Filed under: Etc.
1906 steam powered car land speed record is in serious danger
When you think of steam-powered travel you think of ... going 200 miles per hour in a rocket car, right? Good, because that's exactly what a team in Britain is trying to do next year as part of the British Steam Car Challenge. The team got good news recently when Slough Heat & Power in Berkshire announced they would help the team with its initial trials by providing steam from a specially-built gantry. The team has proved, mathematically, that 200 mph is possible, and they're designing the Inspiration to achieve this. The car will undergo its first speed record test in South Africa next June and then go to the Bonneville Salt Flats. The current steam-powered car land speed record is 127.659mph set in 1906 by Fred Marriot driving a Stanley Steamer. I seriously doubt it will stand through the next year.Working out a lot of the math before hitting the salt flats is a good strategy. Remember, the JCB Dieselmax broke records after using computer simulations without wind tunnel testing.
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[Source: British Steam Car Challenge, Eventageous PR]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Herbert C. Schneider 4:40PM (11/03/2006)
The 1906 Stanley Steamer's machinery was capable of speeds much higher than the official record, which itself was much higher than any gasoline-powered vehicle achieved for a number of years. The problem in setting an even faster record was that the aerodynamics of the racer were primitive at best. The car looked like an upside-down canoe, and it had a flat bottom. When a faster run was attempted, the car literally left the ground and crashed, nearly killing the driver. The Stanley brothers did no further work with high-speed vehicles after the accident.
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John Ferrero 7:18PM (4/01/2007)
For your information, the Land Speed record for a steam powered car was set in 1985 by Bob Barber at Bonneyville. The current record is 145.607 MPH. This is an average of the required two runs in opposing directions after making a quaiifying run. The car, "Steamin Demon" is on display in the Reno, NV car museum. I will furnish more information upon request (I was the crew chief on this car).
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alex 11:35PM (2/01/2008)
how do they boil the water
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Dirticus 9:52AM (7/07/2008)
John Ferrero is half correct. The 1985 steam record is 145.607, and though ironicaly it was done in the same manner as the 1906 record, ONE direction, not two, it is NOT the official FIA recognized Steam Land Speed Record, the 1906 run of 127 is. Sound weird? heres why. in 1906 FIA was the governing body for Land Speed records and attempts had to be made in only one direction. IN 1910 the rules chenged to require rtwo attempts in opposite directions within 60 min. ( to cancle out wind advantage) The 1906 attempt was Grandfathered because it was made per the rules of the time. The 1985 Attempt was done in only ONE direction, as was the 1906 record. But it is NOT recognized by FIA because the FIA official LSR rules of the day call for the two runs in an hour. The British Steam Car challlenge team recognizes the 1985 record though and is aiming for over 150 mph.
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