A little history on this truck and trailer. On November 15, 1965, Craig set the World Land Speed record at the Salt Flats, at 600.601 MPH, an average of two runs in opposite directions, with the fastest run at 608.211. MPH. Our sponsor, Goodyear, went to work setting up a tour of car shows, county fairs, the opening of new Goodyear stores, etc., all around the nation, starting in early January, 1966. Our existing trailer for the car was not adequate for the job. The only vehicle we had that was big enough for the job was a large Ford box truck with a 534 cubic inch V-8 engine (gasoline powered). We shopped around and found a used 40-foot moving van trailer. The car was 34-feet long, however, the vertical fin in the rear of the car was too tall for the trailer. So we built a ramp inside the trailer that slanted upward toward the front of the trailer, and since the fin was mostly behind the rear axle of the race car, tilting the car up in the front lowered the fin enough in the back to get it in the trailer, provided we cut a notch into the frame around the rear doors (plainly visible in the photo). The car was pulled up some long ramps leading to the back of the trailer by an electric winch. On the truck, we removed the box and added another fuel tank along with the 5th wheel. While all this was going on, a sign painter was busy painting the words on the trailer. I had him add that little sign on the back door just for fun. I was elected to drive the truck, left L.A. at the end of December, 1965, and drove that thing all over the nation from one end to the other and back again about a dozen times over the next 5 or 6 months.
Ah yes, a book on my adventures. The problem, Jimmy, is I'm not sure if the "statute of limitations" is over on many of them...
The Jalopy Journal
