[DeTomaso] NPC: Salt Flats Run

Charles McCall charlesmccall at gmail.com
Tue Aug 14 11:24:18 EDT 2018


Nice story... surprising that the same aerodynamics from the 60's was used.
That's moving right along, and the aerodynamics have to be pretty spot-on to
keep the car planted without TOO much downforce, etc. Nice work!


-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com] On Behalf
Of Larry
Sent: martes, 14 de agosto de 2018 20:49
To: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] NPC: Salt Flats Run

Mickey Thompson first set his sights on the land speed record at Bonneville
in the '60s, going close with his Challenger 1 hot rod in 1960 but then
breaking down on the return run. Another attempt in 1968 with the Challenger
2 was then brought undone by a rainstorm that turned the salt flats into a
lake.

Mickey retired from racing but kept the dream alive, partnering with son
Danny to launch another attempt, though this collaboration came to a tragic
end when Mickey and his wife were murdered in 1988. Now, on the 50th
anniversary of the Challenger 2's construction, Danny has completed the job,
riding the very same vehicle to glory.

 

Well, mostly the same vehicle. After being left untouched for more than 40
years, Danny pulled the Challenger 2 out of storage and began the
restoration process. This meant leaving the exterior mostly as it was, but
making some modern upgrades to bring the car up to speed with today's
standards.

It uses the same chassis, aerodynamics and exterior madeup of 68 hand-formed
aluminum panels as the 1968 version. The Ford 427 engines, however, have
been replaced by two dry block nitro-fueled Hemi V8 engines that pump out
2,500 hp (1,800 kW) apiece, more than double the output of the original.

 <javascript:void(0)> 

 <javascript:void(0)> The Challenger 2 is a refurbished streamliner
originally constructed in 1968

 

With a total curb weight of 5,200 lb (2,360 kg), the Challenger 2 burns
through around 50 gallons (190 L) of its nitro/methanol fuel on each 5-mile
(8-km) run, which sees it wind up 500 lb (227 kg) lighter than when it
began. Another change is the addition of carbon ceramic disk brakes and dual
parachutes with four-foot blossoms, which replace the outgoing braking
mechanism: deploying parachutes by first blasting away a section of the rear
wing with compressed air.

Now all that hard work has paid off. At Speed Week 2018, Thompson kicked
things off with a 446.605-mph (718.7-km/h) run on Saturday, followed by a
450.909-mph (725.6-km/h) run on Sunday's return. The two-way average of
448.757 mph (722 km/h) outstrips the 439-mph (706-km/h) record set at
Bonneville in 2012, and makes the Challenger 2 the world's fastest piston
powered car.

 

Larry - Cleveland




More information about the DeTomaso mailing list