Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: 60th Anniversary of the Challenger I at Bonneville Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Very kool!!!!.... I have the Revell model kit of that one in 1/25 scale... I hope to build it one of these years....
Couldn't find it on their site, so I assume they are sold out. One I did find was a replica of John Cobb, Railton Special from 1938 @ 350.194.
Here is another source for amazing land speed vehicles UGO FADINI LAND SPEED RECORD MODELS And his site: http://www.ugofadini.com/disctchall59.html
I believe it was injected in 1959 and blown in 1960. I personally believe Mickey Thompson was the greatest motorsports personality ever. Drag racing, Stock Car racing, Sports Car racing, Land Speed Racing, Indy Car racing....he did it all.
Your right-- Injected in '59 and then 6-71 Superchargers added for 1960, hence the air scoop body modifications!
It came out a few years ago (2015?), but these guys seem to have the lowest price on it: https://www.mintmodels.com/1959MickeyThompsonChallenger1ResinModelCarin118ScalebyReplicar.aspx
check out the latest issue of the Smithsonian magazine (July/Aug 2019) for a great article on Mickey & Danny Thompson...
I was a big Summers Bros fan...wish they would try again...Bob was good friend.always kept the car at my house when out on tour,
Hello, With Bonneville just around the corner, those days always brings up stored memories. That Challenger was pretty amazing for 1959. The design, fit and finish was a bit beyond most hot rod drag racers. Mickey Thompson’s Shop had some pretty cool machinists and mechanics. When the rumors started about the build, we tried to get a peak at the happenings in the garage/shop near our Long Beach house. They had taken over the old Joe Mailliard Shop and developed quite a following. The shop was a short bicycle ride away, from our house, to see some pretty cool builds. We did get to see parts of the build, but not the whole thing coming together until it was finished. Then it was photographed by the big name magazines and raced at Bonneville. Now, the whole world saw the beautiful creation from the Mickey Thompson Enterprises in the good old, Westside of Long Beach. We were all proud locals. The guys at the shop were probably tired of seeing our faces. But, it was one of the Drag News outlets and close to the Santa Fe Importers, as well as our Golden Star Hamburger Restaurant. So, there was always a reason for two growing teenagers to frequent the race shop and the food centers. My mom always had great food ready to serve. But, these places had a different kind of food and it was tasty. Both speed shop's guys frequented these food locations, almost daily. The MT/JM shop guys that went to Lions from 1957 to 1960, saw our development of the 58 Impala racing and the build of the 1940 Willys coupe for the B/Gas and C/Gas class. They liked our hot rods and builds. Especially, when we drove up to the shop with the almost finished 671 SBC Willys Coupe. Jnaki The Thompson Speed Shop had some of the coolest parts and machining facilities around. So, it was no wonder that those creations came flying out at a rapid rate. One of them was this giant, 4 Pontiac engine, record setting, race car.
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