I am starting to really enjoy collecting salt flats racing memorabilia. I have an old ****on that says "Bonneville 200 mph club, 1950". It really looks old, but I can't figure out what it would have been. (I couldn't find anything on "Speed Inc, L.A. Cal"). From what I've been able to find on the internet, nobody was inducted into the 200 mph club in 1950. I also found that by 1950, only 6 people were members of the 200 mph club. I have a Hotrod mag from Oct 1950 and it has a write up on Speedweek. From what it shows, only 2 people broke 200 mph that event. My questions are these: - Did anyone join the 200 mph club in 1950? - If 2 people broke 200 mph in 1950, why would they not be in the 200 mph club? (They were not already members) - How many members were in the 200 mph club by the end of 1950? - If nobody joined the 200 mph club in 1950, what is this ****on I have? - Who would this thing belong to? It's certainly possible this things fake, but it sure looks real. I'd like to find out. Thanks in advance for any insight! Mysteries like this are a lot of fun.... Mac
note that it actually says "200 club" not 200 mph club. whoever made it was very careful in their word choice. it may have been a wynn's promo handout. IMHO the graphic design looks like it was made to look vintage, not an actual vintage item, but i'd gladly be wrong on that.
Just found this on the Hemmings site.... Bill Kenz founded a Ford V8 specialty shop in Denver, Colorado with Roy Leslie in 1938, the pair having raced midgets together before that. Kenz’s first dry lakes burner was a ’31 Model A pickup with Edelbrock equipped flathead V8s at either end, the rear mill bolted directly to a quick change rear end with swing axles and torsion bars. The ungainly Odd Rod confounded skeptics by turning 140 mph at the first Bonneville National Speed Trials in 1949. Suitably encouraged, Kenz spent the next year building a more refined version of the concept – the flatheads now snug in a custom steel tube bridge frame beneath a smooth aluminum shell pierced only for intake and exhaust and the driver’s head. With Willie Young at the wheel, the ice blue 777 streamliner became the first hot rod to break the 200 mph barrier at Bonneville in 1950. A 255 mph run in 1952 made Young the first American to exceed 250 mph on land. More questions: - Willie Young didn't join the club until 1952. Why? - Roy Leslie not until 1957 - Bill Kenz isn't a member If these three were the team that broke 200 in 1950, wouldn't they have joined the club in 1950?
you're on the right track. the question is authenticity. search for the Kenz and Leslie museum tour thread, drive on out for the tour and bring your ****on!
The club wasn't founded until 1953 per the history section on the club's website. http://www.bonneville200mph.org/history.html. Ed
I got one from 57'. Also says Speed Inc. LA with the K&L streamliner. A friend talked to another friend who got in the 200 MPH club in 57', he said "I never got one" They're fake,yours is cooler looking though.
The K&L car shown was a later version of the car run in 1950 so the ****on was probably a promotional item from Wynns. deChrome
That's correct. Thanks for the clarification. I think that's spot on. Going from the info on their website, they didn't form the club until 1953, then inducted those from previous years into the club. The first being the crew from the Wynn's 777 car from 1950. I could see a promo item being made that shows their "new" car but honoring their initial record. That would seem plausible to me. Thanks for the help! That wouldn't surprise me one bit! Stupid Hobby Lobby....
IMHO, I'd say the graphics are pretty accurate as that type is hand-rendered, inconsistency from letter to letter. Most fakes/repros are are just ****ping out computer rendered type.
As noted in previous posts the club was not formed until 1953. At that time the 5 charter members were the drivers who had set records in excess of 200 MPH. If you haven't read it yet please follow the link in post #5. Only the driver/rider is offered Club membership. The crew gets to share the glory. I think your pin is a promotional item at best. Dan Warner President Bonneville 200 MPH Club
Related to Salt Falts memorabilia, you might be interested to check out some of the tidbits of info I've been collecting at http://imageevent.com/****gy/lsrdiamondt This medallion is on the dash of my Salt Lake Diamond T. It says, "The World's Quickest Stopping Tire" . I don't think the medallion has anything to do with Bonneville, directly; but I think they were trying to garner attention from the trendiness of land speed racing, especially in Salt Lake City. Afterall, they elected Ab Jenkins as mayor, so people were constantly reminded of salt lake racing achievements.
Well I would love to take your word for it, Mr Dan Warner, but I'm going to have to find someone with more credibility on this topic than the president of the 200 mph club! lol... Thanks for the info! I agree, it's an old promo piece. That seems to be the consensus.
AND top the minimum for that cl*** which may be 250, 300 etc!!!!!!! Yes Virginia, there are minimums and some/most are over 200.
Mac my Dad used to own the gas station at the exit for Bonneville, when it was "Metro Oil" way after 1950. I showed him the Pin he has never seen one. He did say he wished he would have kept every pin, sticker or shirt he was given by company's, teams and racers but at the time he would get so much of it he would just give most of it away. He feels it is just something like that. Good luck on your search someone out there has your answer.
Firepilot did you ever live in wendover. I wish I would have keep all my pins stickers and shirts aswell. I lived in wendover for 20 years and now only have a few pit p*** pins. Live and learn.
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