LIFE Images of Bonneville 1954

Ryan's Bonneville photography post got me thinking about race cars documented at the salt over the past 60 years. The early Kodachrome era of photography is my hands down favorite, and I remembered s... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

 

If you have never been to Bonneville ------- GO!!! The machines are incredible and the people at Bonneville are the best you'll ever meet from all over the World

 

Damn, I can almost smell the salt........... can't wait to go back, it's timeless

 

This is my favorite era of Hot Rodding. I love that time when cars were transferring into dual Salt/Drag cars where they were still not fully polished as later years and not as crude as early years. They seem to have a lot of personality in them. From the High clearance of that 5w's stance to the "OUTCAST" mural on the back of another. I love 'em!!!!

These images really are simply beautiful and the cars are just perfect! Thanks so much for sharing them.

 

the last picture of the guy on the bike is classic ..... balls out short sleeves

 

Outstanding pictures and the salt IS timeless. Those images looks like they were taken this year, except for the balls out dude on the bike.

 

I would say the safety regs were much more lax back then.

 

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

AWESOME...gonna be running there at Speed Week 2011 for the 1st time....super pumped!!!

 

Yeah.

 

I was there in '53 and '54 ....

Just change the rider into the prone position wearing a speedo and a helmet ... I have the negative packed away somewhere .

Miles

 

Boy I really like this web site!!! These are cool.Thanks

 

Is that water sitting on the salt in some of the pics?

 

Fanfuckingtastic!!

Some of us were babes, some of us weren't here yet, some of you were there . . . find that photo inMOtion !!

 

My avatar pic was taken in 1954.

 

Thanks!

inMOtion, If you have any more shots of the Salt back in the day, would you mind posting them?

Chris Nelson
Kansas

 

THAT IS AWESOME.. such amazing pix thanks

 

You got that Right, 2000 was Great hope to make it to Speed week 2011

 

I see Fred Lobello's Lady Bug in the first pic. The car's in a San Diego museum today, not far from Fred.

Fred was a little surprised to learn his mug was taken at a San Diego Veterans Day parade this past November. There are so many ways we "youngsters" should be thankful for what fellas like Lobello did.

He still has the '32 banger he ran in 1945 and plans a return to the salt next year.

 

I've seen these pictures many times, but they never fail to inspire me.

 

Awesome, but how is that yellow 269 car in E class at bonneville?

 

dullchrome ... Yep, thats water . Remember, this is Salt Lake earlier in the year and then the dry season comes, the water level recedes depositing a fresh surface of salt and the area is once again the salt flats allowing us to go racing . Some years the water level remains nearer the surface degrading the surface quality . I remember instinces when cars would need to be pulled out of the salt at the far end or the sides due to water level rising during the meet. The track would need to be moved, smoothed, and timing lights/traps reset. The SCTA just thinks they are in control.

I haven't seen those negatives in decades, they are probably stored along with the first pictures of the '53 Chevy Corvette and the new 265 ci OHV V8.

MO

 

Was there in 2008 pitting for the 1946 VanBlarcom & Gilmore (former Jimmy Shine Roadster) In 2009 Steve broke the record in DBSTR class - 216 mph...Going back again in 2011..... (I am the cook for the team....hey, they got to eat!!)

 

@Jive-Bomber Jay -

I too love the "chromes" that J.R. Eyerman shot @ Speed Week '54 ... and (so far) I've found a total of 50 of them scattered throughout the LIFE archives ... i.e., the 19 that you posted ... plus 31 additional images.

I've posted several of Eyerman's "LIFE Images of Bonneville 1954" here on the HAMB ... including this one in @Ryan'sNo Mal Blog/thread:



... these two in @Ryan's We Need Some Help - Poster Trivia! Blog/thread:



... these three in my #990 "Golden Rod" Streamliner ... PICS from 1958!!! thread:



... and these four in @Ryan's Double Bullet On Wheels Blog/thread:

 

Here's some more of Eyerman's "LIFE Images of Bonneville 1954":

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... and more:

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LeBlanc streamliner with twin Hemi's 219mph


Paul Sylva #2 C mod roadster (yellow track nose) 187.30mph


Neumayer-Reed C class lakester 205.71mph


Ollie Morris "Smokin' White Owl"


Denny Larson/Bob Sorrel special


Mickey Thompson E competition coupe


#265 Albert Magliocco '32 5w 92.11mph Fred Lobello's "Ladybug" in front


Harold Johanson's twin tank, Dodge hemi powered.


S.C.T.A. President Jim Lindsley got in to the 200mph club with this twin engine '32 "Harold Raymond Special"


So-Cal Coupe


Lee Pendleton's C lakester


Of course the Tom Beatty Tank


Voigt-Colb set a 172.17mph D roadster record

 

This tread is amazing I love those shots. Totally off topic but I am new to the Hot Rod seen but I have allways dreamed of having my own Rod to drive on the flats so my question is how does one do it? I am building a Rod now so is it only special events? Do you need a special envite? I live on the east coast well thats my home of record, I am stationed in Germany right now but I would love to know where to get the info on getting out on the lake. thanks

 

George Callaway Blue hammered Class D Comp Coupe behind F100


Chet Herbert Beast V

 

There is nothing likes photos in Kodachrome! It doesn't matter what you're shooting, the colors are like nothing else. It's especially cool when the photos are of such historical significance as Bonneville.