I have just spent the past couple of days with the Harris Family in Napier with their C/GAS Roadster world record holder and 200 mph Club Member. This year they step up to B/GAS roadster Click on the link below: http://www.nz-hotrod.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=45902#post45902 In addition to that there is also another dozen teams from New Zealand competing including the world record holder - HOGAN MARTIN & REA with their XF/BFR 34 roadster running a very wild blown flathead!
http://www.nz-hotrod.com/FORUM.html The Harris Family were on Close Up NZ television last night with their Bonneville Roadster. The link is on there too http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/1907930
Here's a full list of the 16 Kiwi teams entered for Speedweek 2008 and the records they're striving for. Team: Hogan-Martin-Rea Driver: Andrew Rea Car: 34 Ford roadster Cl***: XF/BFR Current cl*** record: 189.785 mph (own record) Team: Harris Family Racing Driver: Lincoln Harris Car: 32 Ford roadster Cl***: B/GR Current cl*** record: 232.346 mph Team: Tony Christianson Driver: Tony Christianson Car: 27 Ford T roadster Cl***: C/FMR Current cl*** record: 298.682 mph Team: Kiwi-A-Salt Driver: Bill Ward Car: 27 Ford T roadster Cl***: XF/BFRMR Current cl*** record: No current record Team: Alexander & Sattler Driver: Dave Alexander & Pins Sattler Car: Alexander Special Cl***: XF/VOT Current cl*** record: 123.298 mph Team: Richard Hollywood Driver: Richard Hollywood Car: 66 Falcon Cl***: B/GCC Current cl*** record: 263.283 mph Team: Casey Hill Driver: Casey Hill Car: 31 Ford roadster Cl***: G/BSTR Current cl*** record: 128.287 mph (own record) Team: Flying Kiwi Driver: Steve Davies Car: 27Ford T roadster Cl***: F/BGRMR Current cl*** record: no current record Team: Hondata Bonneville Race Team Driver: Doug Macmillan Car: 03 Honda Acura Cl***: G/BGALT plus B/GCC and F/CC Current cl*** record: 203.009 mph - 207.514mph - 186.505 mph Team: Hondata Bonneville Race Team Driver: Miriam Macmillan Car: 90 Honda CRX Cl***: G/GALT & G/GC Current cl*** record: 167.346 mph & 157.239 mph Team: Kiwi 24 Hour Hot Rod Challenge Driver: MrX Car: 24 Hour Hot Rod Cl***: Unknown Current cl*** record: Unknown Team: Corey Bertelsen Rider: Corey Bertelsen Bike: Honda 250cc Cl***: MPS/F Current cl*** record: 157.576 mph Team: Black Thunder Racing Rider: Alan Thoreson Bike: Kawasaki ZX14 Cl***: PP 1650cc & M/F & MPS/F Current cl*** record:196.604 & 197.146 & 219.555 mph Team: Shane Taylor Rider: Shane Taylor Bike: Yamaha FZR 400 Cl***: MPS/G 500cc Current cl*** record: 172.941 mph Team: Walk the Line Racing Rider: Danny Thompson Bike: Indian The Paducah Flyer Cl***: SCVG 350cc Current cl*** record: No current record Team: Paul Heard Rider: Paul Heard Bike: MV Augusta Cl***: TBA Current cl*** record: TBA Further updates/information at the NZ Bonneville hotline: http://www.nz-hotrod.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2771&page=1&pp=10
Dedication defined By Greg Stokes The Harris Family lifetime of land speed racing Bonneville has always been the mecca of hot rodding, comments Chris Harris as he reflects on the past twenty years of the Harris Family Bonneville attempts. Its hard to even begin to describe the p***ion behind the Harris Family when you consider that the holy grail of hot rodding Bonneville Salt Flats resulted in Chris Harris being wheelchair bound. That was back in 1988 and with the most incredible support of his wife Lesley, and his son Lincoln, Chris returned in 1998 with the Gas Roadster you see here. This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the annual Bonneville Speed Week and also the fifth land speed attempt with this car. Currently, the Harris Family hold the C/Gas Roadster record at 229.308 MPH and are also members of the prestigious 200 MPH Club with Lincoln Harris behind the wheel. No small feat when you consider how aggressive the conditions are at Bonneville, not to mention the geography difference with the car been designed, built and prepared half way around the world. Then there is the inner family strength as Lincoln is the hands to the Chris theory spend only a few minutes with these guys and one sees the great synergy of an in-depth father and son project. To back track a little, Chris Harris began thinking about Bonneville after reading US Hot Rod Magazines that were then further fuelled by Bill Wards attempts in the late seventies and early eighties. I thought, if Bill can do it then I can too, remembers Chris. With a labour intensive farming background, Chris was no stranger to hard work as he set about securing sponsorship and building his first land speed roadster a 27 T Roadster. Sponsored by Motorcraft more than suitable when you consider the Harris Family Ford DNA! I told a few friends of the concept to build a land speed hot rod styled roadster and they ***ured me of their support so we started work in 1987, remembers Chris. Part of the sponsorship agreement was that the car to be made available to Motorcraft/Ford Motor Company for promotional purposes over a three month period. The car was publically displayed throughout the country and on its return home to Wairoa in the Hawkes Bay; Chris installed the 365 cu in Cleveland race motor. Lincoln remembers The 1988 trip was the big trip of a lifetime, remembers Lincoln Harris. He considers his Dad a true hero for his strength and determination. Lincoln first learnt about Bonneville land speed racing through his Dad and as a result, Lincoln became very p***ionate about it too. From there, the ambition to run at Bonneville grew greater as Lincoln drew ch***is designs in tech drawing cl***es at school. The goal was to return to Bonneville with Dad with his own hot rod land speed roadster. It had to be a T roadster like Dads but it was actually the T roadster on deuce rails of the late Bill Burnham that struck a chord, remembers Lincoln. Interestingly Bill Burnham wrote a complimentary editorial in US Street Rodder Magazine about Chris after the accident in 1988. The accident was well do***ented in 1988 issues of NZHRM. Lincoln returned to boarding school and the family awaited the recovery of Chris. It was a quiet time for cars and then the three window coupe street rod was built in the early nineties. The rodding fraternity was and has been tremendous to the Harris Family and we wanted to get back into the scene, comments Lincoln. Chris returns Lincoln was 18 years old as he ***embled Chris coupe over an 8 month period based on a Graham Berry Race Cars roller. Reminiscent of Chris first coupe and also the late Lil John ****era coupe, its maiden voyage was the 1993 Street Rod Nationals in Taupo. We wanted to give something back to rodding as we had so much help from the rodding fraternity and that is one of the reasons why I joined the NZHRA executive back then, comments Chris. It was Ron Wards idea to head back to Bonneville as a tenth anniversary of the accident which actually coincided with the 50th Anniversary of Bonneville Speed Week. Anyone that has meet Chris will understand what we mean we suggest that it is a true understatement of the positive mindset that Chris Harris carries forward with any project he tackles. Effectively, 1998 was the year of unfinished business and once Chris had pitched the idea to Lesley, he then commissioned Graham Berry Race Cars to build the new race car. Full credit to Berry and (Terry) Bowden and the likes that have helped with this car, their ability to interpret the vision into reality is superb, comments Chris. True to his hot rodding background, one of Chris major stipulations with the new roadster was that it had to look like a hot rod and eventually, also be Ford powered. However, Willy White stepped up for the first Bonneville trip in 1998 with his nitro SB Chev. Whilst a very emotional trip it wasnt a very successful one. Upon returning home to New Zealand, Lincoln became even more p***ionate about land speed racing. He had the enthusiasm to take a hold of the Harris Family Ford powered vision and return in 2001. The magic mark We returned for a fantastic Speedweek in 2001 and ran 207 mph, remembers Lincoln. What was the first trip down the salt like? Really exciting! says Lincoln as he begins to describe the licensing procedure that first year for him behind the wheel. First up is the E Cl*** license, equivalent to a USA State Drivers license and you have to run 125 mph, get your license signed off and then Lincoln ran 178 mph to qualify for the long course (five miles). We ran it up to 197 or 198 mph on the long course and running 368 cubes we didnt quite have the right diff gear, so on the next run I ran it right out in 3rd gear and then in to top to run a 208mph exit speed, recalls Lincoln. For the 2003 attempt, Lincoln ran 217 mph on the short course. He remembers, Lots of people asked how I went, and they couldnt believe it until I showed my time slip. The Harris Family Roadster was the second fastest car on the short course that year. This year also showed again how unfair Bonneville can be as Lincoln ran the car up to 231 mph on a 226 mph record in the C/Gas Roadster cl***. In impound the team found a dropped valve so disconnecting that particular cylinder, Lincoln ran 213 mph. The average of the two runs was down 5mph resulting in no record. Determined to run again, the 2005 trip was aborted due to lake conditions so 2006 was the year of the record run. On the 13th of August 2006, Lincoln drove the Harris Family Roadster to 227.190mph and the next morning 14th of August 2006, the return run netted 231.426mph resulting in a C/Gas Roadster record at 229.308mph. This also resulted in entry to the prestigious 200 MPH Club as you have to also break the record of your cl*** opposed to just running the magic mark. One of the best things that happened that day is when our major compe***or, Wilson & Waters Team, came over and congratulated us, remembers Lincoln. On the horizon This year, as you read this, the Harris Family will be back at Bonneville Speedweek the 60th Anniversary where they will run in the B/Gas Roadster Cl***. We are running 398 cubes in a cl*** that is eligible for 372-440 cubes, says Chris. The B record is at 232.34 mph and the Mike Gearing built engine features the same bore and stroke as what Tony Marsh uses and recommended. In fact Tonys support has been great with the latest motor achieving 824 HP on the Marsh Motorsport dyno. Chris, Lesley & Lincoln wish to thank everyone that has been a part of the cars success over the past ten years. After Speed Week this year, the roadster comes home and Lincoln is looking forward to getting his own street roadster running to enjoy some hot rodding with Mum and Dad. Its a killer car and we have a feature coming up. Three deuces make a full house! says Chris. This story is far from over though as the Harris Family Roadster will always remain in the family and Lincoln has many great intentions to keep running the car at Bonneville.
Thanks for the post FEF - great bio and now you have got me all fired up. Great to see so many participants from the other side of the planet - they should re-name it Bonneville International Speed Week!
Best of luck to all you Kiwi's. Would like to be there with you. God Speed! ___________________________________________________________________________ Like I told the kid, "your music not too loud, it just ****s!
There must must be a huge Salt shortage in New Zealand. Bring large bags and shovels. Take a bunch home. haha. See ya out there.
Auckland airport was like a rod run with out the cars! We went along to farewell Chris, Lesley and Lincoln Harris and wish them all the best for their 2008 Land Speed attempt at Bonneville Speedweek. From left to right - Mark Stokes, Ron & Jude Amsted, Lincoln Harris, Lesley Harris, Janne Stokes, Rebecca Homan & myself with Chris Harris in front of us. The smiles say it all! GO HARD AND GOOD LUCK! Then, we bumped into Geoff & Donna Cottle from Hot Rod Lane. THEN, we saw Lloyd Wilson of Magoos Street Rods and his tour of four including Greg Semple of RodzSouth (they were heading straight to San Fran to complete Magoo's roadster pick up) THEN, Richard Hollywood from Napier came along - GO HARD AND GOOD LUCK! THEN Nigel "Foot" Shaw of Napier walked up THEN we headed downstairs and saw Grease & Christine Martin and Andrew Rea being dropped off by Peanut. GO HARD AND GOOD LUCK TOO!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=281877&highlight=kiwi+bonneville Here is the link to the Chrisman No.25 Dragster Clone. The kiwi cars get unpacked on Monday 10am LA time
On the Harris number 397 roadster, how is the front end set-up? It looks like a really nice car. Good luck to all the Kiwis. Jimmy White
Hey Jimmy, It runs four bars and coil overs. I remember calling by your shop a few years back in the GMT Metalworks 32 delivery Greg
Good luck to you all, have fun, go fast!.............Question about the Harris #397, that body is extensively modified, tonneau and cowl, is that allowed in all cl***es or just the one it runs in. Great looking car, hope it sets a Record.
Just in the cl*** it runs in. It is built EXACTLY to the rule book as its a long way to come and try and contend with a borderline legal car
Seems funny to see all the Kiki's with winter swag on. I'm looking forward to listening to them all talk
Here are some shots of the Hogan, Martin & Rea '34 roadster with a blown and injected flathead featuring HOGAN twin plug heads. Its a world record holder!
Don`t you wish you were on the plane as well ?.......I am still rewiring the Sedan.....but I`ll be there Sunday....May put my old N.Z. number plate on it for a laugh.......
Dont remind me! But I have bought my first property so cant do it all! Been to the airport twice last week and it was like a rodding event!
I had the pleasure of having dinner with the Harris family last night. I was leaving the Costco, big box type of store, near my home and there was Chris waiting for the rest of the crew to buy their tinnies and slabs. Joanie and I joined the group a couple of hours later, a good time was had by all. DW
The excitement is building as our Kiwi Cars make it to Bonneville and get tech inspected. For daily and almost hourly updates, please visit: http://www.nz-hotrod.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=48872#post48872<O</O
We ran into a group Of Kiwi's on tour here in So Cal yesterday morning at the Anti-Donut breakfast. Two big vans full of people rolled into the parking lot. We thought it was a police bust. It was nice meeting all of you.
Yep, thats the Kiwis! Most of them are from the South Island You can tell cos their legs are white!!!!! Its too cold to wear shorts down there!
We have just uploaded photos to the web of the first day at Bonneville: http://www.nz-hotrod.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=48967#post48967 We have our first Kiwi car in impound too
What a motley lookin' crew! Not that i'm jealous of them being on the salt or anything... Lucky ******s!
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