[Rich Venza]

In an attempt to get Don Kehr in the 200 club, I purchased a mid-70's front engine dragster up in St Paul. Dave, Don and the team fit the Ardun to the chassis, I built a fiberglass rear body and the aircraft front pants. Body worked well but the pants were a disaster and were pulled after 2 passes.

Tommy Thompson can be seen kneeling next to the car in the photo in the upper right. Also take note of the camper in the background which he built at home. Quite the craftsman, he also built a Ranchero type custom from a mid-60's Thunderbird.

New car, less frontal area, should have gone 200+. It was on a strong pass when the crank decided to exit south. What was left was a familiar can opener modification to the pan in the same place as in other photos earlier.

Pop Thomssen, discussed in earlier posts, can be seen sweeping the salt out of the engine bay. This was the only year we ran this car. It went with Don Kehr to California where it was sold to a ET racer. I was told the first pass on a drag strip, the frame broke just behind the front axle.

[Rich Venza]

I hope EVERYONE who goes to experience next years Speed Week takes some time to visit the Wendover Visitors Center. For most of the young guns attending these days, Wendover might only be known as the place to eat, drink, gamble and sleep. But when I was 3, in 1945, it was the place where the 509th Composite Group trained, and trained, and then trained some more. They didn't know why, they just did it because those were their orders.

For many years the only part of this history was a small museum in the flight office at the airport. I made sure I went every year...I felt I owed it to all those airmen who brought WWII to a speedy end.

Be sure to visit it in 2009.

[brainfrz]

What a wonderful collection of history. Thanks Hemi32 for digging it up and the rest of the Hambs for joining in.

jon