Does anyone know what engine powered the Summers Brothers modified roadster at Bonneville in 1959? The one he flipped at 225 mph and went on to set a record of 225?
Jethro, that's what I was thinking until my eagle eyed kid told me that's not the roof. That's the engine cover, and the driver sits in front of it with no roof. Hey Jethro, how come there ain't no snow in Beverly Hills?
Hey Jethro, how come there ain't no snow in Beverly Hills?[/QUOTE] I'm sure I'm gonna regret this but......... I dunno , how come there aint no snow in Beverly Hills hemi Joel?
Damn Jimmy.....you always find the best sheet. Awesome shot of that nested engine. On another note.....that dude has hairy shoulders. Yikes !
Bill Summers was an incredible self taught engineer. The Summers Bros 300mph Polywog remains one of the best engineered cars ever to run on the salt.
That's a swing axle custom built from Ford parts. That was a popular set up in the 50's for belly tanks and rear engine roadsters. Bob Herda used that set up in his 300mph stream liner too.
My father took my brother and I to Bonneville in '59...this car plus Tom Beatty's tank and Ted Frye's tank were the ones that stuck out in my mind (though Mickey Thompson's over 300 Challenger run was memorable) We were sitting in front of my father's new '59 Chevy when the Summers roadster came through the first mile, and the grill started buzzing from the sound...you could hear it as it cleared the horizon...pretty impressive for a 16 year old kid...my brother and I still talk about it. I think that the color picture that Jimmy posted was a year later because I remember the roadster with individual tubes from the main pipe to the heads...very much like the streamliner, so I think it was the same engine. Several years later I saw the engine outside at the Wilcap dyno, realized how incredible the engineering was, even a gilmer-belt driven fuel pump at the front of the blower. As someone said above, these guys were gifted backyard engineers, and courageous as well. I missed the roadster flipping and skidding on the salt, but the magazine report from the time said that the main damage was that the paint (I remember a sort of burnt orange metallic color) was scrapped off the engine cover and the tires were wasted...but they later ran it to the 225 record...
Jimmy, Mike Cook and I did the restoration on the Summers Brothers Goldenrod. Now I am in the middle of laying out the book detailing the entire restoration and the details of the car. Part of that involves their history and I have some good photos from family and friends to support that. A long time ago you posted a color photo of their rear engine roadster. I was wondering if you knew the origin of that photo and where I might locate a high resolution copy of it. I have access to the old Petersen archives, but I particularly like the shot you posted. If you think you can help with any pictures of their roadster I would appreciate it. Find me on facebook or e-mail at [email protected]. Thanks, I appreciate it.
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