LIFE Images of Bonneville 1954 (PART III)

Rather than waiting another eight years before finishing the series, here’s a final batch of J.R. Eyerman’s beautiful images from his trip to Bonneville for Speed Week in 1954 on assignment for LIFE Magazine (and you can also catch part I and part II here). Early color pictures of hot rodding are rare, especially a large quantity taken by a professional photographer on assignment. If you ask me what the golden era of land speed racing was, it’s definitely in this period of the early to mid 50s. Why? Maximum innovation with minimum budget, innocence and exuberance all colliding on the salt.

Did I say ‘final’ batch? Who knows, I might just post a Part IV someday… I never get tired of these pictures.