Autoblog

This is what a 426-mph flying mile looks like in HD

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:59:00 EST

What's the fastest you've ever driven? We're sure many of you have crested the century mark. Some of you may have seen 150 miles per hour crawl by on the speedo, and perhaps a lucky few have experience 200. We can all but guarantee that none of you have gone as fast George Poteet, though.

Poteet is the man who strapped himself into a Bonneville Blown Fuel Streamliner known as Speed Demon, and proceeded to run down the salt flats at a tremendous rate of speed. Using a set of RePlay XD cameras (the same type we used for our Woodward Dream Cruise coverage), Poteet captured footage of his 426 mile per hour flying mile run.

For that speed, you need a serious engine, and the Speed Demon comes prepared. A 347 cubic-inch V8 mill gets paired with a pair of Turbonetics "Demon" turbochargers. The result is over 2,200 horses and a thrill ride that few get to experience.

What does it feel like to trip the lights fantastic at 426 miles per hour? Click past the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading This is what a 426-mph flying mile looks like in HD

This is what a 426-mph flying mile looks like in HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wrecked Ferrari Enzo reborn as Bonneville Salt Flats racer?

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Ferrari, Specialty

In a rebuilding job worthy of The Six Million Dollar Man, Richard Loosee's T-Top Ferrari Enzo destroyed in a 200-mile-per-hour shunt has been reborn to take on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Gone are the T-Tops, replaced by something just as outrageous: a set of turbos that will boost the Enzo's V12 to between 850 and 1,000 horsepower when gunning time comes. And they were able to repair and reuse the car's original block.

The wrecked stallion required an enormous amount of work, including repairing the carbon fiber hoop of the original tub which was fractured in the crash. The car is running during Speed Week at Bonneville, but details are still scarce. However, according to insiders on the project at Ferrari Chat, the powerplant is aided by two MoTeC M600 Engine Management Systems and Injector Dynamics ID1000 injectors. It also has a nosecone to keep the front end stable above 225 mph, a fitting match for those exhaust trumpets. Hat tips to Erik and Brandon

[Source: Daily Derbi]

Wrecked Ferrari Enzo reborn as Bonneville Salt Flats racer? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Land Speed Record driver Barry Bryant dies in 200-mph crash at Bonneville

Noah Joseph — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Barry Brant, third from left, posing with members of the Bryant family in front of the car he was driving during crash

Anyone familiar with land speed trials knows all too well the dangers inherent in pursuing new record-breaking speeds, and today we're saddened to report on the death of one Barry Bryant of Anderson, California.

According to sources, Bryant lost control of his car on Sunday afternoon during Speed Week while passing the five-mile marker on the Bonneville salt flats at 200 miles per hour. The car - called the Tom Thumb Special VII and partially visible in the Bryant family photo above - rolled multiple times, leaving a quarter-mile of debris and emergency crews to cut away at the car to remove the injured driver. Bryant was rushed to the Intermountain Medical Center some 120 miles away in Salt Lake City, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries before arriving there. Our thoughts are with the Bryant family.

[Source: Salt Lake Tribune | BryantAuto.com]

Land Speed Record driver Barry Bryant dies in 200-mph crash at Bonneville originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2007 RM Auction, Scottsdale: 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C Sold for $1.3 MIL

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 14:48:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions

1967 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra Roadster - Lot 254

Here's another gem from RM. One of Only 30 S/C (Semi-Competition) Cobras built, this ex-John Mozart Collection car was another childhood dream car visited for us. Aside from the rare supercharged specials, the S/C was the fastest Cobra around. After getting spanked by Chevy's new Corvette Grand Sport in Nassau (at Speed Week in 1963) Shelby decided they needed a big block in the Cobra. The NASCAR teams made it tough on Ol' Shel and so the iron 427 was used instead of the aluminum motor Ford had been developing for racing. The chassis had to be completely reworked, and widened by 5 inches to handle the extra bulk. These competition cars featured the wider bodies to cover the huge wheels and tires, an oil cooler, side exhaust, external fuel filler, front jacking points, roll bar, and a special 42-gallon fuel tank.

Unfortunately, the FIA inspectors who showed up on April 29th, 1965, saw only 51 finished cars and denied Shelby homologation approval. Shelby cancelled the remainder of the order with AC, who went back to building street cars. Then the FIA decided to add a new class called "Competition GT." Only 50 production versions were needed to qualify. Of the 53 competition cars Shelby had received, 16 were sold to private teams, the first two were used as prototypes, and one went to Ford Engineering. The other 30 cars ended up sitting outside Shelby's L.A. warehouse until one bright soul thought to shift them as street cars. And that's how the 427 S/C was born.

This super clean, fully documented car went for $1,300,000.

[Source: RM Auctions]

Gallery: 2007 RM Auction, Scottsdale: 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C

2007 RM Auction, Scottsdale: 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C Sold for $1.3 MIL originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Jan 2007 14:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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