Bonneville salt flats

Leaving tomorrow for Mecca. Salt conditions are great with 3 courses operable and the weather forecast is dry and in the mid 90's.
It's gonna be good!
 
Great racing today, lots of flathead action. Welkers belly tank went 158mph. Faster tomorow after tweaking. Keiths coupe went 175.
 
Was there in '12 for Speedweek, and just stopped in June '13 for a picture op. Wanted to drive out '14 or '15 in my 35 fordor but I think salt was in poor condition. Was thinking about this year but didn't think the salt was good, so did other shows instead. Will give some thought now for a possible run out there in '17.
 
Lots of flathead powered cars this year. We ran 147 ish on a 149.7 record then eventually broke something in the motor. Others had much more success, Ronnie Roadster bump up the record in his class by something over FIFTY miles per hour and I believe the "Blonde *****" ran well also. Jerry Wortman set records possibly with two different cars.
 
On our way home. Had a great week. We ran a y block 170mph and blew a hole in a piston. Flathead roadser ran 128mph fighting gremlins all the way. Lots of flathead action and some amazing engineering. The blonde ***** ran 165mph. Saw a team change a 59a head while waiting in line to run. Flathead heaven.....XFs are fun!
 
I spent part of last weekend there. I started a new job a few months ago so getting off for a week and a half wasn't in the cards. I helped out a bit with the White Goose Bar cars whom comported themselves well. I had a great visit with Andy Welker while in line. Good job Andy. Had to leave about noon on Sunday but I got a taste. Next for me is El Mirage in September. Wayno
 
All things considered we had a really good week. After making a bunch of runs right around 165 I was starting to feel like I was just beating and old horse that refused to go any faster up the hill. The. Finally on Thursday we did $10 worth of duct tape aero on the rear axle and went 168.89 into a 6 mph headwind. Gave it one more try on the long course but it was so rough it was real slow. So after a week of 6000+ shifts we decided to go home with engine internals intact.

Glad I got to talk to you Wayno and always good to chat with Butch.

Only 4 more days driving to get home. Then start figuring out how to go faster.
 
Hi Everyone, I just found Andy's website, and they blogged the trip. I'm reading it now. Here's a page that starts when they arrive at the salt flats.

https://vonwelker.com/2016/08/11/made-it-to-the-salt/

Okay I'm back from reading. Excellent reporting from the scene including pictures, videos, and a quote of the day like "Stop licking your feet" for one. It seems to be written by one of the wife's on the trip. Just great writing and reporting.

I didn't know you guys were so close to the DC Metro area, I'll have to reach out. I'd sure like to make the trip next year if the salt is open again!

If anyone is looking for a Blonde ***** T-Shirt, they're available here... https://vonwelker.com/blonde-*****-t-shirts/
 
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First time for us running our rear engine modified roadster on the salt. Sunday afternoon the 8-BA Ford flathead that I machined and built with my son which is supercharged on gas qualified on the 139 record with a short coarse speed of 191.9 MPH that run was made at an altitude of 6733 feet and a temp of 92 degrees. Monday mornings backup run I ran 192.9 MPH the new record I set is now 192.448 MPH.
Next we put my son in the car after his rookie we changed class to fuel. On my runs the car ran well over the required 175 MPH on the short coarse at the 2 1/4 mile clock so we now have a long coarse qualified car.
With my son driving now on the long coarse his run was 185.9 at mile three on a 158 record. Next morning on the back up run the engine gave up at the 2 1/2 mile mark and coasted across the three mile timer at 171 MPH he bumped the fuel record 20 MPH higher. Now father and son both have land speed records with a car and flathead engines we built together.
Everyone in the SCTA we met were great and with two other cars running in the class the competition was interesting. It was a four day drive there and four more back the trip was worth it and the memorys are priceless.
 
Vroom. VROOM VROOMMMMM..
 

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holy smokes.....couldn't you just bump the record a little??....lol.....congrats on the records....whewwww.....Mike
 
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