History Vintage Bonneville car pictures

Ermie's streamliner first ran in '63 with 4 stock 406 Ford engines. The above pic is in it's last configuration with the turbine engine. The body is a lengthened version of Chet Herbert's Beast III.

 

this chop is perfect!

 

Do you know if Ermie's streamliner is out there someplace?

Hooley

 

Some early Belly Tanks

 

Yellow one above and to the right is Wazavudu, a current Aussie car and one of my favorites!

 

Could be. When Ermie died, there was a big auction at his shop. If the streamliner survived, someone may have bought it.

 

Dean, Maybe you know a person or two in HRM and you could send them a link to this thread. Get them back on the right track.

 

Dean, you will appreciate this one as much as I do!! My hero Ron Benham!! Heavily involved with Jack Lufik, and Ak Miller.
Fabian

 

A few more early "Bean Bandits" on the salt, from the Fred Angelo collection

 

Bill, I have tried to correspond with the editors at HRM to no avail. I had the idea that the Jan 2012 cover could be a duplicate of my Jan '62 cover since I'm still around and still own a '29 RPU. They claim they want to honor the magazine's history, and I thought, since that seems to be a popular cover with HRM long timers, a 50th anniversary cover might be cool. I sent a letter with the idea and some pictures, but never even got a reply.

Fabian, I remember Ron's "Baby Whale" very well. It was Burke Le Sage's ride into the 200MPH club. Burke told me it was the hardest car to drive of all the cars he drove on the salt. He said the blown Tempest had just enough power to go 200, but not enough to get it out of trouble at that speed. The only way to get it through the lights was in a 4 wheel drift! I miss Ron very much. Every Monday, following a lakes meet, he would stop by our shop and give me a report, then head for the "high performance" salvage yard up on Tyler Ave. When Ron worked for Ak, we would go over and have lunch with him at the pizza joint every Friday. Ron had a huge heart. He always thought it was a shame that Ak had never gotten in the 2 club, so he let Ak drive the Crosley, and Jack financed the effort, and together they got Ak a red hat at 72 years old. They don't make guys like Ronnie any more.

 

Once again, THANK YOU, guys! I've been searching and searching for years and couldn't find any info on this. It finally comes together! Here's a pic through the camera lens of Alex Tremulis, 1963. Just awesome!

 

Ron Benham worked at Blair's for many years as a fabricator, and helped me a lot in learning how to build stuff...he built lots of unique cars, including his roadster, a T bucket with a 4-banger Pontiac Tempest...called it appropriately "Tempest in a T-pot," great to see this shot of him ... RIP, Ron

 

Dean, The Fergusons (Don Ferguson III current SCTA President) currently own the car with plans to restore and run it soon. Much further along in the restoration than my 5 year old pictures show. Also a couple of shots with and without automotive engines at the bottom.

 

Dean, I know whatcha mean. He was one of my best friends. Even though I had met him way to late, he still took time to teach me a thing or two! I am proud to say that he is one of the main reasons I got into land speed racing. I built my first rear eng. roadster cause of him and in dedication I ran and still do #3400 on my cars... his being #34... it was the closest i could get. This year with the permision of his son Norm, we ran Ron's last race eng. a "B" and got a record at bonneville ( only stood for a couple days) and as a plus got to run the ol' #34.... That meant the world to me.

 

Very cool Fabian. You know ol' Ronnie is smilin' down on you.

About Norm, I'm surprised you were able to have a coherent conversation with him.

 

Here's a blast from the past some of you might enjoy - Craig Breedlove on What's My Line. Take note how well mannered everyone is on this game show. Oh, how I wish it were like that now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aVdiC4EEVg&feature=related

 

How 'bout this for a collection?

 

where the hell does one find die cast like that??? or, are they made from scratch?

 

nice collection, but it's missing the redhead.

 

Look at Al Teague's car compared to every other piston engined car in the picture. Talk about aerodynamic. And built in his mother's garage! This man is at the top of my LSR heros list.

 

http://www.ugofadini.com/

 

indeed! al will always be one of my heroes!

of course, the earlier incarnation of the "wingedfoot express" might not look so bad if it had been facing the same direction as the other cars.

 

Out of an old book .....

 

Continued ........

 

Ab Jenkins' Mormon Meteor .......

 

Thanks Dean, I hope so! Those details on the baby whale are awesome!
Fabian

 

These pictures are great. Please keep posting them. I went to Bonneville for the first time this year and I can't wait to go back.