Whats the problem with The Unlimited land speed record?

[Malcolm UK]

...why not produce an... electric vehicle that can travel one thousand kilometres under continuous motion ........

Malcolm, Derby, England   

Working on it 

Thought you might be doing that Graham.  Mine was just a gentle prod to the UK electric scene to work on something other than 500 mph speed on four wheels.  [I happen to be old school and internal combustion, but with some external combution thrown in as well for steam power].

Malcolm

[tauruck]

Hi Malcolm, you sound like an educated and well informed guy.

Do you have your own project other than the involvement with Bloodhound?.

Thanks.

Mike.

[TrickyDicky]

www.carbinitelsr.com

See you at World Finals.

Smart ass comment: you might want to rethink the first part of the first goal...

Our Goals:

1 ~ to break the 500 mph barrier at Bonneville Speed Week 2014 and become the fastest wheel driven car on the planet.

2 ~ to inspire young people in the importance of math and science, showing what can be accomplished in these fields.

3 ~ to develop new power plants that showcase non-government funded sustainable alternative fuels such as natural gas and electric.

4 ~ to develop extremely fuel efficient cars that significantly exceed current fuel mileage records.

More seriously, exceeding 400 mph might be relatively straightforward, but it puts you in a pretty exclusive club.  All the evidence suggests the next 100 mph is extremely difficult to achieve even if you have a vehicle that is theoretically capable of that speed.

Personally, I find the current competition for the wheel driven record fascinating.  Arguably there are more than 10 serious contenders with a 3 or 4 different approaches.  All are probably capable of setting class records, but who will come out on top?

[TrickyDicky]

Hi Malcolm, you sound like an educated and well informed guy.

Mike.

Amongst other things, Malcolm is heavily involved in the Speed Record Club (see http://www.speedrecordclub.com/) as News Editor of their Fast Facts magazine.  As such, it is his "job" to be well informed. 

Unfortunately, the SRC web site appears to be about a year out of date ("Latest News" is August 2013), but don't get me started on that.

[Malcolm UK]

Hi Malcolm, you sound like an educated and well informed guy.

Mike.

Amongst other things, Malcolm is heavily involved in the Speed Record Club (see http://www.speedrecordclub.com/) as News Editor of their Fast Facts magazine.  As such, it is his "job" to be well informed.  

Unfortunately, the SRC web site appears to be about a year out of date ("Latest News" is August 2013), but don't get me started on that.

I have worked on my own racing and speed projects (steam rocket and turbo diesel) and assembled and drove circuit racing special saloons (sedans) in speed events against the clock; prepared race special saloon cars for others; elected member of the British Racing Mechanics Club; driven for clients whose record attempts I have organised in the UK - including driving the jet car Vampire (google that name!); hold with other journalists UK distance and time records for Volvo UK since 2001; organised most record attempts made in the UK (up to 2011), the USA twice and Tunisia (but failed to get a car to South Africa to challenge the mile record); support the SRC as much as I can, having been Chairman from '94 to end '99; I do not work for Richard Noble or BLOODHOUND SSC (managed one long day for Thrust SSC); will get around to improving the SRC website, but can I suggest the SRC facebook forum for all to make contact with fellow speed enthusiasts; a partner in the UK Timing Association (UKTA) which organises standing mile events on UK airfields. And I watch what all of the contributors to Landracing.com are doing to report to the SRC membership through Fast FACTS. Not sure if well educated matters, but I am pleased to have become friends with some of the best at speed racing around the world.  

[JulesT]

Hi All,

I'm comms manager on the BH Project. It's great seeing such lively discussion around the unlimited class of LSR. We're at a very exciting time right now with two / three teams getting close to or already running.

It's interesting that BLOODHOUND's weight and complexity has been raised here as Andy discusses these in his BBC diary: http://bbc.in/1ponVCb

Appreciate your thoughts,

Jules

[tauruck]

Hi Malcolm, you sound like an educated and well informed guy.

Mike.

Amongst other things, Malcolm is heavily involved in the Speed Record Club (see http://www.speedrecordclub.com/) as News Editor of their Fast Facts magazine.  As such, it is his "job" to be well informed.  

Unfortunately, the SRC web site appears to be about a year out of date ("Latest News" is August 2013), but don't get me started on that.

I have worked on my own racing and speed projects (steam rocket and turbo diesel) and assembled and drove circuit racing special saloons (sedans) in speed events against the clock; prepared race special saloon cars for others; elected member of the British Racing Mechanics Club; driven for clients whose record attempts I have organised in the UK - including driving the jet car Vampire (google that name!); hold with other journalists UK distance and time records for Volvo UK since 2001; organised most record attempts made in the UK (up to 2011), the USA twice and Tunisia (but failed to get a car to South Africa to challenge the mile record); support the SRC as much as I can, having been Chairman from '94 to end '99; I do not work for Richard Noble or BLOODHOUND SSC (managed one long day for Thrust SSC); will get around to improving the SRC website, but can I suggest the SRC facebook forum for all to make contact with fellow speed enthusiasts; a partner in the UK Timing Association (UKTA) which organises standing mile events on UK airfields. And I watch what all of the contributors to Landracing.com are doing to report to the SRC membership through Fast FACTS. Not sure if well educated matters, but I am pleased to have become friends with some of the best at speed racing around the world.  

I messed up. I actually wanted to ask Martine but when I looked at the previous post I saw Malcolm. No harm. Thanks for the info man.

[martine]

Hi Malcolm, you sound like an educated and well informed guy.

Do you have your own project other than the involvement with Bloodhound?.

Thanks.

Mike.

If this was aimed at me - then no I don't...I'm just an ambassador with Bloodhound.

[Malcolm UK]

I messed up. I actually wanted to ask Martine

As you will see Tauruck there are many different people taking an interest in speed the UK and the Bloodhound Ambassadors might be something other major teams could use.

[tauruck]

What other major teams?. You Pommies are in this alone.

Although the Americans went to the moon and back numerous times (and the Astronauts drove big block Fords) the guys into speed records
are gearheads that love pistons, gearboxes and hot rods.

Be careful what you wish for.

[4-barrel Mike]

...and the Astronauts drove big block Fords...

It's been a LONG time, but I think that Tom Wolfe in "The Right Stuff" says that the first group of astronauts were given Corvettes by GM (although some/many might have immediately sold them).

Mike

[tauruck]

I should have backed up my statement with proof but I can't remember where I read the Ford thing. I'll try find it.

[MAYOMAN]

I remember very clearly the astronauts and their Corvettes. A current article on the subject is found at http://www.chron.com/cars/article/Astronauts-helped-established-the-Corvette-as-4887779.php#photo-5307759. I was working on several research projects supporting the Apollo mission during the 1960s, at IIT Research Institute, including participating in static testing the rockets at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1964. I was also a car guy, involved in drag racing and sports car racing in small ways (married, with kids). So, the combination of neat sports cars and astronauts certainly caught my attention. T-birds were cool, but never really sports cars.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

As evidence that Thunderbirds were not sports cars -- my first car was a 1959 Thunderbird that I bought used in '65.  It sported air conditioning, power windows, the Fordomatic two speed trans, and a 352 low-performance (at least I thought so) with one two-barrel carb mounted.  It was, alas, a slug off the line, but it had tremendous top end.  I don't know what the rear ratio was.  Oh, that I had saved it instead of crashing and trading the wrecked vehicle for something else.

[1932highboy]

1955-57 Thunderbirds were sport cars. They had proper V8's and manual transmissions,things the Corvette of that era did not.