Bonneville Salt Flats....

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Abodybomber

Abodybomber

Breaking street machines , since 1983.....:)
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Always wanted, to go. Was invited once, turned it down ( like a idiot...., nothing new there ) Has anyone been ?
 
I'd like to go one day. With or without a car to race.
 
An old friend, not a very close one, set many many records there with motorcycles, Triumphs and Harleys, he passed away a couple years ago before I got to go see his new shop, he had a stroke/heart attack and died there in his shop full of passions.
 
In the late 90's while driving our motorhome west we stumbled across Wendover.Said to the wife "Look the salt flats." Not even knowing it was "Speed Week".Once off the road you will swear you are on the face of the Moon ! I know this sounds silly but I was so excited when we stopped, I got out and with a spoon, started to fill baggies with the salt to mail to family and friends back east.It is UN-describable..Spent the day looking at cars,bikes,streemliners. The best was the massive diesel trucks blowin' thick black smoke at 200+ MPH. It is a must for anyones bucket list ! It made mine.....
 
I also have a good friend that set many records there! He too passed a couple years ago, although his son still goes every year! Google "Lynn Yakel" sometime, he was an amazing person, car guy and aerospace engineer! His car was in the first issue of Hod Rod magazine, and is one of the highest sought after cars in the hobby! Been MIA since the 60's!! He was a big Gullwing enthusiast and owner as well, and was the only person in the US licensed to reproduce Gullwing parts!! They just sold off his inventory of parts for $300k!! Geof
 
Your talking about going at speed week right? I plan on going next year to see my friend go for a world record in his vw. He has to average more than 225 in his hatch :)
 
There is talk of a guy with a early Barracuda over on slantsix.org that has taken/will be taking his slant to attack the salt.Can't say that for sure.
 
I've been there, but not when they were racing.
It's so flat there, that you can see the curvature of the earth.
I saved a sample of the salt water to bring home.
 
I know what y'all are saying. Bonneville has a special call to a lot of us.
I've never been, but it's definitely on my bucket list.
A good friend of mine and I were making plans to go about ten years ago, but then his cancer kicked his but way too quickly and we never made it.
Another good friend, and car club buddy, has been to Bonneville, and raced there, many times. He keeps saying he feels like he's got one more trip in him. We talk about it a lot - guess we're just going to have to do it!
Last January at the Grand National Roadster Show at the Fairplex in Pomona they dedicated an entire building to nothing but salt flat racers. It was amazing to see such a wide variety of different vehicles - bikes and cars - that have raced there over the years. Even got to see the "World's Fastest Indian" bike. Here's a few pics:

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IQ52's pappy raced there I think. Maybe he will chime in and tell us about it.
 
Been there 'bout three times during speed week. Pop held a land speed record with his '59 Plymouth 361 in 1959. Ran 150.246MPH average both ways. That was when they let smaller cubic inch blown engines run with the normally aspirated. Blown small block Chevy took the record away from him after 3 days. Pop was the first guy to run 180MPH one way in an unblown stock bodied sedan. One year we pitted right next to Mickey Thompson and the four Pontiac engine Challenger. Watched a Lakester flip and roll across the salt at 245MPH. Driver got salt in his eyes and was otherwise uninjured. Watched Norm Thatcher dodge a wheel coming at him at over 200MPH that came flying off the Lakester when it wrecked.

Interesting place that salt flat.
 
IQ52 said:
Been there 'bout three times during speed week. Pop held a land speed record with his '59 Plymouth 361 in 1959. Ran 150.246MPH average both ways. That was when they let smaller cubic inch blown engines run with the normally aspirated. Blown small block Chevy took the record away from him after 3 days. Pop was the first guy to run 180MPH one way in an unblown stock bodied sedan. One year we pitted right next to Mickey Thompson and the four Pontiac engine Challenger. Watched a Lakester flip and roll across the salt at 245MPH. Driver got salt in his eyes and was otherwise uninjured. Watched Norm Thatcher dodge a wheel coming at him at over 200MPH that came flying off the Lakester when it wrecked.

Interesting place that salt flat.
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They have had crap weather for the normal speed week a while. My friend got out last year on a rain date I believe and ended up running 208 before some valve train items decided to stop doing their job. His and his dad's stories and yours makes me want to go so bad.

I guess this should be included in the thread about regrets but I WILL be at speed week in the next two years!
 
IQ52 said:
Been there 'bout three times during speed week. Pop held a land speed record with his '59 Plymouth 361 in 1959. Ran 150.246MPH average both ways. That was when they let smaller cubic inch blown engines run with the normally aspirated. Blown small block Chevy took the record away from him after 3 days. Pop was the first guy to run 180MPH one way in an unblown stock bodied sedan. One year we pitted right next to Mickey Thompson and the four Pontiac engine Challenger. Watched a Lakester flip and roll across the salt at 245MPH. Driver got salt in his eyes and was otherwise uninjured. Watched Norm Thatcher dodge a wheel coming at him at over 200MPH that came flying off the Lakester when it wrecked.

Interesting place that salt flat.
Click to expand...

Awesome stories, IQ. That's honking for a 361 in a full size Plymouth, should be proud as hell. Norm Thatcher"s crazy full size Mopar's were absolutely crazy, in those times. Thanks everyone , for sharing.
 
IQ52 said:
Been there 'bout three times during speed week. Pop held a land speed record with his '59 Plymouth 361 in 1959. Ran 150.246MPH average both ways. That was when they let smaller cubic inch blown engines run with the normally aspirated. Blown small block Chevy took the record away from him after 3 days. Pop was the first guy to run 180MPH one way in an unblown stock bodied sedan. One year we pitted right next to Mickey Thompson and the four Pontiac engine Challenger. Watched a Lakester flip and roll across the salt at 245MPH. Driver got salt in his eyes and was otherwise uninjured. Watched Norm Thatcher dodge a wheel coming at him at over 200MPH that came flying off the Lakester when it wrecked.

Interesting place that salt flat.
Click to expand...


Awesome stuff. Thanks, Jim.
 
whitepunkonnitro said:
Bucket list thing here too. Actually put a 170 Slant aside for a "someday" LSR project. Like I don't have enough stuff that will probably never get done!
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Geez Tony, LMAO ... A friend of mine was minority owner and product manager of a CNC shoe horse company. He decided on one of the early Honda 600 cars , to tweak. He got his record, in the late 90's. Was miffed when someone out thought/ spent him. Sold the car, with frustration.
 
The class we were running in with Norm Thatcher required that you fire up the car on the starting line with the starter. That big blown wedge wouldn't fire that way to save it's life. It had to be push started with the truck.

Well of course, one of the others in the class pointed that out to the officials. So the next time Norm was to run they wanted it fired with the starter. Norm, my dad and the others on the crew huddled for a minute. Then went to the official starter and huddled with him. The huddle broke up and the official circled his finger in the air for the start up. They push started the Dodge, Norm warmed it up and made a u-turn back to the starting line, they lifted the hood and shut the engine off. The instant the engine stopped, he hit the key and it fired right off!

The protestor threw his hands in the air and stomped off muttering, "How the hell can you beat those guys."
 
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