Always wanted to get into building a car to scream across the salts in. I’m finally in a position where I can start building something but I’m a bit out of the loop on the how to’s. Anybody got a link to the basics? I’m using a model a coupe. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
This is not a build of a model A but it is a link to the build of our Studebaker and the years we ran in at Bonneville and other land speed events. hooley-index.html The 3 primary builders of the car were your average retired middle class hot rodders. (We had a very limited budget and lots of good friends) A lot of the car was built outside in a driveway and it was stored outside most of its racing life. One of the big expenses was the cost of all the safety equipment. You will spend a lot of money. You will have a lot of fun.
i have a 57 fiat comp coupe thats run Bville and Maxton,parked in my trailer for the last 15 years,for sale,no engine. quick change and BW super T10 included. fast car,needs a home.
Get a sponsor. I have seen how this deal works close up, and it takes talent, ingenuity, craft and a wad of money. And, you should already know all this from the club you belong to. Yeah. Dry lakes racing is something else again. I did say it takes money, right? Get a sponsor who has money to burn. Then get the rule book. It's the old saying all over again."How fast do you want to go? How much money do you want to spend?" Just like making movies, never spend your own money. Get a sponsor.
It will be a lot cheaper to buy one, work it into your needs, and I personally see LSR in a different light than I did years ago. It is an expensive ordeal especially with safety requirements today. As speed increases so do the requirements you need because of existing records which dictates what you will need. I’ve competed since 1975 and looking back it was fun, frustrating, expensive, and for the entire time I was in vintage cars with vintage engines. I’m not telling you not to do it at all, but in this time, what’s going on in our county, and the salt surface everything should be considered. I wish you well.
My buddy and I built a car in my 2 car garage. We did everything but the roll cage and the engine machine work. Took it out there the last two years. Skipping this year due to personal issues and Covid . Nowhere near the record yet but:: 1) I built a landspeed car in my garage 2) We made it through tech and I did a bailout (68 years old and kinda chunky) 3)We broke 100 mph (107) 4) I got to race on Bonneville Salt Flats!!!!! Total build cost of the car, ready to race was less than $30K.....money well spent. Hopefully we are back next year. Go for it
been to Bonneville Speed Week? - learn a lot by doing so - yes, need to read rule book over and over to make sure that your ride, built by you or one that you buy, meets all requirements of class that you will run in - changes in rules usually every year - dedication and passion required for any type of racing -
That is an absolute must. Get a current rule book and study it until the pages are worn out. Probably not a good year for it but if you make it to Speedweek as a spectator this year spend a good amount of time observing the tech inspection operation at a respectful distance. I'd agree that your best option is probably to buy a car that has passed tech in the past and has raced. Something like Randydupree's Fiat would probably put you two years ahead in your quest to get to the salt. The comp coupe class you ran in would depend on the engine you ran. A guy had an OT land speed car plus trailer for sale a hundred miles from me a few years back that would have got a guy into a 200 mph + car for a seriously friendly price. He had marked land speed racing off his bucket list and was selling the whole setup and moving on to the next thing on the list. I looked at that add for a long time but still couldn't afford it.
From experience. It is hard to get any sponsor help even after you have broken two records. We appreciated all the help we got, but it was a small part of the overall expense. After the car is built, you have the travel expenses, entry fees, high price motel rooms, and restaurants. Again, it was all worth the cost, but it is not cheap.
Maybe subscribe to the Bonneville Racing News and see what is for sale in there. Rule book of course. Where are you? Maybe ECTA makes more sense that El Mirage and the whole club requirement. Are you thinking V4/pro or something like that? If your thinking 200 club, Model A isn't the best body style if you plan to get serious about big speed. Or 32. But some guys never seem to catch on.
[[/ATTACH] Robert Dalton · Mickey Thompson Tires 24.5 x 7.50 -16 12 total $600 · San Martin, California Mickey Thompson Tires 24.5 x 7.50 -16 Land Speed Tires 6 mounted on custom rims rims maybe available … Contact me for more info. You need good safety stuff to pass tech.
If you by chance, decide to purchase a car that has run B-Ville before, study the rule book in regard to current roll cage sizes, I have seen a few that won't pass today's tech.
Can't tell from your profile where you are located but the east coast has the ECTA that runs a paved LSR event in Arkansas a few times a year. they do have a flathead (pre 47) class as well as others. Not sure how this compares to El Mirage and Bonneville but it is Land speed racing and, depending on your location may be a less expensive option... Info can be found here https://www.ectamile.com/about-2/ Chappy
here is a thread on the guys from VA that built an XO/PP truck. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/xo-pp-bonneville-project.1091049/ If you join the Virginia HAMB social forum you can see the build thread... Chappy
As said, you need a rulebook first. Then plan on hitting a couple meets, Speedweek, World of Speed etc BEFORE you make any decisions. Racing on the salt is unlike any other motorsport endeavor. Building the car in many cases is the easy part. The logistics of getting there are just as big of a hurdle. Plan on packing like you are racing on the moon.