Chet Herbert Beast IV

It seems after Chet Herbert was done with the Beast IV it passed through a numerous owners who continued to race it. Over the years it went through many modifications from the original. Last year or so it resurfaced, was sold and appeared at the 2012 Classy Chassis Concours D'Elegance in Houston supposedly on the way to a restoration back to its original configuration. I'm looking for photos of the car after it left Chet. Also, does anyone know who is doing the restoration? Thanks for any info.

 

Custom Auto in Colorado did the restoration on the Beast III. An old family friend, Dana Fuller, was one of the owners after Chet sold it. I saw it at the NHRA Museum after the restoration and it's better than ever.

 

Love me some old salt racers!

 

We restored the Beast III at the shop the Beast IV was at the shop at the same time I stripped the paint off the fender pods and we were working on the research of the history of the car, unfortunately we were unable to come to terms with the owner at the time and the project was put on hold and it went to Texas. I would love to see or be able to get the chance to restore the Beast IV the two cars were built very much the same it would be great to see them go the completed.

 

I took this snapshot of the former "Chet Herbert Beast IV" streamliner the last time it was on the salt ... at the 43rd Annual Bonneville Speed Week ... in August of 1991:

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The '91 Speed Week program lists the #666 'liner as pre-entered in the XO/BFS class ... Owner/Driver: Bruce Johnston of Burbank, CA ... Crew: Bruce & Helen Johnston, Dave Logan ... Sponsor: Social Security & Welfare ... Engine: 310cid GMC 6 turbo charged.

The '90 Speed Week program lists the #6661 'liner as pre-entered in the XO/FS class ... Owned, driven and crewed by Bruce Johnston ... powered by a 1950 GMC 302 with electronic ignition and nitrous.

I checked my other pre-90 Bonneville programs ('89, '88, '87, '86, '85, '84, '79, & '71) and unfortunately, none of them make mention of a #666 'liner entry.

 

Here's a pic of the #666 'liner (Johnston XO/GS configuration) at El Mirage:

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... and a circa August 2010 pic the #666 'liner from the Hemmings For Sale Ad:

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For the sake of comparison, here's some vintage photos of Chet Herbert's "BEAST" 4 streamliner culled from the Internet:

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Good history

 

The original "Beast" around 1950 with Al Keys aboard. This bike set top speed of the meet many times in the early days of drag racing when 2 wheelers raced againt 4 wheelers. Chet can be seen behind the bike.

Doug Herbert owns it now and is nearly finished with the restoration.

 

I believe this is the car Bruce was driving when we lost him in a crash at one of the Muroc Reunions. There were 5 reunions held in the mid 90s. Following the 9/11 attack Muroc was closed to racing events. I do not know what happen to the remains of the car.

DW

 

a few shots i have of the Beast IV





The best shot ever.




Like most race cars it will take a bit to get the car restored back to the way Chet Herbert first built the fender pods are the same the rest of the sheetmetal has been tweaked to accommodate different drive trains and motor set up over the years, but still a car worth saving.

 

Thanks for the photos and the background info. Hemi32, do you have any other photos of the car from 1991? Is there anyone else that saw the car in 1991? Thanks again.

 

@Dan Warner -

It wasn't the #666 Streamliner ... Bruce was driving a Lakester @ Muroc when he lost his life

Here's his obit from the Land Speed Racer Memorial website:

Bruce Johnston

Born: February 26, 1922

Died: June 27, 1998

Age: 76

Full Name: Bruce B. Johnston

Location: Rogers (formerly Muroc) Dry Lake, California

Event: SCTA "Return to Muroc Reunion"

Accident Date: June 27, 1998

Vehicle: Lakester

Biographical: In 1996, the SCTA returned to Rogers Dry Lake for speed trials. Races hadn't taken place there since 1941, at which time it was called Muroc Dry Lake. Johnston was one of the first to run on Saturday morning in his lakester. He was trying to reach a speed of 200 MPH when the car veered to one side and catapulted into the air. The car overturned several times in the air before hitting the ground. He was transported to Edwards Air Force Base hospital where he was pronounced dead of massive head and chest injuries. He was survived by his widow, Sarah Helen Johnston. They lived in Burbank, California. He was a veteran racer on the dry lakes.

Sources

"76-year-old race car driver from Burbank killed in crash," Los Angeles Daily News, June 29, 1998

California Birth Index (Bruce B. Johnston, born Feb. 26, 1922, in LA Co., mother’s maiden name was Sandefer)

1930 U.S. Census (Bruce B. Johnston, age 8, born in Calif., son of Everett E. and Orma S. Johnston, living in Burbank)

U.S. World War II Enlistment Records (Bruce B. Johnston, born 1922 in LA Co., Cal., enlisted in LA, Cal. On Oct. 10, 1942, in Army Air Corps, civil occupation was airplane mechanic, single)

Social Security Death Index (Bruce B. Johnston, born Feb. 26, 1922, died June 27, 1998, SS# issued in Cal. Before 1951, last residence was Burbank, area code 91506)

 

Here's another cool under construction pic of the "BEAST 4":

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Chet Herbert wrote the following caption on the back of the photo:

"George Barris of Barris Kustoms making notes on the car as a police officer from Lynnwood, CA. stops by to check on our progress at about 2 in the morning. We worked straight through the night for 3 days to get the car ready to take to Bonneville Speed Week".

 

@quidnunc - No ... sorry ... that's the only pic I shot of the #666 'liner @ Speed Week '91.