My buddy Steve was talking to one of the girls that works at his store and she said " I hear you're making a car for Bonneville- My brothers used to do that". Really he said, what kind of car? .. "I dont exactly know, but it had more than one engine. I'll bring some pictures." Well today she brought em. Turns out her brothers are the Steen brothers who worked with Chet Herbert.(yeah, that Chet Herbert) on a FOUR 525 c.i. engined streamliner that surpassed 364 mph in 1993. Chunks of the tires started coming off at 300 mph and the car vibrated so badly the only thing the driver could do was try to see and keep the car between the mile markers. The car ran for four years, and now apparently still sits in their shop In Idaho Falls in complete form. It's been fifteen years, but there is talk of once again returning to the salt. I for one would love to see it! The artice is from July 12 1993. The pics belong to the Steens sister. Anyone here remember this car? Got any info to add?
Idaho falls, hmmm. I live in Boise and my brother lives there. Maybe next time I'm out there, I can follow up..
The Chet Herbert/Steen "Herbertliner" was the most awesome streamliner that I have been privileged to witness in my 20 years racing at the Salt Flats. Making fantastic 300mph+ runs, it is a sure-fire winner!
I don't know. I thought it was pretty neat when they would start it at the 0, put it in gear and drive it out. Get a little sideways hitting second. Reminded me of a '57 Chevy leaving Rustys drive in. Big heavy car.
I wouldn't say it's been fifteen years since I have pix of it on the salt in '98 for the 50th Anniversary. It was frickin' huge, of course, and the tail fin stands about 7 feet off the salt. It sounded downright mean when idling, and when the driver dropped the clutch near the starting line after being pushed off, the tires dug slots 1/8" deep, leaving rubber for quite aways. I don't remember any fast passes, but that thing has potential to go very fast!
Yeah, I'm fairly new to the salt, but I'd have loved to have seen this car make a pass. I'm sure the complexities of keeping four engines at their peak made the car unpredictable, but damn!
hamburger313..... What the HELL man? ARE you stoned or what? Do you even know how hard it is to fire just one engine on any kind of frame and try to make a pass at a record on the SALT? It maybe just me or the time of night it is ,BUT it's hard for me to get my mind around your statement! 364 MPH.........DAMN ..............Thats fast in anyones book..........
Haven't heard Al's name in a long time! Old family friend. Was at his shop probably ten years ago by now, lots of hemis stashed in the corners. At that time he was restoring his old '60's FED. If I only knew better then, I would have stuck around his place more....
Lets see.... Its 15 years later, and this year (2008) only ONE car was able to eclipse that speed. ( by 9 mph) Even the current record holder was under 200 mph. Its EXTREMELY difficult to attain even 300 mph. My hat's off to these guys. nuff said.
HMMM< Very interesting. Earlier this year, Doug Herbert [Chet's son] said that he was going to go to Bonneville. You don't suppose?????? Anyway, way interesting. See you on the Salt. Doug, Salt Cat Racing.
I have sen this car run more than once, from the three mile line it sounds like a locomotive on steroids. In the past, it usually ran The World of Speed in September rather than Speed Week. I will be there in two weeks and let you know how it went.
I remember seeing that car run at speedweek back in 1992 ,at the same meet Al Teague went over 400mph with the #76 streamliner.My first year on the salt.
That's exactly what I was thinking. I too was on the salt in '98 when they ran. It was the closing day of the World trials. They'd been trying to get it to run all week and finally that closing morning they got it running just as they closed the course. Because the crew (and nearly every other team on the salt) had worked so hard on the car all week the officials kept all of the equipment up so they could make a single run. I don't think that's typical, but it was sure cool! They towed it from the pits to the starting line and fired it up. We were down at the pits waiting for it to come back. We waited like 3 hours to see it run! All other crews were completely packed up and ready to go home, just waiting to see the car come down the course. Finally, they announce the car was off and started calling out the speeds at the marks. Been too long, but it was something like 158 at the mile, 207 at the 1.5, 268 at the 2 mile, etc. The thing was accelerating like a BEAST and we could see the salt dust on the horizon but no car yet. The ground was rumbling with the four motors at full song. It was the most incredible sound we'd ever heard! Watching the salt spray a single fin appeared over the salt like a shark fin. The car started to come into view. "335 at the three mile" or something like that. Then everything went silent and we watched the car coast down the course and past us and pull the chutes. Something happened, don't know what, and the driver shut everything down. Everyone seemed so let down. Most of the people who stayed to watch were other crews who had helped get the car running. Everyone just hung their heads, got in their vehicles and left without saying a word. And there I was, going "HOLY SHIT I JUST SAW A FOUR ENGINED STREAMLINER RUN 300+! THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!" I know the team was very somber, very disappointed. They'd had a really hard week and this wasn't the outcome they expected, but it sure made my day!
Lots of great stories and memories coming outta this thread. Thanks for starting it Chaz and thanks to those that are adding more to the thread. I can just imagine how quite the Salt was with everyone just standing there watching that one run. Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
I have seen that car run! After it left the line its tire prints were in the salt. It was one heavy liner.
I'd give anything if I could have been standing next to you watching that!! My heartrate just doubled reading your account. THANK YOU!
Glad you liked it Chaz! I enjoy writing and wish I had more time to edit and add a little more feeling to it. Too bad magazine writers don't get paid squat. I'd really love to work for one of the bigger rags and get to photograph, write, interview, etc.
i too was there in 98, and was standing on the starting line when it pulled to the line and just motored away. it's hard to forget, not that i'm trying to! dan p.s. although it's not a record 364 mph seems pretty damn fast to me
Here is a link to a cool article on this car and thier attempts from 95 http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/Club/Secure/All_Revved_Up.html
Toymont thanks for sharing great article. 364mph would apply pucker power to myself no doubt. Sometimes I just think people don't think about what they are saying. If you were about 50 ft off the ground in an airplane it would be fast and this guy is on the ground with tires coming apart,364 is fast gentleman.
I guess I'm just a lightweight. I would think that 364 miles per hour is pee in your pants, balls of steel kinda fast. 31 Tudor, your recount of the story rocks. Thanks for the pics Chaz. Doc.
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