History Saftey Hell 1901 henry race car

Ok fellas i got this in an email from a old hot rodder friend.
I think I have seen this before and I guess this is not truley a traditional hot rod but it is just cool and if you are at all interested in Henry Ford history you just got to check it out.

No brakes, no seat back no seat belts or roll bars and it would go fast enough to kill you grave yard dead.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ru_hC9oGVbo?feature=player_detailpage

Note the first little bit is boring as the devil but suffer through it if you can.

Benno

 

don't think I'd wanna go 75 mph in that thing...cool as hell tho. Thanks beano

 

And a 156 to 1 gear ratio,,holy cow! HRP

 

This was a new video for me !! Thank you so much for sharing it !!!

 

Larry,
It gets better man. The Tires were cotton ply bias tires.

Didn't that chitty chitty bang bang motor cound cool?

 

Great video, thank you for the link. According to what I found on a quick search:
539ci. flat twin, 2-speed epi transmission with 1:56 high gear. With 26 horsepower, that gearing must have played an important role in the car's winning performance.

The Winton company, it's competition, eventually became a part of GM. In later years Winton built marine and locomotive 2-cycle diesels, so may have provided the basis for GM's diesel business.

 

Zerk,
Its funny I think most of us just figue that Ford designed and built the model T and it was all roses and mint julips after that. I doubt that the average fella is aware that he had alrready failed at business at least once.

I was not aware about the Winton/GM connection.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

I've read alittle about sweepstakes but this was the first video i've seen of her driving. amazeing. thanks for shareing

 

It was quite the car when you think about it. I ran a few flat track motor cycles that didn't have any brakes, running without brakes on a dirt oval is nutz, I can't imagine running that car without them. We could throw the bioke sideways and use the friction on the tires to slow down or get against a berm, not likely you could do that in the situation that the little car was running.

There is a lot about that car that none of us would really want to try and then again the danger makes it a little appealing.

 

That must be 1.56:1. I don't think the wheel turns 56 times for every crank rev.

 

J scow
yes 1.56:1 still an airplane gear by any manner of the imagination. I cannot begine to fathom how that even got it rolling with those gears and those tall tires. I'll bet it took it one complete lap to get up to speed.

 

Thanks PnBeaner. I may have seen this but it was still enjoyable.

 

First time I've seen the video and I enjoyed it and it goes to show that men were men back then. They had big balls.

 

I saw that video a few days ago and really enjoyed it. I love the Brass era cars and all their innovations.

 

Very informative. About 90% of that I did not know. All I knew was that he had won the race and that it helped launch FORD. Can you imagine how his parents must of thought of his escapades while living on their dime and failing in something so new in concept? I like the quote about Henry being terrified and saying "Never again!" after the race. What a life changing moment of success!